Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Starting my 5yr old wakeboarding.


rivrat

Recommended Posts

Wife and I have decided to start our 5yr old in wakeboard lessons. I have already bought him a board and his 3yr old brother really wants to try now too. depending on how he likes it. We may take him out of soccer and have hims start wakeboarding as his sport. maybe start another froggy and tadpole duo. Is 3 too young too start?

Link to comment

If you as a parent can keep it low key and fun, 3 years old is a great age to start. Mine kneeboarded at 4 and was wakeboarding a short time after that. I still fit in another sport along swimming lessons

Link to comment

yeah its going to be low key, I was raised to enjoy sports but work at school. there is a very small % of people that make money in sports and if you only do sports and no college then what happens if they don't make it. He's an unbelievable swimmer. they both started at 18 months. now the 5yr old can swim underwater longer than I can and the 3 yr old isn't too far behind. should i start them on skis/kneeboard or straight to wakeboard.

Link to comment

We're debating this same thing with our 3yo daughter. She's all about trying it because her 7yo sister is wakeboarding and surfing. My only real concern is what happens if she falls with the board on. I assume her PFD will keep her right, but I think we have to let her fall near the dock where we're near her and see how she manages. I just have this vision of her going in toe-side first and not being able to stay up with the board on even though she swims pretty well.

Funny though...our 7yo barely wakeboards any more...all she wants to do is surf.

Link to comment

Started my 5yr old out last year. She rode with me, standing on my board last summer. This year she has her own board. Got her started by running with the rope on the shoreline. Now she is riding behind the boat. Havent had any scares yet with hard falls, but my wife always worries about it.

Link to comment

Rivrat has the right idea. We started our girls around this age. My biggest concern was learning to flip over with the board. I taught them in a pool. Once they could do this, I simulated a deep water start in the pool. They took to it fairly quickly. I think I started pulling them around 12 or 13. I am also an advocate of Detention with Murray. It helps to see and learn instead of Dad telling them.

Link to comment

Leave them in soccer and what ever else they want to do out of the water. 3 is fine but as soon as the boat pulls away and they are in the middle of the lake by themselves things change real quick.

Link to comment

We started them out off a tube, works perfect every time. My little guy likes when my wife jumps in after he falls. Keep rope short and don't push them

Link to comment

I've been working with my kids (5 & 7) on this as well. You have the right idea, pool and then lake. I wouldn't let them even try until they could roll from front to back with no help. We run a little shorter line and about 14 or 15 MPH. Also, I never tell them to ride, I ask if they want to. I'm okay with either answer....

Link to comment

Nice post....just ordered my 6 yr old daughter a Ronix package today...she is board with the trainer ski! Trying to cut & jump....it's hilarious! Mom is also nervous. My parents have a pool & I was gunna start her in there. I like the tube start idea. My wife is terrified of her catching an edge! At that age & wt. I find u don't need more than a couple mph....just engaging the boat in drive is enough for my daughter to stand up.

Link to comment

I like the idea of starting them off a tube. As I could envision it, you'd hold one end of the rope while on the tube and they'd hold the other very close. Close to you on the tube but not close to the boat.

Our 7yo (now) started last year at 6 and she actually got up (for about 5 seconds) on her first try. I was amazed. When they weigh 40lbs, you barely have to move to get them up. She's starting to jump and such now, but really she's more than happy just freeriding behind the boat without trying tricks.

Our 3yo has been surfing with my wife on my board all summer. She loves it and she keeps asking to wakeboard. We'll probably try before the end of the summer. Like I said, I like the tube idea.

Edited by nownow
Link to comment

My 3 1/2 year old love to ride the tube. I started him riding in the tube at 1 1/2. Last year at 2 1/2 I started wakeboarding with him between my legs with him standing on the board. I have always taken the approach of asking him rather than telling him. I have been asking him about kneeboarding just so I can get him ready to be behind the boat. Planning on trying that next lake trip. I plan on getting his own board and starting him off the tube early next season.

Link to comment

Sure you all know.....don't let your kids put the strap across there knees at this young age! My 7 yr old started to put the strap on while being towed 8 mph (like mom did). I backed off throttle & stopped the boat. She was mad & said she could do it! Quick experiment @ the swim step with wife & I proved otherwise! She panicked even with us there & couldn't undo the strap!

Link to comment

They sit on the tube with adult in the water holding it in place. When slack is out of line you take off and they basically stand up. Seemed to work great with my kids. They were up on the first or second try.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...