What is wakesurfing, and why do people find it so difficult? In this guide, I will explain the physics of wakesurfing, along with tips to get up easily every time.

The physics are simple, but putting that into practice when being pulled through the water the the hard part. Wearing a lifejacket, you sit in the water, the rope taut. Your feet touch the board, and when the boat accelerates, your upper body is pulled out of the water. This causes your feet to end up on top of the board, and once a certain speed is reached you skim across the water, the rope pulling you forward while your body is standing straight up.

All this sounds simple, but specific steps are needed to achieve the goal of surfing the wave starting from a standstill:

This image is a good illustration of the technique necessary, although the first step is before the top leftmost photo. You start stationary in the water, with the board flat on the surface. Your heels dig into the edge, and your legs are at a 90 degree angle. To start, ask the driver to pull the rope taut. Once this happens, the board starts to move with you behind this. Holding the rope, you lean your upper body back (Do NOT try to pull yourself up with your arms in order to get up – this will only make things more difficult), and keep your knees bent. Once the signal to accelerate is given, simply let the boat to the work for you. As speed is gained, push your heels into the edge of the board to pop it up vertical. It was horizontal on the surface of the water before, but now with this maneuver the edge should be digging into the water with the opposite side pointing to the sky. With continued acceleration, your upper body will start to lift up. Keep your knees bent in a squatting position. As your body is pulled up, towards the boat, the board will return to its original horizontal position, but this time your feet will be planted on top of it. Once this occurs, return to a standing position. Now you are wakesurfing! With this crucial step completed, you will be carving it up and doing 360s in no time. Happy surfing!