Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding is a relatively new boardsport, created from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques. As in water skiing, the rider is towed behind a boat, or a cable skiing setup, but typically at slower speeds (18 - 24mph).

Instead of using skis, the rider wears a single board with stationary non-release bindings for each foot, standing sideways as on a snowboard or skateboard. The boards, which can float, are typically 130 - 147cm long and up to 45cm wide (shorter and wider than a snowboard) as well as being convex (tips 15 - 25cm) rather than concave as a snowboard.

A wakeboarding boat is similar to a water ski boat except that the rope is normally mounted on a tower about 2 metres above the water line. The boat is also weighted and trimmed with strategically placed large water ballast tanks, to give a larger wake. The wake is used as hits or ramps would be in other boardsports. Steering the board by a combination of direction and cutting the edges into the water, the rider can move outside of the wake, then cut rapidly in toward the wake, hitting it and launching themselves into the air. Heading towards the wake shoulders facing the boat is known as heelside cutting, approaching from the other direction with shoulders facing away from the boat is know as toeside cutting.

As with many freestyle sports such as snow boarding and surfing, there is almost a separate language of terms to describe various tricks (Off-axis, Tantrum, Elephant, Whirlybird, 5, 7, 9, 10). Tricks can be performed from either heelside or toeside cuts; for example, a toeside 360 is approaching the wake toeside followed by a 360 spin in the air.

The sport is growing in popularity as it is fairly easy to pick up, but offers a wide opportunity for self-expression. A limiting factor to a beginner wakeboarder is often the cost of the boats. One of the best boats, the Correct Craft Super Air Nautique, can fetch upwards of $60,000.

A related variation is wake skating, which has extremely close ties to street skateboarding.

Liquid Force and Hyperlite are two leading wakeboard manufacturers. Correct Craft, Malibu, and Master Craft are the three leading wakeboard boat manufacturers.