Picking up downed surfer

What's the best way to avoid dipping the nose when picking up a downed surfer. Should you keep the bow forward and wait for the waves to pass and then turn around? Also, is it better to turn with the weighted side of the boat inwards or outwards. I surf on the left side so am I better turning to the right or left to pick up a downed surfer.I have an 04 VLX with alot of weight in the front and sometimes I'll take a wave over the bow.

Thx, Pete

I keep the bow forward and stop and let the waves pass and turn around sharp very slowly. If there are other boats around and need to do it faster I still pretty much let the waves pass and just do everything faster. My boat sits out of the water more then yours.

I cut the throttle completely to neutral and crank the wheel all the way to the opposite side we are surfing and the boat just spins on a dime and you dont touch the waves.

Same as Edgar & Twitch ... let 'em pass.

so if my weight is on the left side I want to turn to the right correct?

Thx

That's correct! You can also bump it into reverse
just a tad and wait for the wave to pass before picking up your surfer.

I always just reverse back to the surfer. I ride in the Delta, and it's just safer, and easier that way. It also eliminates another set of rollers to cross when you start again. My 2 cents.

As the surfer, when I fall, I like the driver to continue in the direction he is going and take a lap around the lake to :

a) give me plenty of time to swim to my board
b) give me plenty of time to recover from a.

I disagree. If all of your weight is on the left it is safest to turn left. If you turn right you run a good chance of seriously swamping the weighted back left corner. Trickboardz used to have a great video of this happening and a video of the correct way to retrieve a downed surfer. The link no longer works.

edit - I disagrre with turning right when the left is weighted

but if your weight is on the left side and you turn to the left side wont you be turning into the big side of the wake.

just cut the throttle and let the rollers pass... if your in a hurry or you needa get the surfer fast, theres always powerturning lol...but that dont make people happy haha.

I always turn right, but when surfer is down, I pull all the way off of throttle, boat settes, put in gear and turn right 90 deg, pull up again, let the waves roll by while I am at 90 deg, then back in gear and head to surfer around 5mph.

In my enzo I just turn to the left as I pull back on the throttle all the way to nuetral. When done correctly, the wake pushes the back end around while the rollers pass.

Sometimes it does help to revo while waiting for the rollers to pass, pulls the nose around quicker.

I never turn right when weighted left.

I always turn right when weighted left, and left when weighted right.
I cut throttle and turn the rudder. The following wave then helps push the high back corner to tighten the turn as the boat stops. Wait a couple of seconds for the wake to pass then idle back to the surfer. (while either cheering or laughing as the circumstances require)

The hard part is paying attention to other boat wakes that might be rolling up. We're on a big lake and they come from everywhere.

When I cut the throttle, the boat naturally wants to turn right (weighted on the left). Sometimes I keep turning right and have been known to dunk my blower vents. Added ballast right???

Cut throttle an turn simultaneously, you'll spin right around yourself and the wash doesn't come flying up the back of the boat. Yes I too turn opposite the weight of the boat if done correctly there is no chance of swamping the back of the boat and you'll never run into your surf wave. Then we turn slowly and swing the back end around toss the rope and off we go. It's easy effective and super fast we can have a downed surfer back up in around 30 seconds.

I think it depends how much freeboard you have left after weighting. My rubrail is below water. My 02 Centurion has little freeboard. I turned opposite the weight (just as HateN describes) once and i almost pooped myself as i saw water rushing in over the back corner. Guys like HateN have newer boats with more freeboard. I do it the same way as HateN, but have to turn the same way as the weight and be a little bit gradual letting off the throttle.

Darren is right in most cases but I have a Sanger (low freeboard) and always bury the rub rail and for me it still works well. The key is to start the turn then throttle off which allows you to out pace the wash.

I always turn opposite of the weight. It does it automatically , so I just go with the flow. Just hit reverse alittle and slowly go back. I have my regular side vent capped also. Turnig with the weight is a pain and you still get water over rubrail. A good driver rarely chili dips. When the bow is full it's kind of funny when you dip but not when surfdad is up front.

I turn with the low side on the inside. Turning the other way swamps water in the low side vent.

haha dippin the nose is always a little funny when you have a few girls in the bow!!

I have a Supra 21V. Typically turning to the left is the best no matter which side is weighted. I always let off the throttle and let the waves pass by for 3 or 4 seconds. Hit reverse just a little bit after the 3 or 4 seconds. Then its all good.