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jwweathers

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I'm going to go with most people being fat and unathletic, especially once they are old and established enough to afford one of today's ridiculously priced inboards.  It's sad to see how many middle aged adults lack even the most basic strength to get up on a surf board, let alone the coordination to wakeboard or ski.  

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LOL....

I agree with both those statements...

I am not fat but am probably considered middle aged..

I bought my first boat (used) when I was about 35 and my first brand new boat when I was 42 (bought the time I was established enough to do so, cant figure out how the 20 somethings can afford 70K to 100K boats)

 

I hit the wakeboarding pretty hard up until a few years ago (no pro by any means but it was fun) But then surfing came along for me and man was it nice to get out on the water and not feel like crap the next day after taking a good hit B)

 

My kids still wakeboard all the time and I do every once in a while but I would much rather be on a surfboard...

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I would argue that the fear of taking the hits necessary to progress in wakeboarding is also a major component...

 

What does that mean, "to progress"?

 

most wakeboarders make no progress at all.  I'd bet that the vast majority of folks who strap on a wakeboard on any given saturday can't go wake to wake and probably never will, and the vast majority of them probably don't even try.  

 

Same goes for surfing... how many wakesurfers "progress" beyond riding ropeless?  Airs or 360s even?  Probably fewer than 1 in 100.  

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Id say several reasons as well. Surfing is much easier in choppy waters, and I live on large lake so unless going out at 7am calm waters for wakeboarding are almost unheard of. Also the more interaction between passengers and rider with wakesurfing makes the day more enjoyable.

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I think the OP is saying "necessary to progress" meaning your not going to be successful in every trick the first time you try it...

your gonna take hits.. and those hits may be enough to persuade you into something with a little less impact.

 

Now I think I would also challenge that it doesn't take a fair amount of athletic ability to surf.. maybe not as much as wakeboarding but I for one fell the burn after an aggressive set on a surfboard

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Id say several reasons as well. Surfing is much easier in choppy waters, and I live on large lake so unless going out at 7am calm waters for wakeboarding are almost unheard of. Also the more interaction between passengers and rider with wakesurfing makes the day more enjoyable.

 

That is a real good point.. Surfing can definitely extend your day on the water.. were we ride on the Columbia, we only get maybe 2 to 3 good hours of calm water in the early morning before it either gets blown out or everyone and their brother show up.. I always laugh when I see people out trying to wakeboard through the chop just beating the piss out of themselves.. B)

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being athletic requires fitness, but being fit doesn't necessarily make someone athletic.  Pretty much any human should be able to hike 15 miles.  But most of them will also feel the burn afterwards.  Do some squats midnight! ;)

 

wakesurfing is an easy way to get into watersports, but it's not really "hard," it's more of a finesse activity.  Sortof the golf of the watersports world.  Just as there are plenty of fatter, drunker golfers who are better than me, there are fatter, drunker wakesurfers who are better than me.  Both are activities that require skill and finesse, but neither demand a particularly high level of fitness, which is a quality I would argue makes an activity "athletic."  Sure I know, golfers and pro bowlers are "athletes."  

 

Most people seem to get "good enough" surfing to ride without the rope and that's about it.  Progress pretty much ends there.  It's fun, sure.  I like to surf.  But the challenge seems to end pretty quickly.  Probably for the same reasons I'm not a great golfer, I'm not a great surfer.  I can do it and I can have fun, but I don't have the persistence and dedication to do any of what I would consider "progressing."

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I would venture to say as most grow older, the drive to push the limits of either boarding or surfing declines as most are reserved rather than risk injury. Healing time is longer as well. Doesn't mean that I don't push it. But most will not. Never know what's going to happen. Buddy of mine in his early 40's landed wrong last season going W2W. The rope handle snapped back and hit him in the face shattering his jaw. So hard it broke the rope handle as well. He will surf now but has no desire to wakeboard anymore. Took a toll on his work, his family, and his health with one freak accident. We all just love being on the water, surfing and boarding within our limits and letting the kids rip it up as well.

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I guess I just know the feeling of eating it so many times trying something new. Then you finally stick it and everyone in the boat goes nuts. Without that feeling, wakeboarding would not be nearly as fun. Ive surfed quite a bit to wind down after wakeboarding. I can't imagine getting that same feeling from surfing. I am not bashing surfers by any means. I grew up on the water, so I will do whatever I can to stay on the water as long as possible. I just cant understand why able bodies would prefer surfing over wakeboarding. That's what I was curious about.

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Here's my thought................

 

I got my first inboard boat last year and only surfed behind it. I upgraded to the Tomcat this year primarily for surfing and I am one of those guys that want to be at least decent at sports that I am involved (I also ride enduro moto, trials moto and sled in the winter and I can hold my own on just about any terrain).

 

When it comes to surfing I know I won't be happy just to surf ropeless and this season has been working on air and 360s. I picked up wakeboarding about a month ago just because my son is now wakeboarding and I thought it would motivate him if he sees me doing stuff. 5-6 rides in I am almost wake-to-wake riding at 21mph and I honestly love the speed and adrenalin rush compared to surfing.

 

That being said, at 42, taking a face plant or landed hard hard on my ass does not seem to work out well for my body so surfing will likely still be the dominant water sport if I want keep riding 10years from now.

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I have been wakeboarding for a number of years and would agree with a lot of what has been said above. When it's rough out you are not going to get any good wakeboarding in but you can surf. Also it's something else to do that almost everyone can enjoy. Being so close to boat makes it easier to interact, teach and have fun.  Wakeboard,Surf,Skate,Ski,AirChairing... I want to be able to do it all which is what pushed me to get an MB.

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Ha, you guys must not boat with a crew of teens.  I swear every time I look in the boat they are either asleep or look so bored it makes me want to quit!

 

Tell me about it. Never mind teens, I go out with a crew of 8-11yr old kids and the reaction is not much better. You feel like you are taking time away from their next tube ride.

 

Get this, we rented a lakeside house on our vacation last week and my son does not even want to go on the boat while i'm surfing. He'll go for a 15-20min wakeboard set but he stayed at the cabin while my wife drove me.

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Here's my thought................

 

I got my first inboard boat last year and only surfed behind it. I upgraded to the Tomcat this year primarily for surfing and I am one of those guys that want to be at least decent at sports that I am involved (I also ride enduro moto, trials moto and sled in the winter and I can hold my own on just about any terrain).

 

When it comes to surfing I know I won't be happy just to surf ropeless and this season has been working on air and 360s. I picked up wakeboarding about a month ago just because my son is now wakeboarding and I thought it would motivate him if he sees me doing stuff. 5-6 rides in I am almost wake-to-wake riding at 21mph and I honestly love the speed and adrenalin rush compared to surfing.

 

That being said, at 42, taking a face plant or landed hard hard on my ass does not seem to work out well for my body so surfing will likely still be the dominant water sport if I want keep riding 10years from now.

 

 

Totally relate.  We bought our first boat four years ago, primarily to surf. Then upgraded to the current ride two summers ago, again to surf.  But wakeboarding has slowly but surely gotten its hooks in us.  Even my wife prefers to wakeboard if the water is good (she is one of those who will never ever go w2w).  Seems like we only surf if the water is bad, and we never go out "just to surf."  

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U have to love to wakeboard imo to push yourself and take the falls you will take to progress. I learned to ride last year I'm wake to wake but that's about it. There's so much to learn then learn it switch then toe and heelside. Most of my friends don't get back on after the first face plant. Like riding a bull, if u love it you will get back on after it bucks u off and stomps on your cranium, if u don't u won't.

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35 years ago I loved to slalom ski... then I took a huge crash that hurt for days and really made me shy away from slalom for a number of years... fast forward 30 years and I am back in a boat to drag my kids around the lake and the thought of getting slammed either wakeboarding at 21mph or skiing at 34mph did nothing for me.  That's when I really started to notice the surfers out there and I said hey... I could still do that.... so bought the MB and I got back out behind the boat again.  The kids (mid 20's)  both wakeboard and surf but they seem to enjoy surfing I think for the social part of it.  We also play a little game of "toss the beer" to a surfer who has to open and drink a can without falling.  (small things amuse us I guess).  it's all just fun on the water. 

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I was in my mid 20s when we got our first boat and I quickly progressed to slalom skiing. There was nothing better then a good cut! Then one day I took a pretty bad crash. The ski caught me in the mouth, split my lip and busted up some teeth. I decided to "retire" to the knee board. It was almost as fun as skiing but had lower speeds and the wrecks didn't hurt as bad. My downfall was that I loved to ride the outside when we had to turn around and one day got a little to much speed. Ended up with a concussion on that ride. It didn't deter me, but it did slow me down. We ended up selling the boat and moved to the desert several years ago. There is a lake about an hour from here large enough to float a boat and my kids are now old enough they enjoy going to the lake, so we bought our MB. Of course, they like the tube the best but my son is getting into the kneeboard. I am in my later 40s now and I took a ride on the knee board myself. I had honestly forgotten how much fun that is. (Now my knee is messed up) I tried getting up on a wakeboard for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago, but just don't have the technique yet. I know I have the strength to do it. It's just a matter of actually doing it! I realize that I don't recover as quick as I used to but I refuse to sit by and not try! I am determined to ride the wakeboard!! We have a wake surf board too but have never tried it - I may have to give it a go!! I don't mind a little muscle pain if I get to do something I love! If I ever progress to jumping wake to wake -I will have accomplished something. I used to do it on a knee board!

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For me surfing is my main activity for one reason...I am the only one that works. I work in the oil and gas industry. If I were to get serious about wakeboarding and blow my knee out, tear ACL, etc then not only doni hurt but so will my family. Major injury means not able to do my job therefore no money, no food etc. would I love to learn tantrums, and rolls? Of course. But not enough to risk my families livelihood.

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Agree with a lot of reasons above why folks like surfing more than boarding. I am 43 but in really good shape...so the fitness factor is not the issue. I like to board but do not like to push it too much anymore after couple head slams lol. I can push learning to surf better w/o the pain haha. Now snow skiing...I grew up doing that competitively. I still push it and not many can keep up...but theres not much injury factor as I know what I am doing.

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I would argue that can't push it and avoid taking slams, skiing or wakeboarding. If you are learning, you are falling.

Umm...I competively skiied downhill (snow) for over 15 yrs.. and skiied more than 35...I still push it ... but the difference in learning something new and really pushing it the way I was at wakeboarding (something very new at) ... is different...for me at least. So, no, I disagree with you ....

 

Pushing it does not necessarily equate to learning at all ...

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