Surface 180's

eric-holmes · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 150 City: Searcy

I need some help trying some surface 180's. When I break free and get sideways the board races out in front of my and I just fall backwards. Sorry no video. Its like my board goes faster than the boat and my rope goes slack.

pet575 · Posted: Aug 11, 2009 10:52 am Post subject:

Where are you doing them? Right behind the boat? Out in the flats right after you edge hard?

Best way I know of to learn them is to slow the boat down to about 15MPH or so and then do them right behind the boat. You can slide a lot easier and can practice riding sideways at that speed without getting killed if you catch an edge.

"The Book" Volume 2 has a pretty good drill on it if you have access to that.

eric-holmes · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 150 City: Searcy

I usually try them behind the boat at about 20ish.

HHI Dave · Posted: Aug 11, 2009 11:37 am Post subject:

Definitely slow the boat down when learning surface tricks (14-18 mph). It makes the learning easier and the inevitable edge catches far less painful. Wink

The key to surface tricks is in the handle. Most people try to move their feet and legs when trying do surface 180's. If you concentrate insteand on moving the handle from your front hip to your rear hip (while keeping a neutral edge of course) you'll find it very easy. With a little practice you'll be able to slide all over the place at will just by tweaking your handle position.

eric-holmes · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 150 City: Searcy

Thanks, I will remember that. I do tend to just swing my feet around

OperationROL · Criminal Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 92 City: Rockford

I, too, am using my legs to perform a surface 180 and having trouble with it. However, I am getting around, but once I get around, there always seems to be too much slack and I get jolted once the slack comes out. One of my friends told me that I was turning too fast. I don't see how I could be turning too fast, but I will try to slow my turn and see if that helps. Also, I will try to turn by using the rope position instead of turning my legs.

pet575 · Posted: Aug 11, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject:

OperationROL, using HHI Dave's "handle to hip" technique should rid you of the slack in the rope problem. Doing it your way, you're jerking on the rope with your arms at the same time you are using your legs to perform it. That is putting slack in the rope.

OperationROL · Criminal Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 92 City: Rockford

Thanks. That makes perfect sense.

Christobull · Addict Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 898 City: Tulsa

OperationROL, I finally got my friend doing BS surface 180s this past weekend. He kept saying that he thought he was turning to fast, and what I finally got him to realize is that turning is irrelevant when you do it. You do them in line with whatever direction your traveling. I think pet575 and HHI Dave have you covered, but all you're doing is shifting your weight on the board one way (back to center to front) and rotating the handle the opposite way (front to center to back). The sliding drill in the Book that was already mentioned is great too. Working on sliding with the board sideways directly behind the boat and and leaning one way or the other to travel back and forth across the boat will get you very comfortable with the way your edges and fins track the water.

OperationROL · Criminal Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 92 City: Rockford

So this weekend I got to wakeboard from Friday until Sunday, at least once a day. It was wonderful. I finally got the time I needed to get some of the skills down. I was able to do the surface 180s by Saturday and was doing them on Sunday, like had been doing them for years. Initially, I had a heck of a time turning back. I could switch at any speed, but need the boat slowed to switch back. I also landed my first "air". Not much height, but good distance. I suspect the boat was moving too fast. I can't wait to get out there again. My mission is w2w.

By the way, does anyone else fall as hard as I do. My falls are always faceplants. It feel like I was at the school prom and grabbed her butt and she slapped the hell out of me. Shocked

Oh well, that is the price I have to pay if I want to "go for it!"

Christobull · Addict Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 898 City: Tulsa

OperationROL, congrats on getting it down. And yes, we all fall pretty hard. Sometime, "go big or go home" turns into, "go big, then go home".

pet575 · Posted: Aug 17, 2009 9:22 am Post subject:

Grabbing her butt is the important part. You know what might be coming afterward, but the grab makes it worth it. Same thing with riding a board- the juice is worth the squeeze.

Enygma · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 356

Prizzy · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 360 City: Milwaukee

WilsonH · Posted: Aug 17, 2009 3:28 pm Post subject:

curtblanchette · Posted: Aug 17, 2009 3:37 pm Post subject:

Enygma · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 356

Boost Deuce · Criminal Joined: 24 Apr 2009 Posts: 94 City: Fort Collins

my falls used to hurt until i took the 2 big fins off my board. Now the board slides a lot easier and i go down a lot softer. The board is more forgiving and doesn't grab the water so easily to slam my face down.

curtblanchette · Posted: Aug 19, 2009 8:32 pm Post subject:

Wouldn't catch me dead with center fins. Just wait til' the settlement comes through. NEW BOAT! Shocked

Enygma · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 356

iluvwhitecastle · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 6 City: Jacksonville

I just got my surface 180s down this weekend as well. And I almost had a backside 180 until I caught an edge

Medina · Posted: Aug 24, 2009 11:25 am Post subject:

iluvwhitecastle · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 6 City: Jacksonville

I actually almost made it around and ended up smacking my ear into the water instead

Medina · Posted: Aug 25, 2009 2:15 am Post subject: