Boat driving

[ToddW]

I think a glossary of wakeboard boat terms and techniques would be a huge help to the newbie drivers that have other boating experience. I can find tons of stuff on trick lists but no boating terms. I'll go first with the hand signals we use.

Hand Signals

Increase boat speed - arm extended to side of body with thumbs up sign.

Decrease boat speed - arm extended to side of body with thumbs down sign.

We do speed up a little and slow down a little - By pinching our fingers together after giving the direction.

Hold boat speed - hand movement like an umpire would use for safe. Or, for hold speed just do an OK sign.

I'm done riding - a cut-throat like hand action.

Whip or turn around - circle one hand overhead like a cowboy with a rope.

Take me over there - point in the direction with one finger (not with the middle one if you want her to talk to you later).

I'm OK - one hand raised over head after crash. (Been using that one a lot)

For moving people to correct the wake - We point to individual people and point to where we want them.

For engine trim (O/B) - We either point to the engine and point which way we want the trim or point to the water/ board under us (I don’t know how we started this but it works) and point which way we want the trim.

Also, for a fun end to a run we ask for them to floor it and whip us, we do that by punching the air and giving the whip signal (watch out, falls hurt like a BITCH!!!).

Turn up the stereo - Wrap your hand around the back of your ear like you can't hear.



Boat driving techniques

Reducing rollers - Make a keyhole or lollie pop shaped pass to drive back through your own wake and smooth water.

Controlling boat speed - Find a solid place to rest your arm and use only your fingertips for controlling the throttle. Try to make small smooth movements.

Holding a strait line - I use my other (non-throttle) hand on the bottom of the steering wheel while resting my elbow in my lap to steady my arm.

Boat speed - use a hand held GPS to verify your speedo. That gives you a clue as to your actual boat speed. It helps when you pull someone that rides behind a different boat.

Uh one tip for rollers, hit them straight on. Never go into them parallel, or you'll end up with some wet and unhappy passengers. Slow down when going over these.

When driving around to pick up the fallen rider, keep them on the driver's side.

You can't push a rope. Circle around the rider again if your have to but don't backup with a rope in the water.

[we_laugh_indoors]

ToddW, the best thing i can reccomend is go out with someone that knows how to drive double ups and so on...it will make the learning process easier..

[MojoPin]

I agree with we_laugh_indoors,

And remember...the rider is always the boss.

[ToddW]

See first post.

[Blake]

[ballywho]

For hold speed I just do an OK sign.

Also, we do speed up a little and slow down a little by pinching our fingers together after giving the direction. For moving people to correct the wake we point to individual people and point to where we want them. For engine trim (O/B) we either point to the engine and piont which way we want the trim or point to the water/ board under us (I dont know how we started this but it works) and point which way we want the trim. Also, for a fun end to a run we ask for them to floor it and whip us, we do that by punching the air and giving the whip signal (watch out, falls hurt like a BITCH!!!).

Thats about it.
_________________
grape ape plant

[ToddW]

"The Book" is on my list of things to buy. It sounds like the best how-to out there. I like the OK sign. That sounds like a better plan. Some thing else I forgot to write is about having more than one boat in a cove. We try to run a counter-clockwise direction. Does everyone else do this or do you wait for the other boat to make a pull and then take your turn at the smooth water?

[QNev]

Uh one tip for rollers, hit them straight on. Never go into them parallell, or you'll end up with some wet and unhappy passengers. Slow down when going over these.

When driving around to pick up the fallen rider, keep them on the driver's side.

[ToddW]

Ah yes, keep the rider on the driver side. That's a big one for me. I've been too close for comfort a couple of times when the boat comes back for me. It's times like that when I'm happy to have a jet boat. I'll start to edit and condense these into the first post.

One more to add:

You can't push a rope. Circle around the rider again if your have to but don't backup with a rope in the water.

[joedirt00]

If you wrap your hand around the back of your ear like you can't hear,

turn up the stereo.