Kid surfing tips?

[doug69]

Hi. I have been trying to get my daughter wake surfing. She is 8 and using a phase 5 scamp. She is getting up but having trouble turning the board and is consistently ends up nose diving coming down the wake. I am using no ballast and running at pretty low speed. Anyone have any good tips? I have heard starting from the platform? Shorten the rope ? She is getting frustrated and I am hoping we can get her some success before she gives up.

Thanks.


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[max 1.6]

Tell her to keep her weight way back. Much easier for them to hold the rope than to compensate for the nose diving.
That way, when she's ready, she can forward her weight and start to control the board.

[swatguy]

Also shorten the rope ever so slightly. You still need to use ballast to allow her to generate some push from the wake to help her scoot along so fill the surf side tank. It will keep it mellow.

Where are her feet on the board?

[markj]

If she's "nose diving", that makes me think she's not facing sideways or riding with the board parrallel to the boat. If so, once she's up, have her drop her back hand from the handle-which should help her stay sideways and more in control. It's common problem I have when teaching newbs.

[seveet]

It helps to have them learn to lean against the rope similar to water skiing or wakeboarding (i.e. Stand on the back of the boat, have some hold the rope, and have them lean back against it to learn the feel of the correct body position prior to getting in the water). This teaches them to be able to edge the board outside the wake. Try slightly turning away form the side they are surfing on as you start this will naturally push them outside the wake. We often times pulled the rope to the side to help them or use the board rack attachment point instead of the tower. Lastly, I am really gentile with the throttle with kids and typically don't get the speed high enough for the NSS to deploy until they get outside the wake. Kids really don't need that much speed to be able to stand up. Learning to edge properly and the slower starts are the key. Mostly it just takes time and repitition. Once she is up, have her try to stay farther back and lower on the wave this will help prevent pearling the board. We typically don't hold back on the ballast. My son and many other young kids we have taken out typically surf the same ballast as my wife and I. I do slow the speed down a little. Wake 9 has some good videos on how to start kids. I watched them with my son just to give him some visual reference.