Need some help on a new board

[FLWake]

Hey guys, I've been reading these forums for awhile but finally got my account activated so I could post. I'm looking into getting my first wakeboard pretty soon, and wanted your help.

I'm 6'3", 180 pounds. The water I ride on goes anywhere from glassy to relatively choppy, so I'm thinking I'd need something that can hold a decent edge. The boat I go behind mostly is my school's tiny little old Sea Ray, its about 10 years old and only 17 feet long, so the wake isn't that nice. I was thinking I'd need a board with a relatively aggressive pop because of that, but once again I'm new into all this which is why I'm here .

My board skills are beginner but I feel like I'm advancing pretty quickly. I can do surface 180's and 360's and land some w2w 180's. I've only been going out for about 3 months now but I don't want a board that will be too beginner for me within a year.

Oh yeah, and I'd like to get a package for under 350, hopefully I didn't make this too hard on ya'll!

Oh yeah, I wear a size 12 shoe and like a binding that isn't too tight, I like some room in there as long as my foot is stable.

Here's some boards I was looking at

Hyperlite Motive 140:
http://www.the-house.com/wkhl40mofdxlgy7zz-hyperlite-motive.html

Liquid Force Stance 142:
http://www.the-house.com/wklf42sta6kitzz-liquid-force-stance.html

O'Brien Player 142:
http://www.the-house.com/ob-play-43-met-pkg-06.html

I'm not looking for anything cutting edge, last year's or even 05 models will work, I just want something better than the 01 O'Brien I have to use most of the time

[Chattwake]

My suggestion is that you don't buy anything new or at least not an 07 model. Save money and buy a left over board from last year that's gotten good reviews. You're going to want something forgiving. Please don't make the mistake I made when I was first learning and go out and buy some pro model board just because it looks cool. I did just that and was stuck with a freakin Parks DNA board that was damn near impossible for me to ride. I would suggest that you get something like a left over PS3 and Sphinx or Transit bindings off of ebay or from someone here. Since you'll have less wake to work with, get a board that will give you all of the pop you can get too. Just my .02 cents.

[HHI Dave]

I gotta concur with 02lightning. There are deals to be had in the closeout sections. The House is cool, but also check out buywake.com, performanceski.com, and of course Ebay.

The PS3 is a "pro board" but its a great ride, and very forgiving. Its most likely going to be my next board.

There are still some good deals to be had on the '06 models.

Also check out the Liquid Force Substance 138.

[Chattwake]

Call american boat center in knoxville tennessee and ask for Ryan (check out their website www.americanboatcenter.com ). See what he's got in left over stuff. He'll be able to help you out if he's working today.

[timmyDecker]

I don't know much about O'Brien boards other than a lot of people like them. It looks like you have the boards listed from least aggressive to most aggressive rocker type, although they all have about the same amount of rocker. So take that into consideration. I own the '06 HL Motive and it's a pretty solid all-around board, which makes it a great "boat board" if that's ever going to be a consideration. Also you may want to consider how loose or tight the board is on the water. I've ridden both the stance and the motive, and without the center fins I think the stance was just a little tighter. That O'Brien looks like it would be the tightest with all those molded-in fins.

[Chattwake]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Liquid-Force-PS3-2006-Wakeboard-Phillip-Soven_W0QQitemZ220106385266QQihZ012QQcategoryZ47363QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Here's a ps3 137 for $230 shipped/buy it now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Liquid-Force-Wakeboard-Bindings-Sphynx-XL-2006_W0QQitemZ330091384588QQihZ014QQcategoryZ114266QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

XL Sphinx bindings 174 shipped/buy it now

http://cgi.ebay.com/Liquid-Force-Team-Wakeboard-Bindings-XL-Narrow-10-5-13_W0QQitemZ140107647071QQihZ004QQcategoryZ47362QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Here are some Team XL narrows for around $160. They are a biatch to get out of, but they are good bindings.

[Chattwake]

Hell, for $250 + the ride I'll sell you a damn near brand new Ronix Frontier 137. For $120 plus the ride I'll sell you an 05 LF fish 129.

[LakeIolaLuke]

If your'e looking for aggressive pop, the motive is not the right board. LF's Omega is very similar to the motive, but with a blended 3 stage rocker. (contiuous at the rails, blended into a 3-stage center profile) If you're willing to spend a little more money, a Hyperlite state or Ronix vault may be a good choice for you. Both boards offer an assymetrical shape that gives your toeside a tighter, more forgiving edge and your heelside a looser, faster edge. Both are also 3-stager's so they pop pretty well.

[Elysia]

02lightning, impossible to ride? why? when i first started i did the same thing but i wouldnt say it was a mistake...

[Chattwake]

I went from a $99 hydroslyde to a $420 parks dna 143 (I weighed 170 at the time and i'm 5'10 - I didn't even know what size to get I just ordered the most expensive thing I could find). Then I went from my 1990 prostar 190 (no wake) to a 2001 xstar. With that board, if your landings aren't damn near perfect those craze angled (and rediculously large) HL fins bite and jack your sh*t up! Needless to say, starting out my landings were anything but perfect, and I spent a lot of time waiting in the water for the handle....

[FLWake]

02lightning, I might take you up on that offer for the Ronix. My landings aren't that smooth yet though, is this board going to be forgiving on the landings, or will I be spending a bunch of time floating around?