Back roll fail = ruptured eardrum
 

Tried my first backroll. After 10 or so attemts I increased the boat speed and whamo. I'm done for the season. I could not get enough rotation. I kept landing on my butt. Whats the trick?

Loading the line and spotting your landing. Cut in progressively, as you approach the wake your cut should intensify, load line in/near the trough and release off the top of the wake while throwing the rotation (rather gently because at first your line will snap you around pretty quick) keep your hands on the handle and in tight to your gut, then make sure you're not spinning with your eyes closed and spot your landing. Land, ride away into the sunset, look badass. The end.

Mitch Bergsma has a ton of awesome trick videos, not necessarily explaining them but he has great form and is a ton of fun to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERCJryG84EA

Sorry to hear about your ear! Wish you a speedy recovery and endless butter once you're back!

No knowing what you are riding, my first suggestion is a bigger wake. I threw 200+ backrolls behind my unweighted boat and never landed a single one. Took a ride behind a neighbor's weighted boat and landed 3 in a row on the first attempt. As you might guess I immediately put weight in my boat after that.

They make helmets with ear protection. Bought one for the cable park after I took a smack on the ear trying something new.

Malibu vlx diamond is what I'm riding.It'sthe rider not the boat in my case.first few attempts went well. It was surprisingly easier than I thought It would be.18 mph was getting me close so I tried 20 and my timing was off.Ear meet wake. The learn wake load and release video helped.Maybe next year.

not meaning to hijack this thread but I just landed my first backrolls on the kicker at the cable park. Is it the same as off the wake? never tried it off the wake yet just wondering for when I do attempt them. and PS your think the wake has more to do with it? check out some vids of Byerly riding behind old ski boats with no tower and no wake. you don't need a huge wake.

Ryan, if you increased your speed and landed on your ear that suggests you over rotated. Which is the opposite of under rotating, which causes you to land on your butt. Sounds like you need the increased speed, but should back off on how hard you throw the roll.

The boat is different than the cable. IMO the kicker on the cable is easier. I agree you don't need a big wake if you are Byerly.

I think I rolled before I lifted.Left ear healside goofy footed.It was disasterous.The first 10 or so went well in my opinion.Except #11,that was a fail.

Isn't there a ton of back roll instruction online? I'm pretty sure it's out there. I landed my first one 14 years ago with no tower and no additional weight and I am the farthest thing from Byerly on this whole forum's population.

What helped me the most is to not even thinking about starting the roll until after I feel the pop off the wake. You don't need to rush the roll. Get the pop, then roll. there is plenty of time.

I can imagine an I/O with a tilt could make a decent wake. But IIRC that video of Bylerly was behind an outboard with a tiny wake.

You say you were landing on your butt... to me that sounds like you weren't even flipping??

How is your toeside? Can you do heelside 180s and stuff? Switch?

Delta, that's exactly how I was landing all my backrolls before I actually stuck one. You are flipping but only about 90% of the way.

I did this at Lone Star Ski School way back in the ealry 90's. My riding was over but Toy was cool and i came back that next season.
I learned a backroll on my malibu sportster, its all in loading the line and knowing the rotation.

I also landed on my butt with the board out in front of me. It was because I was bending at the hips instead of standing tall and straight. And I was flipping tip over tail.

I blew my first eardrum out at Lonestar too. On a roll to revert. I'm on #4.

i'll try to post a video.

was a cool place to ski.. **** man thats been a while ago