Hard time getting up on board.

So today I went out with a few friends and tried wake boarding. I couldn't up. It was by no means a wake boat though. And the line was really low on the transom. It was a 20 ft deck boat with a 150 HP motor. They mainly ski behind it.

I seemed to always plow the water and the board would shake back and forth and then went under. I never tried standing. Mainly let the boat pull. I kept my knees to my chest. Not real sure if I was doing it right.

In a few weeks we are going out on a 2016 g23 nautique. Will the tower make a difference. Also what are some pointers.

I wanna learn and see if i like it before we spend the money on a boat.

Is the board supposed to stay up on the water when first going up. Or do you let it go under.

I usually refer people to these two videos;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tdlcmbuLOA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9qWJu0Vrpw

Couple notes; water ski ropes stretch and rebound and that can mess you up and don't pull the rope into yourself. Also, I like to describe the getting up motion as getting off the toilet or a rocking chair.

Cheers,
DC

I've watched those. Before.


So when the boat pulls. You keep your knees up and let it pull the board under water? Don't let it stay up top?

Honestly, as long as your on the right track (which you are since you watched the videos) you just gotta do it until you get it.

It's one of those things that's like riding a bike. Seems impossible at first but then once you get it a few times, you will get it every time for the rest of your life.

My main tips is to lay on your back, place your knees to your chest and the rope in front of the board (towards the boat). Then the driver should pull you up gradually but smoothly. You almost have to do nothing. Once your back is out of the water, lean back on the rope hard to not get pulled forward. The only other tip is that when your laying on your back in the water, angle your ankles to point your toes forward, this will create less resistance and make it easier on your arms to hold on while your getting picked up.

Alright. Thanks. I'm hoping the boat with a tower and pylon makes a difference. The rope on this boat was tied off like 3" above water level. But that's how they skied. Not sure why. No one else tried the wakeboard so couldn't tell if it was just me or not. Imma go with it was just me. Lol but still really wanting to learn.

Check out Shaun murrays app called WakeMd..... He has a really good video that I show all the first time riders..... Main points he makes are

1. Always keep your toes pointed up(so your toeside doesn't dig it when you get pulled up)

2. Keep your knees to your chest until you are up on top of the water...(if you try extending them then your board will go right under water because you are trying to stand up hence pushing he board underwater)

..... Also a bigger board will be easier to get up on because it will pop you right out of the water vs a smaller board that will be tougher due to less surface area, I throw my 137 Murray on any girl that is trying to get up and it works every time.... Good luck! HAVE FUN ON THAT 2016 G

Ryan,

Other things to think about based on your description:

Were you fighting against the boat by keeping your back straight/arching against the pull?
Did you have your arms all the way out? (they can be between the legs or around the knees)

If they have a tower I would suggest using it, you can also shorten the rope up to help give you more upwards pull.

Best of luck!

I can't honestly remember. I know I tried keeping the board up. And I think that may have caused me to be pushing water more. I didn't know I was supposed to let the board come down under water.

I know I kept my knees bent and my arms out straight. But left my toes pointing up.

Thanks guys for the pointers. I go out again next weekend. And really hoping I can get up and ride around a Lil.

It just really irritated me. Lol I've skateboarded, rode bmx, ride MX now along with my kids. Played baseball and basketball, raced dirt cars. All I did rather well at.

And now I just feel like I got defeated by a wakeboard lol

The board should not be perpendicular to the surface of the water. The board should be angled more like a wing on a plane so that it gets lift from the water. As soon as the boat pulls tight you can sink the board to help angle it. I've watched very athletic guys fails to get up over an over and their girlfriends beat them to the punch. Of course once they do get up all that changes.

To answer one of your questions. Having the tower makes it much easier. When I first tried it without a tower I got drowned and my hands burned from trying to hold on. First time behind my boat with a tower I just popped up on top with very little effort. Since then I would never put myself through trying the behind a boat without a tower. . I know that good riders can do it behind anything but I am not good and any beginner should be on a tower to make it easier. . And as was mentioned having the proper rope will help too. Good luck and have fun on the G.

You're doing too much, do less.

Yep, I agree with Squamer there. Most guys try to muscle themselves up out of the water, when it is really just a waiting game. You should be able to get out of the water in a squatting position, then stand up. Get squared up behind the boat, get the boat in gear to put some tension on the line, point your toes a little bit, stay crunched up in a ball and let it pull you on top of the water.

Every guy that I have tried to pull up for the first time always tries to out muscle the boat. (me included when I was learning) Almost every female does not and they pop right up. You will never win the battle vs. a towboat. If you pull you knees to your chest and rest your forearms on the outside of you knees and let the boat do the work while maintaining that position I guarantee you will come up. The key is to keep your arms in contact with your knees until you are up. I saw this tip somewhere and it has worked for everyone I have used it on since. By keeping your arms in contact with your knees it keeps you from pulling back on the rope which will cause you to fall back or letting the boat pull your arms straight which will pull you over the front. Give it a try. Once you get up a couple of times you will never have another issue and you will be able to pretty much get up however you want. As far as should the board go under question it doesn't really matter. As long as the board is angled upwards in relation to the surface of the water it will rise to the top. If you keep it perpendicular to the surface the drag will be too much to overcome and the rope will get snatched out of your hands eventually. Good luck, you will get it.

Do not try to keep the board up out of the water. That will result in angling it down instead of up, and you will be plowing water and will never get up. Let the board go under, just keep the angle up and it will ride up out of the water with you on top.

Originally Posted by fly135

The board should not be perpendicular to the surface of the water. The board should be angled more like a wing on a plane so that it gets lift from the water. As soon as the boat pulls tight you can sink the board to help angle it. I've watched very athletic guys fails to get up over an over and their girlfriends beat them to the punch. Of course once they do get up all that changes.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^^

The biggest mistake I see people make is that they keep their board perpendicular to the surface of the water. I call it the "BULLDOZER". I explain to people that the board simply has too much surface area for you to be able to bulldoze the water and you'll either have the rope pulled out of your hands, or you'll abruptly get pulled over the top of your board and face plant.

So yes, it's the "point your toes" that I tell beginners. and as you're coming out of the water, you put pressure on your rear foot so that your fins start to dig into the water and you gain a little stability that way. you'll also be rotating your shoulders so that you bring the board's tip pointed towards the boat. Once it clicks, you'll wonder how you ever struggled with it.

stay in a ball, elbows around your knees, board to your butt. let the boat pull you over the board.

I've noticed a huge difference between teaching kids and adults. With adults you have to make sure they aren't using the board to plow a billion pounds of water while supporting that weight with their arms. Make sure you angle the board in a way that causes it to lift onto the top of the water. Kids weigh so little that you don't have to worry about it. The board is on top of the water before they know what happened. With larger kids and adults you have to angle the board or the boat will just rip the rope out of your hands after you've had a face full of water and a dislocated shoulder.

Originally Posted by Squamer

You're doing too much, do less.

Well now you're doing nothing, you got to do more than that...

Well I went out today with Ben Vens. And I popped up very first try. It was fun. Worked with him for a bit on stance and stuff. Used to being MX and stuff so trying to stay crouched. But I rode for awhile.

Now time to talk the wife into a boat lol

The boat we rode behind was a 2016 Nautique G23 and I was amazed. That boat was rather smooth in the water and the wake and surf wave were huge.

But it did seem to have pulled me up really smooth.

Maybe from your guys help and stuff but I didn't struggle at all. Actually just took my mind off the board and let it do its own thing.