wakeboarding

[tedatwgs]

anyone had a go at wakeboarding as a light wind hobby? I had ago today and it was pretty good. But not the same feeling as having a kite, or having to edge against the power. Anyone know how much a second hand board and bindings might cost for a beginner set up???

 

sick of no wind

[Bigmp]

The problem isn't the board it is your source of power... the boat or the wire systems aren't exactly cheap.

 

I've been wakeboarding and waterskiing for years and can safely say they are not cheap sports

[russ_kent]

I live an easy drive away from a cable park - so it's pretty telling that I've only been once. It ain't that great compared to kitesurfing IMHO, and it properly tires out your hands. Kitesurfing boards are generally a bit quick for cable parks (you seem to overrun on corners unless you get the right line) but as I understand it secondhand wakeboarding gear is pretty cheap.

 

Down Saaaaarf we're having a fantastically windy year so far, shame it's not the same up in Shropshire. Low wind days are nature's way of making you do the other stuff you keep meaning to get around to like spending time with the missis, doing jobs on the house, giving your Mum or neglected friends that phone call you haven't been arsed to do for ages because you were kitesurfing etc etc :-)

[Bigmp]

powerballs and those grippy strengthener things for hours a day everyday and you will have no problem... sounded like an average day for me.

I used to have the grip trainers with me at school all day under the table... got a few funny comments out of it but oh well.

I used to do waterski racing and you were racing for up to 80 minutes a race going at a fair rate so grip was important.

plus try doing an english exam 2 days later and writing 10 pages in like 2 hours

[tedatwgs]

cool thanks guys - yes no where near as good as kiting. But it seems like i could do it alot more than thinking about kiting all the time but hardly going. Is there such thing as a beginners set up - 6ft 12.5 stones. I know for kiteboard you would need these.

[Bigmp]

I would sell you my old one but i am a bit bigger than you so the board is pretty big and the bindings wouldn't fit either so you are less than half way there.

[southcoaststeve]

you'll be looking for a 140 ish wakeboard, if you go open toe bindings they have a huge size range. i prefer closed toe as they are easier to get into/out of, and give better control, but you need to get the specific size.

if you are on the cable, hit some of the obstacles, makes it more fun! if you're behind a boat you'll have nothing but fun trying to clear the wake!

i enjoy wakeboarding when the wind is off, but i have to agree, if the wind is up kitesurfing is much better!

[kliwayley]

WakeKite | Home

 

how about this?

[Sammy1599968740]

I dunno. prefer cable over kiting most of the time. at least you're guaranteed a tug! just don't get anywhere near a cable. year cable pass and a board set up is cheaper than a new kite.

[Bigmp]

Steve my open toe bindings are the easiest thing to get into even when dry and they hold like i don't know what...

and how does a bit of material over your toes give you more control? i don't know but i don't think my toes are capable of bending the board so the control comes from your foot as a whole regardless

[skiffman]

CT will give you more control that OT just try the same binding in both versions.

 

The cable park is great, really good practise for unhooked tricks kiting. Learning to raley at the cable is much harder than kiting but once you can do it really improves your technique, plus I have never managed to get the same feeling kiting as you do at the cable. The pop you get just feels raw compared to a kite, much more explosive.

 

Nice and social as well, just chill out with your mates and ride when you want

[AliB]

cable is just as good as kiting,,, if not better at times... i wish i was there now

[benbaron]

Im thinking of buying a boat, been looking around so wont be far off, but whats a good setup that will work as a crossover or am I better keeping specific gear for each sport?

[jamesslingshot]

2012 darkside should o the trick, now where did i leave mine..... ALI!

[harry_a]

If I had a funbox at my local beach then i'd say why go to the cable.. but I don't. first session on the cable at the weekend where I finally managed to stick all the obstacles, it's a great feeling and I can't wait to try it with a kite! Air tricks.. **** that ****!... maybe I just have really bad pop technique on my springy kiteboard but it always seems to end in superman to toeside edge

would be nice if my arms would start aching too!

 

@ben I bought myself a secondhand LF mission and slapped some boots on it and its sweet as a nut on the cable and the kite. shame theres hardly any around! if you get a wakeboard with slightly less rocker, or a very sturdy kiteboard with a grind base then (i think) you should be fine... I dont claim to be an expert.

what surprised me was how much more expensive kiteboards are than wakeboards.. you could get a LF watson hybrid which seems to be a pricey highend wakeboard for the same price as a bog standard freeride twin. weird.

[skiffman]

I think there are a few boards that you can use kiting and at the cable but not excel at either. I bought a liquid force FLX wakeboard because its £200 cheaper than an equivalent 'wake style' kite board and better built. But the guys at the cable have been telling me that its too flat and flexy for doing air stuff, its designer for hitting sliders. But it rides great behind a kite because its a bit flatter and flexy than a normal wakeboard.

 

Also im not sure but I think that if your going behind a boat then the boards are stiffer and have more rocker than most cable boards but could just be a load of rubbish

[Sammy1599968740]

2012 darkside should o the trick, now where did i leave mine..... ALI!

 

Send it this way he's done James!! when are they coming out to purchase???