What Should I Try with Kids First (WB or WS)

[meegwell]

I have 2 10 year olds and 1 14 year old all girls. We want to do both wake boarding and wake surfing but not sure what I should start with at first. Their only experience is tubing. We have a 242X-e. Any advice on what would be easiest/best to start with and then maybe equipment recommendations?

Thanks All!

 

[djetok]

It really depends if you have all the stuff to wake surf. You might need more ballast to surf. I realize that you have ballast , but you might need more ballast. You may also need a shaping device. @jcyamaharider has the same boat and surfs.

 

[meegwell]

It really depends if you have all the stuff to wake surf. You might need more ballast to surf. I realize that you have ballast , but you might need more ballast. You may also need a shaping device. @jcyamaharider has the same boat and surfs.

Thanks you. Have ballast and wake booster and from the dozens of videos I've seen I think I should be ok for now in that department. Really more of a fundamental question of which sport to start with for kids of that age.

 

[djetok]

Thanks you. Have ballast and wake booster and from the dozens of videos I've seen I think I should be ok for now in that department. Really more of a fundamental question of which sport to start with for kids of that age.

If you are set up to surf. Its safer for the kids and easier on older bodies. Wake boarding that young can get exhausting , if they have never got up. They fall a lot just starting out on both.

 

[meegwell]

If you are set up to surf. Its safer for the kids and easier on older bodies. Wake boarding that young can get exhausting , if they have never got up. They fall a lot just starting out on both.

Sweet - Older bodies covers men too!

...looking for beginner kids wakesurf board recommendations

 

[djetok]

COASTER CLEARANCE - Transom Watersports | JetBoaters.net - The World's Largest Jet Boat Forum!

@J-RAD is a dealer and very knowledgeable. I am sure you will get a lot of responses. The forum loves to spend OPM.

 

[Scottintexas]

you might update your profile with your location, there may be a member close by that can take your family out for the afternoon to give you an idea,

after the tube all my kids were knee boarding by 6-7 years old,

I like the kneeboard because it's lower center of gravity is harder to fall over, it gets them comfortable holding the rope and being towed and shifting their weight to control direction, they don't need to be jumping the wake just get familiar with the feel,

If you don't want to invest in a used kneeboard ($50-100) I'd buy a cheap larger/ used surf board, We started with a liquid force Fish, 5'6",
I'd start them out with just kneeling/laying/sitting on the surfboard to let them get a feel, if they are agile enough within a time or two they'll be standing up,

here's my youngest when she started surfing,

 

[Skierdad]

Two kids, 12 and 14. I have owned boats my entire life. Surfing is easiest, followed by kneeboard, then waterski (not slalom skiing), then wakeboard. They need to understand that the crashes on the wakeboard can be very violent. Now we just surf and slalom ski. They plan to use the kneeboard for barefooting this summer. Only time tube is with is when company is in the boat because most don't know how to do anything else. My wakeboards are basically decorations on the tower now. They did it but enjoy skiing and surfing better.

 

[anmut]

Do they have any experience skateboarding or snowboarding? Finding a dominate foot is key. I read about a technique last night on FB on how teaching people to surf:

1) put a tube out with them, let them sit on the tube with their feet in deep water start position
2) let them pull feel the pull up from the boat on the board
3) tube is constantly there to let them sit back down on if they fall

I've never tried this before, but will this coming weekend with a few of my nieces and nephews.

 

[2kwik4u]

Sooo......I'm clearly the odd duck here.....by here we go anyway.

Start on water skis. Two of them. Wider is better. This teaches the idea of sitting and floating in the water, then standing on wooden devices at speed. There is a fore aft balance they need BEFORE they worry about a port/starboard balance. They even sell "learning" skis that help them keep the separated, and allows the rope to pull just the skis, not the person. Only learn one balance direction at a time. It's way easier that way. Once they can stand and steer on a standard set of ski's move to a board of some sort.

NEXT move to a wakeskate. It rides EXACTLY like a wakeboard in terms of coming up from a deep water start, and control inputs. However, it doesn't punish you for catching an edge, which you WILL do on a wakeboard. It's a little smaller surface area than a wakeboard, and not as inherently stable, but you can ride it without bindings, and they're pretty cheap to get ahold of. No boat setup required either. Smaller wake is better here.

Once they have the ability to stand on a board.....sideways......with one hand......THEN I would move to surfing or wakeboarding. So much boat setup in surfing that you have to really really WANT to surf. Fill bags, position people, have perfect speed control. TONS of parameters to change and figure out. Skating is wildly entertaining, and requires ZERO setup. Throw on a vest, hook up the rope, jump off the back with the board and you're going.

Secondarily, if you want to shortcut some of that. Look into a ZUP board. I have no personal experience, but I've talked to several owners, and they all agree it helped tremendously with getting people up to speed with being towed while standing a board in the water at speed.

 

[itsdgm]

We started wake surfing with a 6’ foam board. At that age, my daughter could literally stand up with the rope in hand before the boat was moving. Then we would idle forward to get her used to it. I would make a slow arcing circle then I’d build speed. This technique would allow a wave to build behind her and next thing you know, she’s riding the wave.

 

[RobbieO]

you might update your profile with your location, there may be a member close by that can take your family out for the afternoon to give you an idea,

after the tube all my kids were knee boarding by 6-7 years old,

I like the kneeboard because it's lower center of gravity is harder to fall over, it gets them comfortable holding the rope and being towed and shifting their weight to control direction, they don't need to be jumping the wake just get familiar with the feel,

If you don't want to invest in a used kneeboard ($50-100) I'd buy a cheap larger/ used surf board, We started with a liquid force Fish, 5'6",
I'd start them out with just kneeling/laying/sitting on the surfboard to let them get a feel, if they are agile enough within a time or two they'll be standing up,

here's my youngest when she started surfing,

Excellent !

 

[jcyamaharider]

If we only get to choose between the 2 I would start with Wake surfing. It will teach the mechanics on how to get up on the board at a slower rate and more of a pull up help with the boat. After that the 2 sports are complete opposites. A wake boarder will have bad habits for wake surfing and vice versa.

 

[J-RAD]

My oldest started out on a Zup board, kneeboarding on it basically. About the same time he started doing that he started getting up and riding tandem in a wakesurf board with me. Then went to wakeboarding, then to wakesurfing on his own.

My middle 6 year old seems to be on a similar path. He got up the courage do the Zup on his own last season. I'm hoping he'll be brave enough to try surfing with dad this season.

If you need advice or a recommendation on boards feel free to reach out.
www.transomwatersports.com

 

[Cambo]

If you have a wake surf board they can lay on it and use a longer rope it’s like boogie boarding. The 14 year old would have a good chance at riding the wakeboard and girls for some reason always get up easier . They are light so the speeds should be very slow maybe 16 mph max wake boarding at that speed the falls are very mellow. I have easily taught close to sixty people how to wake board you will not need any ballast for beginners . Ask them to stand look forward then gently push them forward from there back whatever foot goes first is the dominant foot and will be the front foot on the board. Have fun and don’t run the rope over

 

[meegwell]

We started wake surfing with a 6’ foam board. At that age, my daughter could literally stand up with the rope in hand before the boat was moving. Then we would idle forward to get her used to it. I would make a slow arcing circle then I’d build speed. This technique would allow a wave to build behind her and next thing you know, she’s riding the wave.View attachment 151444

I am going to try this also. We have a standard ~6ft surfboard and the new slingshot just arrived. We'll bring both out and experiment. Thank You!

 

[itsdgm]

I am going to try this also. We have a standard ~6ft surfboard and the new slingshot just arrived. We'll bring both out and experiment. Thank You!

I did forget to mention that I have perfect pass on our boat. I believe that we run about 9mph for surfing, possibly slower when the kids were little. The perfect pass (or a similar cruise control system) is essential for running a consistent speed while surfing or wakeboarding At speeds that are just at or below planing speed.