Tried getting up yesterday and failed.

hammlfam · Newbie Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 34

Hey everyone,

I'm 32 yrs young and just learned to ski last year. Now, i'm on to wakeboarding. I have a 03 Glastron 195sx with a 4.3(190horse) Volvo. I'm getting my tower put on Weds. I'm a big guy at 6'1" 230lb. I almost got up yesterday. My question is this. The guy pulling me with my boat hasn't pulled many wakeboarders, just skiers. How should we pull a boarder? It seemed easier to me when he pulled me out slow rather than faster(like a slalom). Also, will the tower be easier to get up on vs. right of my ski eye? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff

rybassett17 · Addict Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 562 City: Cadillac

Jeff,
You are right he should not try and pull you up as asloam skiier just take a nice pull out of the water... I wouldn't say "slow" but a lot slower than a skiier, just tell him to take his time and acceleratiing....... I think that the tower may help out a ll bit but it won;t get you out of the water..... also remember to ket the boat do the work for you... don;t push and pull just relax and let the boat pull your boat to your knees then when your butt hits tat is when you can begin to sit up and once the board gets onto plane you need to stand up.... remember to relax and keep your arms out dont bend at the elbow cuz you'll end up on your back...... good luck and get back with how it turned out or any more questions

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

it helps to accelerate slower than slalom when learning how to get up on a wakeboard. You don't want any jerking motions so every move with the boat should be smooth.

When you're getting up you have to realize that it's not like skiing. With skies you can just lean back and the skis will eventually plane out. With a wakeboard you have to push the board underneath you to get it at an angle and the water forces you up. Remember to keep your arms straight (don't pull the rope in close to you) and keep your board as close as possible (knees to your chest) until you're fully standing and riding.

wesgardner · Posted: May 24, 2004 10:09 am Post subject:

Hey hammlfam,
Like rybassett17, andWakebrad, have posted, it's a nice slow consistant pull, not a jerk. Wakeboards plane ALOT more readily than skis as they have much more surface area, that's why you don't need the quick "pop"...

If you can,get a copy of the video Higher Education, it takes you thru the entire process from starting to the most advanced tricks.

You'll be fine, just keep at it and you'll be riding in no time. The tower will come into play once you get your basics down.

Wes

shakenbake · Newbie Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 41

All of what they said and then you may also want to look at what size board your using. I just started as well and im 6'0 205. I tried for a few days on my friends hyperlite revolution 135 (he is alot smaller than me) and was able to only get up once. I got a differnt bigger board 143 and now have no problem getting up everytime and can even pull off a few jumps. Good Luck

hammlfam · Newbie Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 34

THanks everyone,

of course I'm going to keep trying. My board, btw, is a 142 O'brien Oasis. So it should be big enough for me. Thanks for all your advise. I'll be back to post as soon as I get up.

matteoman39 · Newbie Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 7 City: Lodi

Ive got the Cobe, 137, same thing as the Oasis, just year before. It is probably too bug for me, but me and my brother share it so it had to fit him. I only weigh like 110, and i am 13, but i can get up every time. I think that it is much easier to get up on a larger board. Let the boat pull you up and don't come up too early. Yu will endup doiung twice as much work. The slower you start the easier it is, until you get too slow then it wears out your knees and legs.

matteoman39 · Newbie Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 7 City: Lodi

Ive got the Cobe, 137, same thing as the Oasis, just year before. It is probably too bug for me, but me and my brother share it so it had to fit him. I only weigh like 110, and i am 13, but i can get up every time. I think that it is much easier to get up on a larger board. Let the boat pull you up and don't come up too early. Yu will endup doiung twice as much work. The slower you start the easier it is, until you get too slow then it wears out your knees and legs.

wakedad1 · Addict Joined: 19 Sep 2003 Posts: 667 City: Discovery Bay

Keep your arms straight and legs bent. Whatever foot you kick a ball with should be your front foot. Put your front knee between your out stretched arms and that will naturally pull the board around as it planes out. Good Luck

andrandre · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 258 City: Toronto

Just dont get the boat to pull as hard as a skier because boards are alot widder then a ski and dont need all that speed. Keep your arms straigh and knees to your chest and let your boat pull you up, dont try to stand up.

P Diddy · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Posts: 3 City: Greenville

Hey guys and gals,

I just found your site and it looks like this is the place where I can get some reliable info on wakeboarding. I just began boarding this spring, I work for a major watersports retailer and as training they had Zane Zchwenk come out and teach us the fundamentals and basics and he also put on a awsome show for us. Anyway, I have a few questions. We have a 2002 17'6" Sea Ray with a 4 cylinder I/O without a tower. When Zane was driving the boat(Mastercraft) it had a tower and I got up the first time with out a problem and began riding with ease. It almost came natural to me. However, when I went out on our Sea Ray using a ski eye I could not get up at all which pissed me off because I know I can do it. Do I not have enough horsepower? I also read some of your responses to other members about being jerked out of the water like a skier. That is also what we were doing. So would you suggest maybe being pulled up slowly and also would shortening the rope help at all? Sorry for this long e-mail the next one won't be so long. Thanks

hyperrider · Addict Joined: 06 Aug 2003 Posts: 613 City: Edmonton

i think the tower will actually help you get up. i used to have a mastercraft boat and i attached to rope to the back of the boat and it was harder(i could still do it cause im not a beginniner) and then we got a air nautique with the tower and it was alot easier. i think cause its higher it helps pull you up into the air more then just pulling you through the water. may be different for other people but it seemed to make a difference to me.

Mike.H · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 7:44 pm Post subject:

i seems that a tower would be easier to get up with. i have to use the ring on the back of the boat, i havnt gotten up yet but im determined...

P Diddy · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Posts: 3 City: Greenville

Thanks for the quick reply but a tower is pretty much out of the question for me b/c 1.) they cost alot and 2.) the owner of the boat will not allow a tower to be put on his boat. So my question is, "Is it possible to get up with only a ski eye and will shortening the rope help out at all? Also do you recomend that I try to be pulled up slowly as opposed to quickly? And finnally, do you or anyone else have any experience being pulled with only a ski eye? If so, could you or anyone else offer any tips or suggestions other than getting a tower that would help me out?

Thanks, Sad

WakeBoardingManiac · Addict Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 914 City: Montréal

Just keep trying... It took me around 40-50 tries before I was able to get up! When you get the hang of it, you'll soon wonder why you found it so hard in the first place!

vette74 · Posted: Jun 10, 2004 10:06 am Post subject:

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=25802

Try reading what Christy wrote in this post. A tower is easier to get up but not a necesity. Good luck.

luonthesnake · Criminal Joined: 02 May 2004 Posts: 51

Wanted to get opinions on my technique or is that how its done.First, I just started snowboarding this past season...hell fun. On my technique I would start in the open water....I would keep my board up and let it float on its edge. I would have them pull me up first starting on its edge and then straighten out.(Kinda like a snowboarder on his/her edge when stopping) The speed i would start would be around 10-15 mph.Is this a bad technique or the norm?Tried about 3 times off the dock but couldn't even get on the board for 1 second. The first time was kinda hard but the second day I tried it with this technique, I got up on the first try and every time after that.

wesgardner · Posted: Jun 15, 2004 4:30 am Post subject:

Hey luonthesnake,

Go with a water start to learn...just sit in the water with the board "sideways" as you've described, the driver should start slowly and constantly increase boatspeed. You should just let the boat do the work, keep the board sideways till you're up and keep your weight back a bit so you don't catch that front edge....the board will turn into "cruising" position almost by itself.

Hope this helps, just don't get frustrated, remember your first day snowboarding, you fell down some right? same deal, the landings are just softer...

Wes

luonthesnake · Criminal Joined: 02 May 2004 Posts: 51

thanks.....I'm not giving up, YET......just have to wait for some good weather still. Smile

Also gotta learn...If I don't want sooo much water going thru my nose....LET GO OF THE ROPE.... Rolling Eyes

BleedingDead · Outlaw Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 110 City: Granbury

Hey man, if you haven't got it down yet, i can tell you a way to do it. it is really messed up and i don't know how the hell i came up with it, but i can't get up any other way. stretch your legs out completely and just relax... as soon as ur driver starts to pull you, let the board come toward you, your legs still relaxed. then when you are in the crazy sitting postition, just stand up and your good to go... let me know how it works out for you...

Austin_F · Newbie Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

I started boarding 2 summers ago. I only got to go once each summer though. My brothers weigh 150, I weigh 250 and I'm using their tiny little board. It took me many, many tries to get out of the water. By the time I made it my arms and legs were DONE, let me tell you. My brothers can pop up with the board sideways. When I drive around them after they fall, I don't even have to stop the boat. They grab the handle as it goes by them, and when I see them grab it I go full throttle and POP they're up.

Anyway, I tried it their way, and it wasn't working. SO much water was cascading over the board, just drowning me. I left my arms extended but the rope would just go crazy side to side. They tried taking off fast, slow, in between. I finally tried coming up with the board pointing towards the boat. It's hard to float in that position though, you can only hold it for a second and trying to signal them 'i'm ready' at the same instant is hard. But I did get up that way finally. I eventually came up with my own method, which is to sit in the water with board sideways. Once the boat starts pulling me, I turn the board 90 degrees while I'm still in the water. I finally got to pop up that way, almost as quickly as my brothers can. My second time out I was able to do 180s, which is harder than it sounds on a little board like they have.

Here is a 1MB animated gif I made last year. It shows me popping up, trying to cut hard, then my first attempt at a jump. I failed miserably. My brother broke his toe on too-tight bindings and he didn't want to let go of the rope, so he warned me to let go at any sign of trouble. It's amusing I know, but it shows big guys like me can pop up out of the water without a tower on a small board with some pracitce. That was my second time out. Keep trying, you'll get it.

This year they had a tower put on, so I'm going to buy a board made for me before I go to visit them.

wakeboarder07 · Posted: Jun 21, 2004 7:33 am Post subject:

when i go out with my freind tht r having trouble getting up i find them trying to stand up too early, let the boat pull u up, the tower isnt really somethin that u absolutly need, i didnt have 1 at first and i did just fine

Austin_F · Newbie Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

Here's a small vid of my brother trying his first ever flip. I can almost come out of the water as fast as he does, I'm working on it.

Video

CrystalMethod · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 2 City: Gresham

I was draged around by my ski boat for 2 summers then we went out on a wakeboard boat and I got up the first try. nevertheless we bought a wakeboard boat. it helps If you know anyone with one go out for a ride dont give up its worth it I love to ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!

barrygtx · Newbie Joined: 08 Oct 2003 Posts: 30 City: Dayton, OH

I am 38 and weight about 230 6'1''. I had the same problems 2 years ago you are having. I finally got up last year then wondered why so hard. First year I even snapped a brand new tow rope. I found the key as everyone says is to keep your knees close to chest and keep your knees inside your arms. Dont fight the boat. I keep my board slightly angled based on me leading with my right foot. At first you will get tension, but just stay tucked with knees against chest and before you know it you will be planning. IF you do it right you can just sit in the squatted position. Dont try to stand up to quick. WIth our weight it drives the board right under the water. I have help heavier people then me doing it this way and works well.

LFADAM · Posted: Jun 24, 2004 7:35 am Post subject:

P Diddy, Its DEFINETLY possible to get up w/o a tower. I have a 88 Four Winns no tower and I can get up, and do wake to wake jumps. It does take more effort to get up than with a tower but it is possible.

Motive · Newbie Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 18

well i have a i/o boat and we don't have a tower or pylon i juat havce to use the eye hole thingie on the back of the boat, but the cool thing is is that i get up every time learned useing it too and my brother can pull tantrums with it haha its hilarious i do 180's and stuff just enjoy riding i find that if you let the boat pull you then slowly push your back foot down into the water you get out a lot easier tower makes it easier to get up but i suggest learning with the eye casue then u can get up on anyones boat! Have fun and keep trying theres always room for more wakeboarders!

Mike.H · Posted: Jun 28, 2004 4:49 pm Post subject:

we just got an airboom tower installed in our boat, havnt tested it yet but id like to see if its easier to pull myself out with that then the ring, i can pull myself out with the ring but maybe the tower would be a little bit easier, but we got the tower mainly for air.