Riding With Toddlers

Got a chance to take a set with with my 18mo younger brother riding shotgun. We only took a few passes around the bay to get him the feel of it, but I think he will want to go again. He is always wanting to hand the rope to me and help tighten my boots. Anybody have any advice for bringing a second rider along? I'm sure soon he will be standing between my legs, has anyone done like makeshift bindings to help keep from losing their kid?

Originally Posted by Jmaxymek

Got a chance to take a set with with my 18mo younger brother riding shotgun. We only took a few passes around the bay to get him the feel of it, but I think he will want to go again. He is always wanting to hand the rope to me and help tighten my boots. Anybody have any advice for bringing a second rider along? I'm sure soon he will be standing between my legs, has anyone done like makeshift bindings to help keep from losing their kid?

Sick! I'm hoping to do this with my daughter soon. Did you dock start or deepwater?

We wen't deepwater. I got up one handed with my brother in arm basically the same way he is in the picture. He was very scared at first, but I pulled the handle close and let him hold on and he calmed down and started smiling.

This is very cool!

Its getting harder to do this as she is 55 lbs now

On the bottom of my board between the bindings I put some of those rough no slide sticker things for outdoor stairs. It won't hold the kids feet in but will prevent sliding. I did that until my daughter was old enough to get up on her own. I think I started riding with her standing between my legs on my board when she was around 2.

1. Put on a coast guard approved vest!!!! I just took my 6 month old daughter out and I usually ride with a non-approved, but if something happened I want all the flotation I could get for both of us. She is 15 lbs and just holding her up dunked my head under.
I would not put a second set of bindings between yours. Talk to wakejunky and get a small piece of gator grip and put between your feet for traction when he gets older. Email him that pic and I bet he will send you a scrap for free His name is Chris Foye [cfoye@yahoo.com]
My 6 month old was very good when I rode with her, she even smiled for a second. We only rode for about 3 minutes at about 15 mph. My wife took about 100 pictures and each one I was smiling ear to ear, my cheeks actually hurt when I got in the boat. Can't wait till she gets older, my wife wants her to breaks parks record, but I am in no hurry

I have not brought any of my kids boarding but have taken them all wake surfing. I made this as it was just like the one I had when I was a kid. With my son riding on it we don't go faster than a quick walking pace. He is 2 3/4 and loves it. If he leans side to side he can go from one wake to the other. Great way to get the little ones out on the water.

Love the pics guys. That is what its all about!

How did you make the board?? I believe Kane has something like this that the kids are ripping up on Lake Sinclair this week.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

In hindsight the NonCGA jacket was probably a bad call, thanks for pointing that one out. I didn't have much dunking trouble, all he wanted to do was swim while the rope was tightening up. We have something similar called a ski trainer that is essentially the same thing, I can dig it out and post pics tomorrow.

It is just made out of a peice of 1/2" plywood.

There are also two fins on the bottom.

I took my 4 year old surfing last week and dropped the rope and had him on my sholders like above, and threw up a pic on FB. I had no idea how many people would object and say I was putting him in danger, especially family. Do any of you guys take flack?

Here is the pic I'm talking about....

To me depends on age and the kids ability. My kids could all swim on there own (with a normal life jacket) and are very comfortable in the water ( put face in water on jump off dock and such) But as for some family members some might not know what wake surfing is.

At 4 years old I wouldn't see any issues with that. I would assume that with you engaged in watersports that they themselves would at least have some kind of swimming experience? I don't see much danger wake surfing with a kid, you're both wearing vests (though pointed out to me earlier, the NonCGA vest might be a less safe option) and the boat isn't traveling at a dangerous speed.

after seeing this thread last week we had to try on saturday. Slowed the boat way down and my 3yr old loved it. He's only been ez skiing this summer, but now wants to wakeboard after this Time to get him a board.

When people give you flak about having the kids out on the boards on the water, explain to them how fast your going, the fact that they have a life jacket with you right there and several others in the boat and top it off with saying the drive to get to the water is about 100x more dangerous.