Starting Speeds

fabio101 · Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 5

Just a quick question - my mates insist then when starting off, you should full throtle the boat, i have said when i have done it in the past, you use a more gentle approach.. what is the ideal method for beginners.. also when up and riding what is the ideal cruising speed.. we were running at about 30mph, but i am thinking it was a bit to fast..

Medina · Posted: May 01, 2009 2:11 am Post subject:

Way too fast for beginners, thats just killing Confused

Go arround 20 mph, then you can carve nice arround...

I like the gentle push when using the throtte, not fullspeed at once.

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

The speed to start with should be something that pulls you out of the water quickly without feeling like it is pulling your arms out of the sockets. 30 is definitely too fast for wakeboarding. Like Medina said ~20 works well. I'd say anywhere between 17 and 22 is about right.

A lot of it depends on weight and size, too.

pet575 · Posted: May 01, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject:

Depends on the boat as to the "full throttle" v. easy approach. With a 350HP motor, you wouldn't want to punch it but would rather go slow & easy. With a 120 HP motor, you pretty much have to gun it to get the boat on plane.

Beginners should ride at much less than 20MPH. I pull beginners behind my boat at 17MPH. 30MPH is WAAAAY too fast.

kartman · Posted: May 01, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject:

pet575 · Posted: May 01, 2009 1:43 pm Post subject:

Can't imagine what catching a TS edge at 30MPH would feel like. If you would even feel it, or ever feel anything again after that.

fabio101 · Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 5

The guys i was with are mono skiers and were insisting that was the way forward lol - i did stack it once from a jump off the wake and hit the water so hard falling forward my feet came out of my binds straight away, which were really tight. Also when i was starting it DID feel like my arms were coming out of my sockets.. still feel it now 2 days after lol. I am going to insist that they follow the advice you guys have given me .. thanks fellas

Medina · Posted: May 02, 2009 11:01 am Post subject:

slaughterer · Newbie Joined: 20 May 2009 Posts: 4 City: Jacksonville

start with 19 to 20 mph. No one rides effectively on a wakeboard at 30 mph. 22 is about as fast as you should mess with. Even that may not be optimum for you.