Up....now staying up

ak62 · Newbie Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 15 City: Coal Grove

I just started wakeboarding and no one I know has ever done it before so I am hoping for some help from here. Ok I found this site about two weeks ago and was quitely searching through the posts for help on getting up on a wakeboard. It took me awhile but now I can get up fairly well, still have a few faceplants here and there but it's coming. But now that I can get up I can't stay up. I can ride for about 5 - 10 seconds and the whole time the board sways under me until I fall. I have tried adding fins and taking them off but noting seems to help. Is it just where I am new and inexperienced or some kind of balance issue? I am a decent skateboarder and snowboarder so I figured since we just got a new boat I would take up wakeboarding.

jjaszkow · Posted: Aug 08, 2007 10:31 am Post subject:

It'll probably just take a bit more practice.

How are you holding the handle? For me it works best if I am holding it even with my leading hip.

Are you setting an edge? When I started out, I was pretty wobbly when I wasn't on an edge.

pet575 · Posted: Aug 08, 2007 11:53 am Post subject:

How fast do you think you're going? Going to slow can make the board "walk" under you. If you're doing more than 15 MPH, then you just need to learn how to use your edges and not ride as "flat" on the board.

LFADAM · Posted: Aug 08, 2007 4:56 pm Post subject:

If you are turning sideways, let go with your back hand and itll help you to track straight through the water.

ak62 · Newbie Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 15 City: Coal Grove

Thanks for all the advice. I do hold the handle on my leading hip and I am riding flat. Thats what I thought you were supposed to do and edge when you want to turn to or away from the wake. We get up to about 18 mph but my dad is new to driving the boat. So keep on an edge and that should fix the problem. Ok thanks again.

Giff · Newbie Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

ak62, a lot of people, when they are beginning, ride the board at an angle (not straight). If you let go with your back hand, like LFADAM said, it will straighten out your board and let you get the feel of a properly tracking wakeboard. Then you can hold on with both hands and you should be able to ride untill you are tired.

jjaszkow · Posted: Aug 09, 2007 8:23 am Post subject:

Giff, great point. When I was starting to learn to ride switch, I was having lots of problems with the board being unstable... dropping the back hand fixed that right up.

endlessracingz · Newbie Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

Giff, is 100% right try that out, it should feel a lot better. you can feel the type of stance you want form there.

Keep the same type of posture just turn at the waist a bit to grab the handle with your other hand. You should be leaning back a little bit also.

ak62 · Newbie Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 15 City: Coal Grove

Thanks again everyone. Just got back and I am doing a lot better. I dropped my back hand and I was straighter than Richard Simmons! Thanks a lot can't wait to start w2w!

howabouttheiris · Addict Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 677 City: Austin, TX

Now put the hand back on the handle and twist your body until you are traveling straight again.

One handed is a temp patch only.