Watersports Driver Tips for Jet Boaters

[octavio3311]

Awesome!

 

[BigN8]

I start right off the swim platform. It's really easy. I watched a guy behind a Mastercraft last weekend start off the platform with no rope. Now that is skillz!

 

[scokill]

I rarely "power turn" to pick up downed skiers or wakeboarders. When my skier falls, I will decelerate quickly (almost like doing a sub move, but without taking on water), then initiate a turn and return to a downed skier at near wakeless speeds. This is generally just as quick as a "power turn", but w/o creating extra waves, even when I've been pulling a skier at 30+mph

If another boat is coming towards me or my skier, I will usually perform the quick deceleration, and then return at a speed slightly above wakeless if necessary, to protect the skier.

Pet peeve of mine power turns for no reason. Throws rollers around and ruins it for other boaters.

 

[Williamsone46]

Questions first, because I'm selfish...

Wake Surfing - Where do you launch your rider? I have seen people starting standing up from the platform (won't that just ruin your platform material?), I have popped surfers up laying in the water... but it is no easy job doing this with a jet boat. When my riders are down in the water and I am trying to pop a new rider, they tend to get exhausted trying to keep the board perpendicular to the line of the boat without being right behind the boat. This is my primary concern that they not be right behind the boat as you do have to give it some thrust to pop your rider up and the jet wash/rooster tail just blasts the rider in the face. So what is your advice here? .

I always position the rider on either side of the jets depending on weather they are regular or goofy. Never straight behind the jets.

 

[sysinu]

I always position the rider on either side of the jets depending on weather they are regular or goofy. Never straight behind the jets.

So I try to do this and either I'm dragging the person through the water @ 1MPH (which seems bad for beginners) or they end up right behind the jets. I need to practice more, but my wife popped out a kid and I haven't been able to get on the lake with a group of riders since July. I was able to do some "sea trials" with the new setup though (@6200' altitude). Trying to convince my wife that it's time to start hitting the water with the newborn now that the weather turned around.

 

[Williamsone46]

If you pull the wakesurfer up from around a 45 degree angle they don't have to fight the jets, and once their up they naturally get pulled into the sweet spot of the wake and don't have to come from on top of the wake.

 

[Addicted]

I too pull wake surfers up at a 45 degree angle. I jockey the boat around to keep the angle correct while the surfer gets into position. I always tell new surfers to take their time and be sure they are completely comfortable. Wen the surfer is ready they say gear, I go to the second indent to tighten the rope. If the surfer is still in position when the rope tightens up they say power and I bring them up slowly while turning fairly hard to the side they are surfing. If you take off straight or opposite of the side they are surfing, they get pulled into the wash. We have had good success with this method.