dock start

i can do a sit down dock start (very easy) but ive never tried a jumping dock start. any tips i should know before i try it? anything the driver is supposed to do? rope tension?

Um, learn the timing. That's about all I can tell you. Learn it on a smaller drop before you work up. I learned on a like, 4 foot drop, which was a mistake. I tried probably 15 times before I finally rode off with it. This was all specifically so I could get a shot for Gauntlet that wasn't used except for about a second in the second trailer.... Go figure.

As for tips, jump when the line is about to go tight (have the excess next to you), and turn the board in the air so that you're simulating riding, otherwise you'll sink and won't go anywhere. Took me forever to figure that out.

how much slack? and should the boat driver go full throtle? and dont ride the board sideways? straighten it before i hit the water?

This takes more skill for the driver than the rider.

Um, probably ten-fifteen feet of slack, when it coils out, you jump. Have the driver moving at just past idle. The slack should disappear when the rider hits the water. The driver is going to need to drive progressively faster and faster until the rider hits the water, and then accelerate at a faster pace. The amount of throttle depends on how much weight is in the boat and how fast it gets going. If it's light, like a jetski (what we were using), it's not too much throttle, it's enough to simulate the first five or so seconds out of the water. Once the rider is moving then it's hammer down.

And no, you don't want to ride the board sideways. Have you ever had a boat fail to plane out? You don't want to remain sideways at that speed because it makes it even harder to hold yourself above the water. Also, put your weight on the back foot too, otherwise you'll sink too much and the leading edge will just load up on water and you'll get pulled forward out of it.

This is going to require a lot of patience both from the driver and the rider.

alright. i thought it was going to be a wam bam done thing.i thought it would be simple. i guess ill just have to play with it. the only time i tried, we had all the slack out and my dad hit it right as i jumped.. it didnt work. so i figured id wait and try and figure it out here before i hit my head on the dock or something

Yeah, have the slack next to you, not on the boat, otherwise you won't know when to jump. The boat goes as soon as you're on the water. Just not gunning it.... Unless the boat has a slow takeoff, then gun it.

okay. thanks alot. our boat weighs over 5000 lbs empty and it has the small motor. so it can plane out fairly quick but it doesnt get out of the whole to quick so we will hav eto gun it. thanks nick

No problem.

Sorry I couldn't provide you with a more reliable set of information. This was back in June that I did this, and it was luck that I finally got the driver to get the jetski going at the right speed. Had him easing up to 1/2 throttle until I landed on the water and then finally jumping the last quarter. I disappear below the dock and then all of the sudden pop up, so I'm not sure what I was doing. I just know that nothing worked until I turned the board in the air to account for the forward movement.

And make sure you keep your weight on your back foot.

okay cool. when i tried i rode it sideways.

well i found it super easy. just stand on the edge of the dock and right before the rope gets tight jump off and turn the board like you would in the water. you want to accelerate fast so that you have speed while u hit the water so u dont sink. but its really easy.

Don't make it so complicated. If you try to time the jump with the driver and slack line etc...you are bound to get frustrated and its just not worth it. Do what Drew said. Stand on the dock slightly crouched, with the handle pulled in toward your waist. Have the boat take off...probably about the same speed they normally do to get up. Just as you see the line tighten jump up and slightly towards the boat. I personally don't 'straighten' the board out right away...I land sideways, you will inevitably start to sink a little, I keep my core tight and pop up out of the water and then turn the board. Get someone to do this with you using a jetski...and start on a small dock...a little practice and you'll do it with ease.

(Message edited by helix_rider on December 15, 2008)

This is off a big barge on the Delta named Denise. I'd say my board was just under 6 foot from take off. The real keys are keeping the slack in your hand and a driver that hits it pretty good after you jump. Keep the board sideways (rider facing the boat) as once you hit the water that will give you more surface area to come back up.

I just tried this & it was a total fiasco. I jumped early fell off the dock before the rope was tight & whacked my elbow in the process. I dock start at OWC so I thought I could do it easily

I tried it the first time during the Bro-stock off of David Williams house boat (during bro-stock). I was a bit intimidated by it and wasn't expecting to do one, but after a little coaching from the wakeworld man himself i was set to go and it was a breeze!... mostly due to the driver though i am sure ;)

*thanx again David!*


p.s. but if you have someone filming, make sure they are seated all the way first, otherwise you wont get it on film. hahahah

(Message edited by wakerider111 on December 16, 2008)

David, the way we time it off a 2ft dock is to simply let the boat ease straight out all the rope is out, as soon as the rope starts to lift off the water the boat accelerates and you jump a split sec later. I land in normal riding position.

With some practice it should be easy, I was just being a fool & everyone got a good laugh so it was not all bad.. makes people want to see what dumb stuff you'll do next,= more free ballast!

Talk about dumb stuff and free ballast, a few years ago we started seeing who could do the craziest dock starts one day; picking higher and higher docks, off picnic tables on docks, slides (didn't work), boat houses, a trampoline, etc.

I ended up winning by taking two picnic tables end to end on a three ft dock so total maybe 6ft off the water. Skateboard on top of the tables, strap into wakeboard, standing on skateboard, boat pulls you off, ollie at end of tables into water. It really wasn't that hard (getting onto the skateboard was the hardest part) but won for orginality.

Here's a sequence shot of me doing a "dock start" off a houseboat back in 06. It's about 3ft+/-.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/6855739_btvnn/1/438469156_XNsME

IMO it's a lot to do with the rider and body position more than anything else, but this ONLY pertains to boats, not PWC when doing a dock start.

I have the driver idle out till the line is just about taught and yell Hit It! With arms almost fully extended, I jump toward the rope and boat and begin to pull myself toward the boat with the line tension. AT THE SAME TIME, I pull rope DOWN to my knees (see pic #5). This helps get some forward momentum with the boat b4 hitting the water. Getting my arms 3/4 bent is my goal when I hit the water to help absorb most of the pull from the boat after I hit the water. (check out how deep I get the splash, nearly a foot under the surface) but moving so you will make it out of that hole. The moment you hit the water I tend to fall back as I am about to absorb the pull of the boat. This really helps set the stage for a aggressive cut away from the boat and get the most chance for success.

The hardest part is 2-fold. Making sure you stay behind the rope and not over it or you will be pulled right out of your boots. 2nd, absorbing that impact and the pull of the boat once you hit the water. The force is tremendous and will work a inexperienced rider.