Boat Speed for New Tricks...

My son is in the process of learning 3's and considering backrolls for his first invert attempts. That said, for his 3's we have slowed the boat down to 20mph and shortened the rope to 60' just to reduce some of the fear factor. He gets plenty of pop to throw a 3 however he's normally off axis (spinning off the wake). My question is has anyone else slowed down and shortened the rope when learning 3's and backrolls? Right now learning 3's had gotten into his head and is kicking his butt. He does work on the tramp but is still struggling big time. Thanks,

I forgot to add that he rides at 75' and 22 normally and can throw big 180's all day long. Again, the 360 thing is a becoming a huge mental obstacle.

i had the same problem early on learning my 3's going off axis that is. I slowed down to about 21 on the short rope 65'. He should be waiting to spin later on, no off of the wake. Pop first then pull the handle to his back hip and then start spinning. I still haven't successfully landed with the handle but i am no longer of axis. From what i have been told and it helps do not start your spin until you are almost in the center of the two wakes.

When I learned 3s and switch 3s. I slowed the boat way down. I learned them to the middle of the wake. Once I got used to getting the handle. Then I got the boat up to normal speed. It makes the learning process easier and a lot less painful. BCP Mike

i did just like bcp mike did. i slowed the boat down to 15-16 mph and learned them from inside to outside, then outside to inside then slowly started to increase the speed. once i got the boat up to my normal riding speed i still only did them from outside to inside, once i got used to the tension i then started to take them bigger and eventually wake to wake. it literally took me all winter and into the spring before i was comfortable with them and going wake to wake. i did this for hs and ts bs 180's. h/s fs and bs 3s. the falls are much less painful, actually no pain at all. you just basically sink at those speeds. i highly recommend learning them this way. i initially learned them at regular speeds and lost alot of brain cells. then i lost them and decided to learn them at a slower speed. now i can spin off the wake, ollie, a roller, wake to wake, whatever.

Thanks everyone. Time to slow the boat down even more. Alan, were you able to keep the wake clean at 15/16 or did you just ride over the wash?

jhg empty the ballast it will help alot. however there still was a little whitewash but i just dealt with it

(Message edited by alanp on August 30, 2006)

It's already yielding results. Last night my son came really close landing a HSFS 3 and a TSFS 3. He's a lot less intimidated as well. Thanks for the help. I think this is going to work.

A day later and my son is throwing HS 3's consistently. He's close to landing the TS's as well. This has been a huge help and I'm even close landing one now. Thanks again.

This sounds like it would help on backrolls. Which I am attemping. What do you guys think?

i have just started backrolls i can nail 3s consistently i rode normal speed and all so i wouldnt be thrown off when i tried at normal speed backrolls are more along the lines of the flip bein thrown off the wake hope this helps

steve i wouldnt recommend slowing the boat down drastically for backrolls because backrolls rely on line tension to flip you around especially when learning them the line tension is the key. it also helps if you can land on the downside of the opposite wake when learning these too(it'll just make the landings one less thing to worry about).

jhg congrats on the success.