Big friend can't get up

McHenry · Newbie Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 9 City: Austin

A bigger friend of ours (appx. 6'2", 230lbs) spent all day Sunday trying to get up with no luck. He couldn't grip anything yesterday b/c his arms were so sore from having the rope yanked out of his hands over and over. It seems to me that he might be trying to 'muscle' it too much and trying to stand up too soon. He can waterski so he understands "how" to get out of the water but it's not working on the wakeboard. I'm not sure if it's his technique or the fact that we have a smaller bowrunner boat (19' Larson with 205hp V6)??

My question is, I saw a post last week, on this site somewhere, with some links to tips for teaching people to get up. But for the life of me I can't find that thread again and when I try to search for it I keep getting a "Fatal Error". Anyone know which thread I'm talking about? Anyone got any tips that I can pass on to him? I feel bad for the guy b/c everyone else got up on their first try.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

If the boat has enough power to rip the handle out of his hands it has enough power to get him out of the water. I'm 6'2 200#s and I got up behind a 30hp fishing boat.

It's definitely technique. He probably is trying to muscle his way up.

The 2 most important things you need to teach him (and make sure he's doing it) is:

Keep your knees to your chest until you are out of the water.

Keep your arms fully extended

If you want to give him an illistration tell him to sit on the ground and try to help him up. If he keeps his legs out at all or bends his arms you will not be able to pull him up. If he keeps his legs under him and arms out it doesn't take much force at all to pull him up.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

If you see a wall of water that gets pushed and then the handle pops it's because he's not doing these things. Sometimes people think they are but in the moment they stop.

Sandbagger · Outlaw Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 154

Our kids get up regular style which is to keep your board in fron, knees bent and once board is on top of water stand up and spin the board to riding position.

This does not work so well for me, so what I do is kind of between a wakeboard start and a water ski start. My starting position is the same as the basic wakeboard start, the difference is that as soon as the boat starts pulling me, I turn the board tip up, just like a water ski start, keep knees bent and ride the board up until I am able to stand up. This way I never have a problem coming over the top of the board and face planting at start up. The problem I see with other riders starting is trying to stand up too soon, usually ending in the front of the board submerging resulting in a face plant.

brotherbrown831 · Outlaw Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 154 City: Oklahoma City

I had the SAME problem, my rope kept getting pulled right out of my hands, Im a bigger guy "220lb" it turns out the whole problem was my toes, I was pointing my toes straight up and trying to "lever" over the board. Have your buddy point his toes all the way forward, he is trying to use the resistance from the water pressure to pull himself up... I tried that for an entire day and all i got for my troubles was blisters on my hands. Now the boat can pull me right up everytime with almost no effort on my part.
Im using an 135hp I/O.... ITS ALL ABOUT THE TOES!!!

pet575 · Posted: Jun 26, 2008 7:34 am Post subject:

brotherbrown831, is exactly right. Tell him to "squat like a frog" with his arms straight out. If he points his toes at the sky the whole time, he will just plow the water instead of planing on top of it.