Are you supposed to approach the wake square or come in at an angle? Every video I watch appears that the rider comes in at an angle, but I'm coming in more square which seems to cause all sorts of inconsistency. Or does it depend on the trick? Thanks in advance.

I have wondered the same thing. I progressive edge in and if I hit the wake at an angle I don't get much pop...more of an angle I get more pop but can't figure out what is the best angle. I have seen guys getting way more air then I do and it looks like they are perpendicular to the boat when they hit the wake...or pretty close to it.

Would like to know this as well. All the pics in magazines and stuff look like they are hitting the wake at an angle. All I have been told when hitting the wake is make sure you edge completely through the wake, make sure people in the boat can read the bottom of the board but I am not sure ay what angle they should be reading?????

No Kidding! Great Question! I hit the wake at a hard 90 and I cut through it instead of up it, but I am a big guy. I know they say to do this but in all the videos you see the riders with there boards flatter and more angled and they get huge pop, what gives? Please Help!!!

Most people, myself included, confuse a progressive edge with a progressively increasing (towards perpendicular) angle. Ideally, you want to set your angle early as you begin to coast into the wake. In order to hold that angle, you have to lean against the rope harder and harder to progressively drive your edge into the water. In general, most w2w tricks are done at an angle no less than 45 degrees. If you watch Keith Lyman, his w2w jumps are as much as 70 degrees from perpendicular.

great thread... thanks !!!!!!!

Also, it's MUCH easier to hold your edge through the wake on a shallow angle.

good info, thanks, can't wait to go try it, is it 5 yet?

my problem last summer was aggressive out-of-control cuts into the wake. if you can hold on and continute to build your edge, you will get yanked over your board when you pop. or flatten out at the wake and lose tension. <BR> <BR>finally, I figured out that you don't have go 35 feet out into flats and abruptly crank over on your edge and hold on for dear life as you rocket toward the wake. its not speed that gives you the right pop. its line tension and the right edge that send you up and over. and landing these are SO much easier. you can almost close your eyes after you pop. and its a lot easier on you = more riding time. <BR> <BR>Next time out, try to think of traveling WITH the boat AND toward the wake instead of setting an edge against the rope's pull. after all you are going 20+ MPH so set an edge that will put you across the wake and forward about 15-20 feet. and you have SO much more time to properly load the line. **remember to build your progressive edge. you won't have the speed you did before.** <BR> <BR>(Message edited by denverd1 on July 14, 2006) <BR> <BR>(Message edited by denverd1 on July 14, 2006)

I always wondered about the two things that you're supposed to do - edge thru the wake and stand tall. Everytime I stand tall the board tends to flatten out.

its more like flexing your legs so that your knees don't absorb the pop. i agree "standing tall" on edge is pretty hard. additionally, if you try to jump, which we all do with our toes, you're not on edge...

So when people say stand tall...do they mean to thrust the board down into the water...kinda like the skaters do in the halfpipe to build speed when they are going back and forth???

no, thats an ollie. you don't have to ollie to launch. you just can't let the pop transfer up through your legs. keep the board on edge up through the wake and you will get the pop

I was told to imagine driving a car with no shocks. If you don't let your knees be the "shocks" on the car, you would get bounced into the air.

I think Kirk was referring to pumping the transition of a bowl or ramp while skating. This is exactly what you're trying to do when you "stand tall." It takes some practice, but figuring out the "transition" so-to-speak of your wake and how/when best to stand tall for your jump will really start to launch you up there. Don't get the motion confused with an ollie though -- trying to pop off the wake with a true ollie will kill all your tension/momentum/air.

You ollie off of a flat board-not off an edge. Think of standing tall through the wake similar to doing a jump shot in basketball--as you push off(up), your body straightens before it releases from the ground(water). If you stood and sucked your knees to your chest and tried to shoot a basketball, it would never work. Don't absorb the wake, utilize the line tension and edge through the wake. You should only bring your knees up if you are going to grab the board(once you have left the wake), otherwise just stand tall-sstrong through the wake and soften your knees only for the landing. Have fun, good luck, hope this helps someone.

yes yes. in the trough. but be careful, this is the most critical part of it. as you build tension and enter the trough, your line tension should be at its highest point. so don't give it a lot of body movement. just build the tension and bring the handle in close to your lead hip.

I used to attch the wake head on also til a friend recently told me as the boat pulls you backyour board you point slightly past the passenger back corner, don't attack the wake but rather as it pulls you, you resist creating progressive edge, I no longer go waaayyy out into the flats but now only cut about 8ft out and the pop is smooth and high..