I just started riding and I'm having trouble getting up out of the water. If it matters...I am towed from the boat itself, not from a wakeboard tower. <BR> <BR>I guess my specific question is about how fast the boat should go when pulling you out of the water. and any other advice on getting up. <BR> <BR>Thanks.

But close to the board and tip them toes forward

Yeah I do that, what seems to be part of the problem is getting/keeping the board on top of the water.

How much do you weigh and what size board are you using? If the board is too small that may be the problem.

the board doesn't need to stay on top of the water, once you get the feel for popping up you can even stand up in the water with the board way under you and let the boat pull you up. Just get in the proper position stated above and allow the boat to do all the work, don't think that the board has to stay on top of the water.

Andrew I'm 6'3" 230 pounds and ride a 143 board. It's all about letting your butt hit yours heels wait a couple of seconds then stand up slowly.

Keep the front (aka toeside) edge of your board angled up so that the water flowing under it will push you to the surface, then turn the board and stand when you're on top of the water. You also may want to have the driver go a little faster when you start standing up.

A tower does help a bit but it isn't required for getting out of the water. <BR> <BR>I've learned behind a 40 hp outboard. <BR> <BR>For the driver of your boat.. <BR>When the wakeboarder gives the "go" just power the engine with some extra gas( like the amount of gas needed to cruise 30 mph ) and when your getting near the wakeboard speed (18 - 23 mph ) take gas slowly back.

i weigh 155-160lbs and am riding a Liquid Force Stance 134. When i looked it up, it said it could hold well past my weight, so i dont think that's an issue.

Andrew - I spent a day and a half trying to get up without any advice 2 yrs ago. For me, as soon as the boat pulls I drive all of my weight onto my rear foot at the same time turning the board in the correct direction and it kind of forces the board up on plane. I probably don't have textbook techniques but I have gotten several people from nothing to being able to pop up in about 3 tries.

For me (205 pounder): <BR> <BR>Arms straight, knees bent crouching over board, when boat starts to pull you use your leg muscles to maintain the crouch position and let the boat pull your board onto plane... you can then stand up when you feel like it.

Andrew, <BR> <BR>Follow these steps (mostly stated already) and you will pop up every time. <BR> <BR>1. Sit in the water with your knees crunched up a fair amount towards your chest. <BR> <BR>2. Let your arms dangle loosely around (or on) your knees, holding the rope. <BR> <BR>3. When the boat begins to pull, don't try to stand up, stay semi-crunched and keep saying this to yourself over and over..."Put my heels to my butt, put my heels to my butt" <BR> <BR>4. DO NOT PULL with your arms! The boat will always win. Let the boat pull your arms, do nothing except "Put my heels to my butt." <BR> <BR>5. Once you pop on to the water, take the handle with both hands and swing it to the hip that you normally have pointing towards the boat (left hip for regular, right hip for goofy). <BR> <BR>6. IMHO, get up before you try to leave the perpendicular position...don't think you have to yank that handle to your hip instantaneously...heck, you can ride around the lake doing a boardslide (although as a newbie you unfortunately would probably catch a nasty frontside edge somewhere along the way <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> <BR> <BR>Let us know how it goes!

when i get up on a small board i instantly follow the rope out like im gonna make myself face plant but just stop and chill out at the top until the board starts planing out, try not to think about anything to much because if you just follow the rope body positioning comes naturally

This works for everyone I take out for the first time. Sit in the water with your knees bent just as if you were sitting in a chair. When the boat begins to take off rock forward with your chest slightly over your knees. IF you maintain proper postion (knees approx. 90 degrees) your board will go under the water about 8-12 inches (you want this to happen). Hold that position and you will pop right up. Everyone tries to keep the board out of the water when they begin. Probably because when you learn how to water ski you "cannot let your ski tips go under water". Totally different with wakeboarding, you want the thing to be under water.

The biggest problem I see is people (especially men who can muscle their way around things - usually) is that's what they try to do getting up. And if you have an inexperienced driver, who typically wants to give you full throttle (or too much power) because he thinks you need it - it's a bad combination. Let the boat do the work. <BR>Read Loren's tips over and over. They will get you up.

I stand on the board under the water with only my shoulders and head above the water, keeping the handle just under the surface and as the boat gradually pulls away I just stand up. I used the floating board/chair method for years and I've found this is MUCH easier.