Wakesurfing questions

Le Jalapeno · Guest

Ok, so wakesurfing looks soo chill and fun that I wanna try, but I wanna see if I can do it ghetto style because I don't have the money to buy an actual wakesurf. So my questions are

- how big are wakesurfs normally

- will a 44''x20'' foam/(urethane/epoxy/fiberglass?) skimboard work as a wakesurf?

-how big does the wake have to be for it to work

-what speed to drive, and how to tell you are at optimum speed on a boat with no spedometer

- how far out to hold the rope when starting

- how to start (do you deep water start?)

Cary K. · Posted: May 07, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

First off (and you may already know this) but, DO NOT SURF ON ANYTHING BUT AN INBOARD BOAT (V-Drive, D-Drive, yacht, etc..) The prop is just too dangerous and too easy to fall into. I say this as General Rule #1, but also because you mentioned a boat with no speedo. Just leads me to believe not an inboard, ICBW.

Now to answer your questions:
-They are anywhere from like 48" to 58", but can go to either side of those dimensions.
-A skim will work, actually pretty well, esp for tricks, but you may want a fin for extra power when trying to stay in the pocket. A regular surfboard is prob the easiest to learn on.
- the bigger the better. I usually get a thigh to waist high perfect curl on my boat.
-I set PP at 9.8, but you will be able to tell. Just play with the speed and it will be easy to tell when it is right.
-We start about 10-15' from the back of the boat. Basically right in the pocket so you don't have to pull yourself into it.
-Deep water is the easiest. We do platform starts / dismounts when it's cold just to try to stay dry.

Le Jalapeno · Guest

Cary K., does the wake have to be that high? whats minimum? its a fairly small wake, I think its a little beneath knee height

I haven't been up to my buddies in a while but I think its an inboard motor (I wouldn't have even tried if I went up there and it wasn't.)

masi · Posted: May 07, 2008 4:23 pm Post subject:

Le Jalapeno, you want to be able to let go and not have to do anything and the wave will be able to take you... i have rode a knee high wake and have been fine but anything over thigh will work a lot better. skim boards work but if they don't have a fin you will have a hard time staying in the pocket like Cary K., said... if you want to invest in a wakesurf board the best board i have ever ridden for wakesurfing would be the Inland 4-skim.... board is sooo quick and so responsive. there website is www.inlandsurfer.com and they are really nice people.

a big that helped me though was holding on to the rope while i was riding and just always have slack in the rope so i would not fall of the back while i was trying to learn to get the hang of riding with out using the handle...

Wakesurfing is one of the most fun things ever and you will have a blast.

Le Jalapeno · Guest

oh, and what can I do for fins?

masi · Posted: May 07, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

Le Jalapeno, you would have take drill into the back of the board and then you would have to apply a resin inside of the fin wholes so it doesn't water log.

-=AlexXx=- · Posted: May 07, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject:

i <3 wakesurfing, i tried it a few weeks ago, SO fun.

skimboarder · Posted: May 07, 2008 6:25 pm Post subject:

i ride a zap skim for a wakesurf, the wedge model. it works fine and like everyone else has said they're really good for tricks.

DO NOT RIDE BEHIND AN I/O EITHER!

only ride behind true inboard boats! you'll see when you're riding i've got so close to the boat before that my board went under the platform, it'd be so easy to lose your arm in the prop.

other than that, have fun!

Le Jalapeno · Guest

skimboarder, uh oh, this brings complications

how do i know true inboard from I/O (and what is an I/O)

ORIONtheHUNTER · Faceplant Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 27 City: oldest city!

Le Jalapeno, a true inboard has the prop completely under the boat, and you cannot see it looking over the back of the boat. An I/O, or inboard-outboard, is like an outboard but only the prop and the prop guard come out of the boat. you can see this form lookin over the back. basically, if you can see the prop, it isnt safe, and even if you cant, you should still probably check.

skimboarder · Posted: May 07, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject:

it's pretty much what he said.

most wakeboard boats(supras, mastercrafts, malibus) are true inboards.

here's a picture of an I/O they're also called sterndrives.

here's a picture of a true inboard prop setup

as you can see it's well under the boat and you honestly have no chance of getting washed up under there.

and this is what can happen if you wakesurf behind an I/O or an outboard.

Parker · Backside 180 Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 1731 City: Norman

skimboarder, thats just about the nastiest picture ive seen in my life

skimboarder · Posted: May 07, 2008 6:41 pm Post subject:

Parker, yeah it's on some wakesurf website warning you about outboards.

i guess that guy knows first....hand...not to do it anymore Laughing

Le Jalapeno · Guest

I'll look before I leap, I have no idea what kind of boat it is, all I know is that sometimes it doesn't start and it likes to throw an uneven wake

fastgreens · Kickflip Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 3563 City: baytown

stOAKed · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 1946

Thats one picture I didnt need to see.

The Ninja · Guest

why isnt there a puke face/>

mastercraftsk8ter · Ollie Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 92 City: Tampa Bay

Ive seen that pic before and it always make react in the same way. Ulkkkkkk!!! Crazy Eyes

coricluster · Backside 180 Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 1826 City: berlin

la jalepeno, that sounds like my old ski nautique, its soo damn narrow that u have to even the wieght out just right. and sometimes u gotta give er hell to start it, but it just made an 80 mile skate trip on the pocomoke....FLAWLESSLY

Le Jalapeno · Guest

I'm told that its an inboard by someone today, now my only worry now is that the wake won't be big enough, and I doubt the boat could handle fat sacs even if I could convince them to letting me weight down the boat.