Can I Ski Behind a Surf Boat?
As wake boats continue to evolve, the sport of waterskiing seems to more slowly disappear. It's a sad reality as slalom ski courses become less accessible and the sport of wake surfing becomes more and more enjoyable.
In the 80's and 90's, slalom skiing was popularized as an extreme sport for all, to see who could turn the most buoys at the highest speed and with the shortest rope length. This sport of slalom skiing still remains and records continue to be broken every year. However, the extreme-ness of slalom skiing, isn't its true nature. Slalom skiing is all about a smooth ride, making turns on glass water and spraying a wall of water.
The true nature of slalom skiing is most commonly displayed on a ski-specific boat like a Mastercraft ProStar or a Ski Nautique. But you can definetly ski behind any kind of tow boat, even a wakesurf boat like the Centurion Fi23 or Nautique GS series.
What kind of Ski works best behind a Surf Boat?
The best way to answer this question is to know what kind of skis absolutely do not work behind such a boat. Any slalom course specifc ski will automatically be disqualified from being able to perform behind a surf boat because of it's inability to endure a wake crossing. Water skis like the Radar Vapor, HO Syndicate, D3 Skis, and Goode Skis, are all built for high-end performance on a course, not behind a wake surf boat. Any waterski unlike those previously mentioned, will have the potential to endure the wake crossing of a surf boat, however, there are certain skis that will perform better than the others. Open-water specific skis like the Radar Session & Terrain, HO Hovercraft, and the Connelly Big Daddy, can all be used to ski behind a wakesurf boat.
How do I cross the wake without crashing?
Most wake surf boats now have the ability to create massive waves that are reminiscent of plateaus and crossing such a wave can be a little frightening, but a few pro tips will simply ease your worries.
After you have made your aggressive cut out in the flats, made your wall of spray and are now ready to cut across the wake, you only need to remember to commit. Do not transition out of your cut before the first wave and commit to your speed. If you transition out of your cut too early, you can risk jumping the wave and subsequently crashing. It is important to know that your waterski is designed to cut through the water and not to pop off like a wakeboard. Trust your ski as you transition so that you can focus entirely on your cuts and wall of spray.
