FUNNY story and I have a QuEsTioN too

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

Hey, ya'll. I'm a "newbie" to wakeboarding. I snowboard and I've waterskied couple times before. Anyway, I'm pissed that I cant snowboard anymore so I've replaced it with wakeboarding. Just bought a board and went out this past weekend...with people that knew less than me...sad...

Funny Story starts now:

So, I didnt have much time to try cuz it wasnt my boat...or jetskiis...but in anycase, we were towing with a jetski (a crappy Bombadier, no less) but it still pulled. I got my girlfriends little brother up quicker than I could get up. They didnt know how to control the jetski...

ANYWAY, I guess I was SO excited to get out on the lake...that I forgot to attach the FINS to the board...I'm starting to think that the fins would've helped me... Shocked

I only got up once for like 2 seconds..but I only tried for like 15 mins...and I knew absolutely NOTHING about wakeboarding so I guess it was kind of stupid to try without any tips or knowledge...but I found this site when I came back home and I think next time will be much better.

Ok here's my ¿Question(s)?:

I don't own a boat or anything and I dont wanna bum off my friends...so where can I find out how to "rent" a boat around here (Tampa/Clearwater/St. Petersburg...FLORIDA) .....or something...maybe find some people in my area who need an extra rider to pitch in or something...

ALSO, I was looking at a posting and I think a lesson might be fun...but again, I don't know where to go to get one...any suggestions...

I got a board...I just need to get in the water now...I'm friggin' stoked...!!

oh, and any suggestions on "alligator repellent?" Crazy Eyes

haha...no seriously (shudder)

mikedren · Newbie Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 27 City: Jacksonville

Hey, I'm new here too. I'm not sure about where to get the boat or the lessons. But for the alligators, if you don't go out after it starts getting dark you should be fine, as long as you don't mess with them. All the times that we have been to the lakes where we go we've never had a problem or heard of anyone having one. Just don't go crawling around in the weeds or anything like that and you should be OK.

Ledmech · Criminal Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 69 City: Gainesville

Aligators make great rails Cool

I'm sure you could find a ride from someone on this board. And yes the fins will really help unless u like doing surface 360's really easy

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

Well, actually, normally the gators stay in the canal leading to the lake, but this time we saw them as we entered the lake, and kinda close to the middle...big mothersuckers too! My friend ran over one with the jet ski Rolling Eyes

...and I made sure that we chopped up the water a bunch before we got in...hoping to scare them away. Luckily, I'm still in one piece.

When I learn how to get the hell up, then I won't be so worried cuz I won't have to stay in the water so long with my ass pointing right down in the water.

ANYONE GOT a boat and wants to go shred some wake?? Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area... or whatever!! I just wanna get back out there asap. I think I know what I was doing wrong and I can't wait to go back out and try it. I think if I get up, I'll be pretty comfortable on the board... Cool

dirtysparks · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 07 Jul 2004 Posts: 2428

Why don't you want to bum off your friends? If you all had a boat then you'd be hangin out by yourselves staring at each other in the water! Ride with your friends boats and bring snacks, beverages, pitch in for gas and you're no longer considered a bum.

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

Yea guess you're right. I never actually bum off anyone. I always pitch in...but guess what I mean is that I only have one friend I know close who has a boat and I've never even been out on it...and I dont even think he wakeboards...so I'm really kind of a loner out here.

I rented a boat this last weekend. It was horrible... I had my familiy wiht me so I got a big 24 footer..but it ended up being a I/O transformed into a full outboard with a 250hp sh#tkicker motor. I never ended up being able to wakeboard cuz the towline wouldnt go over or "avoid" the propeller enough for it to be safe. On top of that, I ended up completely losing steering control when the hydraulic steering pump went out. It was crap. Guess I'm glad I wasnt on the back when the steering went out though.

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

Oh! and whats even worse, even if it did work out and I could've gotten in the water....I forgot the damn fins to the board AGAIN! Damn, I am a 'newbie'
Neutral

i like to jump wake · Newbie Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 30 City: brandon

how old are you and what part of tampa do you live

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

I am 24 and 10 mins away from the stadium. Cool

DWM · Newbie Joined: 26 May 2005 Posts: 20 City: Meridian

When you said that you wanted some lessons and didn't know where to find any, you should be able to just go to a local board shop and ask them. They should be able to tell you were to find a good place.

HatzicMotive140 · Soul Rider Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 261 City: abbotsford

yah, and always keep the fins on your board, it sucks having to put them on everytime so just leave them in. no harm to the board at all

Captian Q · Newbie Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 1 City: CP Humphreys

well... the first time I went wake boarding I didnt have any instruction either and I got up on the first try. I just kinda tucked my elbows in really tight against my knees and barely angled the board. I snowboarded for seven years and it came pretty natural to me after I got up. was carving in a few seconds and doing surface 180s in the first few 100 meters. Then again I was at a korean marina where nobody spoke english so I dont think I coulda got any tips if I wanted them lol. so try that. <-------total newb

cdn_ripper · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 174 City: Toronto

Yeah its best TO have Someone in the boat who knows what they are doing so they can help you or give you pointers...Or else you will get fustrated and get the wrong impression on the sport..

Ledmech · Criminal Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 69 City: Gainesville

I didn't have anyone to teach me and I had a blast Razz

surfersarah · Posted: Jun 05, 2005 12:32 pm Post subject:

Offaxis r the best wakeboarding school ever! they r in north wales though, got me up 1st time and r a bunch of kwl dudes Smile

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

Yea, well, I didnt have any instruction, PLUS we were pulling way too fast. In any case, I now can wakeboard pretty good. I can carve, ollie, surface 180, , air 360, w2w 180, w2w indy. I'm friggin stoked, man. I'm sore as hell, but STOKED.

HatzicMotive140 · Soul Rider Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 261 City: abbotsford

what? u can do an air 360 but not a w2w 360? how does that work?

larson72launcher · Newbie Joined: 05 Jun 2005 Posts: 22 City: Portland

when you suck like me it works. just land inbetween.

frostymcwake · Criminal Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 65 City: Tampa

Yea, well, I can do the air 3 cuz i just pop an ollie. I still havent ridden enough to be comfortable with hitting the wake yet. I can do one-wake tricks, but like I said, I havent gotten enough riding time. I've only ridden behind a boat for a total of 3 times adding up to only 1 hour. I'm sure I'll be able to pull some sick $h!t soon. Ride hard! Cool

surfersarah · Posted: Jun 11, 2005 5:41 am Post subject:

is it easier to try surface tricks before wake tricks? im jus startin out, hopin 2 get pretty gd by the end of the sumer Very Happy