Cable tips.....

Me and the crew are headed down to OWC Friday since the boat will be in the shop for a couple more weeks.
I've been about 4 times and can dock start no problems, ride switch, boardslide, and last trip just started getting comfortable trying some of the smaller sliders and ramps on the slider side, but what else can we do to progress our time on the cable that's totally different than being behind the boat??
Like.....I see the guys popping out of the corners and doing Raley's and all.....how do you just start out trying to leverage, pop, get air and land it?? Edge through the corners??? Do I wait for the rope to pull me up?? Is riding switch heelside the key, since the rope runs counter-clockwise?

If you are going to OWC you should look up Heather Johnson. She is at OWC everyday. Since she rides boat and cable, she should be able to give you pointers on landing airtricks on the cable, plus she kicks ass on the rails.

Fox, the trick to getting air inverts is in how you use the board to leverage the pull on the cable. I do rolls and r2r's on the cable. After you come around the corner take on a easy progressive edge. To do a roll you basically go from about 50-70% into 100% in a quick motion. Lay into it hard, cut the board away from the cable in a "J" hook while rotating your upper body and head into the hook, and hold on with a death grip. The J hook pushes the board into the water, which grabs the board, generates tension on the cable, and flings the board into the air.

Hold on tight because the cable generates more pull than the boat and it can be a painfull fall if you let go with one hand and get laid out. The actual invert is pretty much automatic from the launch, so I recommend that you think hard about the grip when you launch the trick.

The raley is a bit different than the roll. There is a good tutorial on the web about how to do it. If I can find it I'll post a link back here. Maybe I will get out there after work on Friday night about 7pm.

John...I did a search and just watched your little vid...cool rolls for sure.

My question is...I ride regular foot, can ride switch a little and I'm going work on it as soon as I get there, but can you pull those inside with regular stance? Looks like you just edge and wind your body around, letting the rope pull you straight out???

I know when the rope goes through that corner pulley, you get a little burst of speed. Is that when you throw it?

You can do it on the inside but it is slightly harder. The reason that you throw is right after the corner is because the cable is tighter at that point, which makes it easier. When you throw it to the inside, you are a little further from the corner. However air inverts can be thrown anywhere on the the cable, so the inside is fine.

So yes, the extra burst of speed and tightness of the cable adds to the ease but it isn't a requirement. You don't want to throw the trick as the carrier hits the corner. That is difficult and a bit dangerous.

The tension that the rope and cable generate get you laid out pretty straight. It's the swish of the board that initiates the tension and release. The board sinks into the water more when you hook it. The water grabs the board and throws it into the air. You just need to make sure that you hang on with both hands.

OK..all good. Can you learn them on the big side with no sliders? I know that rope runs about 2MPH slower.

It looks to be a sit, edge, pop, spin motion like all in about 2 seconds.....is that the basic idea?
So let's say I just want to pop, get air with no rotations.......can you pull that off?

you can go almost as big or just as big on the inside of cable if you have the right technique. (My profile pic is regular stance to the inside)

I never understood what people were talking about with the whole "j hook" thing. I don't know that I do that for air tricks. I'll explain how I do a backroll on the cable. Since you are regular go around a corner and start your cut in. Cut for a good 3-4 seconds. Keep your back straight, knees bent, and arms in. Once you feel like you got some good tension, all in one motion take a big dip, kick your backfoot in the water, and look over your left shoulder. Don't try and jump out of the water, you will lose all your tension. Simply try to push away from the water. Think sling shot. hope that helps.

The big side is harder because of the speed and the slack, but yes you can learn them there. A larger board works better on the slower cable.

You can ollie but you can't get big air without inverting. That's because the force on the board throws it up and out behind you. With a backroll you can go from a very mild edge to launching in one swooping motion. With a raley you should edge longer.

You should probably try it on the small cable at the corner with the motor tower. Go around one loop and then edge to the inside right after the corner.

Benjamin is correct about the jump thing. There is no jumping involved and if you try to jump it won't work. Kicking the backfoot (trailing) is not a technique that I use. However there are probably several ways to skin this cat.

Fox, check out this link for a great tutorial on the raley...

http://www.wakeuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5

John....you won't by chance be there this Saturday will you???

Actually more chance that I will be there sat than friday. I'll have the same board (red Motive) as in my profile, and I'm sporting a gray beard and hair. I should be pretty easy to spot. What time do you think you'll be there?

We're staying over near Universal, so we'll try to get there when they open. I have a black State 140 with 3DS bindings.

Hope you don't mind if I quiz you for a few minutes.

Grey beard and hair doing Raley's should be easy to spot!!

Sorry I missed ya Fox. I made it out there Sat about 1 or 2pm. It was pretty busy so I only stayed for a little over an hour.

John, how is it out there on the weeknights after 5? I haven't ridden out there in so long because I hate lines and all the little kids drive me insane. I was thinking to head out 1 or 2 times a week for some cross training.

John....yeah I'm pretty sure I saw you once, but never did catch you on the dock. We had a total blast....even though there were long lines and kids getting kneeboard lessons on the big cable....come on! I spent the first two hours there helping my boys figure it out on the big side, and there were only a handful of guys there with their own boards...which meant the rest were tourists falling off the dock everytime, and kids getting kneeboard lessons...of course also falling EVERY time. They need to do that crap during the week or something.....plus they fall off the dock, swim in, and get to go straight to the front of the line because they are getting lessons. Wasn't stoked about that, but we all had a great time...I never tried the Raley, but I did hit almost all the sliders this time! Couldn't get all the way up and over the A frame and busted the times I tried to go up and over Nessy (that's a long way down!)...but everything else I got over....the new picnic table is the shiznit!!!
Overall we had a GREAT day, and my crew loved it! We're already talking about making it a bi-monthly trip. The 7 hour drive is a pain plus as stupid as gas is right now....it makes more sense to fly from now on.

Hey Mel, it's generally pretty good on weeknights except Weds (1/2 price nite). It's great exercise. I need to get out more. I've been a real slacker lately.

Fox, maybe better luck catch'n ya next time. Sat. afternoon is a bad time for short lines. I was planning to get out there first thing at 10am but my wife said she'd go with me if I waited till later. Turned out to be a bad move. That was the longest lines I'd seen in a while. Too bad they didn't have the big white kicker back out. I'd lile to see them put it where the camo ramp is.

Yeah I missed that one too......I wondered why it was over on the side. They need to put it either where you said, or move that short slider after Nessy back where it used to be and put the big white after Nessy....that'd be fun. Once I started trying handle passes off the big camo ramp, it was pretty fun.....only landed one!