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Wake and ski speed


Bamburo

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Hi, I got a Vride 07 and I am willing to improve my limited wakeboarding skills (49 years old and almost 200 pnds). Which speed is aadequate for getting my first air (I don´t want to braek my neck....). Yestearday I got some of it at 18 miles ph. Steep ramp but not a bit slow....

How about water sking?.

Finally, for my 11 years doughter...what would be a safe wakeboarding speed?.

Thanks!

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18 is a good average starting point for wakeboarding.

For skiing (assuming on combos), try 22-24. If on slalom, you should be closer to 28-30.

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:) Great, thanks alot.

18 is a good average starting point for wakeboarding.

For skiing (assuming on combos), try 22-24. If on slalom, you should be closer to 28-30.

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I would bump the wakeboarding speed up to 22-23 mph if you're trying to advance to jumping. If I'm only doing 18 mph in my vRide with the ballast full and wedge down, the wake is still washed out a little bit. You need to get up over 20 to get the wake to form a nice ramp for you to launch off of. For your daughter, I would leave all the ballast tanks empty and the wedge up and go around 16-18 mph. If you go much slower than that, the board isn't as stable on the water, and I think you have a harder time maintaining control because you're trying to keep from sinking in the water.

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I have a similar question. I have a 1997 Response LX, no tower, primarily used for slalom skiing. I have recently started wakeboarding but am having a hard time determining speed, rope length, and where the sweet spot of the wake would be for my boat. Any thoughts, I too would like to catch some air...and not kill myself?

Thanks

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Thanks Jay, as always really helpful. I guess you're right, I will speed up a little, although at 18 mph the ramp was not bad, it was just that the speed was maybe a tad too low.

By the way, I do not have the wedge (as somebody forgot to installed when I ordered the boat 1.5 years ago), but I notice that the wake is not symetrical...do you know why could it be that one side of the wake is different from the other side?.

Hasta la vista¡

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Your wake not being symmetrical is because of where the weight is in the boat. Usually if you move just one person around from one side to the other you will notice a difference in the wake shape. Try balancing out the weight on either side of the boat and if you have someone move from side to side along the back seat, you will notice the wake shape change.

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Thanks Jay, as always really helpful. I guess you're right, I will speed up a little, although at 18 mph the ramp was not bad, it was just that the speed was maybe a tad too low.

By the way, I do not have the wedge (as somebody forgot to installed when I ordered the boat 1.5 years ago), but I notice that the wake is not symetrical...do you know why could it be that one side of the wake is different from the other side?.

Hasta la vista¡

I stick my fat little brother on different sides of the rear seat to make the wake better....lol (joke)

Being a heavier build you will need more speed to jump from wake to wake... I would start from what you have done and maybe speed up a little bit, get a good carve on the outside and hit the wake frontside and try to just land on the opposite wake. Nice feeling. Then you can start grabs, etc.... Only downfall is going faster hurts more when you eat $hit! I know, Im 6'0 and 225lbs.

AF1

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AF1 thanks...I guess I'll have to loose some fat and I will be flying to the other wake!. It is just that last year I was wake boarding with a kiteboard (with footstraps), I lost the board in the little air I took and I smashed my face to the water...that hurted!.

Jay, effectively that could be as I was on the boat with my 3 children and wife and the weight difference was significant. Next weekend I will more evenly distribute the weight.

Adios!

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I have a similar question. I have a 1997 Response LX, no tower, primarily used for slalom skiing. I have recently started wakeboarding but am having a hard time determining speed, rope length, and where the sweet spot of the wake would be for my boat. Any thoughts, I too would like to catch some air...and not kill myself?

Thanks

I wakeboard a little behind my 2002 Response LX. At about 22 MPH (I weigh 235) and a 60 foot rope (15 off) there is a decent table and a decent wake. I can go wake to wake at that speed and rope length. If you can't get pop off the wake at that speed and wake size you have technique issues. I learned to jump wakes on a trick ski which is much more slippery so you have to learn proper edging techniques which makes it very easy to get air on a wakeboard.

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I forgot about your daughter. My son who is 9 and weighs about 100 pounds wakeboards at 14-15 mph. You want to go slow starting out and slowly ramp the speed up as your daughter gets more comfortable. You will need very little speed to pop her out of the water.

Edited by Chef23
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I start beginners as slow as possible and then progress to a speed to just get the wake clean(about 18mph on my boat with no ballast.) My first jumps were around 20mph, but they do get easier at 21-22 @ 60 or 65 ft. The trick is progression, don't go for both wakes all at once do a hundred 1 wake jumps till you feel comfy...then let'er rip.

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we ride at 75 ft. rope with just under 2000 lbs of ballast and speed wise the perfect pass is at 25-27 depending on the rider but for new riders i go like 15 untill they wanna start jumping which i bump it to 20-22 and have the rope at 65

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I have to agree with the wakeboarding speeds. I started a friend this summer at 18 mph and as he has gotten more comfortable I have moved him into the 19-20 range so he can catch a little air. My wife started me at 24 my first time and after my first face plant almost my last (she has since learned to control the boat speed a little better).

As far as skiing there are a few variables based on ski, experience and how rough the water is. I tend to watch people as they ski to get an idea rheir stance on the ski. Pulling them too fast tends to show up as a ski parallel to the water with weight biased to the front foot. Too slow and the tip of the ski is up a a high angle to the water and they have control problems causing them to lean back and struggle. The speed can only help so much if the balance isn't right but you can help a little with the speed until they get back into the boat and you can talk to them about the balance. Having said all that I rarely pull an adult beginner above 24-26 mph. Kids tend to be less than 20, sometimes (my 7 year old on a combos) just enough speed to get the boat on plan. Water conditions also affect speed. I tend to reduce everyones speed 2-3 mph as the water gets choppy to give their bodies a break.

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