Want to wakeboard, no tower....

[Guitarjesus]

Ok folks, until I get a wake tower (next season), I want to take a stab at wake boarding. I know it can be done without a tower, but a couple questions:

1. Do they make any type of locks that go over the transom tow points? Figure the even or up angle of the rope (if I ever get my ass in the air) can make the rope come off the tow point possibly.

2. For an SX190, what length of rope is good? A friend is gifting me an older board (benefits of being a bartender).

Thanks all!

 

[BrandonG]

You would want to use the tow point inbetween the seats above the swim platform. If you route the rope correctly it wont come loose.

The rope is something you'll want to spend some money on, most of the good ones are between like 70-85 ft. and have a few 5ft sections at one end you can remove to position the rider in the best part of the wake. To start you'll probably want to be behind the boat as far as possible so the wake is more manageable, as you progress you can shorten the rope up to the highest crest of the wake.

Alot of cheaper ropes can stretch so when you're trying to do tricks its hard to get the power to cut across the wake because you're fighting the stretch at the same time. Ropes that float and have a coating are nice too because you can grab it without getting rope burn at the boat gets into postion to pull you up after a fall ect.

 

[Guitarjesus]

You would want to use the tow point inbetween the seats above the swim platform. If you route the rope correctly it wont come loose.

The rope is something you'll want to spend some money on, most of the good ones are between like 70-85 ft. and have a few 5ft sections at one end you can remove to position the rider in the best part of the wake. To start you'll probably want to be behind the boat as far as possible so the wake is more manageable, as you progress you can shorten the rope up to the highest crest of the wake.

Alot of cheaper ropes can stretch so when you're trying to do tricks its hard to get the power to cut across the wake because you're fighting the stretch at the same time. Ropes that float and have a coating are nice too because you can grab it without getting rope burn at the boat gets into postion to pull you up after a fall ect.

Thanks! Any brands that stand out? Much appreciated.

 

[BrandonG]

You got it buddy! I dont think brand name is the most important thing. Its the material used. Spectra/Dyneema are essentially the same but are top of the line materials for wakeboard rope.

I bought this one yesterday, Its like 75$ if you use the promo code, its a coated Spectra rope.
CTRL Blazer Wakeboard Handle w/ Team Rope - 15in (the-house.com)

 

[Ronnie]

If you have never wakeboarded before consider putting your own trainer together. I bought new material for mine but could just as easily scavenged them from an old life vest.

Yamaha Jet Boaters • Login

 

[Scottintexas]

they make a post or pylon that you can stick in your table mount, when the wake boarding craze slowed down and surfing took over we didn't hear much talk about them anymore, you may be able to search or it may have been so long ago it's only documents at YJB,

https://www.bulletlines.com/Ski-Pylon-For-Boats-p/252.htm

.

 

[Guitarjesus]

If you have never wakeboarded before consider putting your own trainer together. I bought new material for mine but could just as easily scavenged them from an old life vest.

Yamaha Jet Boaters • Login

I'll take a look. I surfed in my youth, snowboarded, would ski, played hockey, etc. I'm not necessarily worried about that aspect, but I ain't as young as I was so we'll see how it goes. Cheers!

 

[biffdotorg]

Biggest tip I can give starting wakeboarding, is inform the driver that this is not skiing, and no need to "punch it" These boats will rip that handle out of your hands or pull your back muscles very easily.

Start by rolling into the throttle allowing the boarder to stabilize the board perpendicular to the boat and suck their knees up and literally stand up. Not as easy without a tower, but no need for a punch by any means. I started realizing how easy it was to get up with an experienced driver, over a novice pretending I was on an Twin binding, HO Turbo from 1987.

Good luck!

 

[Guitarjesus]

Biggest tip I can give starting wakeboarding, is inform the driver that this is not skiing, and no need to "punch it" These boats will rip that handle out of your hands or pull your back muscles very easily.

Start by rolling into the throttle allowing the boarder to stabilize the board perpendicular to the boat and suck their knees up and literally stand up. Not as easy without a tower, but no need for a punch by any means. I started realizing how easy it was to get up with an experienced driver, over a novice pretending I was on an Twin binding, HO Turbo from 1987.

Good luck!

Luckily it'll be my wife driving so got that covered!

 

[2kwik4u]

Luckily it'll be my wife driving so got that covered!

You're going to want Ridesteady. GPS speed control on a jet boat is such an exceptional upgrade. I got it this year, and it's literally the best thing since sliced bread. I ride a wakeskate and prefer a slower speed (~16.5mph). It's just this side of impossible to do that speed by hand with any level consistency.

I ride a wakeskate just about every outing (well try to anyway). I cut my teeth riding a board/skate behind my '98 Rinker 182. It didn't have a tower, and still provided tons of fun.

July 11th 2011. 31 in this picture.....Cheese and Rice I'm getting old........Notice the rope pointed DOWN towards the transom. I think I was on a 60ft rope here. I'm also way out in the flats off the side of the boat. Still have those shorts, but can't fit in them anymore


Same day, same equipment. Clearly NOT a wake from a jetboat. Little to no wake to speak of really. Still a lot of fun.

 

[RampRage]

Just go out and have fun.

Slow starts make all the difference.

I face plant just as well today as the day I started.

I rented a $30 wakeboard in 2013 and wakeboarded behind my SX210 without any issues.

Next year I bought a tower and then the following year ride-steady / perfect pass.

 

[Robb235]

I learned how to wakeboard behind a 1997 Yamaha Exciter 220 with no tower. My current XR1800 has a tower, but I’ve not wakeboarded behind it yet.

I’ll say this, it took me forever to figure out how to get up. What I finally realized is that I was trying to stand up too soon, and I was essentially forcing the wakeboard down into the water, and from there was getting drug by the boat until I let go of the handle. I learned instead to get into a crouched position over the wakeboard once the boat started moving, and didn’t stand up until I was moving at a fast enough speed that standing up didn’t force the wakeboard down into the water. Hope that makes sense.

 

[HangOutdoors]

You're going to want Ridesteady. GPS speed control on a jet boat is such an exceptional upgrade. I got it this year, and it's literally the best thing since sliced bread. I ride a wakeskate and prefer a slower speed (~16.5mph). It's just this side of impossible to do that speed by hand with any level consistency.

I ride a wakeskate just about every outing (well try to anyway). I cut my teeth riding a board/skate behind my '98 Rinker 182. It didn't have a tower, and still provided tons of fun.

July 11th 2011. 31 in this picture.....Cheese and Rice I'm getting old........Notice the rope pointed DOWN towards the transom. I think I was on a 60ft rope here. I'm also way out in the flats off the side of the boat. Still have those shorts, but can't fit in them anymore
View attachment 182787

Same day, same equipment. Clearly NOT a wake from a jetboat. Little to no wake to speak of really. Still a lot of fun.
View attachment 182788

I can get the kid up wakeboarding but it is touch and go with the throttles. If we keep the through next year, I will be putting @Ridesteady on it. If we switch boats, then it will go on the new one. 1/3rd of the time I face plant the kids and their friends cause I come up to quick. LOL. I blame the boat

 

[2kwik4u]

I can get the kid up wakeboarding but it is touch and go with the throttles. If we keep the through next year, I will be putting @Ridesteady on it. If we switch boats, then it will go on the new one. 1/3rd of the time I face plant the kids and their friends cause I come up to quick. LOL. I blame the boat

Launch control on the Ridesteady will help.

I added it this year, and it's a game changer. I haven't ridden with it much due to scheduling, but when I have used it, it's been great.

Still don't have a wakeboard for the kids though I need an assistant