Appeal of Wake Surfing?

I have not done it yet and I never see people in my ride areas wake surfing but I see it mentioned on this site a lot. It does not appear overly challenging is that the appeal or am I missing something?

I completely understand why it doesn't appear very appealing in comparison to wakeboarding. However, the bottom line is that it's just plain fun! I have surfed only a handful of times over the last few years, but everytime I do I always have a blast. I took a couple of surf sets a few weeks ago and had a blast.

From now on the surf board is coming with me when I head out to ride just in case the water is too crappy for wakeboarding. Case in point.... last week we went to our cove to wakeboard. The water would have been great, but there was one sole tuber doing figure 8's down the line screwing it up for everyone. Had I had my surf board with me we could have salvaged the night and still had some fun. Instead we just had to either fight the chop or drop anchor and have a beer.

Low impact and anyone can do it.
you could be blind deaf and dumb and still be an okay wakesurfer... it has that going for it

surfing is completely different than wakeboarding, my boat is just big enough to surf on, great for beginners. my next boat will be a surf boat!
nick, sorry to hear your deaf and blind and stupid

(Message edited by joeshmoe on August 12, 2009)

its a great way to end a day or ride in really bad water.. as long as you are not doing it in an area where there are wakeboarders riding, its alot of fun..

agreed with the above. No pain, no pain! Plus there is something cool about not being straped into a board and feeling the water hit your feet. Like Nick said, anyone can do it. Its super easy.

I've done everything from Chuck Taylors, conoe paddles, skurfers, coolers and those round disc's. I guess I need to put a check mark next to surfing.

I should ask what other junk everyone else has ridden behind their boat.

Its a great way to get kids stoked on wake sports. I surf with my 3 year old and he loves it. Best of all, when you take a spill you do not get hurt. With that said, I try to stay out of the butter coves and in open water. the rollers in the x-45 get pretty big.

Just go wakeskating!

Its fun! The water can be trashed and you can still do it. The best part is you can easily drink a beer while doing it!

It's relaxing and a good way to end the day. If you're tired and beat up from wakeboarding, you can still do a set of surfing to end the day out.

Tim - in my opinion you are not missing anything. It's done at 11 mph. Think about riding a bike at 11 mph, or snowboarding, or whatever - that is ridiculously slow. It can definitely be challenging but not thrilling. The people who like it probably like the challenge - I like a thrill. To each his own.

Surfing is a fun alternative. It's mellow and easy on the body. It's not hard to learn how to get going but tricks are challenging.

+1 for kids loving it..

although he really needs to start riding the surfer on his own..

There you go, something for my 2 1/2 year old to ride with me. I understand you need to drive in an arch. How wide does the body of water need to be. I'm on the river or intracoastal that may be 300 feet wide is that too skinny?

its great for us old folks, I can usually only take a couple sets on my wakeboard a day< and pretty much can surf all day. It wont replace the thrill of wakeboarding though.

+1 for no matter the water you can do it.

Some weekends when the lake is crazy nuts with warriors or is super blown out, wakeboarding isn't an option (least not a fun one) so what else to do, either swim, cruise the boat, or wakesurf.


**And you do not need to drive in a arch pattern at all.... just need more weight on the surf side, it will clean up

Fortunately I don't have many rough water issues.

What board should I buy?

Darrin, I hear you on the thrill. I have a 2 1/2 year old that loves the boat and water and thinks he thinks he can ride. The truth is he can barely swim. Getting Little Mister Fearless on the board with me will be the thrill on this ride.

well when the water is crap you can still wakesurf!! And you can still drink a beer while doing it!

It may suck but not doing anything sitting on your boat wishing for butta really sucks. I like to mix it up at time surfing, airchair, barefoot and whatever else get me behind the boat free of vinyl walls

(Tim) "I never see people in my ride areas wake surfing" lucky, lol!!!!!
just respect your rollers, have fun and its all good. like said above, crappy water, beat tired, kids, all good reasons just to get behind the boat.

I love wakesurfing. When the body is beat up I secretly pray for a little wind so I can feel good about sending out chest high rollers.

you live in florida, why not just surf?...

Surfing is pretty solitary, Wakesurf you can do with the whole family

family indo boarding would be a lot cheaper

Water Water Everywhere...it's very rare I have to deal with crappy water. Have in the past but I will say I've become spoiled.

^^ and skate boarding would be a lot cheaper for the rest of us.

"It may suck but not doing anything sitting on your boat wishing for butta really sucks."

Sitting on a boat never sucks!

I thought it was cool for like the first month i did it. now i think its boring, a waste of boat time, waste of water, and a HUGE waste of gas. Its just boring to me.

It doesn't hurt, can do it in rough water, someone can hand you a beer from the boat and if you don't want to get wet...on and off the swimstep without getting drenched. (helpful for that occasional boardshort winter ride)

I was always a surprised to see someone saying their next boat would be the best wake surfer. I did not get it but to each his own I guess.

My next boat will either be a tubing machine or butter destroyer. Have not decided what specialty I want to pursue.

^^^^what christy said^^^^^plus you can really listen to the music that is playing while riding and hear your friends if they try to talk to you

It is tough to beat surfing at night with a full moon, your lady friends, and of course Monster vodkas.

Isaac, how are you getting up with your son on the board?

I get up with the little guy between my legs. He holds the rope and I hold the rope with one arm and him with the other. Once we get up. I hold him until he gets his feet stable on the board and a good grip on my legs. These aren't great pics, but they give you the idea.

I have only been wakeboarding for a couple of months,but I really love it! I just wakesurfed for the first time on saturday,and I will say that when the water starts to get rough and the wakeboarding sucks it is a fun way to pass the time and keep drinking beer. I don't think it will replace wakeboarding though,there is a thrill that comes with the speed and height of wakeboarding! IMO

The pictures say enough, thanks, thats just what I was thinking.