Calculation of wakeboard size by weight. Types of surfing: active recreation on the water

As the season approaches, more and more people are getting out on the water and getting on wakeboards. And no wonder. Riding both on a winch and behind a boat will bring a lot of vivid impressions and will not leave anyone indifferent. We decided to take a thorough approach to the issue of choosing a wakeboard and tell you in detail what you should pay attention to.

First of all, you need to decide riding style. There are two main areas in which all boards differ: riding behind a winch and behind a boat.

They have a smoother surface and an additional wear-resistant layer on the sliding surface. They are designed for figure skating, which means they do not have built-in fins and the main emphasis is on better gliding.

in turn, they should be more stable and stable, and therefore have built-in and removable fins and deep channels on the slide in order to better absorb the shock during jumps and perform tricks.

Park wakes often have a natural wood slatt core for responsiveness (click) and durability, while boat wakes often have a foam or hybrid core for greater stiffness or lightness.

Of course, there are also hybrid models designed for both fleet and boat use. But such a choice is not always advisable.

Once you have decided on the style, you should pay attention to the length of the wakeboard. Length is considered one of the most important indicators and, depending on the weight of the rider, the length of the board will vary. The heavier the rider, the longer the wakeboard should be. Let's look at the main advantages of long and short boards:

Long wakeboards

• More stable and good for beginners
• Due to the larger surface of contact with water, they are more stable when cutting and develop greater speed.
• More area for balance and easier landing

Short wakeboards

• Smaller surface area makes it easier to perform tricks and flips
• Overall a more maneuverable wakeboard, but less stable
• When landing, the nose of the board may bury itself in the water and, in general, landings are more difficult
• Slower than long wakeboards. Overclocking requires more effort.

The size of the board also depends on the weight of the rider. Below is a table of wakeboard length depending on the rider’s weight

Size chart for easy determination

Rocker or board bend

Probably one of the most important criteria when choosing a wakeboard is the rocker and the shape of the board. There are three types of rockers:

1. Continuous rocker. Smooth curve of the board from bow to stern. Provides stability of movement and good glide. Suitable for beginners.
2. Three stage rocker(Three stage rocker). The wakeboard has two bending points and is therefore divided into three parts: nose, center and tail. Suitable for advanced riders and thrill-seekers, as this board cuts the water better, is more responsive to the rider’s movements, has better elasticity and high speed. A wakeboard with a three-stage rocker is suitable for an aggressive riding style; it is easy to perform tricks and high jumps on it. For even more advanced riders, there is also a five-speed rocker.
3. Hybrid rocker. This is an attempt to combine the benefits of continuous and three-stage rocker. Of course, such a board glides better, is more stable, and at the same time it is easy to perform various tricks and cut through the water. But in most cases, such a wakeboard is selected individually for a specific rider.
4. Progressive rocker Smoothly changing the radius of the bend from the center to the nose and tail, the wakeboard appears to be part of a larger circle when viewed from perspective. The disadvantage of such wakeboards is the high price, because... Making boards with progressive rocker is quite an expensive process. Ideal for flat skiing, it will be a good help for those who are trying to get on the water for the first time.

Shape boards

Keels and fins

We have looked at the main points that you should pay attention to when choosing a wakeboard and we hope that this article will be useful to you. If you want to choose a wakeboard for yourself and something turns out to be unclear, call us, and our specialists will be happy to help you when choosing a wakeboard.

When you decide to buy a wakeboard, try to imagine its future fate: if you parade along the beach with it, capturing the imagination of girls (or guys), then be sure to pay attention to the compatibility of the wake’s design with your shorts.

If you have other plans for a wakeboard, then when choosing a board, you should first of all pay attention to such parameters as weight, length and width of the board.

So, let’s talk about all the main parameters of a wakeboard in order.

Length

The length of the board, as when choosing a snowboard, is one of the fundamental parameters. It is determined by a simple rule: the greater the rider’s weight, the longer the board. A shorter one has greater maneuverability, but less stability, and vice versa - a longer one will provide good stability on the water at takeoff and landing, but will hinder your edge transitions.

All manufacturers, as a rule, have their own table for the weight and length of the board; in average form it looks like this:

Width

The wakeboard itself is a fairly wide board in proportions, compared to the same snowboard, but the defining moment is not the width of the entire board itself, but the width of the nose and tail of the board relative to its middle.

With a narrow nose and tail of the board, your riding will be sharper - any cutting will be performed harder. If the nose and tail of the board are not significantly narrower than its middle, then this shape will make it easier for you to perform rotations.

Weight

The weight of a wakeboard determines how easy it is to ride. Roughly speaking, the lighter the wake, the easier it is to jump and perform tricks with it.

But the weight directly depends on the material from which the board is made. Achieving maximum lightness while maintaining maximum strength is a task for real superheroes. This is why lighter boards cost an order of magnitude more than heavier ones.

Rocker (or camber)

If you place the wakebod on a flat surface, you will easily notice that it has a curved shape. This shape is called the rocker of the board. The more rocker (more camber), the softer your landings. The smaller the rocker, the higher the acceleration of the board and its stability on the surface of the water.

Keelies (fins)

Keels mainly affect the stability of the board during landings and its controllability.

During normal gliding, large fins will be your good helpers; they will protect the wake from uncontrolled rotations and increase the board’s responsiveness to your movements.

When performing tricks (and especially with rotations), large keels are contraindicated. They can not only prevent you from starting the trick correctly, but can even lead to injury.

Well, don’t forget to check: does the design of the board match your shorts or not? :)

This article is intended for wakeboarders who have already stood on a board and understand where the board has a slide, where the corners are, where the nose and tail are. This material will help you understand the technical features of wakeboard construction and understand how certain characteristics affect your skating.

There are many characteristics, so choosing a board is quite difficult if you do not highlight the main parameters and do not understand what the wakeboard will be used for. Next, we will consider the characteristics of wakeboards according to their importance for the rider.

Wakeboard purpose

This is where you should start choosing a wakeboard. You must understand how you will ride (use a wakeboard):

• with friends behind a motorboat (not to be confused with a professional towboat) or a jet ski on the weekend;
• learn tricks from a professional towing operator on an ongoing basis;
• your dream is to become a champion on the winch and winch from the springboard and from the flat;
• or maybe you like to perfect your jibbing on pieces of iron, plastic pipes and other crap...

Each direction is best suited for its own board.

As we know, wakeboards are made for riding behind a boat, on a winch (in a wake park, on a winch, behind a horse, a car, etc.), aimed at jibbing and universal, which are good everywhere.

IMPORTANT: You shouldn’t assume that if you purchased a board for a boat, you won’t be able to winch or jib; and vice versa: ride on a cable board behind a boat. It's a delusion. You can ride any board in any conditions, but each board has its own characteristics.

NEWBY: You don’t have to worry about choosing a board if you are a beginner. All these characteristics will not tell you anything and will not have much influence on your skating during your first steps. Choose by: budget, size and purpose; You can take a used board for any purpose if your budget is limited.

Wakeboard length

A very important characteristic when choosing. Everything is clear here: a larger board means slower maneuvering, more stability and stability on landings; A smaller board means it responds faster to your control, it’s easier to twist and turn, but there’s less stability (because the contact area is smaller). This is, in general, BUT!

Each manufacturer provides sizing charts for their wakeboards, so it doesn’t cost anything to choose a size based on weight (not height!), following the manufacturer’s instructions. On our website there are such dimensional grids -,.

IMPORTANT: There is a nuance that the manufacturer calculates the loading of the board / its buoyancy in such a way that it has the correct location relative to the surface of the water - this is reflected in control, cutting, clicking, splashdown, and so on. If you take a board that is too short, the board will sink deeper than it should; too long (this is not so scary) - it will be harder to control, it will be loaded too weakly. Of course, you can ride a board in both cases, but you can also ride on a door or build a wakeboard yourself.

NEWBY: you should not neglect this characteristic when choosing; you can take a board a little larger than your size - this will give stability and confidence during your first steps.

Wake board

Wake board

Rocker's choice.

Rocker is the curve of the wakeboard from tip to tail.

Rocker is an important characteristic for a downhill rider. The rocker is responsible for the character of the board: overall controllability, speed of edge transition, stability when cutting, stability on landing, speed gain when cutting (acceleration), nature of shooting from the wave (when riding behind a boat), etc.

Types of Rockers:

If you look at wakes from different manufacturers, you will be blown away, there are too many varieties. In fact, it’s not all that scary (we exclude unnecessary marketing from manufacturers).

— smooth rocker — a wakeboard with such a rocker (1 radius) gives predictable smooth control, slow acceleration, and makes splashdown easier due to a larger contact patch with the water.

As a rule, boards for beginners are made with , although professionals often choose such a rocker for its character (for example,). This is the calmest and most predictable rocker.

3- stagerocker- 3-level rocker - as opposed to a smooth rocker, it has 3 edges (3 radii) and is characterized by fast edge transition, good acceleration, excellent shooting from the wave or from the flat (due to changing the edges on the rocker); such a board is less stable on prisms due to a smaller contact patch with water; A flatter center rocker allows for faster acceleration and stability on the rails. This is the most aggressive rocker of all types.

This type of rocker is found on pro models, boat boards, and on boards designed for advanced/professional riders.

stagerocker- smoothed 3-level rocker - subtle (English: thin, gentle, skillful, barely distinguishable, elusive, sophisticated).

Hybridrocker- hybrid rocker - another name stagerocker

Progressive rocker progressive rocker - another name Subtle 3-stage rocker,Hybrid rocker.

This type of rocker is a cross between continuous And 3-stage rockers. Manufacturers assure that it has the advantages of both types. But I would not blindly believe everything that is written; There are no advantages without disadvantages.

5- stagerocker— 5-level rocker is a softer option 3- stagerocker'A; gives the rider additional vertical reach from the wave and stability without sudden changes in planes like on a 3-stage rocker.

Camber— camber — a revolution in board bends in wakeboarding from Ronix. The manufacturer claims that this geometry provides a more correct body position and new unprecedented sensations on the water when riding behind a boat. The technology was launched in 2014 on four models at once. In 2015 there are only 2 models: Parks and Bandwagon. Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to collect enough competent reviews about this technology.

IMPORTANT: Rocker is not the only characteristic (but probably the most important) that is responsible for everything listed above: size, board width, nose/tail width, nose/tail geometry, weight and core also affect the character of the wakeboard.

NEWBY: You can ignore this characteristic; most likely you will not feel any difference between two similar boards with different types of rockers.

Weight, wakeboard core

All other things being equal, lower weight gives more freedom and ease in controlling the board. As a rule, lighter boards are more expensive. Manufacturers are trying to make the board lighter, but maintain its strength; these are different poles of this issue.

The core of the board can be wood, foam, wood with foam, or foam with wood. By foam I mean various synthetic materials such as polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene foam and other nonsense; there is no point or desire to go into details here.

The presence of wood in the core gives the board strength, flex feel(the ability to bend like a snowboard) and weight; the presence of foam can be explained by its lower weight compared to wood. Often boat boards are made of foam or predominantly foam. As a rule, more expensive boards are made hybrid - i.e. the core consists partly of wood with additional longitudinal inserts of wood, partly of foam. This approach allows you to get an interesting combination of weight, flex (flexibility) and strength. Different manufacturers may have different variations of cores, but in general, the situation is described above.

For example, Slingshot They believe that wakeboards should be 100% wood and make cores entirely from wood. Liquid Force, O'Brien, C.W.B., Ronix And CTRL They make boards in combinations of wood + foam, as well as with a solid wood core.

IMPORTANT: It is believed that foam boards are less reliable than wooden ones - this is a myth that has developed due to the comparison of the cheapest foam boards with more expensive ones (wood + foam or solid wood). If we compare boards in the same price category, then no advantages in strength between wood, foam and their combination in various combinations can be distinguished.

NEWBY: You don’t have to think about the core, everything has its time.

Stiffness and flex

This feature is important for advanced riders. As a rule, boat riders choose rigid boards with a lot of foam in the core - for lightness. But now there are a bunch of universal flex boards on which the rider is comfortable both behind the boat and on the winch.

For example, O`Brien S.O.B., O`Brien Fremont, boards Slingshot(since 2015 they began to divide their boards by directions; before the 2015 season there was no division).

Stiffer boards provide maximum reach from the wave when riding behind a boat.

Softer boards are chosen for jibbing in order to squeeze out juicy presses along the railings and sliders.

Stiffer board - higher Ollie, a softer board means a weaker click.

Some manufacturers write down the stiffness for their boards (in 2014 it was in the wake catalog Slingshot), in the descriptions of wakeboard models you can find information about a softer nose/tail for abs.

IMPORTANT: this characteristic is difficult to convey in words, especially since the nature of the flex of different boards can be different, as well as the rigidity of different parts; test, compare and try different boards to form your own opinion.

NEWBY: take a board of medium hardness, you will form your opinion later when you gain experience.

Wakeboard width

Each board has 3 sections with a certain width - in the area of ​​the nose, tail and in the middle. Usually the width of the nose and tail are the same.

The wider the nose and tail, the slower the board turns, but it is easier to make rotations on the water, the greater the stability; The narrower the nose and tail, the faster the board reacts and turns, but loses stability.

The width of the central part of the wakeboard is responsible for the immersion depth of the board, for the comfort of the rider when cutting and when riding straight. The wider, the slower and more stable the board, the more effort it takes to get a good edge; The narrower the board, the faster it is, it is less stable, but it sinks into the water more easily and it is easier to make a good, strong cut.

NEWBY: Choose a wake with a medium or above-average width - this will give you more stability.

Keeley, redans, channels

There are many variations here. From completely flat boards with removable keels, to wakeboards with a V-shaped bottom, a variety of channels, built-in keels and even additional removable center keels.

The rule is simple: keels, channels and other irregularities on the bottom of the wakeboard are designed to give stability to the rider during spins and splashdowns.

Boat boards: as a rule, they are equipped with larger keels compared to park ones; Often boat boards have built-in permanent (molded) keels. Removable keels are usually narrow and spoil the figures in the wake park or simply break - therefore, it is prohibited to ride a board with boat keels in the parks.

Park boards: usually have smaller keels or a flat bottom; the keels can be removable or the board can be equipped with special park keels (reinforced and designed for riding on figures).

The V-shaped bottom is designed to make landings easier by breaking up the water.

Built-in keels allow you to make more aggressive and powerful cuts, give stability on landings, and make it more difficult to “extend”. The most popular option is 2 keels on the nose and tail.

Flat boards give you more freedom and the ability to spin both on figures and on the water - this is also a minus: it’s easy to slip or twist during a splashdown on such a board.

The removable center keels are designed for beginners and can be removed fairly quickly by riders.

Don’t try to qualify a board by its bottom; there are no hard and fast rules here—it’s better to look at the manufacturer’s description.

4 detachable boat keels and smooth wake bottom from Slingshot

Channels, park keels from Ronix

Removable boat keels and edge channels from O'Brien

Removable center keels and integrated twin keels on the Ronix nose and tail

Park keel from Ronix

IMPORTANT: There are many riders who calmly ride a speedboat in a wake park and do it well; You can also use the park board to cut behind the boat. Now there is a trend towards versatility and manufacturers are trying to make the board comfortable in different conditions, the number of models ONLY for a boat or ONLY for a winch is decreasing.

NEWBY: It would be better to choose a board with channels or built-in keels - for greater stability and to eliminate unwanted drifts and rotations in the water until you have very good control of the board.

Slippery

There are also a large number of names and marketing tricks. To be clear:

Grind, Impact base, Ti, Sintered base— plastic base (like snowboards); This is an ideal choice for wake parks, great wear resistance.

Delta base— reduces resistance for fast driving (boat).

A2, Infusion— “space” from CWB: universal slides for boats and winches.

XTrans- an excellent and very fast slide for the park (as regards riding on figures)

Smorg(Nexus) - rough material, makes the board faster - inexpensive and not wear-resistant glide (will not last long in the park).

PBT- smooth, slower slide.

IMPORTANT: You shouldn’t worry too much about the name of your slide, let’s start from the purpose of the board. You can also race in the park on a boat board (without a reinforced slide), but the slide will quickly wear out and, in the end, the board will break.

NEWBY: if you ride in the park, then definitely take a board with a reinforced glide, designed for riding on figures.

Nose and tail shape

There are rectangular shapes, rounded, screwdriver-shaped, pointed, round... What is it for?

Nobody knows this except the manufacturers, and they are in no hurry to share this secret information. Advanced wakeboarders say that the shape of the nose and tail exerts its influence at the moment of departure from the flat or from the wave, but there is no specific information about what and how it influences.

Perhaps you have to become the person who can clearly explain to everyone how the shape of the nose and tail of the board works.

When choosing a board, we skip this characteristic.

rounded shape

sharp shape

Screwdriver shape

rectangular shape

Board thickness

This characteristic affects the ease of cutting and the speed of wakeboard re-edging. A thin, sharp edge cuts into the water more easily and starts turning for maneuvering or cutting; thick edging, respectively, is the opposite.

If a thin edge that does not have an ABS wall is damaged, repairing such a wakeboard will be problematic; on the contrary, if damaged, wakes with an ABS wall can be repaired quite easily.

IMPORTANT: This characteristic is for advanced riders who have already tried different options and have their own preference for this characteristic.

NEWBY: The thickness of the board does not matter.

Design

It's all simple: like it / don't like it. For a competent wakeboarder who chooses a board based on its characteristics, design is the last thing that matters, but now that you have an understanding, you can choose a board with the desired characteristics, having a choice from different brands.

If you are one of those people for whom color and the picture on the board are more important, then you was in vain reading all the previous descriptions of technical features - go by color.

Embeds (stand width, thread, bolt length)

Typically, the number of mounts on modern wakeboards allows the mounts to be installed in 3-4 positions, rarely in 2 (), the Slingshot company makes mounts in the form of runners (similar to the EST system from Burton Snowboards). The number of installation positions allows you to adjust the width of the stand, which is determined purely individually, but, as a rule, it is wider than on a snowboard. Recently, you can notice a narrowing of the stances of jib wakeboarders, this is easy to explain - it becomes easier to twist spins when coming off handrails and other obstacles, but there is a loss in stability.

Modern carving in the inserts of all wakeboards - M6, a few years ago (until 2012) all American wakeboards had inch threads, this was a real problem, because... Finding suitable inch bolts was difficult. If you have an old board with inch threads, do not screw metric bolts into it M6- you will ruin the board; Likewise, you shouldn’t screw inch bolts into a new board with metric threads in the inserts, otherwise you’ll have to throw it away. Markings are usually made on the boards of the mortgages regarding the thread used.

The length of the bolts also varies - you need to be careful when using non-original bolts. Using bolts that are too long can push out the embeds; Bolts that are too short may break out under load, damaging the threads.

Afterword and conclusions.

Remember when choosing your wakeboard that every characteristic has two sides: positive and negative. There is no universal recipe for choosing a wakeboard, just as there is no universal wakeboard “for everything,” which is why there is such a variety of them.

NEWBY: the speed of your progress depends on the right choice of wakeboard; pay attention to the main characteristics that play a key role in mastering the first steps on the wake: size, purpose, slide. It's best to get a board with less aggressive rocker and channeling/molded or removable keels for a predictable, stable, and relaxed board. Don't be afraid to choose the wrong wakeboard. The main thing is to try, try and try. If you become a real rider, after a certain time you will be able to feel the difference in the boards and their characteristics, and you will develop your own preferences.

I hope that this article will help you understand the nuances of wakeboard construction and choose your equipment!

A few words about the difference between cable wakeboarding and boat riding.

Riding behind a boat on a wakeboard

Wakeboarding is a fairly young sport; it appeared in the early 90s. With the advent of the board, initially the cable was attached to any available equipment, which dragged them along the shore. And the wakeboard behind the boat began to be used professionally, by converted water skiers, or simply by those who like to ride the waves and those who seek thrills.

Riding behind a boat that forms a wave allows wakeboarders to perform beautiful tricks by jumping out of the water. Also, riding a wakeboard behind a boat allows you to smoothly pick up speed without any jerks, which helps train beginners and makes it possible to get on the board, starting from the water, much faster. A couple of tips for beginners: put on a wetsuit, a life jacket and fasten both legs to the board. Next, we float perpendicular to the axis of the boat, bend our knees, keep our arms straight. The halyard passes over the board, which protrudes a third out of the water at an angle of 45 degrees to the surface. We give a signal to the boat to start and gradually gradually pick up speed. We start moving and rake up the water with a wake like a bulldozer, then slowly begin to straighten our legs, distributing the load evenly across the board. We take our time to pick up speed, then transfer our weight to our back foot and turn the board parallel to the axis of the boat. It may take more than one attempt before any results appear. Wake riding behind a boat is a very spectacular spectacle - riders fly high and perform mesmerizing tricks. Riding behind a boat is more expensive than riding a wake behind a winch, but it trains your muscles just as much.

Wakeboard behind a winch

In 1960, the German engineer Rixen came up with a great idea to replace the boat that served as a towing device for the ring cable car, and a wakeboard on a winch appeared (cable car - Rixen). The function of the boat was performed by a cable stretched between the support towers around the perimeter, one of the supports, which was equipped with an electric motor. The halyards are semi-automatic and are secured to pulling cables. Control is carried out using a computer. With the advent of the cable car, wakeboarding became more accessible and did not require renting or having a boat. The start is made from a special platform with a ramp located on a low-water raft with a slippery surface, or by jumping (for riders with good experience).

Beginners often fail to get on a wakeboard due to the sharp jerk of the winch when it starts moving along the cable car. A couple of tips for those who decided to try their hand at the cable car. After putting on the wake, we stand at the start, closer to the edge of the site. We firmly take the halyard in our hands, bend our arms at the elbows and pull the halyard to the belt and hold it firmly at the belt until we begin to move through the water. Knees slightly bent, transfer the load to the back leg, slightly lifting the nose of the board. We watch our feet when a sharp movement along the platform begins, so that the board does not turn, otherwise, when leaving the platform, you will enter the water with the side of the board (say the side edge) and simply fall. If you fall, you can safely let go of the halyard; you will definitely not get up on the board, but will simply be dragged along the water - go start a new attempt. A wakeboard behind a winch is good because a small body of water with a cable road is enough for it, and also because you can ride on figures and jumps.

Surfing is an exciting water riding on a board, which has become not just a recreational activity, but a prestigious sport. Classic surfing is riding on the natural waves of the sea or ocean. Over the years of its development, it is constantly being improved, and new directions are emerging. Types of water surfing are divided depending on the location, characteristics of the boards, waves and additional equipment used for riding. To get acquainted with this sport and first train, beginners choose moderate surfing. Professional athletes and thrill-seekers choose extreme sports.

In addition to classic surfing, its various types deserve worthy attention and respect. What each of them has in common is water riding and the use of special boards.

Wake

The best extreme activity for countries and regions where there are no sea and ocean coasts with waves. Wakesurfers ride the waves created by a boat. The speed of water transport for this sport is in most cases about 16 kilometers per hour. It is precisely this kind of fast movement that is most comfortable and at the same time quite exciting for a waker riding on the water behind a boat. When surfing, at first the surfer is pulled by a special halyard - a rope that helps to start moving and accelerate. Later you need to let her go and ride the board along the boat wave.

Bodyboarding

A type of surfing that uses a short board with a soft surface. To ride, the surfer takes a lying position on the surfboard, which allows you to relax and get a lot of adrenaline at the same time.

Wind

This is surfing on water, in which movement is provided by the force of the wind. For skating, a lightly weighted board is used, to which a special sail is attached. Windsurfing can be done even in light winds.

Kite

A very spectacular type of surfing, which is characterized by movement on the surface of the water or on waves using the draft force created by a large kite. Kitesurfing combines the conquest of water and airspace. If an athlete learns to control a kiteboard well, he will be able to perform excellent tricks that are only possible in this sport.

To master classic or other types of surfing, you should visit the best spots and become a student at a surf school with talented instructors. You can take your first steps in Russia, but to achieve a high level of professionalism, you should go to Hawaii, Morocco, Portugal, Bali, Australia or Spain - those places where surfing is developed at a high level.