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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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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So you've decided to start wakeboarding, first things first, getting a board. But what kind of things do you have to take into consideration when looking for a board. What does everything mean. Well, us here at wakeboardstuff.com have the answers!

1. First things first, squared edges or round edges? Well, squared edges are better for beginners because it allows for more stability and control. Rounded edges are better for more advanced riders, allowing the board to move faster, and allowing for easier landing of air tricks.
2. Single or twin tips? Single tipped boards are pointed at one end and squared off at the other. Single tips are good for one-directional riding. Twin tips, which are rounded on both ends, are good for switching up directions and landing tricks. (most boards manufactured are twin tips)
3. Width-length? Wakeboard length is between 120-150 cm, and width is between 38-44 cm. It is best to start out on a longer board because longer boards offer more stability when starting and turning. Longer boards can generally carry larger, heavier people, and smaller boards are usually best for lighter, smaller people.
   
4. Whats the difference between all the rockers? A rocker is how the board curves at both ends. lower rider allows a rider to accelerate better and gain control over the board. Higher rockers allow for easier jumping and landings.
5. Fins Smaller, thinner fins work better in smooth water conditions. While larger, wider fins work better in rougher waters.
   
6. Boots/bindings Make sure that your boots and bindings are snug but not too tight, bindings that are too tight can result in a broken ankle, foot, or other injury.

Once you have your board covered, you can move onto the real important stuff, like the boat, the tow rope, and actually learning how to ride!
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When you start out any hobby, there are slews of questions that come up, and sometimes it's hard to find the answers. As a beginning wakeboarder, you begin to wonder everything from what board to pick, to what tow rope to buy. The internet is a huge place, and the amount of information that you get can sometimes be overwhelming and unecessary. But have no fear! the folks at about.com have put together a beginners guide to wakeboarding.
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It’s your passion, your drive; wakeboarding is your life. You’ve been going to different lakes and trying out different equipment, you and your friends bust your asses on your newest tricks to become the dream of the “Top Rider.” Your latest victory can be found on YouTube.com and now, it is time for new equipment.

Yeah! New equipment! You’re stoked already, but then you realize that you’re broke. Great.

Wait! Have no fear! We here at wakeboardstuff.com know that money can be tight, so we did a little research. Check out the sites below for the best deals on name brands such as Liquid Force, Hyperlite, O’Brien, and more.

• The CloseOutDude: This guy gets cheap gear straight from the warehouse at factory closeout prices.
• The House: Here you can find a large variety of wakeboard brands and equipment.
• Performace Ski & Surf: More wakeboard gear and cheap prices, you can also find your other gear for surfing, skiing, etc here.
• BuyWake.com: Strictly wakeboards, strictly cheap.
• RideWaterSports.com: They have a lot of water sport gear for the empty wallets!

Oh, and check out Tige’s new website for 2009 and be a part of something extraordinary!
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How to do a Surf Carve:
1. Begin by starting outside of the wake and edging away hard from the boat to build some speed on your heelside edge

2. Quickly change from your heelside edge to your toeside edge and angle back towards the wake.

3. Right after you change edges, lean towards the water, the lower you get the better. Use the tight rope tension to balance you up. This should be in a quick motion like a surfer carves against a wave.

4.When you get back to the wake, switch back to your heelside edge and do a cutback carve on the wake like its a wave. The harder and faster you do this, the bigger the spray and the better it feels.
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As a wakeboarder, it is important to build strong fundamentals in order to improve your skill on a wakeboard. Building these basic elements will lead to cleaner and better tricks and more confidence while riding. One of these core lessons is to learn how to ride switch. A lot of times a rider will overlook this important skill because they get comfortable riding in their normal stance.

Most riders don’t want to have to “learn how to ride all over again,” but it is actually easier to learn how to ride switch or a switch version of a trick if you already know how to do it in your normal stance. Remember, your body already knows how to do the trick, or how to ride, it’s just a matter of being backwards that makes most riders feel uncomfortable.

Here’s some tips on how to improve when riding or doing a trick in your switch stance:
1. Visualize it.
2. Practice on land
3. Start off switch as you get pulled out of the water.
4. Get surface 180s or ollie 180s down! (how do to surface tricks)
5. Don’t be afraid!

Check out wakeboarder.com for some more information on these hot tips! Don’t be afraid to switch it up!
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Hey all,



Welcome to Wakeboardstuff.com…! Wakeboarding is everything to most of you hardcore boarders out there but to some it is becoming a new way of life.

Take me for instance; I have three little kids 11, 9 and 6…two boys and a girl. They have been wakeboarding, wakeskating, snowboarding and doing pretty much everything in the water and on boards since they were 3-4 years old. But now that they are getting older wakeboarding has become more of an obsession for them and a way of life for our family.

There's a lot more to it than just hopping on a boat and going, that's why (by popular demand) a group of guys from Florida decided to get together and bring you this website. We will try to bring you the most up to date info on wakeboarding, wakeboard boats, wakeboard gear, towers, ropes and other cool industry stuff.

We are not pro’s by any means and actually I drive the boat 10x better than I wakeboard, but we have learned a few cool things along the way. We would also like for you to share your experiences with us and help provide some useful content for the new comers to the sport, knowledge is power brother.

So, jump in the water, its always great in Florida. If you've been trying to find the latest on wakeboard designs, towers, bindings, brands, apparel or just wakeboard life in general… then chill, you've found the right place.

Wakeboardstuff.com

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Take Air,

M.Fromberg and Wakeboardstuff.com Staff
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