Need some help with wakeboarding

Hello all,

I have had my board since 1999 but I havent ever got to really ride it a whole lot but have always been stoked on the sport watching all the experienced people ride. I just recently bought a 1992 Malibu Sunsetter and now I can finally get the riding time ive always wanted. My question is everytime I have ridden my wakeboard I always feel unstable. The board just seems loose and bouncy, and just all over the place. I tried moving my bindings all the way out and this helped a good bit, but I still feel unstable and loose. Also, the rope always pulls me forward and off balance. I try to lean back but it pulls my torso forward making me lean forward throwing me off balance, and I always feel like im gonna catch an edge on the front of the board and take a nose dive. Now when I watch videos everyone always seems to be in control and having fun, but im always out there all over the place just hanging on for dear damn life lol, constantly getting pulled into the leaning over position feeling like im gonna fall any second, and cant ever seem to hold the rope back and and be balanced/relaxed really well. Anyone have any idea of what I could be doing wrong. Is my board big enough? I am 6'4 223 pounds, and I ride a 2000 Hyperlite Vero 143 at about 21-23 mph, if anyone can help me solve what im doing wrong I would really appreciate it!

-Callaway

(Message edited by Callaway on August 20, 2003)

Wow. Weird.

What rope do you have?
Be sure it is non-stretch (spectra).

If you are on edge, leaning against the rope/boat, you should be in control.

For your weight, that size board sounds just fine. How is your speed being measured? If you have access to a GPS, I would suggest verifying whatever speedometer you are using is accurate. Anytime my board feels "loose" its because I am going too fast.

Beginners should definately be putting 60-70% of their weight on their back foot. Some people simply take longer to learn their balance on a wakeboard than others.

Water conditions can also play a big part in making the ride feel bouncy. If you are riding over a lot of chop from other boats or because its windy, it can make your ride suck.

If you have access to another board to try out, maybe you can try that too.. I've ridden a few different boards and they all have their own unique feel...

Have you tried switching your foot position? I mean if you ride left foot forward, have you tried riding right foot forward?

Also like dane said, make sure you are using a non-stretch rope..not a traditional ski rope

Hello,

I always see/imagine myself as riding left foot forward, so ive always ridden that way but next chance I get ill try right foot forward. I have a an Accurate Spectra Wakeboard rope that came with my wakeboard that I use. Any other ideas, I just really feel like im being bulled head over heals all the time and I haven't been able to get comfortable out there but hopefully I can figure this out and start learning some tricks! Thanks!

-Callaway

Just wanted to make a correction, meant to say pulled head over heels not bulled head over heels lol.

-Callaway

Erik,

I have been riding for about 1 1/2 years now and had not experienced what you are talking about until I rode on a neighbors boat a few weeks ago - his boat did not have a tower. I consider myself to be an intermediate rider (usually) and was experiencing difficulties getting up and getting pulled forward over the front of the board at first. I got used to it eventually but it is hard for me to help beginners on that boat.

So the questin is: does your boat have a tower? If not, that could be your problem.

Also, I highly recommend you buy either Higher Education of Detention - they help a lot with body position.

YOur hips should be forward (well in front of your shoulders), shoulders back (behind yoru hips), and (most importantly) your handle needs to be low at your waist just in front of your lead hip. At first this feels very un-natural and requires a lot of strength to keep it there. After a while you'll get used to it and wont think of it anymore. A low handle will prevent your upper torso from being pulled forward over the front of your board. As you progress you will learn that the handle is damn near everything when it comes to control. If you "break at the waiste" (bend forward at your hips puttng your shoulders in fron of your hips) you will fall forward over the front of the board and we all know that hurts. Your only chance is to force that handle as low as your arms will allow - that will lower your center of gravity and hopefully the boat will pull the board back in front of you before ou go over the front. There have been many cases where I lost it on a landing and was falling forward and saved myself by putting the handle on my front binding thus using the boats forward motion to pull the board back in front of me. Dont try to put yoru handle on the binding - just get it as low as your arms will allow without leaning any further forward.

If you can get somebody to shoot some video you can put it on here and everybody will pick it apart and give you a lot of good advice. I recently did that in Trick Tips with my backroll and got a lot of good recommendations that I will try this weekend.

Another recommendation: go to need a third/be a third and get somebody that is a decent rider on your boat - everybody that I have met here is real nice and will give you lessons for a pull or two. Lessons save a lot of bruises.

Good luck