First Hello, The Thoughs/Recommendations on Board

First off I have only been riding 2 seasons but have picked it up well, 2nd I'm middle aged, 46 but having a blast. Started with a begginner crap board that was the wrong size which I later learned, sold that, then got a hyperlite solution 139 3 stage subtle rocker which has been a great 2nd board. Have mastered wake jumping well out into the flats TS and HS, ollie, surface 180 and ride switch extremely well.

Last week I crash landed hard and ripped the binding off the top of my hyperlite, threads came out of the board and cracked the top of the board. Called hyperlite, no receipt, no questions, exchanged it right away for a brand new one in the shrink wrap and I had the new setup in 2 days. Sold it to my friend who is on 1st season and doing well.

Was at Ambush and was going to get the Watson 138 but the guy said at 190lbs and 5'11 I really should go with the 142. When I got home I read the specs online again and the site states you can run 1-2cm shorter using the watson. My question is at my size and weight am I really better off with the 142 vs the 138? It has me curious since the my hyperlite was a 139... Any thoughts, recommendations would be helpful, I can still take the board back and exchange it.

Heading out again today, hope I don't end up with another purple eye like the other week or knocking the wind out of myself and ending up with a sore rib cage... Todays will work on wake jumping in the switch riding position so that I can do 180's next.... Wish an old man luck, I'm going every weekend I can until I can't do it any more!

(Message edited by rob_s on August 17, 2008)

I think you might progree a little more with a 142. I know allot of people that are smaller than you that ride 140----142 boards. Try it out, you might find the pop better on the bigger boar, the landing a little softer as well. This is just my .2

I 5ft 6 and ride a 139 and thinking about going to a 140--142 board. Ride it and you might liek it better

Appreciate the advice, I'm out the door now headed to the lake, hope it's a huge improvement over my hyperlite solution!

dont get frustrated, put some time on the board and you will probably like it. Later

Chris,

Water was less than smooth today which was a bit of a dissappointment, alot of big boats pulling tubes doing donuts always makes for great conditions, plus the wind was 6-7 mph as well... I did however manage to find some smooth water in spots and get some board time in.

The board and bindings are incredible, at first I was skeptical but once as I got more use to the board and new bindings I found it incredibly smooth, the pop is amazing, super predictable and the landings like butter, much easier to control and amazingly soft. The board was so controllable that even wipe outs were super mild in compairson to the old board. The only downside I found was that the board seemed to be not as quick and responsive as the Hyperlite Solution 139 I was previously using but the more time I spent on the new Watson board the more I liked it over the old board.

Appreciate your opinion on the board, I think you and the sales guy at Ambush were dead on... Excellent board and I think I should have just started out by spending the money and getting it the first time around!

Welcome to the addiction and to wakeworld. Several people in my crew are riding bigger boards this year and we have all had good results. The Watson is a great shape, you should go far with that board.