7 year old wakeboarder, help!

[saidainc]

My son(s) 7 and 9 finally got up on the wakeboard behind our boat this summer. That being said, my 7 year old is already crossing the wake on both sides and I have this nagging feeling Im doing something wrong. Here are the stats:

Custom Maliview Setting: No ballast/no wedge yet and 12.8 mph (might be too slow)?

Rope length - barely 15 feet. How long should we be running a 42 lbs 7 year old?

Thanks in advance for any solid advice!

[saidainc]

[jb 156]

speed up I pull my son around 17. 65 feet, no ballast. He is 7.

[River Monsters]

speed up I pull my son around 17. 65 feet, no ballast. He is 7.

Ditto. My youngest is 10.

Edited July 21, 2014 by River Monsters

[longbeard]

^^^^ what they said as well.

[saidainc]

What rope length gents?

[longbeard]

65ft.

[REHinH20]

Don't treat them any different than a normal rider - you will create a habit they will have to break later. Easier to do it right from the beginning.

[River Monsters]

17 mph - 18 mph. We are using a 65' mainline I have shortened to ~55' so his brother (12) can jump wake-to-wake a little easier.

[shawndoggy]

7 is pretty little. I'd be more concerned with the kiddo being happy and enjoying himself. Some kids that little get very scared being that far from the boat. Can he roll over while he's strapped into the board (if he's on his stomach)? I'd certainly experiment with a little faster and a little longer at a time, not immediately throwing him out on a long line and dropping the hammer.

[Michigan boarder]

Has he had a serious faceplant yet? 12.8 versus 17-18mph is a big difference. I say keep it slow, and have him start working on 180's and keeping his edge. Looking at the pic, he's probably ready for the 50 or 60' length.

[malibu2004]

DO NOT make him do something he doesn't want to do. I had some friends that pushed there kid when he was little it was years before he got back in.

If he says he's done get him back in the boat.

[sabre]

I'd go longer as well. Go to 65'. I pulled my daughter at 16mph at 65' when she was 5-6. Let her get settled and used to cutting back and forth. Once she was comfortable with that, if she wanted to work on riding switch, sliding, etc, I'd slow the boat down to 13. Now she's 9 and riding at 18. I still slow down for her slides but only to 15, I don't want her to take a real hard fall just yet (I know they're coming).

[REW]

see all comments above and add a helmet, i started wearing one this year and wish i had started years ago. wipeouts that i know should hurt dont.

[Falko]

question of a similar nature, with the little ones, is going faster allow them to control better? My 9yo is on a 124 board and we tow around 12.5-13. He does alright outside the wake but as soon as he comes back in the board starts bouncing and down he goes. The wake doesn't look that rough. Would a little more speed avoid this? I would think not as the slower speed should set the board better, but I really haven't a clue on it.

Good call on the helmet, I think that is the next purchase.

[longbeard]

question of a similar nature, with the little ones, is going faster allow them to control better? My 9yo is on a 124 board and we tow around 12.5-13. He does alright outside the wake but as soon as he comes back in the board starts bouncing and down he goes. The wake doesn't look that rough. Would a little more speed avoid this? I would think not as the slower speed should set the board better, but I really haven't a clue on it.

Good call on the helmet, I think that is the next purchase.

I would think that it is more about him being on an edge outside the wake. When the board is on edge it is locked in and more stable. Do you have a center fin in their board? Speed wouldn't have much to do with why he is falling if he is just riding in the middle, now it would have something to do with it if he is trying to cross a washed out wake and takes a fall.

[Simo]

When my girls were that age we went around 14-15 at 65 ft.

[Chilldawg]

My little guy is 7 as well and I have him at 14 mph at 65 ft. He seems to be real comfortable there and at that speed. He also looks to be building confidence and always comes out of the water with a smile. I don't think he would like a face plant at 18mph.

[Ceesub]

We run 55-65 feet with the kids at about 14. Seems the kids just do better at full length!

[Michigan boarder]

question of a similar nature, with the little ones, is going faster allow them to control better? My 9yo is on a 124 board and we tow around 12.5-13. He does alright outside the wake but as soon as he comes back in the board starts bouncing and down he goes. The wake doesn't look that rough. Would a little more speed avoid this? I would think not as the slower speed should set the board better, but I really haven't a clue on it.

Good call on the helmet, I think that is the next purchase.

I'd say he is standing too stiff, needs to bend his knees and absorb the bumps. My younger son was doing that at 8 and 9 years old, took him a while to realize that he can stop bouncing by using his knees. He would go inside the wake, bounce twice and with the third bounce was the face plant. Then done for the day.

[Underdog]

Have him jump off the couch to ground

Set his binding exactly how his feet land

His boarding will improve big time

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[isellacuras]

I started my son at slow speeds, maybe 14ish mph but once he was comfortable just riding, I increased speed just enough to clean up the wake. Like others, he is also at 65'.

[MalibuTime]

Have him jump off the couch to ground

Set his binding exactly how his feet land

His boarding will improve big time

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think I need to do this

[Dan4x4]

My son is 8 and we vary from 15 -17 mph. He always wants 16.5, for some reason it souds cool to him. The rope is usually at whatever length I am using depending on wakeboarding or wakeskating which is between 65 - 75ft. Usually no wedge or weight for him but he is just learning how to turn across the wake.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Dan4x4

[NormRD]

My son started last year at 5 years old and we have him at 70ft and do 15-17 mph. He crosses both wakes and really have concentrated on getting good at both edges. Agree with others, body position and edging will help avoid some face plants. But it's a board sport so it's just part of it too.