Wakesurfing is Making Waves, Literally: Here’s How to Get Into the (Surprisingly Easy) Water Sport
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Wakesurfing, once the fringe little brother to wakeboarding, is quickly becoming a mainstream water sport. And it’s easy to see why: Wakesurfing is incredibly fun and surprisingly easy to learn — no matter your boardsport familiarity, age, or athleticism.
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If you’ve never heard of the sport or you’re itching to catch your first endless wave, we’re here to help. Below is a full guide on how to start wakesurfing, including tips from experts and some of the best wakesurfing gear for beginners.
In This Article
What is Wakesurfing?
Is Wakesurfing Hard?
What Kind of Boat do You Need for Wakesurfing?
The Best Wakesurfing Gear for Beginners
What is Wakesurfing?
The goal of wakesurfing is to ride a boat’s wake like an ocean surfer would ride a wave.
You start out like a wakeboarder, pulled behind a boat on a board, only your feet aren’t locked in on a wakesurfing board. Once you’re up and cruising, navigate onto the wave created by the boat’s wake, release the rope, and start shredding. Very little strength or flexibility is needed; just balance once you’re riding.
Wakesurfing has been growing quickly all over the country — in part thanks to the pandemic. “COVID really brought a ton of new people into the overall boating industry, but also into wakesurfing, in particular,” says George Steinbarger, an executive at Mastercraft, one of the foremost manufacturers of wakesurfing/wakeboarding boats. “[Wakesurfing boats] has been the fastest growing segment of overall boating for the last five to seven years,” he notes.
Is Wakesurfing Hard?
Like any watersport, wakesurfing can seem intimidating. But there’s no need to fear: “The greatest thing about wakesurfing is it’s got to be the easiest action sport with the quickest gratification,” says Austin Keen, a pro wakesurfer and world champion skimboarder.
“I’ve taught so many people who have zero experience on a skateboard, or any type of board at all, and we’ve allowed them to feel the sensation of actually dropping the rope and surfing for the first time,” says Keen. “There’s no sport like it really, it’s just so easy to get out there, have fun, and feel safe.”
This ease is part of the reason why wakesurfing is such a fast-growing sport. Groups of family and friends of all skill levels can head out on one boat, take turns, and cheer on whoever’s surfing. “It’s multigenerational, you know, five-year-olds, six-year-olds can surf and grandparents can surf,” says Steinbarger.
But, just like more difficult action sports, there’s still always room for improvement after you’ve figured out the basics of wakesurfing. Surf-style snaps, carves, and airs are all on the table, as well as skate-style tricks.
What Kind of Boat do You Need for Wakesurfing?
The most important piece of equipment when it comes to wakesurfing is the boat — and not any powerboat will do.
Wakesurfing boats have specific design features to generate more rideable wakes than regular boats. On Mastercraft boats, for example, Steinbarger explains how a tab system, a ballast system, and a unique hull design work together to create some of the biggest, smoothest waves you’ll find behind any boat.
Plus, boats like Mastercraft’s that are built for wakesurfing also deliver clever features designed around the sport. You’ll find things like wake customization, board racks, rear-facing speakers, and reversible seats for passengers to watch the surfer, all of which make the experience better for the rider and the passengers.
The Best Wakesurfing Gear for Beginners
Ready to start wakesurfing? Here’s some of the best wakesurfing gear to get you ripping in no time.
1. Lib Technologies Crak’N Wakesurf Board
Wake surfboards come in three styles: surf, skim, or hybrid. Surf-style boards are similar to those that ocean surfers use with plenty of float and longer fins for big carves, skim-style boards are more like skimboards with a thin profile and small fins for fast, skate-y tricks, and hybrids are in-between.
Keen recommends that new surfers get a surfboard that’s slightly on the larger side with a three or four-fin setup. This one from Lib Technologies fits the bill with a five-foot-one-inch length option, good volume, and a four-fin setup.
Lib Technologies Crak’N Wakesurf Board
2. Ronix Koal Capella 2.0 CGA Wake Vest
You’ll also need a reliable lifevest when wakesurfing, no matter your experience. But it’s best to use a slimmer vest designed for wake sports, such as this one from Ronix, instead of, say, those puffy ones you find on rental boats. Also, you’ll want one that’s Coast Guard-approved (CGA), as this one is.
Ronix Koal Wake Vest
3. Connelly Skis Tug Surf Tow Rope
Wakesurf ropes are shorter than wakeboard ropes, as you’ll be closer to the back of the boat. This tow rope from Connelly is a good option with a 30-foot length, a neoprene grip, and an easy-to-grip ten-inch handle.
Connelly Skis Tug Surf Tow Rope
4. Quiksilver Original Scallop Boardshorts
Besides all the wakesurfing gear, you’ll also want a pair of high-performance boardshorts that don’t get in the way. Right now, we’re loving these Scallop boardshorts from Quiksilver. The look is a throwback to trunks of the Sixties and Seventies, but the shorts’ stretchy, lightweight fabric lends modern performance, moving with your body as you learn to stand up, pump, and carve behind the boat.
Quiksilver Original Scallop Boardshorts
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