any 40 somethings out there

riverrat · Newbie Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 40 City: massena

I am starting to feel way too old. I am new to this sport, have been skiing a number of years and wanted to try wakeboarding. I do like it better than skiing. I know this was a young persons sport but holy!! you people are young. Most less than half my age. Am I alone out there or are there other 40 somethings

thane_dogg · Outlaw Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 187 City: Corona

almost all of the boat owners are 40 somethings.

scheister · Criminal Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 92 City: Indianapolis

I'm 25.....guess thats considered young to own a boat Smile

Damon · Posted: Mar 13, 2006 5:45 pm Post subject:

My dad wakeboards, he's 45, and he owns the boat.

Lauri H · Outlaw Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 226 City: Theodosia

Yep, 40ish here!
It helps to surround yourself with young people who don't let you "not" try something just because of your age. I think that if I had started this 20 years ago I might be able to clear the wake by now! Honestly, I tried to waterski when I was 16, failed miserably, and didn't try anything on water till 3 years ago when my son made me try boarding. I got up the first time, and have loved it ever since...I suck at it, but enjoy it too much to care how good (or bad) I am...and, I'm the only "mom" who will do it, so that's cool! Wink

sdlaura1 · Newbie Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 10 City: Boise

I'm a 40 yo just getting back into the sport. I used to wakeboard and ski but have been out of it for 10+ years, other life adventures have taken up my time. Now is the time with 3 kids in tow. I may not ever attempt a tantrum, but i don't have to. I'm just getting into a great family sport that I can SPEND TIME with my kids. Plus it's a great way to stay in shape!!

QNev · Posted: Mar 13, 2006 11:53 pm Post subject:

I first convinced my dad (47) to try snowboarding. He did it and loved it. Because of snowboarding, he decided to try wakeboarding. He loved it and got right into it, and now he can almost jump the wake. No one is too old for anything so keep at it. Wakeboarding is just a really addicting sport!

Happy Riding

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

Turning 46 this year and I'm as enthusiatic about wakeboarding as ever. Just my third year into the sport. I'm trying to keep one step ahead of my 14 yr old son with the tricks but I'm confident he'll be blowing past me this year, the terd! I have realistic visions of throwing 3's this year along with attempting inverts. Gravity just seems to be holding me down though. Nagging injuries are what concern me especially with the clock ticking louder and louder. Wish I had come to know this sport 10 yrs ago...jgates

Doug · Posted: Mar 14, 2006 4:13 am Post subject:

THE BIG 47. And can't wait for the warm weather to come.

RoughRiverMike · Outlaw Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 107 City: louisville

45 here and I love the sport. I like watching my kids get better as much as wanting to do more myself. I can't wait to get back out there. I will say that the injuries seem to take a lot longer to get over. Last summer I had a nagging ankle injury that feels pretty good right now. I'm even going to try the old dudes 'veteran' division of INT this year.

boarditup · Addict Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 731 City: Allendale, MI

Almost 42. Been riding since 1983. Still compete.

Wakemaster_17 · Outlaw Joined: 25 Dec 2005 Posts: 123 City: Vicksburg

my dad is 40 he has been boarding for 1 year and he can jump the wake and do ollie 180's and w2w indy grabs

BugHunter · Newbie Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 29 City: Palm Bay

47. Love every minute of it, although I know I will never do the 'big' tricks. Growing older it feels like it takes me a lot longer to 'forget' the bad crashes...

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

I'm over 40 and still wondering what it will feel like when I'm all grown up!

pooser · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 4738

my dad will be 50 this summer. he was working on switch backrolls. he just had acl reconstruction so he is a little nervous about getting back on the water.

RadDad · Criminal Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 51 City: Raleigh NC

Just turned 43 & this will be my 3rd year wakeboarding. Like jgates I hope to land a 3 this summer but definitely no inverts. If you haven't already tried surfing & own an inboard I highly recommend it. Easier on the bones & you will spend more time having fun on the water.

ercobrac · Outlaw Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Posts: 215

42, most of you would probably call my crew the Geriatrics Crew. Three over 40. Like I have always heard, you are only as old as you act. Didn't take up the sport until I was almost 40. Behind surfing, can't think of anything I would rather be doing at this age.

410fortune · Soul Rider Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 314 City: Morrison

I am only a young 33, started boarding instead of skiing about 7 seasons ago now Smile

Expensive hobby this wakeboarding!!! haha

J_DOGG · Posted: Mar 15, 2006 12:42 pm Post subject:

35 here! so NO not yet.....

I've been riding since I was 25 or so.....

NightAngel · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 219 City: Union Grove

27 but not too far behind. Started last August. LOVE IT, and I do want to try wake surfing.

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

"27 but not too far behind"? NightAngel you've got to be kidding me. You're right in your prime. I would kill to have a shot at wakeboarding at the rip old age of 27. By the time you reach my age (46ish) you ought to have one hell of a bag of tricks along with 1000s of faceplants! Razz

njskier · Criminal Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 67 City: Jersey

43 here! Just started boarding last summer, although been skiing since 1970!

I'm hooked on wakeboarding, but still like to barefoot once in a while!
(Nice to know I can still do something that some of the younger people can't)

And yes, hanging around the younger crowd helps me feel younger too!

NightAngel · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 219 City: Union Grove

HEHE I feel old. Everytime we go out I see all these 15-18 year olds out on the water with their Skinny selves and it makes me sick. LOL. I need to lose weight before I can consider learning anything major but I hope to add some tricks to my bag this summer. This is the first kind of Skiiing of ANYKIND that I have tried so its a tough adjustment. I am trying to learn it all.

NAW · Posted: Mar 16, 2006 7:54 am Post subject:

I'm 27, but I swear my body feels mid-40's and my mind feels 18...it's strange.

Anyway, a few guys I ride/ski with on my lake are over 40. One guy throws rolls, 3's, fronts, etc and charges d-ups.

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 16, 2006 8:03 am Post subject:

Getting really close to 40 here.

This is the year I ride away with the handle on an invert. From the sounds of it, some of the 40+ guys don't realize that bailing on 3's is way more painful then bailing on a tantrum or something like that. Give it a try.

boarderline · Newbie Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 2 City: hamilton nz

48 here love wake boarding , driving the boat, my best trick i can do is the
perfect FACEPLANT : Embarassed

and man am i good at it

thane_dogg · Outlaw Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 187 City: Corona

for all of you guys just getting into it, the faceplants start to not hurt as much when you've been riding for a while. You learn to take 'em with your forehead.

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 16, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

I don't know thane. I had one last year that really hurt, saw stars, heard ringing noises ect ect. It was one of those without warning, peel your eye lids back ones. No way you can get your forehead in front of those.

boarderline · Newbie Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 2 City: hamilton nz

i had one of those last week sore head ringing noises eye lids peeled back
it wasnt a face plant it was the dreaded (HANGOVER) Shocked

funny when ya get older how everything seems to hurt more even my nads hurt, thanks mr jim beam
bourbon for a great product Laughing

Bambamski · Posted: Mar 16, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject:

I had one of those on Monday as well. Makes for a long week.

thane_dogg · Outlaw Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 187 City: Corona

they still hurt, but I bet it would have hurt worse last season, or the season before.

riverrat · Newbie Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 40 City: massena

Thanks for all the feedback. I never expected to get so many replies. It is nice to see that I'm not the only oldtimer out there abusing his body. My mind still thinks I'm a kid, but healing up after pushing myself a little to hard brings me back to reality.

motobill · Newbie Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 26

43 and rode for the first time last weekend. Got up the 1st day (5th try or so) and made it around the lake the 2nd day (approx. 3 miles). Going back this weekend, and the next, and the next, and the next...

I'm lovin' it!

Craig-R · Guest

thane_dogg is right though, because once you get more skilled at riding: A. you won't faceplant as much especially from just riding, and B. you will be able to control your falls more to the point that they hurt a lot less. of course there are still those faceplants that you can't help and will hurt like hell!

also, i'd like to say that this topic really inspired me and cheered me up about eventually getting older because i'm going to hopefully still being riding when i'm all of your guys' age and having a great time still

x vegan x · Addict Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 857 City: Minneapolis

I'm only 28 so I can't use myself as an example, but to all you 40 somethings that are feeling old... A customer of mine is 74 and still skis every morning. He's a three event skier, not a wakeboarder, but he still flings himself off the jump from time to time, which is at least as tough on your body as wakeboarding. There's hope for us all.

Also, I think it's really cool that there are so many parents riding with their kids! I got my dad to try wakeboarding when he was about 55 (now 62) but he wasn't too excited about it. Lucky for me he loves to drive the boat.