CLOSE
Sign up to get news on contests, pro events, new products and special offers.
WATERSKI MagazineYou've tried it. You love it. And you want more. Now it's time to commit. It's time to raid the savings account and buy that new wakeboard that will take you from chump to champ.
So you head down to the local pro shop to look for the latest and greatest in boarding technology. You find row after row of shiny new boards adorned with killer graphics and endorsements from professional riders. You also notice all kinds of sizes, shapes and bottom designs, all of which will affect the board's performance. But how do you know which board is right for you? Should you trust the sales clerk's recommendation? Look for one with the best color scheme? Or maybe just buy the model endorsed by the pro you admire most?
The answer is none of the above, especially if you want to take your riding to the next level. Today's boards are designed to accommodate a wide range of riders, but one size definitely does not fit all. Understanding the relationship of size, shape and bottom design to overall performance is quite simple. It's also essential whether you buy to fly or buy for a Sunday ride.
Size It Up
Step one in the selection process is finding out how a board measures up – literally.
and won't perform properly with a rider who is too small or too large for those particular boards.
The size of the board you should be riding is proportional to your body size. The larger the rider, the larger the board should be. Fortunately, a number of manufacturers now offer the same models in different sizes to allow riders of different sizes to enjoy the same performance.
Wakeboards typically range from 125 cm to 147 cm in length, and 37 cm to 43 cm in width. The key is to look at the overall surface area of the board, which is a function of both length and width. Take into account the width not only in the middle of the board, but also in the tip and tail.
It's What's Inside
Before entering a long-term relationship, you'll want to look below the colorful surface graphics to find out what's inside your new board. Why? Because construction matters, and you will notice a difference between boards with foam, honeycomb or carbon fibercenters. Foam boards tend to have more flex compared to models with other core materials.
This flex tends to stabilize your ride in rough conditions. The heavier weight of foam boards will also make them ride a little deeper in the water, helping the board track better in less than perfect conditions.
Stiffer boards, usually made from honeycomb and carbon, hold their designed rocker patterns better during the approach to the wake and on the landing, both of which help the rider maintain the proper body position.
So, when debating whether to get a foam, honeycomb or carbon-core wakeboard, let the conditions in which you ride make the decision for you. Smooth conditions will allow you to benefit from the high performance of the honeycomb and carbon. Foam boards are best suited for rougher conditions.
Off the Rocker
Rocker is the curvature of the board from tip to tail. Tip-to-tail rocker allows a board to ride up the wake rather than chop through it and also determines the board's speed.
Rocker patterns vary from board to board. To determine the rocker pattern of a given board, place it on a flat surface and observe the distance the tip and tail are from that surface. Boards with continuous rocker usually have no more than a 2-inch symmetrical curve from the middle of the board out to the tip and tail. Rocker over 2 inches will slow down the board.
To help offset this tendency, a flat spot can be added to the center of the board, leaving the tip and tail symmetrical. This is referred to as three-stage rocker, and it increases both lift and the speed of the board on the landings. The length of the flat spot also varies among models, and with the overall size of the board.
Riding the Rails
The edges of the board are known as the rails. The shape of these rails will determine the speed of the board and how forgiving it is on the water.
Rail shape is described in terms of being either hard or soft. Hard rails have less surface area and seem to be sharper. Boards with sharp rails are faster through the water, and hold an edge with less effort, but they are less forgiving.
Soft rails have more surface area and a rounder shape. Softer rails are slower through the water but more forgiving.
The Nose/Tail
Connection
On modern double-ended boards, the nose and tail are of identical shape. Both the width and profile of the tip/tail design will affect the board's performance. The width of the nose/tail determines the board's transition time from edge to edge.
Boards with narrow tip/tail designs will change edges more quickly than boards with wider tip/tails. Width also determines the depth the board rides in the water, which will affect how it tracks as well as its release off the wake. A narrow board will ride deeper, and track with more authority, but it won't get as much pop off the wake.
Designers are now trying many different approaches to reduce the surface area of the nose/tail and still maintain a good pop off the wake. These include swallow tails, bat tails, rounded tails, squared tails and square-ended boards with rounded corners.
Each design is trying to obtain the same thing – optimal tracking with good release.
Channel Surfing
Channels, grooves cut into the bottom of the board, are added to increase tracking and straight-line stability. A board with channels is less dependent on the fins for tracking and tend to move in a straighter line.
There is considerable variation in the length and location of bottom channels. A number of boards have smooth center sections, with channels located closer to the nose and tail. This design creates a board that is looser in the flats, when you're between tricks, but is also able to hold a strong edge when approaching the wake.
Several new models add channels near the side rails around the middle of the board. These designs help the board's leading edge grip the water for a quicker transition, which is important when attempting short approaches at the wake.
Tunneling Out
Tunnels are concave areas of the board bottom designed to direct water down the length of the board to enhance tracking and create lift. Manufacturers sometimes refer to a dual channel as a crown. Some boards may have the pair of tunnels running the entire length of the bottom.
Others have a single tunnel in the middle of the board. This is sometimes referred to as a V tunnel.
A third design combines the two, with a single tunnel in the mid section of the board that transitions to twin tunnels in the tip/tail area. This design was created to maximize the energy gained from the single channel as it moves to the tail.
Go For A Ride
Most stores around the country have great demo programs, and the price of a demo is usually taken off the purchase price of the board.
Get out on the water and experiment. Learn to feel how the different design characteristics affect the board's overall performance.
The more you understand about bottom design, the better your chances of hooking up with the board that's best for your individual ability and riding style.
