Riding speed

I'm curious what speed other girls are riding at. I tend to go at a slower speed (I'm more comfortable that way), but the people I ride with think I would benefit and advance more by going a little faster.

22.7 on perfect pass, 80 foot rope. Boat speed is a very personal thing and also depends on rope length and skill level, I ride at almost 23, other people ride at 22, others at 21.5. How fast are you going? If people don't tell me a speed I pull them at 21-22 depending on rope length. If you feel comfortable at a slower speed, then go the slower speed.

I also tend to go on slower speeds... it makes me feel safer, like if I fall it wont hurt as much. I ride at about 19. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less!

Thanks for the info. I ride at 20 on perfect pass, but while I'm out the boys keep increasing the speed on me, but I think 20-21 is good for me. Don't know rope length (I know I should!), only that I'm riding one off from full length. At least now I have some back up to plead my case!

I prefer between 21-23 depending on how choppy the lake/river is. Kicking it up a notch does help out but take it at your own pace...not the pace of what others want you to do. Enjoy the ride.

How does the speed help you out? (Im not asking sarcastically, I really want to know!) I know that it makes the wake a bit narrower, but dont know more about how it helps you out.

I am also trying to figure out best speed / ballast set-up with new boat (switched from I/O to v-drive)--rode at 19.6-20.0 on PP at 65' and feels pretty good but thinking I still need to kick it up a little more--I keep landing right on top of the wake. Is 21-22 more of an average speed to try to hit?

How much extra weight you have in the boat will also effect the speed. With less weight you can ride at slower speeds, the more weight you have, the faster you have to drive to keep the wake from cresting.

You can judge your speed at the point you would hit the wake. Speed all depends on a combination of rope length and how much weight you slam your boat with. The ideal sweet spot in the wake is just before it curls over. I've heard it been compared to surfing. The force of the wake right before it curls over is the strongest spot, and will give you the most pop. You don't ever want to hit the wake in the whitewater, so you might need to speed up a bit. Play with it and you'll see what I mean.

The boat we use needs to go a bit faster than other boats I've been pulled by. It doesn't have the Perfect Pass device so who knows how accurate it is. Other boats have pulled me at 20-21 and that seemed good. Progressive edging seems easier for me when we kick it up a notch. That way you can cut about 10-15 feet outside the wake and easily let the boat pull you back in. Just don't bend at the waist or you'll be drinking the lake/river in no time. As Alison said...play with it...that's the best thing to try.

Mine is a vride with 500# ballast + about 5 people, riding 65' and have been trying with and w/out wedge. I will play around with slightly faster than the 19.6 I rode at last weekend. Any idea if the malibu wedge makes the wake wider because it seems like it does but maybe it's just an illusion! Also, I will check out the spot on the wake just before it curls over to try to hit it there...Thx

Thanks for everyone's advice! Right now I only get a few feet of air from the wake (not w2w yet, but I'll get there), but this definitely gives me good info on how to help my riding. I'm gonna stick around 20-21 for now until I get more comfortable. The guys I ride with usually take 3-4 in the boat, and their ballasts when full add about 2,500# . . . it's a huge wake, which is very intimidating. I'm just all smiles when I can even make it over the thing! lol!

Do you guys find it easier to teach people to go W2W with a smaller wake or a fully loaded boat with bigger wake (note--riders who are getting close to going w2w, not someone just learning)?

bigger wake! Thats how I learned. I used to ride in very crappy wakes, very small, not shaped well enough and could never land in the other side! I was sooo close, yet I still landed on top of the other wake every time, except maybe 1 or 2 times. Then I tried in a bigger wake (not even wake boat big), it was with a half pylon, and I landed it!
When I got to ride in a wakeboard boat, I was very afraid of the huge wake, but then I got rid of my fear because that very big wake made it easier for me to land smoothly on the other side!

It takes less effort in my opinion with a bigger wake. You dont need to stand tall that much to get w2w.

Definitely bigger wakes with a good tower or pylon setup. I have a very difficult time even attempting w2w on my boyfriend's Dad's boat that doesn't have either. I'm looking forward to the day I have my own boat...with a tower.

I wouldn't say that a bigger wake is easier to learn - it may be easier to jump w2w, but then you create bad habits. My opinion would be a good quality medium size wake that the rider feels comfortable on. Practicing a progressive edge, standing tall and pulling the rope into your waist. Oh, yeah, and also practicing from both sides of the Wake. My husband and I always say that if you do not try to jump both sides of the wake you are waisting gas and a good wake. HeHe. Hey, but it is true!

whoa - you're are going a LOT faster than me! I get started out at 5, then have the driver boost it up to 15. And I'm out on a 50' rope, too. But I found out the speed really depends on the boat. I boarded behind 3 different boats this past weekend, and the speed and wake size was markedly different. But top speed was (maybe) 20.

the boat definitely makes a difference on speed. the guys i usually ride with have boats with huge wakes, so they have to pull at a faster speed for the wake to shape up well. right now, i'm doing better with a smaller wake because slowing the speed a little helps me cut out farther and the size of the wake is less intimidating, so i cut back in harder. i've only made it w2w behind a ski boat so far, but i've come really close - landing on the opposite wake with the nose of my board - behind the wakeboard boats. just lots of practice! and i've noticed it's a good abdominal workout!

Tiff U rock it!!
I ride behind a DD (little wider wake than a V) at 65ft out and 21mph but I'm thinking about bumping that up a bit....

Well after some getting used to the wakeboard boat wake and strength, I'm riding at 19.5 - 20 at 70-75 ft out.

I think the boat makes a big difference on speed and if you can clear the wake. We use to have an older malibu w/ pylon, the wake wasn't that big but it did the job, I couldn't clear the wake to save my life. The first time I rode behind a friends new calibria with tower I cleared the wake first try. I was being towed faster behind the calibria because the wake was slop at my normal speed, behind our malibu if you towed any faster than 19-20 you had no wake at all. So I think the boat makes a big difference for sure.

I think the boat and the weight in the boat make a difference. I usually ride 80ft 23-24 mph.

I now ride at 21 and 70 ft out but i think i need to be at 22-23 to get a solid clearing.

I just took lessons last night. I used to ride at 21.3mph but my instuctor said I was using the boat speed to try and clear the wake instead of cutting harder. She slowed me down to 20.5 and I was cutting harder and clearing the wake no problem. There were only 3 of us (and my two kids) in the boat.

Tanya - I'm with you. I prefer to ride about 20 to 20.5, and I get a lot better setup outside the wake and better pop, and the only 2 times I've done w2w was at that speed, once at 60', once at 65'. But some of my friends' boats have really big wakes, so to get the wake to even form they're pulling me around 22.

I ride 23 at 70 feet. Has the best pop at that speed and distance in the air. also for doing tricks it feels the most comfortable to me. I do not like to feel like I am gettin dragged and dog slow

I ride 65 feet and 23-25 for my speed. I hate going slow, it sucks!

yea i hate riding slow i ride at like 22 but thats cuz the boat has best wake at 22