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Wakeboarding speed


MIKEGOUGH1

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My son is still having problems getting enough air when wakeboarding. I think he is going too slow. He likes for me to pull him at around 17 mph. What speeds to you like to be pulled at?

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My son is still having problems getting enough air when wakeboarding. I think he is going too slow. He likes for me to pull him at around 17 mph. What speeds to you like to be pulled at?

Depends on your wake and how much ballast you have.

Here is what I do (and there will be many people more qualified than me answering this):

light beginners @ 17

>200lb beginners @21

Intermediate @ 21

Experienced @ 23-24

My boat kicks up a wide wake, so the extra speed is required to thin it out.

I would look at three things for your son's air:

1 - Technique (progressing edge and standing tall @ the wake)

2 - Ballast (how much and where)

3 - Board

4 - Boat Speed

Dave

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All depends on how comfortable he is on the board and how aggressive he wants to get. I ride anywhere from 19-21 depending on much pain I think I can take for the day.

More speed = bigger, longer air. So...

Me (beginner starting to get more aggressive) - 19-21mph

My wife (beginner) - 17mph

My daughter (8yr old), 14-15mph

Two advanced riders I pull ride 23-24mph and get huge air way out into the flats. I think I would just bump him up to 18mph, let him ride there for a bit, then maybe move him up higher. Do it gradually so he can get used to the pull, the air and the faceplant pain... Crazy.gif

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I like to ride about 23-24MPH on glass but if it's not so glassy well, then I guess we just go drink until it gets glassy. I weigh 225-230. Any slower than that, I start dragging.

Edited by Headhunter 2317
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I like to ride about 23-24MPH on glass but if it's not so glassy well, then I guess we just go drink until it gets glassy. I weigh 225-230. Any slower than that, I start dragging.

You're a light weight! Go drink more Biggrin.gif

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I think 17 is WAY too slow to go w2w.

Agreed. One thing not mentioned is line length. At 55ft, you can probably get w2w at 19 or so, 60+ you'll need a little more speed. Extra speed gives you the line tension you need to get a big pop off the wake, so speed him up a bit and see what happens.

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I like to ride about 23-24MPH on glass but if it's not so glassy well, then I guess we just go drink until it gets glassy. I weigh 225-230. Any slower than that, I start dragging.

You're a light weight! Go drink more Biggrin.gif

That is down from 245.....My headplants looked like depth charges back then......

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I like to ride about 23-24MPH on glass but if it's not so glassy well, then I guess we just go drink until it gets glassy. I weigh 225-230. Any slower than that, I start dragging.

Stop watching so many dvd's Tease2.gif When I do board and it's very rare when I have a weak moment at 18 :lol:

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I think 17 is WAY too slow to go w2w.
Depends on the boat. My younger boards at 17 behind my Sporty and has just started going w2w. 17 is where the wake cleans up on my little boat (with no ballast, no wedge). Add a little ballast and 21 is perfect for me. The wake starts to disappear at 22 so 21 it is. Biggrin.gif
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As mentioned above it depends on the boat, the ballast, and rope length. The longer the rope the further back you are, in turn the wider the wake. Some people use speed to compensate for bad form on wider wakes, just to get across. Speed should be 100% dependent on your comfort level assuming you have met the minimum speed to clear the wake with your rope length.

There is no magical speed, your preference will vary as you change boats/ballast/ropes. Just pick a number, 21/22, and adjust after you get up, that's my method.

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As mentioned above it depends on the boat, the ballast, and rope length. The longer the rope the further back you are, in turn the wider the wake. Some people use speed to compensate for bad form on wider wakes, just to get across. Speed should be 100% dependent on your comfort level assuming you have met the minimum speed to clear the wake with your rope length.

There is no magical speed, your preference will vary as you change boats/ballast/ropes. Just pick a number, 21/22, and adjust after you get up, that's my method.

Ditto that Yes.gif Also one reason advanced riders ride at a little faster speed is they like a longer line. And to run a longer line you need more weight, and with more weight you have to run a little faster to clean up the wake up that far back. It's all relative like Todd said. Crazy.gif

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I ride at 21 and like it at 22 if the water is butter.

My son is 10 and he rides 19-20 or so. I think 17 is WAY too slow to go w2w.

I think 17 is WAY too slow to go w2w.

Agreed. One thing not mentioned is line length. At 55ft, you can probably get w2w at 19 or so, 60+ you'll need a little more speed. Extra speed gives you the line tension you need to get a big pop off the wake, so speed him up a bit and see what happens.

Behind our VLXs, maybe so. Behind an Echelon is something entirely different however.

Mike,

You might want to bump him up to 18ish, see what he's comfy with. Try to emphasize technique more than anything. He should be able to get decent pop off of the wake if the technique is there. I'd just hate to see you bump him up to 21 & have him take a nasty faceplant then not want to do it anymore. Take baby steps with the speed - the difference between 17 & 18 isn't much, but the difference between 17 & 20/21 is huge.

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I think 17 is WAY too slow to go w2w.

Agreed. One thing not mentioned is line length. At 55ft, you can probably get w2w at 19 or so, 60+ you'll need a little more speed. Extra speed gives you the line tension you need to get a big pop off the wake, so speed him up a bit and see what happens.

At 60+ one would probably fly twice around the boat...

Or did you mean line length? ;)

Mike

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Well I thought it was around 2,200 rpms or 21 MPH -- but when I got PP this year my readings on that are a bit different. PP says 18.9 -- that's where I like it anyway. Some younger dudes I pull are at 21.4

My 12 year old kid and wife are 17.5

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At 60+ one would probably fly twice around the boat...

Or did you mean line length? ;)

Mike

LOL...yeah, line length.

the difference between 17 & 18 isn't much, but the difference between 17 & 20/21 is huge.

This is so true also...even between 19 and 21mph, the falls are much harder and more painful. I sort of decided after a particularly hard fall last week that I was going to get all that could out of a slower speed before I start bumping it up again, mainly by working on technique and body position.

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Yeah, I think that I need to also preface my statement with "know your kid & what he can handle". If he's older (teens) & is pretty tough, maybe he can take a fall at 20/21 with no problems. But if he's younger & is still at the beginning stages, I'd be real careful with the speed.

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One evening we were messing around and seeing just how fast we could ride on VERY smooth water. I think I was at about 35 or so when I started getting concerned for my safety......

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I ride 22-24 depending on what I'm doing. I think 17 is too slow regardless.

Oh and I wanted to mention that for some strange reason I keep searching for Edwin posts all over the boards for some strange reason...I can't put my finger on why but something about reading his posts makes me happy.... ROFL.gif

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Some people use speed to compensate for bad form on wider wakes, just to get across...

You talkin' to me?

Crazy.gif

no - I have myself man...

Flash back to earlier this year.....

Dave: Dude, how fast were you going?

Rich: Don't ask...

Dave: No really...it felt great...I was landing in the flats...you can tell me

Rich: Nope

Shocking.gif

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