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Help an old man get up ... sans the Viagra


MalibuNation

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MalibuNation

Saw the posting on the 50 year oldish person who weighs 230lb and I almost added this to his post … but didn’t want to hijack his tread.

I got my brand new Malibu in 2003 and it was a cold spring (in May in Michigan) and got up on the wakeboard on the 3rd try (first time in my life) and was impressed. I’m tooling around, air is cold, water is cold and bam, I do a face plant, welcome to the wonderful world of wakeboarding. Brand new wakeboard so the bindings are tight as h e double l, can’t get the board off … not a good start to wakeboarding. The wakeboard is a 141 or 143 and wide, so I think it big enough to get my lard butt up.

I’ve tried getting up since and haven’t been able to. I’ve always been big and strong, 6’ 230lb, but turning 51 on Memorial Day, thank you, the bigger is over taking the strong … a little bit.

Any hints on getting up … besides knees to my chest and board just slightly turned. I watch these young and small whipper snappers pop out of the water and can only wish. Another thing I thought of is making the rope shorter so it will lift me up a little more. I have a Titan II tower.

Arms in arms out?

Thanks

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I'm certainly no expert and pretty-much self-taught, but I have had

no problems getting up from day 1. There are several ways to do it,

but what works for me is arms outside my knees with board edge low

in the water and perpendicular to the rope. Knees are flexed as I lean

back, looking more skyward than forward. I make an effort to push

my toes forward, towards the back of the boat,

thus putting the plane of the board at a shallower angle to the surface

of the water, when starting. Even if the board dips under water, with

that angle it'll pop right up for me. Then, it's just a turn at the waist and

I'm off.

I don't think that shortening the rope will make that much difference.

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I'm certainly no expert and pretty-much self-taught, but I have had

no problems getting up from day 1. There are several ways to do it,

but what works for me is arms outside my knees with board edge low

in the water and perpendicular to the rope. Knees are flexed as I lean

back, looking more skyward than forward. I make an effort to push

my toes forward, towards the back of the boat,

thus putting the plane of the board at a shallower angle to the surface

of the water, when starting. Even if the board dips under water, with

that angle it'll pop right up for me. Then, it's just a turn at the waist and

I'm off.

I don't think that shortening the rope will make that much difference.

Agreed on pointing the toes...

And on then turning the board once you start moving and planing.

Also... ensure your driver is giving you a slow, even pull. A lot less throttle than a slalom start.

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i tell people,,,,,knees bent, elbows around your knees. and keep your butt to your heels. u can just hold this position all the way out of the water,and then stand up

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I'm far from an expert (took 4 DAYS of trying until I got up the first time), but I found you can't be afraid to let the board go under the water a bit. I snowplowed around the lake for hours until this tidbit became apparent.

Once you get the "feel" for it, and you will, you'll have no problem from then on out...little consolation now, I know, but it's true.

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Here's a slight modification from what's already been said:

If you have always been a skier then you know rule #4 about getting up on skis -- never let your ski tips go under water.

On a wakeboard, you HAVE to let the leading edge go under about 2" or so. Bringing your heels to your butt, pointing your toes at the boat and letting the front edge go under all let the board be as far from verticle as possible when you say "hit it". What your are esentially doing is flying a wing up onto the water surface. The more angled forward it is to start, the easier it is to get on top of the water.

Good luck.

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Saw the posting on the 50 year oldish person who weighs 230lb and I almost added this to his post … but didn’t want to hijack his tread.

I got my brand new Malibu in 2003 and it was a cold spring (in May in Michigan) and got up on the wakeboard on the 3rd try (first time in my life) and was impressed. I’m tooling around, air is cold, water is cold and bam, I do a face plant, welcome to the wonderful world of wakeboarding. Brand new wakeboard so the bindings are tight as h e double l, can’t get the board off … not a good start to wakeboarding. The wakeboard is a 141 or 143 and wide, so I think it big enough to get my lard butt up.

I’ve tried getting up since and haven’t been able to. I’ve always been big and strong, 6’ 230lb, but turning 51 on Memorial Day, thank you, the bigger is over taking the strong … a little bit.

Any hints on getting up … besides knees to my chest and board just slightly turned. I watch these young and small whipper snappers pop out of the water and can only wish. Another thing I thought of is making the rope shorter so it will lift me up a little more. I have a Titan II tower.

Arms in arms out?

Thanks

Learn to surf, it is a LOT easier of the body. I bought my 05 and learned to wakeboard, then at the end of 06 I got a surfboard and I have not wakeboarded since. If fact I should sell my almost new wakeboard.

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I'm certainly no expert and pretty-much self-taught, but I have had

no problems getting up from day 1. There are several ways to do it,

but what works for me is arms outside my knees with board edge low

in the water and perpendicular to the rope. Knees are flexed as I lean

back, looking more skyward than forward. I make an effort to push

my toes forward, towards the back of the boat,

thus putting the plane of the board at a shallower angle to the surface

of the water, when starting. Even if the board dips under water, with

that angle it'll pop right up for me. Then, it's just a turn at the waist and

I'm off.

I don't think that shortening the rope will make that much difference.

Agreed on pointing the toes...

And on then turning the board once you start moving and planing.

Also... ensure your driver is giving you a slow, even pull. A lot less throttle than a slalom start.

IMO, this is the best advice for you.

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We've had the hardest time teaching bigger, stronger guys how to get up on the wakeboard. They always try to muscle their way out of the water.

What's worked for us is to tell them: Point your toes and pull the rope to your chest. Also, keep your butt as close to the board as you can.

As for the driver, I've found that with the bigger guys if you pull them out like you would an experienced boarder, ie, with a lot of power, it's like trying to pull on a brick wall. We've found it's better to give them more gradual pull, like maybe 1500 RPMs or so.

Pretty much what's already been said, maybe worded a little differently.

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Jeff hit excatly what I was going to say & that is that men try to muscle their way up. You can't pull yourself up on a wakeboard, let the boat pull you up. Pull yourself up and your edge will go under & you'll faceplant. Trust me, I am the QUEEN of faceplants. Whistling.gif Although usually I do it at 20 while crossing the wake.

I'm not an expert by any means, but I can tell you that the front edges of my wakeboard never go under the water. Then again, I'm 5'1" and 119 lbs. So it maybe different than me. I know lots of big guys who start with the board completely under the water. To each his own there I guess.

Kepp trying & don't think about it too hard. Just kick back and let the boat pull you up.

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I can't emphasize enough about the "go slow" I know you're a skier and the pull is quite different. If the handle is getting yanked out of your hands, the pull is too hard.

I have been paying attention to what I do because we have been teaching a lot of "Newbies". You already know your knees are in your chest. I would suggest as the pressure of the water on the board starts, actually lean your chest forward (staying in the tucked position), this will help get the board on the surface of the water and reduce the stress on your grip.

As the board gets to the top of the water you will NOT want to keep your chest forward. This was just a temporary thing to get the board on top of the water. As the board gets to the top of the water, get back on your heels. As the boat starts getting up to speed, lean on your back foot (whichever that is) and nudge the front foot around.

Once you get the feeling, you will notice that you are up on your board very quickly. You are usually up and out of the water befor the wake "disturbance" from the boat makes it to the wakeboard.

As for the face plant, when you are "edging" on your wakeboard you can actually think about skiing. Keep your shoulders open to the boat and lean. This is really important on your toe side when your body is literally twisted around. If your position isn't just right, you will catch an edge (at least I do)

Hope this helps

Edited by CedarLakeSkier
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I agree with what everyone has said about starting position. If I am pulling someone new and they still have a hard time I find most are trying to stand to early. I found it is hard to pull with your arms and relax with your legs. Also, make sure sure you have a board big enough for you to small of a board won't help the case.

try this linky about half way through may help you

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I'm far from an expert (took 4 DAYS of trying until I got up the first time), but I found you can't be afraid to let the board go under the water a bit. I snowplowed around the lake for hours until this tidbit became apparent.

Once you get the "feel" for it, and you will, you'll have no problem from then on out...little consolation now, I know, but it's true.

Since you are a skier, you already know how to get up, but this is something that skiers aren't used to. This is the most important piece of advice you will see.

Let the board go under water as your heels pull towards your backside. This will get you up on top of the board and it will naturally plane to the surface as you pull away.

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I am 51 5'11" 210# and can pop up like a cork every time. Let the boat do the work, keep on your knees til your on top of the water. Be patient! Enjoy the fun! I still love a big heelside jump!

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The tip that has help newbys I teach is to tuck your heels under your butt. This seems to get the board on the right angle for them.

I get up all wrong like it is a single trick ski. I point the front of the board at the boat and tuck my back foot under by butt so the board creates a ramp. I learned on an old skurfer which you couldn't sink and it was the only way to get up.

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One trick that we have used when we have a real hard case to start on a wakeboard is this. We tell them NOT to get up. We're going to pull them REAL slow and they just need to concentrate on letting the board come up to their a** and keeping it underneath them. Then you pull them REAL slow and gradually roll on the power until you have them up (at about 12 MPH). Works every time.

Of course, why anybody would want to learn to wakeboard that much is a mystery to me.

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We tell them NOT to get up. We're going to pull them REAL slow and they just need to concentrate on letting the board come up to their a** and keeping it underneath them. Then you pull them REAL slow and gradually roll on the power until you have them up (at about 12 MPH). Works every time.

Plus1.gif

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One trick that we have used when we have a real hard case to start on a wakeboard is this. We tell them NOT to get up. We're going to pull them REAL slow and they just need to concentrate on letting the board come up to their a** and keeping it underneath them. Then you pull them REAL slow and gradually roll on the power until you have them up (at about 12 MPH). Works every time.

Of course, why anybody would want to learn to wakeboard that much is a mystery to me.

Ahhh ... That is an excellent tip to get them up. We'll have to try that next time we get one of those guys that just do not seem to get it.

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MalibuNation

Well I see my numero uno problem now ... besides lack of beer ... I keep my board perpendicular (sp) to the surface of the water (straight up) and the edge sticking out of the water - no wonder I can't get on a plane. From now on I'm going to have the upper edge of the wakeboard under water which I haven't done before. Like someone said, being a skier this is something you don't want to do.

I was doing what RTS did, snowplowing a lot of water. Only thing that is good for is wearing me out. Btw, what does someone from Orlando, FL know about snowplowing Biggrin.gif

Thanks for everything ... think I've got it!

Edited by jchooper
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Well I see my numero uno problem now ... besides lack of beer ... I keep my board perpendicular (sp) to the surface of the water (straight up) and the edge sticking out of the water - no wonder I can't get on a plane. From now on I'm going to have the upper edge of the wakeboard under water which I haven't done before. Like someone said, being a skier this is something you don't want to do.

I was doing what RTS did, snowplowing a lot of water. Only thing that is good for is wearing me out. Btw, what does someone from Orlando, FL know about snowplowing Biggrin.gif

Thanks for everything ... think I've got it!

The reason I know this was the most important piece of advice is because I did the same EXACT thing the first time I tried :blush:. 25 minutes of fingers banging on the board, handle getting ripped out of my hands, and a soreness that lasted a week. The 2nd time I tried it, someone told me to relax, let the board sink, and let the boat do the work and BAM, popped right up. If you're anything like me, you'll feel like a retard when you see how easy it really is. It makes getting up on skis feel like a real workout. Biggrin.gif

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I keep my board perpendicular (sp) to the surface of the water (straight up) and the edge sticking out of the water - no wonder I can't get on a plane. From now on I'm going to have the upper edge of the wakeboard under water which I haven't done before.

I was doing what RTS did, snowplowing a lot of water. Only thing that is good for is wearing me out. Btw, what does someone from Orlando, FL know about snowplowing Biggrin.gif

Thanks for everything ... think I've got it!

During my four days of trial and error, error mostly, I found that keeping the board perpendicular to the water like you are doing did one thing for me. After having the handle snap out of my hands and bang into my right big toe twice, in exactly the same spot, I had a broken toe.

And FYI, it has snowed here twice since I was born....once I even went outside and "plowed" some snow with my hand into a cup and put it in my freezer for safekeeping! So I know how to plow snow. Tongue.gif

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MalibuNation

Somewhere along the line I heard it was important to keep the tip of the board out of the water so you don't do a face plant upon getting up and that has stuck in my thick skull.

Busy weekend and only skied Friday, Sat and Sun, really didn't have time to try boarding and next w/e I'll be in Lake of the Ozarks on a 23' Coblat w/o a tower.

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Somewhere along the line I heard it was important to keep the tip of the board out of the water so you don't do a face plant upon getting up and that has stuck in my thick skull.

Busy weekend and only skied Friday, Sat and Sun, really didn't have time to try boarding and next w/e I'll be in Lake of the Ozarks on a 23' Coblat w/o a tower.

Keeping the leading edge out of the water to prevent a face plant is critical when under way on the board -- BUT -- letting that leading go under during the process of GETTING up is equally critical.

No reason you can't board behind a Cobalt without a tower.

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Well I see my numero uno problem now ... besides lack of beer ... I keep my board perpendicular (sp) to the surface of the water (straight up) and the edge sticking out of the water - no wonder I can't get on a plane. From now on I'm going to have the upper edge of the wakeboard under water which I haven't done before. Like someone said, being a skier this is something you don't want to do.

I was doing what RTS did, snowplowing a lot of water. Only thing that is good for is wearing me out. Btw, what does someone from Orlando, FL know about snowplowing Biggrin.gif

Thanks for everything ... think I've got it!

Great thread - that big guy on the other thread was ME!

I've also talked to the young whippersnappers and observed them literally doing moving start pickups as they drive by. They always use the shallow angle and VERY slow start approach. Overcoming that natural tendency as a skier to keep the tip up, plow forward, and pressure to front foot forward will be hard to shake though.

I love the tip on telling them "not to get up yet" and tricking them into relaxing onto a plane is a great one - thanks! That helps me as a very frequent driver too.

Tom

Edited by TomS
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