teaching a Young-n

[efox]

I am thinking about getting my daughter out on a board this year. She is Five. I had thought about putting myself in a tube just in front of her to help her out. I aslo saw someone riding next to the child on a kneeboard and holding the board steady. What do you think would be best?

Eric

[talbertini]

RE: teaching a Young-n

I started pulling my kids around on a tube when they were 3 so they could get used to being behind the boat. They got up on combos at age 5 and started wakeboarding at 6. I just got in the water with them and held the board straight so all they had to do was stand up. After @ 3 tries they were off on thier own. I had someone in the boat holding onto the other end of the rope so that when they fell they wouldn't get drug under water. They learned on my board which is a 142. It was big and very stable.

[NAUTI84]

RE: teaching a Young-n

efox,
My two girls (11 & 8) and their cousins (13 & 8) all got up on my wakeboard two years ago.
We had rented a lakehouse & it had a floating raft.
We sat them on the edge of the raft w/ a short rope and just putted away.
They all got up the first time, rode aways and fell.
Kept repeating and the next day they were going around the lake.
My biggest surprise was when my 11 yr old wanted to get up deep water. I told her no-way (she wasn't big enough to even sink the board underwater) but, she insisted. Got up 1st time!
Of course then the others had to do the same thing. We didn't need the raft anymore.
Fun, Fun, Fun!

[CHassmann]

RE: teaching a Young-n

My oldest two, and now my third son, started out in a tube with either me or my wife. They then graduated to a "Zip Sled". This is a big blue plastic sled with a handle on it that I started with over thirty years ago. It's the same concept as the "skim" boards that are out there now. Last year, my youngest did this while attached to the barefoot boom at three years old. I held the rope so that he was close enough to the boat that I could help him balance if needed, but not too close if he fell off (which did happen once). After that, trainer skis that are tied together are the next step. You can do it behind the boom or long line. I find it a little easier on the boom. I can hang on if I need to while helping him stand up on the skis. Once they are comfortable on two skis that aren't tied together, they graduate to slalom and/or wake board. Be sure not to push your kids out there to soon. They have to want to do it. Have fun!!!

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: teaching a Young-n

Ha, the Zip Sled! That was the first thing I ever rode on the water! If I remember correctly, it could be used in the snow and on the water.

[mrese]

RE: teaching a Young-n

If the young ones are skeptical about the sound of the engine and the pull of the boat, you can try taking the fins off, putting a water sprinkler on the yard, a 20 foot ski rope,and use a riding lawn mower to pull them. You get a quicker turn around time to pick up your learner and get in some practice sessions fairly quick when you can't be at the lake.

[Mikeski]

RE: teaching a Young-n

Put them in a big pool and run with rope in your hand to pull them up. Once they get up a few times put them behind the boat with somebody in the water to help stabilize them, we taught my buddies kid this way, I used to teach about 15 kids per week this way down at ClubMed in Florida.

The most important part with the boat is to go sloooooowww, like 5-6mph. I have been teaching kids for years and it always amazes me how slow you can go and have them pop right up. It's kind of strange to see a tiny kid up on a board when the boat is just barely making a wave, far from planing. Never use the "clean-n-jerk" method to pop them up it will only freak them out.

I am not a big fan of trying to ski/board next to them, it's hard to stay out of the way when they start an uncontrolled traverse from one side to the other. The one exception might be if you are a jumper and are very comfortable on big jump skis at slow speeds. I can ride my jumpers all day long at this speed with one hand on the rope and other hand holding a kid up on skis, but still I don't do it with Jr. wakeboarders.

[raygunclan]

RE: teaching a Young-n

are you saying you can get a child up on a wakeboard @ 5-6 mph? we have 5 and 7 year old daughters who are dying to learn and are looking for all of the advice we can get. as for our 2 year old daughter, she might be the first one up!!!

[bkhallpass]

Yes, A child can ski at 5 or 6 miles an hour, and it doesn't
take much power.

I learned on a 12 ft Aluminum fishing boat with a 9.9hp Johnson.
Not only goes slow, but also has virtually no wake. After a handful of
of days on the water, I graduated to our 1958 inboard.

BKH

[SGY]

Yep, just above idle--especially on the wakeboard. It's amazing how quick the kids pop up. That's the beauty of a inboard/vdrive.

[Socbum]

Both my kids (12 & 9) & I learned last year. To help us start on the right path we went to a wakeboard clinic that was sponsored by Mid Ohio Watersports. We were lucky enough to have J.D. Webb for an hour on the water teaching the kids the basic techniques. Hyperlite helped as well by providing a few demo boards.

After that session both kids were up and running! I took a little more time (and assistance from Jesse at Mid Ohio Watersports) before I was getting the deep water start going.

My suggestion would be a lesson from somebody that is used to teaching and knows the tricks and the clinics are an inexpensive way to start.

[raygunclan]

they give lessons on a lake in downtown orlando, right across the street from my hubby's office, so he could watch! i definitely want to get them the lessons from a pro! i used to teach ski lessons (snow) and i sure know the value of a good lesson (not that i was giving one!!!) they get out of school in a week and then we're going to get them some lessons. i've got to figure out how to put the carburetor in the boat before we get to go out, though!!!

[TylerO]

Put them in a big pool and run with rope in your hand to pull them up. Once they get up a few times put them behind the boat with somebody in the water to help stabilize them, we taught my buddies kid this way, I used to teach about 15 kids per week this way down at ClubMed in Florida.

The most important part with the boat is to go sloooooowww, like 5-6mph. I have been teaching kids for years and it always amazes me how slow you can go and have them pop right up. It's kind of strange to see a tiny kid up on a board when the boat is just barely making a wave, far from planing. Never use the "clean-n-jerk" method to pop them up it will only freak them out.

Mikeski,

Tried this last weekend and it worked like a charm! My 8 year old daughter had only ridden tubes before and wasn't that excited about learning to wakeboard. However, with some encouragement and letting her pick out a new board (HL Motive 119 with adjustables) we were ready to start. Saturday afternoon we helped her put the board on poolside and I then spent the next 2 hours pulling her across the pool. After each pull my hands (from the rope) and my ears (Again Daddy!) we're getting more and more tired. Took her to the lake Sunday and she was up and riding right away. The trick was as you said to acclerate SLOWLY which I found is easier said than done.

[Mikeski]

Great Job, Congratulations!

It reminds me of when a guest of clubmed told me his three year old that we had been pulling across the pool woke him up at 3am demanding to go out and ski! Hopefully you didn't forget the video.

[raygunclan]

i can't wait to try this! i was thinking about the canal that runs 100 yards on the side of my friend's house, i could get her 5 year old to give it a spin too, but i think the pool might be a better start! more stuff to scare the girls away from learning in a canal in central florida than in a pool! unless you're in daytona! Yellow_Flash_Colorz: