Got your board but you don't have any wind and waves to go? No problem, just find a motorboat or some closed-course cable systems and you're good to go. So gather up your guts and adventurous heart and let's take you to the wakeboarding experience you'll never forget. Wakeboarding is a combination of surfing moves and water skiing. The speed and techniques of the rider will depend on the boat that's usually designed for wakeboarding. It'll also depend on the size of the board, rope, and the angle of those closed-course cable water parks.
- For the beginners, you may want to get the basics - from your suit to your gear. Wear a life jacket and make sure you have a spotter. This person will be your guide, helping out the driver to your position, and keeping alert to other boats or objects that you will pass by on the water. Also use a short rope around 30-65 feet. The length varies on your experience level - and it helps on your jumping around and clearing the wake. If you have trouble clearing the wake, shorten the rope. When you're comfortable and want more speed so that you can pop off more moves, you can gradually increase the length of your rope.
- Like most water sports and surfing, always maintain your balance. It's good to keep doing your workout and other land exercises that will help you improve your strength and stability.
- Before you'd want to do those fancy wakeboarding maneuvers, always know the length and width of the board you'll be riding, the distance from the motorboat or the cables, and see how fast you're going.
- Find out where you'll want to do your wakeboarding. There are camps and wakeboard parks that has river and lakes that you can use especially if you're still learning. It's also convenient for the pros in case the weather is not coping well with no waves to play with, then they can use this as your playground as well.
- Take note that some waterparks use cables, artificial waves, and platforms to help you do your freestyle tricks and moves.