New Rider: Advice/Suggestions

(conklinm) · (conklinm) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 06-03-2009, 1:54 PM

I'm looking for some suggestions from more experience riders on a few things.

I'm currently riding behind a 230 Nautic Star outboard (no tower) with no additional weight and a 225 Yamaha . I'm using roughly a 70 foot rope (not a wakeboard rope) and hitting speeds of anywhere from 18-21.

I'm comfortable riding switch and I'm getting good air from my heelside but having trouble clearing the entire wake. I'm guessing that using the right rope with have some positive effect on ability to clear the wake and shortening the rope would certainly make it easier.

Is my speed going to make any dramatic difference in ability if I push it up to 22 or 23mph? Or should I keep the speed consistent and just go for the shorter rope?

Any other suggestions are much appreciated.

(wakebrdjay) · (wakebrdjay) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 06-03-2009, 2:19 PM

Get a NON-strech(wakeboard)rope.

(lfrider92) · (lfrider92) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 06-03-2009, 2:23 PM

non strech wakeboard rope makes a HUGE difference. try riding at 22. i cant clear the wake at anything below 21. it makes it hard to get line tension

(pianoftw) · (pianoftw) **Join Date: Oct 2008** 06-03-2009, 2:26 PM

what Jay T. said

and i don't think going up a mph or two would be too dramatic. just watch the wake and have the driver go by what you want the wake to look like to get that pop. when it comes to speed, depending on what the water's like that day and how much weight is in the boat, pretty much every ride will be slightly different

dperizzolo 06-03-2009, 2:27 PM

Along with the suggestions above, shorten your rope up so the wake isn't as wide, and just ride at a speed that you are comfortable with. 18 is usually a good starting speed. You will get a little more pop with a faster speed though.

(lfrider92) · (lfrider92) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 06-03-2009, 2:30 PM

like bethany and darren said, you can do it slower. i just personally cant. i cant get the line tension going that slow. and ive never ridden behind an outboard, so i dont know what the wake looks like. but ive been told I/o's have a wider wake ( i have one) so i shortened the rope up to 65 feet and the wake is great. im not sure about how wide an outboards wake is though

(jtnz) · (jtnz) **Join Date: Sep 2007** 06-03-2009, 2:57 PM

The wake from a boat with an outboard looks like the wake from most boats. They're all pretty similar really. Depends mainly on the hull whether the wake is wide or steep or whatever...

With no weight in the boat the wake will definitely get smaller going from 21 to 23 mph. It might also lengthen, meaning the spot on the wake where you get the best pop could shift.

Do you have any kind of extended tow point? I used to ride behind an outboard fishing boat with no tower or ballast and we had to tie off to the ski cleats on the transom. That would often cause me to break at the waist due to the low pull when I hit the wake. Also instead of pulling you up off the wake the rope tends to pull you down instead. Make sure you are standing tall, shoulders over your hips and hips over the board when you ride, that'll make sure most of the tension on the line is transferred through your body to make you pop off the wake.

(conklinm) · (conklinm) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 06-03-2009, 4:17 PM

Thanks everyone! This gives me a lot of things that I can try tweaking. Can't wait to get back out on Friday to give some of these things a shot.

Thanks again!!!

(conklinm) · (conklinm) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 06-03-2009, 4:21 PM

I don't think we have any kind of extended tow point. Basically just using the factory installed ski pylon just in front of the engine.

I had a buddy in town who is much better than I am over the weekend and he said that is definitely looks like the rope is pulling me down and getting loose when I get close to the other side of the wake.

(wakeboardern1) · (wakeboardern1) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 06-03-2009, 5:05 PM

I was just sitting up here in the projectionist booth at work watching out of the pond with a matthew conklin. And I almost posted to this thread thinking it was him, hahahahaha.

(johnny_defacto)

I agree with speeding up a bit because that will make the water harder and will not "give" as you hit the wake. But you need to ride at a speed that you are comfortable, and where the wake shape is good.