22Ve Wakeboard Set Up for Kids?

[rhoadsdj]

I've got my 7 year old daughter hooked on wakeboarding this summer. She's gets up and rides all day long now and has good edge control toe side and heel side. She'd like to try some jumps now - but I cannot make anything resembling a clean wake for her to even try.

She only weighs 50 lbs. so I'm only towing her at 13 mph. At that speed the wake is wide, which is fine since W2W isn't on the horizon, but its just a total white wash no matter what I do with TAPS and ballast.

Is a clean wake at that speed just not going to happen with this boat? Is there a 'minimum clean wake speed' I just need to work her up to?

[Greeko]

The slowest clean wake a boat can produce is in the 16-18 MPH, and thats a dd ski boat, If you have a flat bottomed nautique or malibu then you can probably get it clean around 18-19...13...geeze man... Thats gonna be tough!...

Front ballast will help keep the rear of the boat up...and taps all the way down..but i don't think ull be able to clean up the 22ve until 19

[Thegerman618]

What is the rope length?

[kjohnson709]

You might try putting the ta;s all the way up to "slalom." Seeing as how she is just learning you are not looking for size. I would also put people in the bow of the boat and I agree with German - run a shorter rope - maybe 55-60ft. I have learned a shorter rope also gives kids more confidence for some reason - don't be afraid to shorten it up. Using a combo of these I am able to keep a clean wake on my 24V at around 13-14 mph.

Hoe this helps,
Kyle

[Thegerman618]

Who you calling a hoe???

Perfect explanation KJohnson, could even go shorter on the rope. Taught kids roughly the same age and skill level in the past. Get yourself a cheapo WallyWorld ski rope, something you don't mind tieing knots in. The trick will be speed, Taps, weight, and rope length. Here will be a little checklist for ya...sorry but I like checklist:
Boat prep start with 200ish in the bow just a little will do ya your not going fast.
Speed the convex hull works best when plowing not planing (for wakeboarding). Nice and slow coming to speed, overshoot your speed by 3-5 mph and then slow down back into your speed not sure of the science of why this works but it does.
Taps to shape and clean the wake.
With no rider get the wake to where you are happy or can see clean lips on both or at least the heelside. Drop the rope in the water and let it go till the rope is at the cleanest part of the wake. Add 2 feet for tower arch and tie a knot and hook up, strap in, and wake board.

As the rider gets better increase the speed and rope length, i had my own little system 1,2,3 for every 1 MpH added to speed, add 2 feet of rope, and 300# ballast (overall 100 bow 100 each locker). Seemed to work well for beginners working on W2W or little airs.

Good luck! Post some pics, love seeing the future of the sport grow through in the next generation.

[kjohnson709]

Hahahah, my bad on the typo guys.