Tips for Riding Switch??

Hi Guys,

I've been wakeboarding for about 12+ years now. Didn't have a boat with a tower...or even an inboard for that matter until this past fall. Learning was a painful experience for me as I didn't have anyone to teach me, but I had watched some videos & read anything I could get my hand on as an aide. Then because I bought my own board, suffered through all the pain to learn haha. And boy was it painful at times. I can definitely wakeboard fine, but I have never been able to take that next step. One thing I'd really like to focus on this fall is figuring out riding switch. I haven't gotten many opportunities to get out on the water the last few years but this last fall when we bought the boat, we were out almost every weekend. When I was doing it a lot prior to that little break, I typically felt more comfortable if we slowed down a bit, then was able to get spun around more often than not, but was just so awkward feeling and would fall pretty quickly after getting spun around or during the process.

Real quick, I know I've read some message boards where the suggestion is to pop up and start switch rather than try to spin while going, but for whatever reason, I learned in such a fashion where I am already turning as I'm getting up & for the life of me can't figure out how people gut up perpendicular to the back of the boat. So that probably isn't a great solution for me at the moment.

So what I'm hoping is that you can give me your best pointers on how to learn...is there a way to learn outside the water? Is it literally going to need to be just painful trial & error? Is it easier if we slow down? etc. Thank you in advance for any help or pointers!!


I've always dreamed of getting to ride behind a wake boat, even just once...the funny thing is, we bought an older one this past fall & have been enjoying it, but now that I have my opportunity, O my...even with no ballast, the wake is intimidating haha...I'm assuming after a full summer of riding I'll work up the courage to hit it, but because I'm a cautious by nature, it's going to take a little working up to haha. That'll be the next thing on my list.

Like you said, learn to come up switch but if it's really not an option then keep spinning it. I usually practice switch down around 15mph. I personally also drop my back hand off the rope but some people might not agree with that but it helps keep me switch. Keep practicing. Commit to it everytime your out.

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Originally Posted by Bigs28

Like you said, learn to come up switch but if it's really not an option then keep spinning it. I usually practice switch down around 15mph. I personally also drop my back hand off the rope but some people might not agree with that but it helps keep me switch. Keep practicing. Commit to it everytime your out.

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I appreciate it. I assume repeating it over and over until I get it is really the only way to learn, but was hoping maybe there was something I wasn't considering. But I agree, thus far, I've been trying to ride switch right around that 15 mark, fast enough that I'm not struggling to be on top of the water, but slow enough that it's not going to kill me when I inevitably fall

Repetition is the mother of skill. I got one of these and would ride switch for about 10 minutes a day or so around the driveway until I felt more comfortable riding switch.

https://www.amazon.com/Razor-1505599...8-3&th=1&psc=1

Or a skateboard will do. If it is completely awkward be safe and wear a helmet.


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Snowboarding the off-season helped me with getting more comfortable with the 'feel' of the feet position.

Slowing the boat down (16-18mph) and using 1 hand helped. Focused on the setup for an Ollie to get the Ollie pop.

I think that is good advice of trying each time going out on one of your sets.

Keep your back straight, bend your knees a bit, lean back against the rope. Keep your handle low down by your front hip.push your front hip out towards the boat a bit sort of like your carrying a baby on it. Slow the boat way down, 14-16 mph for an adult learning switch.

You don’t need to spin your board nose up when starting either. If the driver does a nice gentle start you will be fine. When in the water, as the boat takes up the slack let the board push your knees to your chest and your board to your butt. As the boat begins to accelerate let your body rotate towards the boat while staying in that compressed position . Don’t move your hands or pull in your arms. Your board can even go under the water a bit at this point so long as your toes stay above your heels. Once the boat is going fast enough for the board to rise out onto the water surface and support your weight gently stand up using only your legs, don’t pull on the handle. The boat driver should be only be giving gentle throttle as it takes very little power to get up correctly on a wakeboard. Once you are up simply move the handle to whichever hip you want to be your front hip. I don’t know how to post videos, sorry.

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Originally Posted by Tommy2slow

Keep your back straight, bend your knees a bit, lean back against the rope. Keep your handle low down by your front hip.push your front hip out towards the boat a bit sort of like your carrying a baby on it. Slow the boat way down, 14-16 mph for an adult learning switch.

You don’t need to spin your board nose up when starting either. If the driver does a nice gentle start you will be fine. When in the water, as the boat takes up the slack let the board push your knees to your chest and your board to your butt. As the boat begins to accelerate let your body rotate towards the boat while staying in that compressed position . Don’t move your hands or pull in your arms. Your board can even go under the water a bit at this point so long as your toes stay above your heels. Once the boat is going fast enough for the board to rise out onto the water surface and support your weight gently stand up using only your legs, don’t pull on the handle. The boat driver should be only be giving gentle throttle as it takes very little power to get up correctly on a wakeboard. Once you are up simply move the handle to whichever hip you want to be your front hip. I don’t know how to post videos, sorry.

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And if that doesn't work, then get back on the boat and "Put your left leg down, Your right leg up,
Tilt your head back and finish the cup"! [emoji16]

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Originally Posted by HFarr

And if that doesn't work, then get back on the boat and "Put your left leg down, Your right leg up,
Tilt your head back and finish the cup"! [emoji16]

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Brass monkey, that funky monkey


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I appreciate you all taking the time to give me you .02!

Just out of curiosity, do most of you get up perpendicular to the boat and only rotate once on top of the water?

Shaun Murray just had a recent YouTube video on getting up on his channel. Once you get a feel for it you just do it however you want. Sometimes I come up switch, sometimes reg, sometimes I butterslide for a few yards before ever turning.

Agree on letting back hand go when riding switch until you get more comfortable. Do it a bit every set.

The more you practice and ride, the better. Nothing beats gaining experience and getting more and more miles done :)

For me, riding switch involves lots of low speed training. Get up normal, keep the speed just enough to where you don't sink, bend your knees to release the fins, let go with your front hand and allow your back hand to bring the board around. Practice going back and forth on both sides of the wake from regular to switch cutting in and out. Watch videos and invite people out that are better than yourself. Lessons also go a long ways.