Can You Wakeboard Behind Any Boat?

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Can You Wakeboard Behind Any Boat? (Engine Power and Equipment Needed)

Wakeboarding is a sport that requires a lot of skill to pull off the tricky aerial maneuvers and tricks the top wakeboarders are known for. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this sport is that participants are being pulled behind a boat while they are performing these gravity-defying actions. However, this brings two questions to mind. Can you wakeboard behind any boat, and what type of engine power and equipment do you need?

While you may technically wakeboard behind any type of boat, it is not advisable to wakeboard behind a boat with an outboard or an inboard/outboard motor because of the injury risk involved with these engines. You will need an inboard engine with at least 135 horsepower to wakeboard. You will also need several pieces of equipment. Some of this equipment includes a wakeboard; bindings and Boots; a buoyancy vest; a wetsuit or drysuit; a helmet; wakeboard ropes, and handles. Some ski boats come equipped with pylons, but you must have a pylon extender. Non-ski boats will need a tower extension. To create a big wake for better tricks, you may also need to add weight to your boat.

In this article, we are going to take an in-depth look at the equipment necessary for wakeboarding, along with any modifications that you may need to make to your boat. Some of which include towing attachments; pylon extenders, and any additional weight you may need to add to your vessel.

Wakeboarding Equipment

There is certain equipment that you are going to have to have to wakeboard. According to the website realbuzz.com, here is a list of the equipment that you will need to participate in the sport of wakeboarding:

Wakeboard – This is the most essential piece of equipment you will need for wakeboarding. When shopping for a wakeboard, it is important to remember that buying a quality board should take precedence over purchasing a board of significantly less quality. Beginning wakeboarders should opt for a twin-tipped or double-ended board. The length of the board you choose will be dependent on your height and weight. All wakeboards come with fins, but they differ depending on the wakeboarder’s skill level and riding ability.

Wakeboard Bindings – Bindings are an essential piece of equipment that keeps your feet fastened to the wakeboard. This is especially helpful if you share a wakeboard with other people with different foot sizes. The two most popular types of bindings are sandal bindings and bungee cord bindings. These can easily be adjusted, and are perfect for beginners. It is advisable to go with a higher quality foot binding. This is because your feet will require more binding power as your skills continue to develop.
Wakeboard Boots – The high-back wakeboard boot is the most popular style of boot due to the support it provides during complicated tricks. Snowboard-style wakeboard boots are also a popular choice amongst wakeboarders everywhere.

Buoyancy Vest – Make sure that you select a vest designed specifically for wakeboarding, as they are lighter than normal vests and provide more room for you to move. Buoyancy vests are available in both nylon and neoprene options, with nylon being the less expensive of the two vests. For this reason, beginning wakeboarders are advised to choose a nylon vest and opt for a neoprene vest later. Neoprene vests are made from the same material as wetsuits and are more expensive than nylon vests. They are also known for offering more comfort and better flotation than the nylon option.

Wetsuit or Drysuit – The temperature of the water in which you are wakeboarding will determine the thickness of the wetsuit you will need. However, thicker wetsuits tend to restrict your motion, making it more difficult to perform tricks and maneuvers. Some wetsuit manufacturers have started designing suits with thick bodies and thin arms for this reason. Drysuits are made with a membrane that forms a tight seal to keep you completely dry. This is perfect for wakeboarding in extremely cold conditions.

Helmets – Some wakeboarders wear a helmet because of the safety and sense of security they provide. However, some wakeboarders choose not to wear a helmet because they find them restrictive. The choice is yours if you decide to wear a helmet or not, although it is generally recommended that beginners wear one until they become more comfortable with wakeboarding.

Wakeboard Ropes – A shorter rope of about 50 ft in length is recommended for beginning wakeboarders. As your skills progress, you can gradually increase the length of your wakeboarding rope to around 60 feet. It is also recommended that wakeboarders shy away from the temptation to use traditional ski ropes, as they are not specifically designed for wakeboarding.

Handles – Good wakeboarding handles can make learning new tricks a little easier, with wide handles being the most ideal option. As is the case with other types of sports equipment, you will have to test different types of handles to see which ones are the perfect fit.

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Boat Modifications

According to the website evo.com, safety modifications to boats for wakeboarding have not become popular until the last decade or so. There are a few modifications you will have to make to your boat to make it safe for wakeboarding unless you buy a boat specifically designed for the sport. A boat with an outboard motor is not a good fit for wakeboarding. This is due to the potential danger involved. For wakeboarding, a boat with an inboard motor that can generate at least 135 horsepower is recommended.

The boat’s hull displaces water, and then it returns to where it once was, which creates a wake. Because the boat is constantly moving, it creates a constant flow of water behind it known as an “endless wake.” As a general rule, the heavier the boat is, the shorter the wake will be in height. However, it will be much longer.
Many boats are too light to accommodate wakeboarding. Creating a wake big enough for the border to perform their aerial dynamics is crucial. If your boat is too light for wakeboarding, there are weights that you can add to your boat to make it heavy enough to create big wakes.

One of the more popular options for adding weight to your boat is to integrate ballast tanks into the hull of your boat. These tanks can then be filled with weights or water to add additional weight to your boat. Boats that are specifically designed for wakeboarding come with ballast installed directly from the factory. If your boat does not come equipped with a ballast, or if you do not wish to purchase a ballast, you always have the option of adding ballast bags to your boat to increase weight.

Sometimes ballasts do not provide enough weight to create the perfect wake. During these times, you will have to get creative to add more weight to your boat. One option is to simply add more passengers to your boat. It is important to pay attention to the placement of your passengers, as this will have a direct effect on the weight distribution of your boat. As always, it is of utmost importance to adhere to water safety rules and regulations that may limit the number of passengers you are allowed to have in your boat.

If you own wakeboarding or a ski boat, your vessel will come equipped with a pylon. Ski boats will need a pylon extender if you intend to wakeboard behind them. If you do not own a ski boat or a wakeboarding boat, you will have to have a tower extension added to your boat. According to Aerial Wakeboarding, this is a frame that is attached to the hull of a boat that elevates the tow point, making it perfect for wakeboarding. The upward pull of the power extension is said to greatly help the wakeboarder “pop” off of the weight, increasing their elevation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have learned that the size of the wake behind the boat will have a tremendous impact on your wakeboarding experience. This can be modified by adding weight to the boat through a ballast, ballast bags, or simply adding additional passengers. We have also learned that not all boats are optimal for wakeboarding, as some boats are equipped with outboard motors. These motors are highly dangerous to wakeboard behind. A boat with an inboard motor that generates at least 135 horsepower is the perfect choice for wakeboarding. Several pieces of equipment will also be required. I suggest that you seek the advice of an experienced wakeboarder or a shop owner to help determine which equipment is the right fit for your skill level.