Getting up was easy, going straight isn't

gene_M · Newbie Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 6

After pulling my 13 year old son and his friends around on our new (new to us anyway) boat, I decided to give up a ski run and try wakeboarding. Turns out getting up was pretty easy but keeping the board going straight takes everything I've got. I've been playing around with my stance and the binding adjustment and things are getting better but I"m still spending all my energy trying to go straight.

My son and his buddies say my stance is about right. Straight at the waist, front leg nearly straight and back leg a little bent. The nose of the board is definitely up so I think I'm leaning back enough.

I'm riding on a Liquid Force Omega 143. I've got the front binding in the back set of holes and twisted a little toward the front. The back binding is in the middle set of holes and basically perpendicular to the board centerline. The board came with a pretty small fin, it is about 1.5 inches tall (if I remember right).

Anything I can do with my stance to help track straigher? Is the Alpha too much board for me? How critical is the binding placement? Will a bigger fin help me track straighter?

Are the boys giving me bad advice because they're afraid if their girlfriends see my ripping up on a wakeboard the girls will dump them and hang out with me?

Suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

jmac2173 · Outlaw Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 145 City: h-town

well the wider your stance is the more control you have so if you want to spread the bindings a little bit you should. idk what you mean by is it too much board for you are u kinda of a small guy cuz if u were it might be a little tougher but not too challenging. place the bindings where they feel comfortable and 1.5 is a pretty good sized fin, i dont think a bigger fin would make much of a differece

good luck

DRAGON88 · Posted: Jul 19, 2005 10:59 pm Post subject:

You want an even stance, try riding one hole in from the farthest out hole.

Keep your weight even, no need to load the tail down...

See my picture, if you're right foot forward then just flip it around, stance even, one hole in, both bindings ducked out the same.

Oh yea, keep the handle in front of your hip (not pulled in tight, just like when you're skiing, relaxed and out.) and look in the direction you want to go. To turn put more weight on your heels or your toes depending on which direction you want to turn.

Nephilim-777 · Posted: Jul 20, 2005 7:41 am Post subject:

The stances suggested are all correct.

The Omega is a loose / relaxed board so I would recommend using one hand with your arm out straight when you are having difficulties. My friends have had problems with my Omega’s looseness and the single hand helps them recover without slipping out in corners and landings. The Omega needs to stay on edge to be at its best.

This suggestion should help because your shoulders, hips and board should all be pulled into alignment using a single hand hold.

TomOgorman · Criminal Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 92 City: England

u hav got fins in an stuff hav u? also concentratre on looking at the horizon and having your shoulders out that way

tmbrown · Outlaw Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Posts: 218 City: East Roseville

I seem to have a similar problem... everyone tells me I'm the first person they've seen get up consistently with the board perpendicular to the boat... just riding the edge where my heels are... That's where I bail - when I try to get straight.

I'm going out tonight in a couple of hours and have adjusted my bindings... but for me it's just not natural to have the rope off to my side... which way should your hips be pointing?

wkbrdlvr · Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 10 City: Hot Springs

I had a hard time keeping myself straight the first time I wakeboarded too. It helped me to turn my board parallel to the boat before I was all the way up. Some people wait and get going straight once they are up, but I can't do it like that. Just concentrate on turning your board parallel to the boat as you are coming out of the water so that you start out going the right way. Did that make any sense?

rwpanfil · Newbie Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 11

your problem may be that you are trying to do things as ppl tell you to. yes, getting advice from more experienced riders is always a good idea, but what works for others may not work for you!! i recommend doing what feel the most natural, and after getting some more experiance and everything else should fall into place after that.

94lightning · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 33 City: canton

well...im shure ill get flammed for this one as its kind of a cop out but when i came up i almost sat down on the board for stability till i got used to it and came up higher and higher seemd to help the squrrley -ness ...

WickedClimber · Outlaw Joined: 26 May 2005 Posts: 157 City: Annapolis

when i board my hips are pointing to the right of tha boat so the side of me is pointing at the boat but im twisted so that my chest is po9inting almost straight at the boat when im goin straight forwards. now turning is a whole different story...

Nephilim-777, i agree use one hand. thats how i learned to ride straight forward at first and my rents were like stop showing off but it really did make it easier the first time i got up