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Teaching Little Ones to Ride

 
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raimie_n
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Joined: 11 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Jun 13, 2013 6:44 am    Post subject: Teaching Little Ones to Ride Reply with quote

Hi Everyone! I have been a long time lurker and decided to finally officially join.

I have a 2 year old that is really interested in wakeboarding. I saw a great youtube video of a 2 year 4 month old riding right off the platform, similar to wakesurfing. It was amazing and got me excited to get my little girl out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW5nGF49GRE

I found some used Ronix kids bindings for $25 and just ordered a liquid force star off Evo for $100. Still waiting on the board to arrive and the water to warm up, but in the meantime, my daughter had a blast having me tow her around on the lawn.



If anyone has any advice on how they worked with their toddlers to get them out on the water, I would really appreciate it. I want to make sure she isn't scared and am hoping to get her out by August...

Thanks!
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GnarShredd
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Joined: 16 Jun 2009
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City: St Pete.

PostPosted: Jun 13, 2013 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Make sure you're ok with exhaust fumes and that they're diverted properly on your particular boat.
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kent2010
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Joined: 14 Jun 2008
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City: Needles

PostPosted: Jun 15, 2013 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If she isn't afraid to wakeboard by herself by all means put her out there and let her try. Ive gotten a couple under 3 year olds up but its hit or miss. some say they aren't scared they want to try, then when they get in the water they get terrified. some say they are too scared to go, still try and love it.

Couple different things you might try though first just so it doesn't completely scare the crap out of her and she never wants to try a water sport again.

You could one put her out there on a knee board. When their that young and that light most of the time you can start them on their knees even so they don't even have to pull themselve up. Its gets them used to being out on the water by themselves and its way easier to do for the toddlers. especially if you get/make your own training knee board.

Also if it were me i would take her out on the wakeboard with me. Just have her hold on to you around your neck facing you legs wrapped around your torso. then you can either hold her there while your riding or put her down and let her stand on the board in between your feet if she wants to.

Then once she does go by herself to do a deep water start i would get in the water with her to keep her body and board in the right position and push her up out of the water just to make sure that she at least gets up and out of the water her first time. Even if she can't really ride once she gets up and falls immediatly. Just getting out of the water for a second by themselves is such a confidence boost for the little kids. She'll be hooked for life.

Good luck though. I hope it all goes well and she loves it.
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raimie_n
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PostPosted: Jun 17, 2013 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the advise Kent.

I like the idea of having her ride with me a few times to get her used to the idea. I think once the water warms up a little bit I will try that for sure. I also thought about get towed on the SUP board with her since it would be very stable and have a lot of room for us both.

I think knee boarding would be good also, but I think I will need to attach the rope to the board. I don't think she has the strength to resist the pull.

Looking forward to trying all these possibilites. Its so great teaching people to ride, let alone your own kids!
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kent2010
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PostPosted: Jun 20, 2013 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yea sorry I wasn't really clear there. But thats what i meant by a training knee board. Screw an eyelett or something to the nose of the board, run the rope through it, knot it on the handle side and call it done.
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supermanotorious
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Joined: 10 May 2010
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PostPosted: Jun 20, 2013 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

check out the rig I made:

http://www.wakeskating.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32912&highlight=daughter

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=90126

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slidin_out
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Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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City: Pearl

PostPosted: Jun 28, 2013 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is what we did with my friend's kid. When he was three we would pull him up and down the sandbar. He would do a deep water start each time. We would take turns running up and down pulling him by hand. That whole summer he was able to get up and turn sideways. He got a board for Christmas that year. Summer when he was 4 he started behind the boat. After a couple of trips out he was ok being in the water by himself and we would just throw the rope to him each time. By the middle of the summer he would ride FOREVER before we would just have to cut him off. He did ride with his dad from the time he was 2 as well so he was pumped about being on the water and on a board.
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jackdean101
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PostPosted: Jul 01, 2013 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used a boom bar for both of my boys and they love it. My oldest is 9 now and he can almost clear the wake.



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GnarShredd
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PostPosted: Jul 01, 2013 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

booms are also a BLAST to barefoot with.
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wakechick13
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PostPosted: Jul 01, 2013 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I first learned to ride I used the boom bar. It was awesome!
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BrtnDan
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PostPosted: Jul 02, 2013 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I learned on a little outboard fishing boat with a 15 hp evenrude.

Little kids are SO small and light, a wakeboard boat is the wrong tool to use to get them riding. The wake is so big, even if its completely drained, they can really hurt themselves / panic / etc. a small fishing boat is going to be much easier to manuver back to pick them up when they fall. you're going to be able to be closer to them. you'll have more control at slow speeds.
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E.J.
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PostPosted: Aug 07, 2013 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Taught the Little One(Cool this past weekend. We never have pushed it and when out last weekend, she said that she wanted to try. She has been on the kneeboard, tube and surfed with me.

1 - Had her put on the board and get in the water. Just wanted her to get comfortable floating around with the board on her feet. Then had her flip onto her stomach with the board on. Sometimes this will freak kids, being difficult to flip the board back, they can panic. I just had her float and acknowledge that she floats fine....and if she wrecks on her stomach, she'll be fine....if she can't flip the board, she'll be able to when she has the handle.

2 - Took her to the beach, floated in a few feet of water, PP set at 12(I think?), pulled the line tight, "Okay, go ahead" and sort of helped her stand up and off she went. Did this again after she wrecked.

3 - After the second wreck, she said she'd be fine deep water starting without help and she was.....and that was that.

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slidin_out
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Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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PostPosted: Sep 11, 2013 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Took my just turned 3 little boy out on the board with me a few weeks ago. He kept trying to get out of the boat into the water with me during my second set. "Daddy I want to ride with you, daddy I want to ride with you" over and over. I never asked him to go and wasn't going to push the issue. I just held onto him for about 100 yards and dropped. He has asked to go ride each time we have gone since. I only ride him a couple of hundred yards each time and then get in the boat. The funny thing is there was another just about 3 year old boy in the boat (boat owner's son, boat owner is 720, crow mobe good) who decided he wanted to try that day too. So on the same trip out two kids and their dads took their first rides together. It just happened to be a guys only day so the moms missed it. They weren't happy but we were. Surprise surprise both are getting boards for Christmas this year now.
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slidin_out
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PostPosted: Sep 11, 2013 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh and congrats on your kid's first ride!
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raimie_n
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PostPosted: Oct 11, 2013 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BrtnDan wrote:
I learned on a little outboard fishing boat with a 15 hp evenrude.

Little kids are SO small and light, a wakeboard boat is the wrong tool to use to get them riding.


Rolling Eyes Yeah, why use a boat that is SAFE and DESIGNED for towing to teach someone to ride...

I have a small fishing boat and wouldn't even consider using that to tow my kids. No swim platform, outboard 2 stroke motor, no mirror, crappy throttle... ya, sounds great Rolling Eyes

Or, we could have me drive the malibu, daddy with his feet on the platform holding the rope and talking and coaching the whole time. Plus when the kid falls, daddy can jump in and hang there until they are picked up.
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