My first attempt at Wake Surfing..

[04OUTBACK]

Got a LF Venture 5'0 for my Anniversary (great wife!). Finally got to try it out today.
750 lb ballast in left rear, 3 in boat, 50% wakeplate and 10.7 mph.

Not bad for my first attempt.. got some slack but could not hold it more than about 15 secs...
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j14/bradwebb1/bw1.jpg

Ed or any other surfers wanna make suggestions on improvement, check out short video...

http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j14/bradwebb1/?action=view&current=SurfsUp209.flv

[04OUTBACK]

forgot the wife.... she did great for her first ride

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j14/bradwebb1/jw1.jpg

[Ed G]

couple things I noticed:

boat speed seems too fast. Try about 9.0- 9.8 miles per hour.

Stance on the board is often the reason for not getting slack.

If you put too much weight on rear rear foot, the board is gonna loose speed and the boat is gonna tow you.

Too much weight on the front foot and your going to go faster than the boat and hit the transom.

Wake surfing is all about weight transfer front to back - on the fly.

Get your feet outta the middle of the board and move your toes closer to the edge of the board (that is on the wakeside).

Squat down a little. You seem like your center of gravity is too high and you look like you feel a little off-balance.

If your board has an arch support, put your back foot on it and front foot should be shoulder width apart.

In the video, it looks like the nose of the board is getting close to the water and your getting close to pearl diving. If you have to, move your front foot back a little until the nose comes up.


Most important rule to remember.....

If you get slack in the rope, you are surfing!!!!

Don't be in a hurry to drop the rope. get out and wakesurf with rope slack for about twenty times before even thinking about dropping the rope.

Have fun, keep wearing your vests and don't surf off and on the platform.

[SoTX]

I agree. Weight forward go faster weight back to slow down. Most important tip..........................get a fresh air exhaust sytem. http://www.freshairexhaust.com/
Keeps you safe.
You did get some slack in your rope so you were surfing. Keep it up.

[ATLOUTBACKV]

i have a tad under 1k in ballast on the starboard side and i ride at anywhere between 11-12.5mph with out problems.... i dont understand why people have a huge issue with speed.... i tried from 8mph( mushy) all the way to 13.5 (long pocket but smaller wake) and surfed it no problem.. ideal though in my 06 LSV was 11-12 that was with under 1 k of weight plus one person in the boat

[ATLOUTBACKV]

also your wake looks good, try bringin yourself in 8 inches to a foot to get you further into the pocket. if you havent ever surfed ( a real wave) it will take a few times to get used to the motion of shifting your weight but once you get it you will be hooked... i know i am.... hell the last three times i went out i left my wakeboard at home...

[04OUTBACK]

Thanks ATL.. HOw do you like your LSV?
I hope to ride some this weekend. I was just pleased I pulled off what I did on the first day! I felt like i should get more weight on the toe edge but just did not move much!
I have heard conflicting reports on center ballast.. some say works other say use none.. I'll try both next trip.. I am sure more people / weight would have helped some. I do feel like I had plenty wave to surf, just not the right mechanics yet. I can see some quicker trips without wakeboards. My boat stores right by the lake, but we normally ride way up the river due to choppy lake... Now I have a choppy option!
Hoping for rain for you guys!
Best,

[sled491]

very cool, I think next summer wake surfing will be my new passion.

[ATLOUTBACKV]

I cant begin to tell you how much more i like the LSV over my outbackV both are great boats but the freeboard and storage and ride is friggin great! plus this one was loaded out with everything... and the overall room in the boat is astounding compared to the V... back to surfing..i also look at where i want to be headed and kinda focus on that spot and try and work your way there by shifting your weight foward and when you reach that spot gently shift to the back...gently as not to lose all momentum but enough to slow down.. then repeat the process, i also try to work up and down the face of the wake to gain momentum... once you get the hang of it youll be drinkin beers in no time while surfing....

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/87668/510339.html?1192283542

[Ed G]

unlike atloutbackV, please wear a life vest while wakesurfing.

Especially when drinking

[ATLOUTBACKV]

ed i have a question... when surfing a real wave i dont wear a life jacket whats the difference, i am far enough from the platform not to hit it .. now granted the drinking is not the smartest... that pic was more for the effect than actually drinking...

[Ed G]

Shoot, I certainly have no problem with the beer drinking, but... not wearing a personal flotation device while participating in motorized watersports is an arguement not even worth having.

When surfing in the ocean, if you go unconscience, your body will eventually get washed onto the shore...unless the sea creatures eat you.

[zabooda]

You need to wear your life jacket. If your surfing a real wave you don't have a boat 10 feet away and if you do and law enforcement sees it the boater would probably be cited for being too close to swimmers (reckless endangerment). If your wake surfing, I would recommend following the rules for towing skiers and wake boarders. If law enforcement sees someone without a life jacket where it is required they will stop you. You can argue the point that your not being towed by the boat but then the officer can ask the boat driver why he is so close to the boarder (unpowered vessel) that was following him and cite the driver for reckless endangerment. You don't want to stand out as doing anything different as anybody else otherwise you will have law enforcement and rulemakers changing things to make you comply or eliminate the activity altogether.

[ATLOUTBACKV]

i understand that but surfing behind the boat is safer than surfing... its way more mellow than true surfing.. but hey i am not supporting not wearing a jacket but hey its my ticket and life.. i appreciate the concern though

[Ed G]

way more mellow? LOL! You are new to this sport aren't you?

I think you need to check out a wakesurfing tournament and watch the pro's in action. You'll be amazed at what they can do riding an endless wave.

One major difference between wakesurfing and ocean surfing is the depth of the water in which you are in.

I quote your statement on wakeworld: "i grew up in st pete FL surfing coldfronts which was waist high waves".


People hurt themselves wakesurfing. They seriously cut themselves with board fins and on occasion, they get hit in the head with their own board.


You want to be dazed or disoriented in 20 feet of water and not have something keeping you floating on the surface?

No.

Hell, when surfing in St. Pete and if you got hurt, you could just eventually stand up. I don't wear a life vest while surfing Daytona or New Smyrna either.

But I sure do when doing anything behind a boat.

[ATLOUTBACKV]

that is a valid point, when i said mellow i meant the fact that you are not paddling out in pounding surf and near reefs etc... now in st pete yes you could damn near stand up in chest deep water, but other spots such as down in bradenton or spanish house over near sebastian, you cant, as well as a ton of breaks in costa rica where a reef is right below you... thats what i meant by mellow.. i agree that the pros in wakesurfing are rad. thats why i love this new found sport, it brings me back to being able to surf and have that "free feeling". I totally understand your point, and i am even willing to get into my oniell gooru and give surfing (with a jacket) a try behind the boat... i am just used to not wearing a jacket, but hell i dont wanna die, so ED you just saved a life...

[Ed G]

that's why we are here Chris. We are all brothers and sisters in the kangaroo clan and we look out for each other.

Have a sister that needs spanking? I'm your man.

e