Wakesurfing Is the Water Sport You Need to Try Before Summer Ends

Wakesurfing Is the Water Sport You Need to Try Before Summer Ends


| By Morgan

Photo: Thomas Barwick / Getty Images

There's always a wave to ride, you don't need to live by an ocean, and falling (there will be falling) doesn't hurt like hell.

No ocean, no problem. Thanks to the popularity of wakesurfing, some of the country's hottest surf destinations are in landlocked provinces. Mellow falls (and yes, there will certainly be falls), a relatively easy learning curve, and the social aspect of wakesurfing all contribute to its reputation as one of the country's fastest-growing water sports, says Larry Meddock, chairman of the Water Sports Association Industry in Orlando, FL.

 

What Is Wakesurfing?

Jokingly referred to as the "lazy man's surfing," the sport allows you to surf untethered in a speedboat's wake as if riding a never-ending ocean wave. It doesn't require the exhausting work of paddling. Surfers also don't need to wait for Mother Nature to deliver a swell. Wakesurf-specific boats have onboard mechanisms that pump water into tanks that weigh down the boat and add to the wake to make it surfable. The propeller is also safely tucked under the boat and away from surfers.

But don't get wakesurfing confused with wakeboarding. The latter requires the rider to be strapped into boots and bindings, similar to a snowboard, and be towed up to 80 feet behind a speeding boat. Wakesurfing is slower and more minimalist: bare feet on the board, you lose the rope once you're up, and you're riding 10 feet from a slow-moving boat. Plus, "when you take a fall wakeboarding, it's more like a crash," says Dana Wyson Wright, a wakesurfer based in St. George, UT. "You can have whiplash for days." But falling while wakesurfing feels like falling off of a paddleboard—"it doesn't hurt," she says.

There are two main styles of wakesurf boards. Surf-style boards have two to four fins and usually offer more stability for beginners. Skim or skate-style boards are smaller and have one or no fins and tend to be more maneuverable for tricks like 360s. Read our blog on how to choose the right wakesurfing board for you.

Getting up looks tricky, but the key is to relax and let the boat do the work, says Sean Cummings, a San Jose, CA–based professional wakesurfer. A life jacket (essential for safety but also helpful for beginners learning proper technique) will allow you to float in the water as you place your heels on the board and hold onto a tow rope. As the boat creates tension on the rope, the board will kind of suction to your feet, says Cummings. Once up, let go of the rope, and voilà. Got the hang of it? From there you can progress from riding to carving up and down the wave and even riding tandem. Read our blog where wakesurfing pro Brian Grubb teaches you the basics of wakesurfing.

 

Why You Should Try Wakesurfing

You don't have to have any real watersport experience to try it.
Part of the sport's appeal is its low impact. Surfers stand on the board behind a boat going about 10 miles per hour, roughly half the speed of what a boat towing a waterskier, wakeboarder, or tuber would be going.

Wyson Wright, who started wakesurfing in 2013, was hooked after her first time out. Now, the mother of two, who stayed out on the water during both of her pregnancies, takes her 4-year-old and 18-month-old on the board with her. Even her 60-year-old mom will take turns.

Getting more people into wakesurfing (and all water sports, for that matter) is an important goal for Wyson Wright. She says while many women might be first introduced to board sports by a brother, or guy friend, she wants to encourage them to not just be a cheerleader but to get out there on the water and try it themselves. "I love watching women who thought they'd never be able to get up suddenly start relaxing and having fun," she says. "You feel like you can accomplish anything once you get over that first hurdle of getting up."

You don't have to leave your friends to enjoy it.
The close proximity wakesurfers have to their friends on the boat makes it easier to be encouraged, coached and cheered on. The rider can easily hear instructions for when to release the rope or how to position their feet. Constant feedback makes the learning much easier and ultimately makes the whole experience more fun.

"Even people who are intimidated end up getting up on the board and that gives them such confidence," says Alex Quick, activities director at Blackberry Farm, a hotel in Walland, TN, that offers wakesurf instruction and an annual camp coached by professional athletes.

It connects the mind and body.
Shannon Paige Kenney, co-owner of Earth Yoga Boulder in Colorado, incorporates wakesurfing into her yoga teacher trainings to help students improve balance and focus, and overcome fear. "Learning something new as an adult is challenging and humbling," she says. Following cues as you learn to wakesurf helps hone mind-body connection, she adds. "You can hear and understand the cues of 'feet here' and 'heels down, toes up.' All of those cues are simple, but in the newness of the activity we can have trouble communicating in our own body."

It's a killer workout.
Sure, wakesurfing is a lot of fun (even when you fall). But the sport is actually a really incredible workout, too. "It works muscles you don't even know you had," says Wyson Wright. "All of your tiny stabilizing muscles and muscles in your feet have to be engaged to keep you balanced on the board." Your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves get worked, and as you progress, she says you'll begin to use your upper body more. Professional surfers use it to practice new tricks and build muscle endurance, and even professional cyclists have embraced the sport as a fun way to cross train. In the summer, it's way more fun than being stuck inside the gym.

 

What if I Want More Wake?

You make it! With add-on's that are easily mounted to your (or your friend's) boat, you can up your game with bigger wake. The Ronix Eight.3 Wakesurf Shaper creates premier surf wake so you can perform at your best - the pros are calling it a game changer. To shop or learn more about Wake Shapers, click here.

 

Original article from shape.com

0 Comments

There are no comments yet, be the first one to comment....

Leave a comment

*Required fields
Send
BH Blog
 SALES ON ALL OUTERWEAR AND HARDGOODS LAST CHANCE! - TONS OF NEW STOCK FROM RVCA - VOLCOM - NEW BALANCE
SALES ON ALL OUTERWEAR AND HARDGOODS LAST CHANCE! - TONS OF NEW STOCK FROM RVCA - VOLCOM - NEW BALANCE Posted on
Read more
Bones Brigade Series 15
Bones Brigade Series 15 Posted on
Read more
End Of Season Blowout Weekend
End Of Season Blowout Weekend Posted on
Read more
LAST YEARS SNOWBOARDS ON CLEARANCE
LAST YEARS SNOWBOARDS ON CLEARANCE Posted on
Read more
Last Years Outerwear up to 70% off
Last Years Outerwear up to 70% off Posted on
Read more
SANTA CRUZ REISSUE DECKS Pre-Order
SANTA CRUZ REISSUE DECKS Pre-Order Posted on
Read more
70% off outerwear - Bring your board in for a tune-up
70% off outerwear - Bring your board in for a tune-up Posted on
Read more
BOXING WEEK SALE CONTINUES
BOXING WEEK SALE CONTINUES Posted on
Read more
12 Days Of Xmas Deals
12 Days Of Xmas Deals Posted on
Read more
Introducing the Reckoner Collection
Introducing the Reckoner Collection Posted on
Read more
Menu
My account
Register
Make ordering even easier!
  • All your orders and returns in one place
  • The ordering process is even faster
  • Your shopping cart stored, always and everywhere
Register
Login
Or sign up here
Favorites
You have no items in your Wish List
Cart
You have no items in your shopping cart
Continue shopping
Filters
Language & Currency
By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies. These cookies help us understand how customers arrive at and use our site and help us make improvements. Hide this message More on cookies »