wakeboarding kids

Any suggestions on how to get a 5 year old started?

I saw a pic, I believe it was on this site where the tow rope appeared to be attached to the board. There was a second rope with a handle that went up from the board.. The board was wider than it was long.

Was this a custom deal? Any help would be appreciated

Not a wakeboard, but both of my girls learned on this first..."Ski Skimmer". It really helped them get used to the sensation of being pulled behind the boat.

Robert, if you know anyone with a bare foot boom it works great, you only have to go 8 or 10 MPH and your right next to the little grom. It is not as scary as being 40 or 50 feet behind the boat and you can give instruction with out yelling and scaring the kid. Once they get the feel of standing on the board and can ride along holding on to the boom, then start using a handle and a 5 foot section of rope. After a couple of sets their ready to get behind the boat. We have gotten lot of young kids riding this way and it work every time. Good luck.

Get them used to the board and the pull of the rope in a warm pool. You can also teach them not to be afraid of floating on their stomach with the board on.

Here is my 5 year old in action. This was his second or third trip out. Santa's bringing him a new Liquid Force wakeboard for Christmas. I can hardly wait for Summer.

Jman

Jman, looks like a future ripper to me.

Jman, is he edging out in that picture? my friends cant even edge like that.

wow! that is amazing....maybe santa should bring a new life jacket! he's ripping it on the board!!!!

Jman that's one intense expression for a 5 year old on his 2nd or 3rd time out. If that were my son, I'd already be telling stories of how I used to kill it and save myself some pride. He's going to be tearing it up.

Thanks guys. Yes, Leo, he is edging out. Jarett, he has a neoprene jacket, but it rubs his underarm. Randy, he really enjoys hamming it up already. I am quite proud of him as you might imagine. I am going to purchase "The Book" series of DVDs to help train him because I sure don't know what to tell him to try next. I'm an old slalom guy who just took up wakeboarding and wakesurfing last summer.

Jman

Jman, "the Book" is excellent, get it. What state are you guys in?

Randy,

We are in Knoxville, Tennessee. We are within 15 minutes of three different lakes and within 30 minutes of 3 or 4 more. What about you?

Jman

I am hoping my younget will keep riding, she cracks me up..

Wish my dad would have gotten me a setup like that when I was 8. All I got was a kneeboard from walmart.

The Ski trainer mentioned above is a good idea. Also, having an experienced rider in the water helping them learn to stand is a good method, however you have to be careful of other lake traffic. We practice by having the newbie lie on the floor of the boat. Then we use the handle to pull them up to teach them the mechanics. Arms straight, knees bent, butt on the board.
Once up we teach to ride straight, the safety position(one arm behind you), crossing the wake, inverts....
Here's one of my favorite riders, ripping it up on big brothers Parks


(Message edited by breadbutta on December 21, 2005)

(Message edited by breadbutta on December 21, 2005)

Started a few kids around that age by making them kneeboard first. So much easier, and they learn about water/rope dynamics, while having a lot of fun too. When they learn to stand on the knee board (usually first day) then they're ripe for WB. They'll typically get up first time then.