My 5 year old daughter wants to "surf"
 

Well, we got the boat (MasterCraft Maristar 230 VRS) 2 moths ago and she's seen me wakeboarding (She calls it "Surfsing Up") and wants to try. She'll be 5 in September and is hooked on the Barbie and the Mermaid Tale movie where Barbie is a surfer. She's been riding in the tube off and on since 1 year old so she's used to being on the water behind the boat. She's been riding a 2 wheel bike for about 6 months so I guess her balance is above average.

I've tried surfing behind my boat but I can't stay on the wake without the rope. I'm 6' 1" and 190 lbs and have no ballast in the boat. I did get her out on the surfboard with me on Friday but we just laid on it and let the boat pull us. She liked that.

So, I saw some small surf boards at Wal-Mart for $30. They were rated for 8 year old kids and had 3 fins. I was thinking that might be too tough to start out on but maybe not.

I showed her this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnrOJ...layer_embedded

She was pretty stoked about that and says she wants to try "that".

I was also thinking about getting a cheap wakeskate board at Academy and throw some cheap bungy bindings on it.

Any ideas on which the best way to go would be? I'm hesitant to buy a $90+ trainer set of ski board things that she'll be bored with quickly but that might be the best way to go. I was leaning that way because I thought she wouldn't have the strength to hold the handle until I saw the above youtube video of that 3 year old.

I have an 8 year old, 6 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old. I have 3 of them surfing already. 2 with me and the 8 year old girl did it alone on the first try. Anyway, don't get a cheap board. Go get a Hyperlite Land Lock 5' 11" board. You can do it with them. Then it is huge so they can start on their belly and work up from there. My kids all started with me, then went to their belly's and from there to their knees. On our first time out this year my 8 year old just went, belly, knees then just stood up and went right into the wave. Get a big board, and help them do it with you. Stand them up with you. They will love it. Good luck.

Well, I don't know a lot about surfing yet. I have a real surf board right now. As in one you'd use in the ocean on waves and it has 3 fins on the back. By wakesurf standards it's large. Haven't wrapped my mind about how I could get up on it with her.

Check out wake9, ragboy has some stuff on his blog, and I believe a podcast and getting up with an adult and a child.

I would just hold onto her with one hand and hold the rope with the other. Once you get up just have her stand in between your feet. I'm going to try it with my 3 year old neice this year.

It's super simple to get then up... actually easier than on a wakeboard. I did it with my 4 1/2 year old for the first time about 3 weeks ago and she loved it.

I got it first try with her. What worked for me was having the board submerged below my feet so it was just hovering there. Then I had her swim over to me and turn around. Her life jacket kept her afloat and I slowly bent my knees letting the board come up until her feet were touching. Once her feet were touching I had the driver put the boat in gear which allowed me to push the board in front of me a little then it was just like a normal start. I usually start with the board underneath me instead of laying it on the surface. Practice getting up that way a couple of times and it will be easy.

Well my board happens to be 5' 11". It's way to buoyant for me to stand on while not moving though. Much thicker than the wakesurf boards I've seen.