PDA

View Full Version : Surfed for the first time last night



walb0244
08-28-2010, 02:25 PM
Went surfing for the first time last night. We are still trying to figure out what to do. I have stock ballast. Filled the back left (400) and the center full. And then loaded two people (400 total) in the corner seat. One of them was actually sitting on the sun deck to get the weight more toward the corner. I

Sometimes when we start the person ends up on top of the wake right behind the boat so you have to go over the wake and down to get in the pocket. Are we doing something wrong to end up there? I didn't have trouble with this but my buddy did. I think he just isn't leaning away from the boat enough to stay out from right behind the boat when starting.

Also, can you still steer the boat like normal or do you have to make circles? He thought you had to just make circles. I tried that for awhile and then decided to try making laps around the lake. It seemed to work but didnt' know for sure if I was messing the wake up or not.

Wakeplate: I thought I would want the wake plate all the way up so that the back of the boat is sitting the deepest in the water. Well I ended up running with the wake plate all the way down. Maybe we are doing something wrong again here.

walb0244
08-28-2010, 02:41 PM
Here are two vids of my buddy giving it a go. Keep in mind no one in the boat has every wakesurfed.

http://www.facebook.com/v/1370143215516

http://www.facebook.com/v/1370145855582

deafgoose
08-28-2010, 04:34 PM
Sometimes when we start the person ends up on top of the wake right behind the boat so you have to go over the wake and down to get in the pocket. Are we doing something wrong to end up there? I didn't have trouble with this but my buddy did. I think he just isn't leaning away from the boat enough to stay out from right behind the boat when starting.

Also, can you still steer the boat like normal or do you have to make circles? He thought you had to just make circles. I tried that for awhile and then decided to try making laps around the lake. It seemed to work but didnt' know for sure if I was messing the wake up or not.

Wakeplate: I thought I would want the wake plate all the way up so that the back of the boat is sitting the deepest in the water. Well I ended up running with the wake plate all the way down. Maybe we are doing something wrong again here.

Those 2 videos don't work.

You need to lean away from the boat and edge on your heels until the boat gets up to speed and then you can get into the pocket.

Just steer in a straight line. I only turn to help out the rider when he is about to loose the pocket. With the amount of ballast you are running, I would put the wakeplate 3/4 up.

walb0244
08-28-2010, 05:06 PM
Hopefully the vids work now. I changed the security settings.

Sled491
08-28-2010, 09:44 PM
Man you seem to be going awful fast. What is your speed. Wake looks nice and clean. When you start you sometimes have to drop into the pocket no big deal.

walb0244
08-29-2010, 03:34 PM
Pretty sure we were running between 8 and 10. Not 100% sure. Gonna have to check the perfect pass with the GPS. Biggest problem is that my buddy wake boards regular and I wakeboard goofy. Well now that we are surfing I hate dealing with the ballast switch so I have just been riding regular so that we don't have to move ballast back and forth.

Sled491
08-29-2010, 07:34 PM
I have a similar problem. Every one but me is regular and I'm goofy. I usually set up for everyone else first then after every one has had there fill (wife, sister in law, and 3 kids) I let the kids swim while I switch for my set up. I then get to go until its time to go :)

cab13367
08-29-2010, 10:32 PM
Went surfing for the first time last night. We are still trying to figure out what to do. I have stock ballast. Filled the back left (400) and the center full. And then loaded two people (400 total) in the corner seat. One of them was actually sitting on the sun deck to get the weight more toward the corner. I

Sometimes when we start the person ends up on top of the wake right behind the boat so you have to go over the wake and down to get in the pocket. Are we doing something wrong to end up there? I didn't have trouble with this but my buddy did. I think he just isn't leaning away from the boat enough to stay out from right behind the boat when starting.

Also, can you still steer the boat like normal or do you have to make circles? He thought you had to just make circles. I tried that for awhile and then decided to try making laps around the lake. It seemed to work but didnt' know for sure if I was messing the wake up or not.

Wakeplate: I thought I would want the wake plate all the way up so that the back of the boat is sitting the deepest in the water. Well I ended up running with the wake plate all the way down. Maybe we are doing something wrong again here.

Walb,

That's a good looking wave especially for stock ballast and just three people on the boat. The speed looks right as well (about 10 mph). And just go in a straight line, no need to drive in a circle. And experiment with the wakeplate and go with whatever setting gives you a nice clean wave. Generall, wakeplate up means steeper wave but shorter pocket, wakeplate down means smaller wave but longer pocket. But experiment with it.

As far as getting up, have your buddy edge hard on his heelside as soon as he gets up on the board and before the wave forms, just like cutting out heelside when wakeboarding. Or pull him up while he is on the port side instead of directly behind the boat.

As far as surfing the wave, he is getting slack but you can see that he goes back and forth from slack to a tight rope. Remember that to drive down the wave and get closer to the boat, put more weight on your front foot. To slow down, put weight on your back foot. It's a very subtle weight shift. You guys just need to spend sometime figuring it out and once you do, you can maintain that slack and toss the rope in. It's generally not something you can do your first time out so you are not doing anything "wrong". You just need some time to figure it out. Keep at it!

Al

cab13367
08-29-2010, 10:37 PM
Here's me surfing behind the same boat as yours but with no ballast and only the wife and two small kids on board. Hopefully, it gives you and idea of what I am talking about as far as surfing in the pocket and learning to use proper weight distribution to stay there. Again, it's very subtle weight shifts - if you do it too drastically, you will definitely drop off the pocket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBcJkVk4x80&sns=em

Keep working on it, you'll get there before you know it.

Al

you da man
08-29-2010, 11:55 PM
Pretty sure we were running between 8 and 10. Not 100% sure. Gonna have to check the perfect pass with the GPS. Biggest problem is that my buddy wake boards regular and I wakeboard goofy. Well now that we are surfing I hate dealing with the ballast switch so I have just been riding regular so that we don't have to move ballast back and forth.

If you have the 750 or 1100lb sacs, the fastest way to switch ballast from side to side is to get the Tsunami 1200 pump that plugs into the 12v and you can connect the v-drive sacs together thus emptying one sac while filling the other. I use my regular ballast pumps to assist in filling/draining the desired sacs but by using the external pump I can fill/drain the 1100lb sacs in about 6-7 min.

walb0244
08-30-2010, 07:42 AM
Thanks foe the replies. We has never tried wake surfing before but my buddy wanted to so I told him to buy a board and we would give it a go. Planning on moving 400 more lbs of ballast to that corner. I didn't get to surf much. Figured since my buddy bought the board and drove a hour that I would let him try it more. I think right now I would rather have a shorter wave with a long pocket so more room for error. It feels weird being so close to the boat.

walb0244
09-05-2010, 02:42 AM
Now for new questions.

Right now I am starting with my feet at the back of the board so it flips up once moving till I stand up on the board. Then I have to move my feet to where I normally stand once up on the board. Is this how you are suppose to do it or no? I find it really hard to move my feet to my normal stance once up on the board.

Also, my understanding is that weight in the front makes the pocket longer. when first learning is it better to have a longer pocket then to have a short tall pocket? I was thinking it would be so that you could have more room for error. I'm not trying to do tricks. Just to free board. I'm getting pretty close to being able to do that.

The front of the board dives under on us alot. We got a 4'6" Obien Alias. We both weigh about 160. Is the board too small. We werent' sure what to buy at first.

kaneboats
09-06-2010, 01:06 AM
All right. Start at the beginning. You are fine for that board. It just takes some time. Stand down on the front for more speed and "TAP" back on the tail to slow it down.
The weird part about the pocket will seem more normal very soon. A little weight up front in the boat will lengthen the pocket but more weight on the urf side will malke the wave taller and easier to surf.
Just keep experimenting and having fun. You'll have it in no time!

cab13367
09-07-2010, 12:37 AM
Now for new questions.

Right now I am starting with my feet at the back of the board so it flips up once moving till I stand up on the board. Then I have to move my feet to where I normally stand once up on the board. Is this how you are suppose to do it or no? I find it really hard to move my feet to my normal stance once up on the board.

Also, my understanding is that weight in the front makes the pocket longer. when first learning is it better to have a longer pocket then to have a short tall pocket? I was thinking it would be so that you could have more room for error. I'm not trying to do tricks. Just to free board. I'm getting pretty close to being able to do that.

The front of the board dives under on us alot. We got a 4'6" Obien Alias. We both weigh about 160. Is the board too small. We werent' sure what to buy at first.

Walb,

Start with your feet in the position you want them to be when you're up and riding, then press down on your heels to flip the board up right before you get up. That way, you don't have to shift your feet once up.

I would say, longer pocket and smaller wave vs shorter pocket and taller wave. You don't want to be ramming into the back of the boat.

You've got everything you need to start freeriding, you just need to put the time in and figure it out. I read about so many people that add a ton (literally) of ballast to their stock set up when they first start wakesurfing cause they can't free ride their first time out when what they really need to do is just put in the time behind the boat and figure it out. Practice, practice, practice. And don't be in a hurry to throw the rope in.

Al

saskyrider
09-07-2010, 09:56 AM
Walb,

Start with your feet in the position you want them to be when you're up and riding, then press down on your heels to flip the board up right before you get up. That way, you don't have to shift your feet once up.

I would say, longer pocket and smaller wave vs shorter pocket and taller wave. You don't want to be ramming into the back of the boat.

You've got everything you need to start freeriding, you just need to put the time in and figure it out. I read about so many people that add a ton (literally) of ballast to their stock set up when they first start wakesurfing cause they can't free ride their first time out when what they really need to do is just put in the time behind the boat and figure it out. Practice, practice, practice. And don't be in a hurry to throw the rope in.
Al



very good advice.... the first couple times i got up i'd throw the rope right away.... then lose the wave...:twisted: keep the rope until you can go a minute or 2 without losing the wave (at least) before throwing the rope...

Geoff

jamie_abb
09-07-2010, 10:45 AM
Here's what I tell my kids...

If you have a surf rope, tuck the handle into your shorts and ride with no hands. If you fall out, you can catch the rope and climb back into the pocket. Sure beats having to turn the boat around every two minutes.

cpatten
09-07-2010, 10:48 AM
This was my first weekend too, it looks like you had better luck than me. I had my 08 LSV with 400lbs of balast in th center, 400 lbs on the left of the vdrive. Wakeplate all the way up and 10mph on perfect pass. I think I am going to buy the 1100lb surf fat sac for this weekend. Does anybody have recommendations on this. I am also considering the 750-800lb size. I just think the bigger sac is the better buy. I figure I don't have to fill it all the way up if I don't want to.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qixGGY7rDIg

wolfeman131
09-07-2010, 01:20 PM
I would say, longer pocket and smaller wave vs shorter pocket and taller wave. You don't want to be ramming into the back of the boat.


Ditto!

We had an awesome weekend of surfing with Mark from WakeLakes Surfboard Company (I'll post some pics & video later) and found that a longer pocket worked best for sharpening technique and getting new riders started. We got 3 out of 4 people started & free riding by the end of the weekend. One was a 13 yr old boy, a 15 yr old boy and a 70 yr old Great-grandfather!

walb0244
09-07-2010, 05:12 PM
This was my first weekend too, it looks like you had better luck than me. I had my 08 LSV with 400lbs of balast in th center, 400 lbs on the left of the vdrive. Wakeplate all the way up and 10mph on perfect pass. I think I am going to buy the 1100lb surf fat sac for this weekend. Does anybody have recommendations on this. I am also considering the 750-800lb size. I just think the bigger sac is the better buy. I figure I don't have to fill it all the way up if I don't want to.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qixGGY7rDIg

I don't understand why your wave looks like it does. I used stock ballast and have a pretty good wave that the top rolls. It is a pretty good wave I think. The wave on my drivers side of the boat is better. I am trying to learn to surf on the passenger side so maybe it will improve my wakeboarding switch. I don't see why you would have to upgrade yoru ballast right off the bat. There are vids on here where guys are surfing freeboard with no ballast at all. Don't focus so much on the ballast at first.


Here's what I tell my kids...

If you have a surf rope, tuck the handle into your shorts and ride with no hands. If you fall out, you can catch the rope and climb back into the pocket. Sure beats having to turn the boat around every two minutes.

I don't have a surf rope yet. Is there a cheap place to buy a surf rope. The rope that I have is a kneeboard rope that I had. It has the little handle on it to do body wraps. Well the handle had all the foam coming off so I cut the rope so that the 15" handle is gone but I still have the little handle from where you do body wraps. It was free and works. I really need to get a wakesurf rope tho.

bergermaister
09-07-2010, 05:59 PM
Cpatten-

I'd go with the 1100 bag - they don't cost much more. My boat is older and the rear storage compartments are a bit smaller than the newer boats. I have a 400 on each side for wakeboarding that fit fine. I've stuffed my 750 on one side and it works, has room to spare side-to-side and top-to-bottom, but is a bit too long to fit perfectly.

I just got an 1100 bag a few weeks ago and I can fill out my rear compartment even more, but still have the problem with the length so I'm not getting it quite full. However I'm getting more weight since the 1100 is 24x24x50 compared to the 750 that is 20x20x50. It basically conforms to the space that you have so I'm guessing I'm getting it around 90% full which is plenty.

My $.02 is to go with the bigger bag - if it feels like too much you can always opt to not fill it all the way. A smaller bag may leaving you wanting more in a very short timeframe.