OUCH this hurts

[jester]

Well I was out wakeboarding today and just started my first run when I crashed hard. Then after I crashed my sister decided to follow in my foot steps. Right now my arm, side and ribs are brused. Great way to start off the day. I was a little gun shy after that. Ruff edit on video so i could get it posted tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M0jioj7uvk

[deafgoose]

Sweet crash. lol

How long have you been wakeboarding?

You get on edge so hard and give it up at the wake so you loose all that pop. Next time you get out, try a professive edge. Slowly increase the edge and make sure the hardest edge is at the wake. You will be surprised how effortless jumping can really be!

[jester]

deafgoose, Thanks for the advice. I will try that next time. I have been wakeboarding for about 5 years off and on but keep getting major setbacks with injurys. After I messed up my ankle I was gun shy for two years. One of the things about not being able to walk really makes me mad.

[501]

Yes, I agree with deaf. Both of you are starting your cut VERY hard at the beginning like you are coming in for an Air Raley and then at the last second you flatten out the board and jump it more like a snowboard. With this method you are coming in with way more speed then you need and no pop so it's the speed that carries you wake to wake.

Follow deaf's advice and you will find it much much easier to go w2w. Start out SLOW, and as you edge in continue to cut harder ad harder till you hit the wake. Think about showing the bottom of your board to the people in the boat AS you hit the wake. Its not the speed that will carry you across now it's the pop. With proper techniqu it's easy to go w2w from only 6 feet away from the wake.

Good luck.

[RobertJ]

Nice vid, Jester where were you riding? We went to Green Peter this weekend and had a blast.

[jester]

Robert, I was at Foster with the Coast Guard Aux on Saturday then on Sunday i was at Cougar. We pulled out early on Sunday since most of my crew injured them selfs on the first run. I hear the water level at green Peter is getting low already.

501, I am trying to get out today or tomorrow and will try not cutting as hard in the beginning and try to get more pop and let you know how well it worked.

[cab13367]

Jester - I do the same exact thing - cut hard, then flatten at the wake. I am working on doing it the right way but still not quite there. Old habits are hard to break :)

[you da man]

I hate seeing that technique, W2W with only 18" of air. Along with progressive edging you can shorten the rope some so you don't case the landings until you get consistent. This will save your knees, ankles, and maybe your face. Another thing, keep looking forward. Like 501 said, once you have the progressive edge down, you pop nice airs even if you're 6-8ft from the wake.

[kaneboats]

Jester - I do the same exact thing - cut hard, then flatten at the wake. I am working on doing it the right way but still not quite there. Old habits are hard to break :)

I'm sure I do that some too. I noticed my daughter starting too far out and slowing down at the wake earlier this year and corrected it. She was getting a lot more pop and much more manageable landings after that.

[Canuckle Head]

Knocked myself unconcious last night. Went for a heelside backside 360 and got off balance on the takeoff which caused my rotation to slow down. May have initiated the 3 too early but who knows.

All I remember is landing 180 and catching my heelside edge and slamming hard backwards into the water. (Had that "Oh S---" thing going through my mind as I felt my heelside edge catch the water) I guess the impact caught the base of my skull and semi-knocked me out. Legs and arms went all tingly and I had a bit of trouble getting to the surface. When I opened my eyes I was still under water looking at the clear blue sky and thinking "Wow, that's pretty!" Turns out I am fine and didn't suffer and spinal injury or anything like that.

I'm buying a helmet today as if I had been wearing I am positive it would have protected me from being knocked out. It may look goofy but if it stops that from happening again I'm all for it. Now I have to go and try and find one that will fit my ginormous melon! :p

[saskie99]

I took a fall at the start of the year and got a concussion, ruined most of my summer for wakeboarding. I have only rode 5 times since. It was about 10 weeks before I could even think about riding. No way was I going to get aggressive right away. I have never had a brain injury before!
Now I always ride with a helmet. I took the same fall off of a monster dbl up 2 weeks ago and no concussion so I must be good to go!

Keep working on the progressive edge! Edge all the way up the wake and stand tall. You will be blown away by how easy it is to go wake to wake and the "pop" you feel will keep you coming back for more.

[jester]

Having a helmet is good to have. Funny thing is I never go snow skiing without one becasue of how many times i have landed on my head but never really thought about getting one until this year. Now that I have one I do not ride without it. Now all i need is somthing to flip me onto my back when i am floating on my face and really do not want to move.

[Ian Brantford]

Helmets are great. Just make sure that it fits well. If it has any wiggle room, the water might slam the helmet against your head.

I also recommend the CINCH Neck Roll: http://cinchmax.com/id3.html

[brain_rinse]

Knocked myself unconcious last night. Went for a heelside backside 360 and got off balance on the takeoff which caused my rotation to slow down. May have initiated the 3 too early but who knows.

All I remember is landing 180 and catching my heelside edge and slamming hard backwards into the water. (Had that "Oh S---" thing going through my mind as I felt my heelside edge catch the water) I guess the impact caught the base of my skull and semi-knocked me out. Legs and arms went all tingly and I had a bit of trouble getting to the surface. When I opened my eyes I was still under water looking at the clear blue sky and thinking "Wow, that's pretty!" Turns out I am fine and didn't suffer and spinal injury or anything like that.

I'm buying a helmet today as if I had been wearing I am positive it would have protected me from being knocked out. It may look goofy but if it stops that from happening again I'm all for it. Now I have to go and try and find one that will fit my ginormous melon! :p
Brain sprains are no fun. I'd recommend the Shred Ready helmets.

[Canuckle Head]

Which model of Shred Ready would you recommend? I like the looks of the Shaggy and the TDub but I am not so sure they would cover the back of my head as well as the Standard Half Cut.

I also have a very large head so I am concerned about whether or not it would fit as they have a one size fits all system. :confused:

[brain_rinse]

The Shaggy is the ticket for "big brains".

[Canuckle Head]

This particular crash hit me right at the base of the cranium (the Occipital bones? Follow this link: http://www.ivy-rose.co.uk/HumanBody/Skeletal/Bones_CranialandFacial.php ) and I am not so cetain that the Shaggy would protect me from that type of impact. Maybe I'm waaay off but what do you think?

Just don't want to come out of being knocked unconcious and find myself under water again......

[brain_rinse]

Hard to say on that. Even though you felt the impact low, the fact that water is a continuous plane makes me think any helmet would have helped cushion the impact. But if you're worried about coverage then no doubt the half cut is the way to go.