How To Choose The Best Wakeboarding Ropes

Before you just go out and buy any rope you need to consider a couple of things prior to doing so. The rope that you end up buying will have a lot to do with your current skill level and of course your current budget. Although a rope will not be a determining factor of whether or not you are going to master wakeboarding, it will help in your journey to ride better.

Some things to consider when looking for a wakeboarding rope.

Most wakeboarding ropes are made with 2 different types of materials.
1.Polyethylene- Although the word is a tongue twister it is not a big deal in what it does for you. Basically it's advantages are that it stretches a little bit more than a regular toe rope. This can help a lot when you first trying to get up on the wake. Which is the first thing that you will want to do when starting out. Without getting up...there is no riding. So having a rope that stretches a little bit when you are starting out can help, especially for beginners.
2.No stretch rope made of spectra material- This rope is pretty much self-explanatory. The ropes don't stretch that much at all. Professionals usually tend to want to use these kinds of ropes more than the polyethylene types of ropes. They help to give a professional better performance because they can predict its limits before trying tricks.

The importance of the rope length

Most of the standard wakeboarding ropes on the market tend to be around 60 to 70 feet in length. A lot of professionals will prefer having a longer rope because the distance between the wakes will be wider further you go away from the boat. However the height of the wake will diminish after a certain distance. It has been tested by the rope manufacturers that a rope around 60 to 70 feet is the optimal length to be able to find the place where the wake is the highest. As it goes as well, ropes that are shorter are closer to the boat where the wake is smaller and the distance between the wakes is closer. Although I mention that longer ropes are used by more professionals, it is worth mentioning that most ropes that are made nowadays have “adjustment loops” for quick adjustments to accommodate any skill level of riders. And to even confuse you more, if you purchase a rope that doesn't come with the adjustable loops you can always make these yourself.

The importance of the wakeboarding handles

Finding a wakeboarding handle that is comfortable is going to be one of the most important factors when you go to purchase a new rope. If you will be riding for hours and hours you will want to find a rope that will not callus your hands too badly. Most wakeboarding rope handles are usually 13 to 15 inches wide which is longer than ski handles. The reason that wakeboarding handles are longer than ski handles are because of the tricks that are performed when wakeboarding. What I mean by this is that a lot of the tricks that you will do when wakeboarding require you to pass the handle behind your back.

When purchasing a wakeboarding rope and handle it is good to try to get the opinion of other riders. If they have been riding for any amount of time they will know the what they like and it will help in your search to find a better rope.

Some of the ropes that we have used in the past that tend to be the ones that we like are the following.

Find out more about wakeboarding ropes and handles
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We will be pulling for our new friend Kyle Hyams...! Rip it up brother, we hope to bring a small grom crowd to cheer you on. Have the stickers ready man...!
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Hyperlite's most advanced grom wakeboard to date, presenting the Hyperlite BSide Youth Wakeboard. Shaped by Butch, with JD looking over his shoulder, the Hyperlite Youth B-Side links two of there best selling shapes. This board combines the snap of the Apex series 3-stage rocker line with the edge hold down of the B-Side series. The Hyperlite B-Side Wakeboard is the real deal.
Sizes: 127
Rocker: Rad 3 Stage Rocker
Fin Configuration: Four Molded Fins / Two Removable Center Fins
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty

This board is really hot...I am dyeing to try this out.

Its that time of year again to be looking at NEW wakeboard vests. I like the Liquid Force Nemesis Neo Vest because it is very comfortable and keeps your afloat when you catch an edge and face plant. You also look very cool for the babes...! Check it out.
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I wanted to throw up a pic of my 12 year old landing his first rail slide...he was stoked...! The tip is..."if you don't try, how do you know you can't do it?"
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So my little dudes were rippin it up at OWC. This is such a great place to practice for kids. The staff is great and most of the other boarders are always willing to give the groms a few pointers. They have a full wakeboard shop, snack bar and pavilion for checking out the action. My little dudes are working CWB boards and an "OLD SCHOOL" wood wakeskate...it's so cool.
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We all love wakeboarding, but we all know it can be quite expensive at the same time. With today's economy, not everyone has $400 to drop on a new board! Well have no fear... Liquid Force and Wakeboard Magazine are giving you a chance to win Shawn Watson's 2009 pro model board and boots. Watson recently re-signed his contract with liquid force and also earned 1st place at The Carnival, which takes place in Orlando. What do you have to do to win this sweet deal? All you have to do is grab your board and a friend (to take a photo or video) and submit a photo or video of yourself impersonating Watson. Send your photo or video to editor@wakeboardingmag.com and the most convincing impersonation will receive the free gear! For more information on Watson check out the Liquid Force site at liquidforce.com
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Wakeboarding legend Cobe Mikacich has been doing perfect heelside front flips longer than most have been wakeboarding, and this video shows you his secrets.


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As promised fellow wakeboard stuffers, here is part two of our wakeboard boat review! Today we will be reviewing Centurion and Malibu boats. We looked at wake size, price, all the specs, and listened to what people had to say about each model's performance, and here's the result!

Centurion Boats

Beginners

Avalanche C4
Length: 22’
Beam: 8’4”
Load capacity: 12 persons
Fuel capacity: 36 gallons
Dry weight: 4,000 lbs
Maximum HP: 340
Base price: see dealer
Wake: wide and mellow- good beginner wake at short line and high speeds

Enzo SV220
Length 21’ 8”
Beam 8” 6’
Load capacity: 14 people
Fuel capacity: 46 gal
Dry weight: 4300 lbs
Max HP 420
Base price: $61,495
wake: easy and clear, with a good width

Enzo SV240
Length: 24’
Beam: 102”
Load capacity: 16 persons
Fuel capacity: 46 gallons
Dry weight: 4600 lbs
Maximum HP: 420
Base price: $64,995
Wake: Clean and crisp with a well shaped lip, very stable ride.

Intermediate-Advanced

Air Warrior Falcon V
Length 20’ 9”
Beam: 8”6”
Load capacity: 10 persons
Fuel capacity: 4200 lbs
Maximum HP: 340
Base price: see dealer
Wake: shorter line length makes this boat not ideal for beginners (to wide), but shortening the length (from 75 to 70 feet) brought good wakes but were still a bit rampy.

Enzo SV230
Length: 23’
Beam: 102”
Load capacity: 14 persons
Fuel capacity: 46 gallons
Dry weight: 4400 lbs
Maximum HP: 420
Base price: $62,995
Wake: Large, rampy wake for advanced level riders.

Malibu Boats

Beginners

Wakesetter VTX
Length: 20’
Beam: *’2”
Load capacity: 10
Fuel capacity: 46 gallons
Dry weight: 3300 lbs
Maximum HP: 400
Base price: $54,921
Wake: rampy, roundish lip with long landing and transition areas. Less is more with speed for a smaller boat.


vRide
Length: 21’
Beam: 7’ 10”
Load capacity: 10
Fuel capacity: 35 gallons
Dry weightL 3,000 lbs
Maximum HP: 400
Base price: $40,900
Wake: very wide wake. Best bet: 22mph at 65 or 70 feet when factory weighted.


Wakesetter 21 XTI
Length: 21’ 6”
Beam: 8’2”
Load capacity: 12
Fuel capacity: 46 gallons
Dry weight: 3400 lbs
Maximum HP: 400
Base price: $53,016
Wake: pretty much the same as the VTX.

Intermediate-Advanced

Wakesetter 23 LSV
Length 23”
Beam 8’6”
Load capacity: 14
Fuel capacity: 55 gallons
Dry weight: 3,900 lbs
Maximum HP: 450
Base price: $63,810
Wake: great for intermediate to advanced riders . At 65 feet the wake is a little to wide for beginners, but has great potential for a wide range of intermediate to advanced abilities.

Wakesetter 23 XTI
Length: 23’
Beam: 8’6”
Load capacity: 14
Fuel capacity: 47 gallons
Dry weight: 3,700 lbs
Maximum HP: 400
Base price: $59,365
wake: peaky performance from an oversized direct drive

Wakesetter 247 RX
Length: 24’ 7”
Beam: 8’6”
Load capacity: 16
Fuel capacity: 87 gallons
Dry weight: 4,000 lbs
Maximum HP: 450
Base price: $71,905
wake: steeper wakes, with long transitions great for charging

Wakesetter VLX
Length: 21’ 6”
Beam: 8’ 2”
Load capacity: 11
Fuel capacity: 46 gallons
Dry weight: 3,600 lbs
Maximum HP: 400
Base price: $58,095
Wake: solid-sized wakes- "Malibu Mellow" wake that riders love
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I don’t know about everyone else, but every time I go to the gas station and fill up my car, I can feel the pain in my wallet. Although gas prices have gone down a bit in the past couple weeks, they have still risen greatly in the past year. But, the passion to wakeboard hasn’t left, and unfortunately that means that we still need to fuel our boats! So, that got us thinking here at wakeboardstuff, what goes into purchasing a boat? What are the most fuel-efficient boats? How does a first-timer go about purchasing a boat, what are they looking for? Well, we did some research, and you’ll love the information we’ve come up with. It’s our very own beginners boat-buying guide! Over the next week, we will be presenting our guidelines for buying a boat, and our reviews of various different boats, so stay tuned!

There are so many things to consider when buying a boat: insurance, brand, warrantee, maintenance, and of course, how much it will all cost. Well, the average boater boats 75 hours/season, and 95% of boats are less than 26 feet, which does not have much of an effect on the cost of fuel. 64% of those buyers purchase less than 50 gallons of gas per season, that’s the equivalent of 2 trips to the gas station for an SUV. So, for a $500,000 large boat that uses 100 gallons in gas per weekend, if there were a $.50 increase in gas, it would result in an increase of $50 over the weekend. Whereas, a smaller boat, that only require 20 gallons a weekend will result in a $10 increase over the weekend.


That being said, now its time to figure out which boat is the right boat for you! There are so many to choose from, over 7 different brands, all with different models, features, and prices.

1. Well, one of the first questions you have to ask yourself is how often am I going to be boarding (realistically), and how experienced am I? If you are a beginner, and do not plan on boarding enormous amounts of hours for awhile, then a used or pre-owned boat may be the best way to go. If you have your heart set on a new boat, but you are a beginner, you want to make sure that you get a boat that does not create a large wake, instead get one that creates a small to medium wake, allowing yourself to increase your experience before you move on to bigger wakes.

2. Now, what is the difference between all these boats? You have inboard boats, all purpose fishing boats, bowriders, closed bow runabouts, cuddy cabins, deck boats, jet boats, pontoon boats… what do they all mean, and what is right for you? Well, for wakeboarding, any of the above can work, but the best type is an inboard boat. An inboard boat has a “v-drive” engine, which is placed in the rear of the boat, near the transom. This placement allows for larger wakes. There are also ballast tanks that help weigh the boat down (generally, they can be automatically filled or emptied to regulate the weight). Most boats also have something known as a wedge, a piece of metal that I behind the propeller, and helps to shape the wake.

3. Now, there are other things to consider, other than just the boat and operating costs. Maintenance can get pricey if your boat is not well taken care of. A freshwater wash down after each use, and keeping your boat covered between uses can go a long way in the life of your boat. There are routine maintenance costs, like with most big purchases, like oil changes and winterizing.

4. Next, is where you are going to keep your boat. You can’t store it in your driveway with your car, so what is the cost of storing your boat? Well, the cheapest solution os to keep the boat on a trailer on your property. But, you can also use rack storage which keeps you rboat in a covered shed. And, for those who want convenience or have larger boats, a marina slip, though a bit pricier is the way to go.

5. You also have to take into consideration insurance prices, which varies depending on the length and type, cost of the boat, and the level of coverage you are looking for. Before purchasing a boat be sure to contact your insurance agent and get quotes for insuring various boats before you make a final decision. You can always reduce your insurance cost by taking a boater’s education course too!

6. The best information you can get is from people who own or have owned boats, and can give you first hand experience, ask around, and find out what brands they liked and didn’t like. Then, go to various boat shows and dealers and talk to people about what you’re looking for and what their boats have to offer. Always make sure to test-drive the boat (yes, believe it or not you can actually do that!). It’s a lot like a car, it’s a big investment, and you want to make sure it’s the perfect fit and that you will be happy behind the wheel.

Stay tuned for more from wakeboardstuff’s boat buying guide!
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