Going to try it- any advice for the first time?

[skiyaker]

that's right- I've watched the youtube videos and am ready to give it a shot. If you're out on the Muncie reservoir tomorrow watch out for the black OBV throwin' a surf wake. My neighbor got so stoked about my boat that he bought a board and a rope for surfing and so well see if I can learn 2 new watersports in the same summer. The guy on youtube said to start on toeside for the first time, but most of your pics look like you're surfing on the heelside so I think that's what I'll try- Any other advice?

[skiyaker]

thanks for the advice Ed G you're a good dude- I tried your trick and it looks like we'll be weighting the port side. I'll let you know how it goes.

[skiyaker]

well several members of our boating crew got right up on the board- I wasn't one of them however. Instead I kept dragging my rear through the water and couldn't get the board to flip. I had to let go of the rope because I couldn't laugh that hard with all the water rushing over my face. I had decided that the board was too big for me or something (I'm 5'9" 150# we were using a liquid force venture 5' 6") but my wife shot that theory right down when she got up on her first try and she's smaller than me. After reviewing some more youtube footage (can't go wrong with that right?) I think maybe I just didn't have my back foot far enough back and maybe I should use a hand to push the edge of the board down. Anyways we all had a blast- man my neighbor looked like he was just born to surf. Going to try it again in a few days- any other thoughts?

[sandm]

good advice ed and it sounds like you're almost there...
def. agree with the board thoughts. I can surf anything put in front of me, but can't say I've tried an ocean board... yet
I prefer back foot further back at first to keep the nose of the board out of the water. you can work on foot placement once you get up and ride for a while with the rope. lean to balance the board first.
funny that once you get up once, it's kind of like unlocking the puzzle. it's much easier after that first "up"..

good luck and keep trying..

[skiyaker]

hey thanks for the advice. I think if I can convince my wife to go easy on the throttle that will help- but that may be difficult because right now she's taking pride in the fact that she's found a watersport that she can do and I can't. I'll try it again in a few days- hopefully I can unlock that puzzle.

[sandm]

who's "almost there??"

Me or skiyaker?

You best not be meaning me

never you
from the man that wanted the surf a mile club

totally agree about the driving thing. kind of bitch%d at the wife a little on friday for not paying attention to the wake when pulling a wakeboarder.
she didn't want to ask a new guy on board to move to the other side of the boat to clean up the peaks.
told her it was part of her job as the driver..
amazing how much of a difference a skilled driver can make a pull.

[sandm]

man, takes me almost 30 minutes at 35mph to get from one end of our lake to the far end of the other up by the dam. could probably ride the board that long, but I'd have some sore ankles/feet/legs by the end

hoping to find out how big florida lakes are in 10 days. vacation coming and hoping to latch onto a pull for an afternoon...

[sandm]

no, were staying up at panama city.
got a steal on a condo for a week..

[sailing217]

This thread should change to how to pull up a newbie. <wife please read this>

Turn when pulling up as the rider will have less chance to drift directly behind the boat and into the prop wash or shooting down the face of the wave into the back of the boat. Sometimes I'll almost get a full circle before my rider looks to be comfortable enough to drift into the face of the wave.

A bit more than idle to get pressure on the board for the rider to flip it. I don't even hit the gas until that board has flipped. If you have to, flip it with one hand and when I see that second hand go back to the rope I hit it. Many riders who board and ski lean back and fight the pressure of the board. We say "when the board flips and you feel pressure on your feet, put your chin to your chest and lean forward a bit until you are in a crouched position directly on top of the board."

I can even have riders try to time jumping on the board to sink it and I'll pull them with it slightly underwater and it'll work out. Usually doesn't work out but they get that lean forward feeling (kids are better than adults).

Kids pull up real slow take off. Adults much more but nothing like wakeboarding or skiing.

Then there's the "don't dip the bow' part when a rider falls. Kill throttle, wait a few seconds and blip the throttle to turn to the ballast side. The boat will want to turn the other way but the ballast side will level the boat out and you won't take water in your vent.

[skiyaker]

Well thanks to all the tips from you guys and yes convincing the wife to go very very slow (I think before she was trying to pull me like when I wakeboard) I was able to "unlock the puzzle" and now it's like "how was I unable to do that before?" So there I am playing with the wake having a blast- and then I move a little closer to the boat and the rope goes slack... I remembered the famous words of the good man Ed G "if you have slack you're surfing" which prompted me to yell "HEY I'M SURFING!!!" Well then the rope remained slack so I though well heck.. if it's going to do this then I'm just going to toss it to the side. Now I'm not saying I rode a mile or anything like that but for a good 1-2 minutes it was just me behind the moomba... no rope. Felt great. Thanks to everyone for your help- now the only problem is too many water sports and not enough time in the day.