Waterski v. Wakeboard

[obski]

I like them both. This year I have been doing more slalom skiing, but just by a bit.

I've been thinking of making a boat change to reflect my change in activity.

I think the slalom ski is harder to learn to get up on than a wakeboard, but each requires continual learning and practice. Neither can be completely mastered, which is part of the appeal.

They are both a lot of fun, especially when you are out on the water with family and friends who share in your enthusiasm.

[Michigan boarder]

I'm eating my words here. I know this is off topic, but since it was discussed, here's my barefooting story from yesterday:

Long line

#1 attempt - drop a ski. I get up slalom, loose binding. Good speed. I get low, trying to put all the weight on my free foot. It just doesn't feel right. I think a quick drop of the ski and 3 point will do it. Dropped the ski, free foot dipped and over I went. Arms covering my face/head wondering where the h_ll that ski is. This won't work.

#2 attempt - deep water. My feet slip off the rope and as I attempt to move them back up, my body folds in half. The handle is pinned on my legs, which are vertical, and my hands are pinned between my legs and the handle. After a couple of seconds I realize I am totally pinned by the water and I am not going to plane, and that I may run out of air soon, so I manage to twist the handle and let go. Nice bruises on the quads.

#3 attempt - tumble up. I get on plane and spin around, can't see squat due to spray. I know I"m still in the prop wash but try to stand anyway - end over end, wrenched my neck bad.

#4 attempt - tumble up. I get on plan again, and move out of the prop wash. I stand up and my right foot goes under. My body once again folds in half, but this time it's sideways. I've never been bent or stretched anywhere near that degree before, my left calf hit the left side of my head. I felt a searing pain in my left arm during the bend. It all ends, and I'm in the water terrified to move, and I can feel tingling and numbness in my left arm. I realize I'm OK. My wife says she is done pulling me, that I am insane. I agree that this isn't working today and tell her we need to go and get the boom

Off the boom, short line, felt good. Had fun. Spilled a couple times, went for a few good runs, practicing moving left and right. Put the boat up. I know it's going to start hurting soon, and sure enough all day I had muscles in my neck, back and right side start to ache.

The point is - After attempt #4, I will never, ever attempt long line barefooting again. I must have been fractions of an inch away from paralyzing myself or some other ridiculous permanent damage. In that split second I was sure I was going to hear a pop and change my life forever. For what it's worth!

[TrickyNicky]

I'm eating my words here. I know this is off topic, but since it was discussed, here's my barefooting story from yesterday:

Long line

#1 attempt - drop a ski. I get up slalom, loose binding. Good speed. I get low, trying to put all the weight on my free foot. It just doesn't feel right. I think a quick drop of the ski and 3 point will do it. Dropped the ski, free foot dipped and over I went. Arms covering my face/head wondering where the h_ll that ski is. This won't work.

#2 attempt - deep water. My feet slip off the rope and as I attempt to move them back up, my body folds in half. The handle is pinned on my legs, which are vertical, and my hands are pinned between my legs and the handle. After a couple of seconds I realize I am totally pinned by the water and I am not going to plane, and that I may run out of air soon, so I manage to twist the handle and let go. Nice bruises on the quads.

#3 attempt - tumble up. I get on plane and spin around, can't see squat due to spray. I know I"m still in the prop wash but try to stand anyway - end over end, wrenched my neck bad.

#4 attempt - tumble up. I get on plan again, and move out of the prop wash. I stand up and my right foot goes under. My body once again folds in half, but this time it's sideways. I've never been bent or stretched anywhere near that degree before, my left calf hit the left side of my head. I felt a searing pain in my left arm during the bend. It all ends, and I'm in the water terrified to move, and I can feel tingling and numbness in my left arm. I realize I'm OK. My wife says she is done pulling me, that I am insane. I agree that this isn't working today and tell her we need to go and get the boom

Off the boom, short line, felt good. Had fun. Spilled a couple times, went for a few good runs, practicing moving left and right. Put the boat up. I know it's going to start hurting soon, and sure enough all day I had muscles in my neck, back and right side start to ache.

The point is - After attempt #4, I will never, ever attempt long line barefooting again. I must have been fractions of an inch away from paralyzing myself or some other ridiculous permanent damage. In that split second I was sure I was going to hear a pop and change my life forever. For what it's worth!

And isn't this what barefooting is all about!

You should try a kneeboard or wakeboard without bindings. It gives you the float that you need to stay out of the water and there's no sudden changes you just stick your feet in a bit to stabalize an prevent the board from bouncing and than stand up. I got up first shot on the knee board and it hasn't failed me since. I really do need to try a deep-water though. I just always end up barefooting at teh end of the weekend when I have no energy to learn what a submarine feels like.

Don't give it up, you'll be proud when you get it

[DONTW8]

1. Easier: Wakeboard 2. They each have their own skill sets. 3. Slalom skiing on the course. You have a goal that is measureable. 4. Waterskiing.

I think the bottom line comes down to the equpment you own. If you alrady bought a v-drive boat then wakeboarding will be more fun. If you are just now buying a boat you can pick up a good used direct drive for half price of a similar v-drive.

With the direct drive you are trying to stay light for a smooth wake. So you don't waste your money on fat sacks, 3000 watt stereo on the latest Titan rack, and then the obligatory surfboard later.

We ski 90% of the time. The wakeboard is just something different to do mostly when the glass surface is gone.

At Lake Billy Chinook my observation is that 70% of the late model high dollar wakeboard boats with tower are pulling a two person tube 70% of the time. So they have a $60 grand tube puller. As they have every right to do.

Frankly, I just like being on the water. I'm getting so if I have a bad ski day I am still happy to be there.

[Gone Boatin']

1. Wakeboarding definately. Way more surface area than a slalom ski and you dont have to try to control two skis wandering all over as with combos. Most people we've taken for the first time will get up within the first few tries on a board, not always so with the skis.

2. Kinda subjective, different skills. But i do think slalom takes more strength to do correctly, I think a couple of passes of hard skiing takes it out of you way more than wakeboarding does. Skiings more of an explosive sprint type of thing. You're not just doing a trick and then pausing to compose yourself, its back to back ripping till the legs give out.

3-4. Wakeboarding. I like it better cuz i feel its more multi dimensional. As much as i like laying down a big carve on a ski, you can do so much more on a board - jumps, slides, flips whatever, its almost limitless. And when i get tired, simply slashing and sliding around on the wake can keep me pathetically amused for hours. ( i know its time to quit when everyone in the boat stops watching and falls asleep while reading a good book.)

Also, aside from catching the occasional edge while boarding, I still say I've taken harder falls skiing. You're just going at a kinder gentler speed while waking.

Anyway, i always say a bad day of skipping across the water on anything beats a good day of work, its all good!!

[85 Barefoot]

I'm eating my words here. I know this is off topic, but since it was discussed, here's my barefooting story from yesterday:

Long line

#1 attempt - drop a ski. I get up slalom, loose binding. Good speed. I get low, trying to put all the weight on my free foot. It just doesn't feel right. I think a quick drop of the ski and 3 point will do it. Dropped the ski, free foot dipped and over I went. Arms covering my face/head wondering where the h_ll that ski is. This won't work.

#2 attempt - deep water. My feet slip off the rope and as I attempt to move them back up, my body folds in half. The handle is pinned on my legs, which are vertical, and my hands are pinned between my legs and the handle. After a couple of seconds I realize I am totally pinned by the water and I am not going to plane, and that I may run out of air soon, so I manage to twist the handle and let go. Nice bruises on the quads.

#3 attempt - tumble up. I get on plane and spin around, can't see squat due to spray. I know I"m still in the prop wash but try to stand anyway - end over end, wrenched my neck bad.

#4 attempt - tumble up. I get on plan again, and move out of the prop wash. I stand up and my right foot goes under. My body once again folds in half, but this time it's sideways. I've never been bent or stretched anywhere near that degree before, my left calf hit the left side of my head. I felt a searing pain in my left arm during the bend. It all ends, and I'm in the water terrified to move, and I can feel tingling and numbness in my left arm. I realize I'm OK. My wife says she is done pulling me, that I am insane. I agree that this isn't working today and tell her we need to go and get the boom

Off the boom, short line, felt good. Had fun. Spilled a couple times, went for a few good runs, practicing moving left and right. Put the boat up. I know it's going to start hurting soon, and sure enough all day I had muscles in my neck, back and right side start to ache.

The point is - After attempt #4, I will never, ever attempt long line barefooting again. I must have been fractions of an inch away from paralyzing myself or some other ridiculous permanent damage. In that split second I was sure I was going to hear a pop and change my life forever. For what it's worth!

Don't say that. First you need to go longline to see how it feels by standing up off a kneeboard like someone else said. Once you have the feeling of longline, you need to practice your 3 point stance longline and getting some control. Your stories sound like you just started going and haphazardly were trying to stand up. You should learn how to control your 3 point at 30-32mph before putting your feet in. If you have spray in your face you are leaning too far back. You should NOT be trying to tumble up longline if you can't do a "regular" longline start. You need to be a needle coming out of the water and push your shoudlers back to help get you planed off. Then let your feet off rope, bend your knees, lean up and just practice your butt riding for a while. It's not that hard if you're patient. Most people just rush.

[areamike]

Don't say that. First you need to go longline to see how it feels by standing up off a kneeboard like someone else said. Once you have the feeling of longline, you need to practice your 3 point stance longline and getting some control. Your stories sound like you just started going and haphazardly were trying to stand up. You should learn how to control your 3 point at 30-32mph before putting your feet in. If you have spray in your face you are leaning too far back. You should NOT be trying to tumble up longline if you can't do a "regular" longline start. You need to be a needle coming out of the water and push your shoudlers back to help get you planed off. Then let your feet off rope, bend your knees, lean up and just practice your butt riding for a while. It's not that hard if you're patient. Most people just rush.

:plus1:

[68Slalom]

All I can say is that you have to be in much better shape to waterski than wakeboard, but wakeboarding can give you pains in areas you never thought you had muscles. They both take a certain level of balance in a different way, I was an avid open water skier for many years and have slowly converted over to wakeboarding, only because it has become more of a challenge and there is a certain level of fear you feel if you catch the board on edge in the wrong way which drives me to get better and avoid those falls.

I would say wakeboarding can be more fun once you get past the initial toe side wrecks (landing face first) and is much easier to enjoy, but truly requires timing to land some of those tricks that people do.

[areamike]

I'm eating my words here. I know this is off topic, but since it was discussed, here's my barefooting story from yesterday:

Long line

#1 attempt - drop a ski. I get up slalom, loose binding. Good speed. I get low, trying to put all the weight on my free foot. It just doesn't feel right. I think a quick drop of the ski and 3 point will do it. Dropped the ski, free foot dipped and over I went. Arms covering my face/head wondering where the h_ll that ski is. This won't work.

BAD IDEA when trying to learn. This is one of the worst ways to learn to foot without first having experience.

#2 attempt - deep water. My feet slip off the rope and as I attempt to move them back up, my body folds in half. The handle is pinned on my legs, which are vertical, and my hands are pinned between my legs and the handle. After a couple of seconds I realize I am totally pinned by the water and I am not going to plane, and that I may run out of air soon, so I manage to twist the handle and let go. Nice bruises on the quads.

You should have let go as soon as your feet "fell off the rope" No point in killing yourself. When you yell "Hit it", as soon as the boat starts to pull you take a deep breath and try to put the back of your head on the bottom of the lake. The handle should be tucked in at your waist. Arch your back and wait until you feel yourself start to plane out and then slowly sit up on your bum, keeping the handle in at your waist the whole time. This will keep your center of gravity centered. My best advice is watch a bunch of videos of people doing deep starts. I've learned most of my skills from watching others succeed and fail.

Here is a really good video to watch. Other than using the "Dawg paws to learn" I agree with it all. Watch and listen VERY closely at the 1:28 mark. HANDLE POSITION..HANDLE POSITION..HANDLE POSITION..!!

#3 attempt - tumble up. I get on plane and spin around, can't see squat due to spray. I know I"m still in the prop wash but try to stand anyway - end over end, wrenched my neck bad.

SUPER BAD IDEA! Tumble up long line is NOT easy, even I have difficulty with them sometimes and I am an avid footer. That would be like trying to learn to fly without first having wings.

#4 attempt - tumble up. I get on plan again, and move out of the prop wash. I stand up and my right foot goes under. My body once again folds in half, but this time it's sideways. I've never been bent or stretched anywhere near that degree before, my left calf hit the left side of my head. I felt a searing pain in my left arm during the bend. It all ends, and I'm in the water terrified to move, and I can feel tingling and numbness in my left arm. I realize I'm OK. My wife says she is done pulling me, that I am insane. I agree that this isn't working today and tell her we need to go and get the boom

Your first good idea of the day. GET THE BOOM! or get on a kneeboard or wakeboard on your butt for trying long line first.

Off the boom, short line, felt good. Had fun. Spilled a couple times, went for a few good runs, practicing moving left and right. Put the boat up. I know it's going to start hurting soon, and sure enough all day I had muscles in my neck, back and right side start to ache.

Your using muscles you are not used to using. Keep trying on the boom. Perfect your deep starts on the short line off the boom before going long line unless you want the same results as #1. On the boom, once you are up, try sitting down and then standing back up a bunch of times while focusing on the 3-point position.

The point is - After attempt #4, I will never, ever attempt long line barefooting again. I must have been fractions of an inch away from paralyzing myself or some other ridiculous permanent damage. In that split second I was sure I was going to hear a pop and change my life forever. For what it's worth!

Don't get discouraged. You tried many things that are not good ideas. Start from square one and work your way up.

Boat driver is essential for learning to barefoot.

The problem I see is most inexperienced drivers think. MORE SPEED MORE SPEED. This is BAD! Find someone that knows how to pull a footer, or jump in your car and drive down here to my place and I will have you getting up long line with no problems in one outing GUARANTEED.

[Malibudude]

In terms of getting up definitely wakeboarding wins.

In terms of skill both require different skill sets after you master something you want more just in different ways. Slalom is a self defeating sport, as soon as you get one length shorten it up until you fail…..vs. wakeboarding you first go wake to wake then 180’s/360’s then inverts. The quest in either sport never ends of a shorter line for slalom or a new bag of tricks for wakeboarding. I would say on average the injuries from wakeboarding are in greater in numbers than slalom and tougher on the body.

In terms of fun it is fun to load up the boat and head out, which lends itself to wakeboarding and surfing…running the course is more exhilarating.

I prefer slalom to all other water sports, the precision/execution combined with the slicing speed…just nothing can replace that. Once heading into the entry gates the rest of the world ceases to exist.

[68Slalom]

In terms of getting up definitely wakeboarding wins.

In terms of skill both require different skill sets after you master something you want more just in different ways. Slalom is a self defeating sport, as soon as you get one length shorten it up until you fail…..vs. wakeboarding you first go wake to wake then 180's/360's then inverts. The quest in either sport never ends of a shorter line for slalom or a new bag of tricks for wakeboarding. I would say on average the injuries from wakeboarding are in greater in numbers than slalom and tougher on the body.

In terms of fun it is fun to load up the boat and head out, which lends itself to wakeboarding and surfing…running the course is more exhilarating.

I prefer slalom to all other water sports, the precision/execution combined with the slicing speed…just nothing can replace that. Once heading into the entry gates the rest of the world ceases to exist.

I think sometimes we (or I) overlook the simple things in life that is how it all got started and take advantage of the things we have, I need to get back to enjoying it more instead of trying so hard every time we are out.

Back to the topic at hand

[Michigan boarder]

OK, got all that. BTW, I'm still sore today. It's funny you offered your place, that crossed my mind Sunday nite driving home. I hate admitting that there is anything I can't do. So I'm warming back up to it (as the pain fades!) Sorry OP, I'll start a new thread.

[The Wife]

Took my husband 2 years and he had to buy a boat with a tower to get up wakeboarding. He has his bag of tricks now and loves it. I was a skier in my youth and now a boarder in both water and snow and over 50. I think people who skateboarded in their younger years find it easier to learn and do. I would say both are fun and challenging. Just depends on what you like.

[areamike]

Took my husband 2 years and he had to buy a boat with a tower to get up wakeboarding. He has his bag of tricks now and loves it. I was a skier in my youth and now a boarder in both water and snow and over 50. I think people who skateboarded in their younger years find it easier to learn and do. I would say both are fun and challenging. Just depends on what you like.

Never heard of anyone "having to buy a boat with a tower to get up Wakeboarding" but hey, whatever excuse he used to justify the purchase works!!!

Welcome to the Crew!

[arrydjay]

I think that the best tip anyone gave me when learning to wakeboard was to wrap my arms around my knee's rather than between them when holding onto the handle on take offs....it just folds you into a ball and makes standing up soo easy, as soon as I tell newbies that one piece of advice it has them all standing up straight away..