Date: 9/29/00
Author: Matt Stockwell
Photos: Brett Stanley

If you're not familiar with the double up, you're missing out. Matt Stockwell has a close look at the best way of launching into some serious air.

For those of you who are just starting out, here are a few simple facts. A basic double up is formed when the boat does a wide loop and crosses perpendicular to its own wake. It is when these two wakes converge that the double up is formed. A rider who is attacking the double up will see a number of peaks and pits where the three to four rollers have converged. It is the second face of the converging rollers that you will want to hit to be like the pros. It is OK to hit the first, but you won't get as much kick and you may be called a nancy boy by your fellow riders.

It is important to understand how to do a double up from two different perspectives. Firstly, you have the boat driver who has to drive a smooth and calculated course while maintaining a steady boat speed. Then you have the rider who has to use their judgment to time the double up and hit it for big air. The boat driver's main objective is to steer the boat in a 50 meter diameter loop and hit the wake originally made by the boat at approximately 90 degrees. As the boat approaches the double up the driver has to ensure that the last 20 meters is straight, and the boat speed is constant. If the loop is too small, the rider will have trouble setting up and timing the double up. The boat speed when crossing the double up is usually the same when travelling in a straight line, however some riders prefer to have their boat speed slightly slower than normal.

Once the driver has the technique down, it is all up to the rider's ability to complete a successful double up. While the boat is setting up the double up, the rider should pull to the inside of the turn. This will reduce the load on the boat and make it easier for the driver to maintain a constant speed. Once the boat straightens out, the rider should commence an easy cut and set up about three meters outside the wake. At this stage, if you just cut in like a hell-man, chances are you will either miss the double up or hit it wrong and smash yourself. Generally, riders take a smaller cut at the double up, however it is still important to develop a progressive cut as consistency and timing are essential. As mentioned before, you should spot the second face of the converging wakes and focus your timing to hit it. A simple way of getting your timing right is to start cutting in as the second roller passes through the last third of the boat.

Depending on your rope length, boat speed and boat type, you will have to work out whether you are coming in late or early, and move your start position on the boat in respect to this. With practice you will work out your own way to time the double up, but this is a good way to begin. Remember, just cutting in and hoping to hit one may work once but not 10 times out of 10. When making the cut towards the double up you will have to ride over the first roller. This normally shouldn't give you any problems if you are maintaining a progressive cut on your board and have your knees slightly bent. If your legs are too rigid, or your board is too flat, you may loose control over your edge and end up crashing into the face of the double up. When your timing is right, you will see the steep face of the double up in front of you, and that is when you will realise that serious air time is hear.

Most riders, depending on their trick, will at this stage begin to make edge adjustment with their board. If doing a normal wake jump, just hold your edge and you should ride up the face and feel the strange sensation ofbeing kicked into the air. It is how you will come to learn the true essence of a double up.

A common problem when beginning double ups is to plough the board through the face of the double up. To correct this, either reduce the edge on the board and allow it to flatten out, or slightly bias your weight to your back foot and allow the board to turn up the face of the wake. A board withan amount of rocker (the upward curve in the board) will also help you to ride up the double up face easier. If you are being kicked off axis after hitting the double up you should concentrate on aligning your centre of gravity. Try changing the weight bias of your feet as you travel up the face of the wake. Usually a little more weight on your front foot at this point is required to compensate for the steeper wake face on a double up. Keeping your handle at your waist with your elbows bent also helps. Quite often you will feel the tension of the rope loosen and this requires compensation. When you have a good centre of gravity, correct boat speed and well executed jump you should be able to land on the down side of the opposite wake. This will soften the landing significantly. If you are fit and strong then you can consider taking everything into the flats. But be warned, if you start milking the double up for major air, the landings can get harsh and that's when knees can get damaged.

One trick of the pros is to reduce the boat speed as mentioned earlier when driving the double up. This allows the rider to still go big, but the distance between the wakes will be larger and in effect you can land on the opposite wake, softening the impact. Also, a longer board will allow you to land on the tail more, which will also reduce the impact of the landing and should be seriously considered if you are a big air demon. As you become more experienced, slight variations can be made when driving to better assist the timing of the rider and make hitting the double up easier. Some riders like to have the boat intersect the rollers at a slight angle rather than perpendicular to the rollers. This has two effects. Firstly it will open the face of the double up, and it also reduces the chance of you landing on a roller on the opposite side of the wake. Different boats will also give different sizes in double ups. Generally a narrow hull boat will make the wakes and double up more congested than that of a large wakeboard specific boat. This will reduce the size and impact of rollers that would normally sail down your course. This will also allow you to execute a double up in places lacking width, like rivers and waterways. This will not affect the double up in any way. In fact, this is the method that is used in the Big Air competition at the Summer Xtreme Games.

You may have heard of the term "triple up", and these are great if you are a bit of an air demon. Either slowing the speed of the boat, or throwing the boat to one side in your target zone, creates larger rollers. The target zone is the area where you wish the wakes to converge. As the boat travels in the loop, the driver should look out and aim for the largest peak of the roller that will appear before them. As you drive over this, be sure to hold on as it will slap the boat around a little. How hard that slap is will give you a good indication of the size the triple up will be.

The double up is one of the most enjoyable features in wakeboarding and can open up a new realm of moves. Tantrums, front flips and 360s are recommended to begin with, and once comfortable throw in a grab for extra style. And always remember, as Al Bundy says, go big or go naked!

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