21 Jun Set Up Your Wakeboarding Boat Right
Summer is nigh and it’s high time we hit the water. Maybe you’re new to it, maybe you’re not, but 19.6% of Millennials participate in water sports. If you aren’t a part of that number, we encourage you to get out there give it a go.
For all levels alike, it’s important to set your boat up the right way for the optimal wakeboarding experience. Luckily, you have us and we know exactly how to put your vessel together, right down to the boat accessories. Here’s what you need.
Boat
Surprise! You need a boat. Almost any boat will do as long as it has the power to pull someone along on a wakeboard. Of course, there are boats specifically designed to accommodate wakeboarding. These boats have inboard engines and wakeboard boat ballast systems that fill an internal ballast tank with weight. This brings more weight to the boat which makes wakes bigger for air tricks and the like.
Tower
Towers are essential for wakeboarding boat accessories. It’s an attachment that is anchored to both sides of the vessel, arching over the boat. The wakeboarding rope is attached to the center of the tower, keeping it out of the way and centered for a better wave riding experience.
Finally, you need wakeboarding specific ropes and all the safety accouterments that go along with extreme water sports. One point to remember about your boat is that it’s very possible to add too many accessories to it. It may be a machine, but it has limits. Pay heed to them and you’ll keep yourself and your passengers safe. Speaking of safety, helmets and life jackets are also essential to the sport. Water is much harder than it seems when you’re skimming across it at 20 miles per hour.
A point of advice we give to everyone interested in water sports is that regardless of boat accessories and experience level is to start off slow. Literally, get your sea legs first before trying anything wild out there. Small wakes first, get a feel for the water, then amp up theĀ send. Now put your trunks on, stretch out, and shred those waves.