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Learn About Wakesurfing and How to Pick Out Your New Surf Wakeboard

By John V

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 01Mar2012 Word count: 494 Viewed: 132 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Wakesurfing is a sport that was reportedly invented before wakeboarding but is just now enjoying resurgence amongst proponents of boating sports. Wakesurfing is exactly what it sounds like: a person uses a surf wakeboard to surf the waves created by the wake of a boat. The wakesurfer uses a tow rope to get themselves into position behind the boat but doesn't begin surfing the wake until letting go of the rope. Everything is done freestyle -just like a surfer. The general mechanics and moves associated with riding a wake are the same as if a person were riding an ocean wave.

Here are the basic things you need to know to get started wakesurfing:

Find the right surfing wakeboard. The sport was started when pioneers began throwing their 9 foot ocean longboards behind a boat and riding the wakes. They quickly realized that the new sport they were inventing was something that they wanted to continue doing and began customizing new and improved surf wakeboards specifically for wakesurfing. Today's wakesurfing boards are a hybrid of a traditional shortboard and a wakeboard. Almost all major brands that manufacture wakeboards now carry a line of surfing wakeboards as well.

Wakesurfing should be done behind an inboard ski boat - a ballasted wakeboat works best. The boat should be driven fairly slowly - it should not go over 9 to 14mph - as the wakesurfer is not attached to their board during towing. During surfing, the natural friction of the water will slow them down as well.

Invest in a great wakesurf rope. Traditional wakeboarding ropes are long and thin. The thicker and shorter design of wakesurf ropes makes the maneuvering necessary in wakesurfing much easier on the rider. Wakesurf ropes will often have extra knots and grips throughout the rope so that the wakesurfer can utilize as much or as little of the rope as they want when positioning themselves on the wake.

As mentioned previously, a ballasted ski boat works best for wakesurfing. Wakeboarding and wakesurfing companies manufacture weighted ballast bags specifically for the purpose of creating the perfect wake for a wakesurfer. The best technique for this purpose is to weight down one side of the boat more than the other. This will create the perfect wake.

Those are the basic necessities for wakesurfing. Though it might sound scarier than wakeboarding, it is actually a much safer and lower impact alternative. The boat travels much slower than in wakeboarding and you are not being towed with the momentum of the boat for your entire ride. Next time you're out with your friends on a lake, give this awesome sport a try. The technique is totally different from that used for wakeboarding and it's a really fun way to mix up your day on the lake or river. You can learn new tricks and show off in front of all of your friends!

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