| A boat, a board, a tow line, a life jacket and a body | | | | control. If the rider is more advanced and prefers to |
| of water are what the wakeboarder needs to get | | | | perform air tricks, a board with rounded edges will be |
| started. These pieces of equipment can vary in | | | | optimal for landing in the water and gaining speed. |
| expense and detail and can be overwhelming for the | | | | Wakeboards are made in either single tip or twin |
| beginner. This article will help the beginner get started | | | | tipped. Single tipped wakeboards are used when the |
| and define what equipment and brand names to look | | | | rider wants to ride in one direction. Twin tipped |
| out for to get ready to ride the perfect wake. | | | | boards offer the rider freedom to ride in normal |
| First, the rider needs an inboard motor boat to | | | | stance and switchstance. Most boards today are sold |
| produce a wake. These boats can range in power | | | | as twin-tipped as the rider will ideally want to be able |
| and speed. A wakeboarding boat has a tower | | | | to ride and perform tricks while riding in both |
| mounted on the back of the boat, usually 2 meters | | | | directions. A wakeboard's length average length is |
| high above the water line, where the attached rope | | | | 120-150 cm. with a width of an average of 38-44cm. |
| extends out to a handle which the rider uses to hold | | | | A beginner will want to work with a longer board for |
| onto. The boat can be weighted with ballasts or "fat | | | | stability with starts and turns. A board has an angle |
| sacks" which are bags filled with water or sand to | | | | or curves at its ends, referred to as rocker. A high |
| give the boat additional weight in the front and back | | | | rocker has a more rounded bottom which aids the |
| which produce larger wakes. Calabria, Centurion, | | | | rider in landing easier with jumps. A low rocker has a |
| Correct Craft, Epic, Gekko, Malibu, MasterCraft, MB, | | | | flat bottom and is optimal for acceleration and |
| Moomba, Sanger, Session, Supra, Svfara, Tige are all | | | | control. |
| leading brand names of wakeboarding boats. | | | | Under the wakeboard is a set of fins, which is used |
| Typically, a beginner will want the boat to travel at a | | | | for the rider's tracking and turning in the water. The |
| leisurely 19 mph, increasing to 24 mph as the rider's | | | | boards also come equipped with boots and bindings |
| comfort level and skill progresses. This speed is fast | | | | which can be adjusted to the rider's comfort and |
| enough for the rider to experience cutting over the | | | | foot size. |
| wake and slow enough that the rider doesn't | | | | The rider will want to use a rope that doesn't stretch |
| experience too much drag. | | | | and is made of fabric such as Kevlar. The rope to |
| The wakeboard the rider buys will determine what | | | | tow the rider should be 60-70 feet long and the |
| style and kind of rider he or she wants to be. There | | | | beginner will want to ride on the shorter end of this |
| are various features on a wakeboard which | | | | spectrum, towing the rider a bit closer to the boat |
| correspond to actions the rider can maneuver while | | | | where the wake is narrower and easier to ride. |
| riding. Beginner riders will want to buy a board with | | | | Last but not least, the rider should always wear a life |
| squared edges, this makes for a better startup and | | | | jacket! |
| adds steadiness when the rider feels a lack of | | | | |