Riding the Cable Park

[jklein]

I had the opportunity to go to a cable park while I was on business here in Austrailia (Cairns). Luckily for me the park opened up about 3 weeks ago.

I was the first American to ride the park so I did my best to represent.

At first it was kind of boring except that you can dock start over and over again which was fun. You could also really practice hard deep progressive edging since there's no wake, do some spins and ollies. Since the park is so new, there's no kickers or sliders yet.

Anyway, after chatting with someone I met there, he told me that when you come to a corner where the cable changes direction, you should load the line in the opposite direction that you're about to turn, and as soon as the cable goes around the corner, release your board off the water and hang on.

WOW, it pulls you right up into the air and you better hang on real tight because the load gets so high it will rip the handle right out of your hand. It's very fun and I would recommend it to anyone.

[WakeAndSno]

Can you explain that a bit more? I usually get a chance to go to the cables down in FL a couple times a year and I always wondered what the exact technique was for that.....

Oh, and congrats on this being your first time on the cable, and the first American there!!

Thanks!

JZ

[RTS]

  WOW, it pulls you right up into the air and you better hang on real tight because the load gets so high it will rip the handle right out of your hand.  It's very fun and I would recommend it to anyone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've watched some guys doing that at the park in Orlando and it is wild. They seem to hang in the air for 4-5 seconds or more

[D-GOOSE]

Let me tell you I did not like the cable park at all. First off the place had p.o.s bindings that ripped into my ankle's. The rope handle was wood, water was choppy from all the other kneeboarders, skiers going around.

Yes the pop you get will yank you arms off if you don't come into the corners right. I was on a kneeboard (had to for my first two runs ) and when I hit the first turn it pulled me so hard that I went flying in the air and did a full front 360 . Then after getting dumped off you have to walk all the way back to the LINE of people. on a rocky path.

On the plus side, I did see some kids doing inverts and transoms off the corners. the parks have there place, but for me I will pay for a pull or own a boat.

[05wake]

That is too bad that there were not any sliders or kickers. I went to the OWC last time I was in Florida and on the first couple of passes I was too scaed of the obstacles, and yes it was boring. One of the coolest part is the dock start, your'e right. One second your standing there, the next you are going 20 mph. You don't have to wait for the boat to get up to speed, you don't hear the boat, nothing, just your board hitting the water. I miss that. Anyways, once I started getting the hang of the sliders and kickers, it was a complete rush. I highly recomend it. Please, someone build a park in Southern California. I could quit the jym if that was next door. It was quite a workout,, especially hanging on through those turns when your tired.

[jklein]

It is quite a workout, and the wooden handles are quite harsh. Well... it's good to be back in the good ol' USA for sure.

Anyway, I am certainly not an expert my any means on the cable park, but the basic technique for getting air on the corner is as follows... or at least for the 1 park I visited:

1. The cable is going in the counter-clockwise direction, so you're always making left turns. Therefore you need to be riding with your right foot forward for this to work.

2. When you ride, you get pulled in a straight line, and when you come to a corner, you will change direction. The corner will vary from 60 to 90 degrees or so.

3. So, you load the line by cutting onto your heel side edge cutting to the right, (right foot forward... you're about to get sharply pulled to the left, when the cable turns the corner).

4. As soon as the rope where it's attached to the cable gets to the corner, you do a little ollie to release your board from the water. All of the line tension you've built up is still in the rope, and it's being increased because the rope is now pulling in the opposite direction that you were loading the line.

5. The result is that all that energy is released and you're snapped right along with it into the air and forward in the direction the cable is moving. You better hang on or you'll get slammed. You might also get slammed even if you do hang on, as I did several times.

Edited May 23, 2005 by jklein

[D-GOOSE]

So I take it you didn't pull off any air stuff. How did you feel after getting

[jklein]

I did ok. Anytime my legs would get behind me though... (like raley action), it would be painful. I'm ok except for a few bruises in places I can't explain.

[obski]

I had a friend go to Shaun Murray's wakeboard camp last year and they spent a day at OWC. He said that some of those guys can get some insane height. They will have contests to see who can get the highest and they will get up above the cable coming off of the corners.

[skibabe]

That'd be right - someone from across the other side of the world beats me to a ride at my local cable park !!! Some good tips for when I go tho .. I think I'll go midweek so no-one can see me walking back

Hope you enjoyed your visit over here - the weather turned it on perfect for you

Jill

[RTS]

...they will get up above the cable coming off of the corners.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't know about that...Those cable runs are pretty high up off the water surface...