For all you dads out there with lil boarders....

I was just wondering what a good age is to get kids out on the water? My son is 16mo's and I cant wait for him to tear it up behind the boat!! If anyone can share that would be awesome. Thanks

You waited too long. He'll never be any good after getting such a late start!

I've pulled kids as young as four and seen a four-year-old get quite good at it. On the other hand, my son is five, yet looks like he's 8, but he still hasn't gotten up. In his defense, he didn't try all last summer, but when he tried the year before he just wasn't ready.

A lot of it is physical, but I think most of it is mental. If they don't want to try, don't push them. The 4-year-old girl I got up behind my boat was a crazy tomboy always trying to keep up with her older brother. She was not going to get out of the water until she did it. My son on the other hand, was really into trying one year and seemed to lose interest the next. I don't push him because I remember how much is sucked growing up in a water skiing family and being pressured to get up on two skis, then one, then jump the wake, then beach start. It kind of takes the fun out of it for the kid.

Had my son standing on the board with me at 2 till he was 4 and now he has his own board and can ride by himself at 5. One thing that I see with others that post this same thing is they never mention swimming lessons, I think you need to get them started in that first before riding. I started my son in the earliest possible class which was 6 months old here where I live. It was a daddy and me class where you get in the water with them to ease their minds and get them used to the water, we did this class for two years and now he takes the class where he is in the water by himself with the instructor, he starts back up in two weeks just in time for summer.

Good point. Your kid has no business being in the water (even with a vest on) if they don't know how to swim. That can hurt them on both a safety and confidence level.

I rode all my kids on my board with me as well. It's a great way to get them used to the feel of wakeboarding and a fantastic bonding experience. I think I'm going to have to push my son to get up on his own this year, cuz he's getting too heavy to carry on my board!

We had our youngest doing tandem (between the legs) at 3 and he is now doing his own starts at 5.

I found the biggest thing with them is fear, being out on their own behind the boat, and cold water. finally one warm june weekend they both nailed it.

Get them comfortable, make sure they are good swimmers. Teach them to relax with the board on, and give them positive guidance.

We did the same thing CAR did to start out. Find a nice corner on the lake near the shore and have someone in the water with them. two vests helped, one like a daiper, to float the spotter who helps them get straight.

Hole shot is a bit slower, you can drag them a bit in idle. They are light and can almost stand up at idle speed. 14-17 mph seems good for them too, although the wake will be a big washy monster. Get ready to spend endless time circling back, getting the rope to them, etc. Once they nail it though, it's all over and they will get up every time on their own. We only need to flip them over when they get on there bellies, it's hard for them.

Mine were 5 & 7 last summer and they got up fine. If they can swim and turn the board over by themselves, they are ready. The reason I brought up the board issue, because it can be tramatic if they fall forward and can not turn over and get on their back. That should be the second thing to teach them after learning to swim, IMO.

Here are some other good threads...

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/355313.html?1156340571
http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/371815.html

When they are ready, once they can swim and like being in the water.. mine got a late start he was 8 when he started skiing and 11 bare footing a little and a 12 he got a wakeboard or skurfer from a neighbor I think and he has'nt done anything else since, Good Luck

(Message edited by wakeparent on February 08, 2007)

Flux- Are you going to try to make it up to Naci this year? Sorry for the hi jack!

I'm with ya Kani, i have twin 10 month olds and can't wait to get them up. But we've done the same thing as CAR. We're already through the first session of swimming lessons and are going to start the 2nd in March. WE also are really laid back with them in the bath, never shelter their eyes or anything when bathing them. I just dump the water right on their heads They didn't like it at first but now they love it. I think the key is getting them comfortable with the water.

It's tough to wait though isn't it? I'm so excited just like you for the time when i look back in the mirror at my little rippers gettin big air.

Agree 100% with CAR. I have a 6 yr old and a 3yr old and both grew up with pools and on boats. Every summer since they have been 1 they have taken the summer recreational swimming classes. At that age they started off with mommy/daddy and me classes...You literally get in there with them. Good quality family time and they have a blast and begin to get real comfortable in the water.

My oldest daughter started at 4 and was supper motivated to get out there (got up her first time). When she got comforatable just riding behind the boat (avarage about 12-15 MPH starting was her comfort zone) I ASKED her to try carving and she wouldn't. I then ASKED if she was interested going to a camp and she was. Took her at 5 to West Coast Camps and Shelby a couch (by the way she kills it on a wakeboard) got her doing 180's and carving.

My youngest daughter doesn't seam too interested in boarding..We don't make a big deal out of it. We ask, she says no, and we move on. Last thing you want is a child thats terrified to even go to the lake and get on the boat because mom or dad is going to force them or belittle them to board.

Heres some pics of her last year.

My experience has been the physical part is ready before the mental part. Many kids that I've helped are initially uncomfortable out in the lake. Once they get over that and just focus on the boarding part it's easier. My oldest son, was 4 or 5 when he got on a kneeboard for the first time. Did a start with mom holding the board. All was good until we hit some rollers and he fell, came up, and then discovered he was in the middle of the lake, Dad was driving away from him and mom was no longer at his side. That little trauma took about a year to overcome, and we adjusted our tactics a bit.

For our kids I started pulling them on skis in a pool....yea a little work out for dad. This was an easy way to get them comfortable floating in a vest with boards hooked to their feet and feeling the pull. Then we went to trainer skis behind the boat with an adult in the water. This seems to help with getting used to the pull of the boat. Our experience has been that skis are easier and gives kids a confidence boost. My oldest son, 6 at the time, got up first try on the trainers, rode for a bit, let go of the rope, and when we came around he said, "there, I skied, now can you toss me the wakeboard". Second try he was up and that was the start.

We've started other kids a little younger and now I get in the water with them and ride a knee board on my stomach with a second rope. This keeps me next to the rider so I can help them as well as make them comfortable when they fall.

Our boys are now 9 & 12 and schoolin' dad. I think the bottom line is make sure they are comfortable and it's their idea to do it. If they don't want to try it for any reason, making them try it has a low chance of success.

I agree with the above posts that, swimming first, and being able to turn over in the water second are absolute musts before getting a rope and a boat involved.

My daughter took swimming lessons from age 4 to 7. Went out on the water with me on a tube starting at age 3, was water skiing at age 7, just started wakeboarding last year at 10. She has her own timetable and will not start anything until she feels she is ready. I would ask about wakeboarding, she would always say no. But late last season, she stayed in the water after skiing and said she wanted to try wakeboarding. Got up and going on the second try.

My advice: Encourage, but don't push.

My son (who is now 20) was a bit chicken when he was little, up until about age 7. His 2 year younger sister learned to ski before he did.

Somewhere along the line something clicked and then he just took off. Now he does all sorts of inverts, competes and is president of the California State University wakeboard club.....

Like others have suggested, swimming lessons should be first. If he isn't comfortable floating around in the water he isn't going to like wakeboarding.....

Another thing I find is that kids tend to hold on to the rope when they fall and get a nice dragging. They just don't want to let go of the only connection they've got. So with my daughter, we just tied a loop in the rope and had somebody hold it in the boat. Once she fell, we'd let go of the rope so she wouldn't get dragged. Obviously, you have to be careful with the excess rope in the boat, so that nobody gets caught in it or any rope burns. It helps a lot by minimizing the fear factor.

Our oldest girl started last summer when she was 4. She did not like the tube so we tried the zipsled and then got her lessons and the guy suggested that she start with skiing first as boarding takes a lot more coordination. So we got her lessons and she was up and going from there on. Now she is 5 and as the season progresses maybe she will wanna switch to boarding. what ever makes then happy.

Our youngest who is 2 will be there soon, she wants to do everything her big sister does. As for her she needs to learn how to swim without flaoties first. That will be our goal for the first part of summer. They both have been raised with a pool and around boating, so it is so important for them to know how to fully swim before they are behind a boat like you all have said...

Flux- Are you going to try to make it up to Naci this year? Sorry for the hi jack!

Absolutely!! I hear the lake will only be at 40% for the next few years, but why not?? I will give it a whirl and have been there when it's that low anyway. I enjoy the drive up there for some odd reason.

I always keep an eye out for your SAN.

My son will be 5 in March I hope he will want to try then.
Keep in mine that most small children's heads are heavier than their bodies and even in a vest they can turn up side down really easy.

Got to start em' early In the water shes 7 months and loves the water. She dunks her head by herself and then laughs about it. Can't wait till she can walk so we can get her ready for the board. But first we are teaching her how to swim I think that is very important.

That is one cute kid.

I found a good way to get the young ones up on the board. Start them off the side of the swim platform while you hold the rope and just reel them out like a kite. Once they get comfortable riding, slow the boat so they sink a little, that will get them used to starting deep water.

(Message edited by saroberts70 on February 08, 2007)

This is the video we made of our daughter learning how to wakeboard.
http://www.wakepics.com/view_single.php/Determination_wakeboarding-photos.html?medid=11231

Taylor is 8 now but she started skiing when she was 3 1/2 with training ski's. I truely 2nd what david said about holding on to the rope for beginners. We had training ski's for Taylor which everything is tied together (ski's are tied front and back along with rope tied to ski's). If your child can stand up(on the ground) he can ski with training ski's. Let them get used to this before you do anything else. We let Taylor play with this setup for almost a year where she was actually jumping the wake. Then we untied the rope where she had to hold on to the rope. 3rd we untied the back. Lastly we untied the front. Taylor really progressed FAST. but still the entire process to about 15 months. DO NOT RUSH THIS. Even if they are standing behind the boat they are still getting better!!!! Then Taylor switched to wakeboarding at 5 and has never went back. Here are a few pics of her now. This has to be fun for them NOT the parents. REPEAT not THE PARENTS. I have tried to teach some other kids in her class how and they are no where even close to ready. It all depends on the child. Mike Ferraro told me this... "you have to be very careful on how you push them(kids) because if you lose them now, you will never get them back no matter how good they are".

Also maybe try putting 2 life jackets on them. I was at a clinic where Nick & Julz Heaney were teaching and anyone that had never wakeboarded before they had them in 2 jackets. Their theory was it keeps them higher out of the water and they feel more comfortable.

WOW! I wasn't expecting this much. It has been awesome reading all the advice. I'm definately going to get him in the swim classes...he is comfortable out in the water thought as long as one of us is with him. So at least he's not completely against it. Thanks for all the good info,pics and the vid. -alot of cute lil boarders and soon 2 be's out there!! Thanks again - Niles

TaylorM-

Those are great ideas for progressions for most any little kid rider. Thanks.

Phaeton, that video was awesome!

Cool pic and video. I am going to get my 5 year old son out this spring. How far out do you recommend I run the rope? Thanks for the input.

Travis, nice viedo, proud moments for sure. Do you have one of her switching over to the "Dark Side" learning to ride the Sky-ski.

Taylor hit it right on the head, my boy didn't even like to float in his jacket between 3 and 4. I always asked him if he wanted to try it out and it was always a no. I think between watching my friends and I having fun at it changed his mind about the water. I will never forget the day he looked at me after my set and said "Dad i'm ready now, can I try it?" Well now he is 7 and with me every outing. Poor kid even trunked it in mid 50 water.

Randy no vids of her learning the Darkside. Proud indeed.

My son was being pulled along the shore on a wakeskate at 4 and wakeboarding on his own at 5.
Check out "Letter of the month" on the latest WBM. My wife is a very proud parent.

Chris
Get the Grip you Deserve
www.wakejunky.com

I think you'll enjoy this one... She's 2yrs old:
http://photos.wakeboarder.com/showphoto.php?photo=9563

I've been watching this thread woundering if I should post, here are my thoughts / experience. I like many others couden't wait to get my son up on the water. He had been a boater since he was 6 months old, so when he was about 5 I started pulling him along the shore on a knee board & wakeboard & then on a boom. It was all good and he could do it, but he was having more fun playing on the beach and being 5. This went on for a few years until he was 9 and one day he said Dad I want to wakeboard now. It was hard to resist the temptation not to push him all those years but my wife was the voice of reason and let him decide when the time was right. The quote from Mike Farraio mention in a post above is right on. I have seen other parents make the mistake of pushing to much to soon and the child just quits. Good luck and be patient.

I agree with Randy. My oldest Daughter started wakeboarding when she was eight. She has the talent and we pushed her a little to hard when she was 8-10. We stopped since then but she has a very hard time pushing herself now. What we did learn was to not push my other two children at all. Patiently waiting for the day my son tells me he wants to ride. I consitantly remind myself we are out there to have fun.

Not ready to ride yet but I'm getting her indoctrinated at a young age. She actually likes my wakeboarding movies better than her kid shows.

Got my 9 year old up once last summer but he hasn't ridden since. Hasn't really shown alot of interest in trying again but when he does I'll be ready. I also got my 4 year old daughter up on a wakesurf board but didn't let go of the rope. She was scared at first but says she wants to do it again this summer. Nice vid Travis and Phantom! Gives me hope that my kids will be able to do it. I also have to keep reminding myself that if I try to push it on them it'll push their interest away.

Phantom that video rocks with your 2 year old. That looks easy and I think my girls would have no problem getting up that way. Thanks for the vid.

Ya, that video and your daughter rock. Totally awesome. Way to go.

Sorry guys, not me nor my kid. It was post on a few sites from last summer.