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Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       08-30-2012, 5:48 PM Reply   
A month or so ago I put up a video of my 4yr old's first time behind the boat. We went out last weekend and he rode for the 3rd time. He is really progressing well! Initially, he got up about 50/50 regular and goofy but this last time he mostly got up regular, although the couple times he got up goofy, he still looked good.

You can really see his progression in the last clip of the video. He is finally getting his chest up and standing a little taller and is starting to cut a little. He has been able to cross over the wake toe side a couple times but for the most part, the wash eats his board and he falls.

I have slowly sped him up to 15.2mph and it has really helped his stability. As long as he looks comfortable, I hope to continue to add a little speed each time out in order to clean up the wake.

Any suggestions?

from TJ Morgan on Vimeo.

Old     (JohnnyDefacto)      Join Date: Mar 2010       08-30-2012, 6:12 PM Reply   
at the end he looks really comfortable and your wake is just on the edge of getting clean. Next time out try the same speed, but move all your passengers to that port side. Depending on the amount of people you have, it should clean up real nice. If you only have a couple people and it doesn't clean up, add a little bit of ballast to the bow and the port side until it cleans.

He is awesome... I can't wait til my boy wake boards
Old     (stxr_racer)      Join Date: Jun 2006       08-30-2012, 8:07 PM Reply   
Amazing

Just keep doing what you are doing and have fun with it. When you think the time is right maybe you could ride doubles to show/coax him how to carve inside & outside the wake and cross it? Keep up the good work!.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       08-31-2012, 6:41 AM Reply   
Thanks guys. He's having a blast! He's been requesting songs to play while riding so I had to create a playlist for him. I have to say, I've had a lot of really proud moments as a father of 2 but honestly, I could not have been happier the first time he rode this past weekend and he actually stood up and it just seemed to click. The smile and joy on his face was just priceless.
Old     (shredthagnar)      Join Date: Oct 2011       08-31-2012, 6:52 AM Reply   
Dude! Your sons name is madden. That's so legit
Old     (FunkyBunch)      Join Date: Jun 2011       08-31-2012, 7:00 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Houstonshark View Post
Thanks guys. He's having a blast! He's been requesting songs to play while riding so I had to create a playlist for him. I have to say, I've had a lot of really proud moments as a father of 2 but honestly, I could not have been happier the first time he rode this past weekend and he actually stood up and it just seemed to click. The smile and joy on his face was just priceless.

TJ that is what its all about. This is the reason we bought our boat. I always think when I see an ad for a boat and they sell their boat because they have kids they are missing out. Congrats.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       08-31-2012, 9:14 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkyBunch View Post
TJ that is what its all about. This is the reason we bought our boat. I always think when I see an ad for a boat and they sell their boat because they have kids they are missing out. Congrats.
I hear ya Mark. Some of the best times we have had as a family has been out on the boat! I understand though why people end up selling their boats due to having kids. Boats are expensive, but kids are more expensive and finding time where everyone can be together is pretty valuable!

I want my boys to be well rounded and participate in all the sports they want to. At this point with Madden being 4 and Deacon 3, it's pretty easy to help them choose what they want to do since we are mostly choosing it for them. Both of the boys took swim lessons for almost 2 years and loved it. They've been taking a gymnastics and tumbling class for a couple months now and of course they love that (FYI, I think this is a great way to help with coordination, body awareness and to help them get used to coaching and instruction, not to mention the ability to pick up chicks later on...).

Madden played Tee Ball last spring and is playing again this fall (and I'm coaching again). I think it's easy to get caught up in playing sports or other activities year round to the point where it makes it difficult to get out on the boat. Hopefully, they will continue to love the boat (cable in a couple more years) to the point where we make time for it throughout the year. Hopefully my company will continue to do well where we can afford a boat and everything that goes with it along with a flexible schedule to be able to use it with the family.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       08-31-2012, 9:17 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by stxr_racer View Post
Amazing

Just keep doing what you are doing and have fun with it. When you think the time is right maybe you could ride doubles to show/coax him how to carve inside & outside the wake and cross it? Keep up the good work!.
That's a great suggestion! I really never thought about it. We may try it if we can find some calm water this weekend. Should I just run my rope about 5' longer or shorter than his or keep it the same length? I would want him to be able to see me without having to look back.
Old     (augie_09)      Join Date: Mar 2011       08-31-2012, 10:11 AM Reply   
I dont' know if it makes any difference, but flipping through the new ronix catalog I saw they have children's wake handles with smaller diameters so little ones can get a better grip. I may get one next season when my 'then' 4 yr old can start learning.

Madden looks great out there. more time and he'll get more daring, no reason to rush him. Looks like he's experimenting on his own cutting out and back towards wake, ollie attempt, rope less attempt. You won't' have to worry about him not progressing!
Old     (shags004)      Join Date: Aug 2012       08-31-2012, 10:42 AM Reply   
THIS IS SO CUTE!!!! What a little badass!
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       08-31-2012, 12:02 PM Reply   
Thanks August! That actually is the Ronix kids handle and rope. The first 2 times out he insisted on using the same rope and handle I use (2012 One with Frank rope) even though I had the kids one for him. I made it a big deal this last time to really talk up the 'special rope and handle' I got just for them and once he realized it was cool and fit him better he was down. He's very big for a 4yr old but the kids handle fits him a lot better. The smaller diameter lets him wrap his hands around it a lot better.
Old     (augie_09)      Join Date: Mar 2011       08-31-2012, 12:18 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Houstonshark View Post
Thanks August! That actually is the Ronix kids handle and rope. The first 2 times out he insisted on using the same rope and handle I use (2012 One with Frank rope) even though I had the kids one for him. I made it a big deal this last time to really talk up the 'special rope and handle' I got just for them and once he realized it was cool and fit him better he was down. He's very big for a 4yr old but the kids handle fits him a lot better. The smaller diameter lets him wrap his hands around it a lot better.
Good to know. I'll def pick one up this winter then.
Old     (augie_09)      Join Date: Mar 2011       08-31-2012, 12:38 PM Reply   
what size board is he on? LF goes down to a111 while ronix only offers a 120.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       08-31-2012, 1:48 PM Reply   
It's the Ronix Vision 120. Both of my boys are big for their age although my youngest is pretty skinny. I wouldn't do anything smaller than the 120 unless the kid is very small. I think the only issue with the 120 vs a 111 is being strong enough to flip it over when they land on their stomach. IMO, if the kid is strong enough to hold onto the handle to pull themselves up, any of the kids boards would be fine.

The Vision 120 is a wide board. I think it's big and stable enough that they will be able to ride it for at least a couple years. Anything smaller and I think my boys, at least Madden, would outgrow it by next year.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       09-06-2012, 8:42 AM Reply   
I haven't had time to put together any of the clips of Madden riding last weekend but wow, it's pretty impressive how quickly he is learning. He picks up so much from watching other riders. I need to step it up cause I'm running out of tricks for him to imitate!

He's carving heelside and toeside pretty good, including cutting up to the wake on his toeside edge, releasing with his back hand and touching the wake as he watches the water spray across from changing back to his heelside edge quickly. He can cross over both wakes now and has done a couple ollies.

I'll post a video update when I can put a couple clips together.
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       09-06-2012, 2:38 PM Reply   
Great video. Your fuel bill is about to go up but I bet you wont care.
Old     (skippabcool)      Join Date: Mar 2011       09-11-2012, 5:21 PM Reply   
Very cool. I have been trying to get my 7 year old twins on a board. They haven't had much of a desire to yet. I like seeing these videos so I can show them and try to get them excited.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       09-11-2012, 6:36 PM Reply   
I'm uploading one now from our last time out. I'll post a link when it's done. It's pretty amazing to see the progress and how much more comfortable he is now.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       09-12-2012, 12:58 PM Reply   
The last time we were out was on Labor Day weekend and it was busy so we didn't get to ride a ton but Madden got several good runs in; usually the first and/or last run of the day. He's really starting to get it and is continuing to push himself to see what he can and cannot do so far.

I've sped the boat up now to around 17.4mph and added some weight to the port side in order to clean up the wake on that side, which has helped. The only problem with doing that is that now the starboard side is washed and messy but my boat just won't clean up both sides at that speed.

I hate to go much faster, especially this late in the season. I don't want him to take a bad fall and for some reason call it quits and end the season on a bad note. I don't think he will because he really loves it. He already busted his lip once and had a little blood coming out of his mouth but wanted to keep riding.

This video from Labor Day is a little long but he's progressed so much that I just couldn't cut much more out. It's pretty funny to watch his reaction to his favorite song. You can see him start to really get aggressive in his riding.

Old     (cocheese)      Join Date: Jul 2004       09-13-2012, 12:12 PM Reply   
In the first video, is that a log that is just outside the wake at 17sec. in?
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       09-13-2012, 12:27 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by cocheese View Post
In the first video, is that a log that is just outside the wake at 17sec. in?
Yeah. Lots of old fallen trees along the banks of the river in spots.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       09-13-2012, 12:30 PM Reply   
Actually, I just looked at it again. I thought you were talking about near the shore line. Yeah, that was a log. If I remember, we removed it later when we passed by.

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