Wakeboarding FAQs
If you are looking for a new watersport to try, especially here in the Ozarks with our many beautiful lakes, consider wakeboarding. It isn’t a difficult sport to get started, though as you progress the tricks can get challenging.
The expert staff at Ski Shack answers common questions about wakeboarding.
What is wakeboarding?
Wakeboarding is an extreme sport performed on the water. In wakeboarding, a rider is strapped to a wide board by foot binders and typically towed behind a boat. The boat creates a steady wake that the person can ride.
The high speed of the boat and the thickness of the board allows the rider to perform tricks and flips in the air, which is the appeal of wakeboarding for many enthusiasts.
Related Post: Tips for Wakeboarding at a Cable Park
What equipment do you need for wakeboarding?
Basic wakeboarding equipment includes a wakeboard with foot binders, boots, a tow rope, a buoyancy vest, a helmet, and a wetsuit for cold weather.
A wakeboard typically comes with attached foot binders, but you will need to buy separate boots to wear. Safety equipment, like buoyancy vests and a helmet, is essential to prevent injury.
Where can you wakeboard?
You can wakeboard on a lake! A lake allows the boat room to turn and tow the rider safely without running into other people. You can also wakeboard in the ocean, though it is not as calm as a lake.
Do you need a boat?
You need a boat to tow the rider at high speeds and to create the wake for them to ride on. Just about any boat can be used for wakeboarding, but there are boats specifically designed to tow wakeboarders, like the Axis Wake, or most models of Malibu boats.
Another option is to use a wakeboard cable park.
What is a wakeboard cable park?
A cable park is a facility on a body of water where wakeboarders are pulled by a cable system instead of a boat. It is a great place to practice flips and tricks in a controlled environment or even to learn beginning wakeboarding skills.
Ski Shack has a cable park located in Springfield, MO, that is open for classes with personal instructors. Contact us for availability.
Related Post: Wakeboarding vs. Wakesurfing: What’s the Difference?
Wakeboarding in Springfield and Branson, MO
Ski Shack sells wakeboarding and wakesurfing boats, as well as all the gear you need to get started. Contact us today for more information.