Another Colby Injury (Girl in Coma)

We don't understand why this is happening so much these days. Are these just freak accidents that have always been around, or something to do with speeds (or other factors) that we ride at these days? Scary for sure.
http://www.dallaswakeboarding.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=26&page=viewtopi c&t=10305

Time to start another donation pool.

They've already hit this point on that thread, but I feel it is the sheer number of people riding now, bigger boats+ bigger wakes+faster speed= not suitable for a beginner. Nowadays people get a big wake boat to learn. This is probably not a good thing. Also sounded like she was doing surface stuff. That is scary. People also need to learn how to fall/crash.
Last point, the internet and ability to transfer information at high speed allows to receive much more information nowadays. Pray she gets better.

Again?! Wow....

This is horrible!

Damn it. I've been riding for a long, long time and never wore helmet riding wake, but these recent events have got me thinking!

Get well soon kiddo!

BTW - all excellent points, A-dub. Start small people - you don't need to go out and boost off a pro size wake to have fun boarding (not saying that's what happened here, of course).

The point is that wake size doesn't matter when you are talking about catching an edge. Also, how can you learn how to fall when catching an edge?...when you catch you're going down and don't have a choice how that happens!

David - Again, Colby was far from a beginner. I agree that some people are doing too much too soon (ballast and speed) but some of these things are happening to experienced people.

I agree. I see too many people gettting this huge wake and going 24 mph when they don't need all of that to build some fundamentals. Start slow and small build up to going big.

I get ya, but also disagree. With experience, you begin to understand how to fall or manipulate your body to reduce injury or pain, even when catching an edge.

Hopefully it doesn't continue to happen, and pray for their families.

On a side note about helmets. I also waterski jump, where now nearly everyone has moved to fullface helmets to protect faces and ears. The newest worry is this poses a serious risk to the neck, and is possibly worse than taking it in the face. Some skiers now don't strap their helmets so that it may come off after initial impact. I don't wear one while wakeboarding (other than sliders) because of this posed risk to the neck.

I hear you on certain crashes. How many newbies do you see case the wake, bounce up, and then go straight into a nose dive or edge plant?? After you have been riding for a while you learn to absorb that cased wake or let go of the rope if you can tell you are going to get ripped out the front.

But on surface edge catches you really can't do much. I understand when you see it coming you can turn your head or do certain things. That being said, I took a VERY HARD front edge plant a couple of weeks ago getting stuck between a TS w2w and a TS 180. I thought I was going to slide out of the sidways landing but the water in the trough grabbed my board and threw me down worst than maybe I've ever felt...and I've been riding for 13 years. There wasn't anything I could have done to minimize that impact.

(Message edited by eubanks01 on July 06, 2007)

I dont think the point of this thread was to agree or disagree if falling in a controlled manner is possible, In fact Im pretty sure this thread was organized in the way the other was, for support, prayer, moments of silence, or however you send your respects and hope, not a thread to debate about your wakeboarding abilities.

Kalen I understand that, and you're more than likely right, but please read the first post, and then please realize we all feel bad, and are trying to figure out if the problem can be identified and/or prevented. Which is something I'm sure everyone wants.

Not to be mean, but you didn't add any of the things you stated.

(Message edited by behindtheboat on July 06, 2007)

(Message edited by behindtheboat on July 06, 2007)

Yah, I truly feel bad for these individuals and hope they all get well. This will make me think twice about my responses to the typical "how much ballast, line length, boat speed etc." threads I have seen.

Sorry to hear about another injury.

Thanks for your concern A-dub, however I didn't plan on posting my prayers and thoughts for your reading enjoyment. This is something we can all handle on our own, however the idea of a respect thread is great. so if you want to post a support message do so. I was merely mentioning that it shouldn't be cluttered with a bunch of people debating Wakeboard crash tactics. I understand the problem that you're speaking about, so start a thread for people to throw out ideas on preventing serious injury and leave this thread to throw down some respect.

wear bindings that let your feet come out when you catch an edge.