Wake Riding

[garyb]

I've seen a few video's of people riding boat wakes and I'm ready for a go . Most of the boats I've seen in video's seem to be travelling pretty fast.
My boat is a 27ft semi-displacement fishing cruiser, it cruises at about 13 knts, top speed around 17knts. Not fast  but it puts up a pretty big wake, especially  if I adjust the trim tabs to dig the stern in. Alternatively my friends 35ft fishing boat cruises at about 10knts but weighs 10 tons, so gives a really nice big wake.
Is there a lower speed limit to be able to wake surf? I would imagine not?

[1tuberider]

Your boat should make a nice wake.  Your rider should tell you if it they want more or less speed thru the thumbs up, thumb down signal.  I am not a wake expert but I have spent time pulling people around on lakes and in all towing the towed should tell you how fast to go.  I would think your cruising speed is just about right and if not be prepared to burn some fuel.

[alap]

8 to 10 knots, depending on the board, the wake, the style, the rope length. 15 knots will throw you out of control, its pretty easy to bounce on those speeds.

i had hitchhiked a lot of rides on local reservoir from rich people with power boats. now I know instantly who will beg to give me a ride and who won't even answer 

but be aware of CO2 poisoning, if you do it too close to the fumes for too long.

longer rope will give you more of waterski ride, short rope and low speed on god wake will allow you to drop the rope (or dont drop it, but there will be no tension).

but after a while it gets boring. nooooo comparison with real wave. but it was good in the beginning for a while. i even bought a skirope and paddled with it around my shoulders (the truth is that if they have a rope they are in the riding mode themselfes).

[garyb]

Thanks guys.
I will be using either a Starboard Drive 10' 6" or my 8'6" homebuilt.
I will give it a go next time I get a chance. Guess it would get boring after a while, but thought it would make a change from flat water paddling when the swell isn't happening. Also good practice for board stance etc.
Have you ever managed to pick up on a wake without using a tow rope? I am sure I have seen this on a video somewhere. Guess you would need to be paddling pretty fast as the boat goes by.

[Easy Rider]

Rope?
You don't need a rope to get going.

For first learning - sure it helps out - but once you and the boat driver figure it out - you don't need a rope.

This one has been up on YouTube for 3 years.

[robcasey]

another version i do is to pop behind power boats passing me in a channel on Puget Sound.  i nod at the pilot to let him know i see him/her. if i get a neg vibe, i pull back. if not, sometimes they give me more speed and large waves. good practice for balance and control as boat wakes tend to push you away from the boat. 

[supuk]

i used to do alot of wake surfing behind a mastercraft water ski boat what you need to do is set the boat on a gradual arc to one side this will boost the size of the wake you will also find when doing this it will be better turning one direction than the outher this is due to the direction the prop rotates at i forget which way it is though i know matercraft work better if you ride regular and ski nautique's if your goofy and as i said this is due to the prop rotation. im not shore with a displacement hull but with ski boats you want to get the speed so the boat is just at the point were the bow wave is under the middle of the boat pushing the bow up and sinking the stern.and as said be careful of fumes people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning by doing it for to long.