One of the trickiest things when it comes to buying your own wakesurf board is actually getting the right size and ride that fits your style and preference. As much as there are some basic guides online, non really tackle every person specifically which is a pretty big issue. We have all been there when buying your first board, as much as you research online and ask people you will most probably get it wrong if you dont ask the right professionals or try out the board. The main factors in picking a board are:
- Weight/Height
- Style of riding you prefer (Skim or Surf)
- Wake size you are riding (usually not an issue if the boat has surf gates and is weighted correctly)
- Your riding level (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced)
Weight/Height
This is probably one of the most important factors in choosing a board. It might seems pretty obvious to you that the board spec always has weight limits, which you can simply follow, however, it can be a little tricky. It really depends on the board manufacturer first of all as each build their boards from different materials. We can’t go through all brands specifically but we will go with the best and most used by professionals.
The two brands are Phase 5 Wakesurfers (Made in USA) and Kanuk Boards Co. (Made in Canada). Typically the first thing you must look at is the weight making sure you are within the correct height range, the most important thing from our experience is to make sure your weight is not reaching the limit exactly, you have to have a minimum of 10 lbs. additional carry.(Always be under the weight limit by 10 lbs at least as a rule of thumb!)
For example:
Let us take the 53′ Phase 5 Matrix Spec below:
| LENGTH | WIDTH | THICKNESS | VOLUME | WEIGHT LIMIT | HEIGHT RANGE | SCREWS |
|
48″ |
20″ |
5/8″ |
7.5L |
135 lbs. |
4’8″ – 5’7″ |
1.25″ |
|
51″ |
20.25″ |
5/8″ |
8L |
160 lbs. |
5’1″ – 5’11” |
1.25″ |
|
53″ |
20.5″ |
5/8″ |
8.6L |
190 lbs. |
5’3″ – 6’1″ |
1.25″ |
|
56″ |
20.75″ |
5/8″ |
9.3L |
225 lbs. |
5’7″ – 6’4″ |
1.25″ |
So a rider that weights between 155 lbs and 180 lbs will probably have to look or try out the Matrix 53′ especially if he falls within the height range. Never buy a board blindly unless you try it out or something very similar as you might be perfectly fitting for the board but not like the style of riding which we will cover in the next section.
Style of Riding
When we are talking about the style of riding, this will usually fall under two main categories: Skim and Surf Style. However, we will also go a little into more detail about the style of a persons riding or preference when coming to a skim board for example.
Wakesurf board designs have different shapes and designs which make the board stronger for certain tricks, riders or wake sizes. Lets compare :
- Phase 5 Matrix 53′: Most responsive board, used by most professionals and non forgiving. Light and very good as the tricks get more advanced.
- Phase 5 MVP 53′ : Has Rails on the edges of the board which make sit more forgiving, higher volume makes it easier to carry heavier riders especially at the back of the wake.
- Hammerhead 53′: Rides like a 56′ sized board, very good for riding the board fin forward as its the same shape on both ends
They are all the same size but all ride totally different. You will probably be able to ride all with no issues, but maybe one of them will make all the tricks you like easier for you and another will make them a little harder due to the way you like to ride, and the tricks you want to focus on.
Surf Style
When it comes to Surf Style boards, it is very similar the way you choose the right size for you and which model as the skim explained above. However, the surf style wakesurf boards are very similar to the ocean surf boards in shape and concept . They are much thicker unlike skim boards with higher volume which gives you more float than a skim board making the board sit higher on the water. Typically as its more rigid in movement, the stability will be higher sure to the bigger fins especially when compared with a skim board. Focus tricks will be Ollies , Airs, Bottom Turns and aggressive carving (exactly like Ocean surfing). These boards are mostly made from fiberglass which is the most common material. Typically Surf Style riders like higher Wakes, for example the wake in a Nautique is one of the wakes surf style riders usually like as its pretty steep usually!
Your Riding Level
The riding level determines the kind of board. For example if we go for Professional, most of them will go for the lightest, smallest board they can ride with no Fin. This helps them achieve the hardest tricks like 540 Shuv’s/Big Spins, 1080 spins etc.. Casuals might want something that works for the whole family so they might want to go with a board that covers most weights with a bigger fin like the Model X, or maybe even go for a Hybrid board like the Hyperlite.
Typically riders will start with Model X if they want to stick with skim and then upgrade to MVP/Matrix/Key as they progress further and then start using smaller boards and smaller fins/no fine as they advance in their riding and skills.
Wake Size
Wake size plays a small role in determining what kind of board you ride as well, especially if you have an older boat or smaller boat and you dont really have much ballast added or you dont have a surf system. The people that will face the main issues are bigger sized riders as they would need a bigger board especially if the wake is smaller or with little push.
The board is your best friend, so make sure you choose the right board for you, because it’ll be with you for a long time.”
Wakesurf Lessons in Abu Dhabi
Please get in touch with one of our team members if you need more consulting on the board you want to choose, you want to test boards or to take some wakesurf lessons!
