If I don't spin a 360 this week I'm going to go insane - PLEASE HELP!

[wallacmc]

Everyone,

I've been trying to spin my first 3 and my second try has so far been my best and I'm going nuts trying to figure it out. I'm 250 lbs. with a big wave and a 5.0 XXX slasher surfstyle board. I can move up and down the wave and but up and dow the wave. Any suggestions on how to do it? I'm the best one of my crew, so I have to figure everything out on my own. Anyone have any tips or procedures or free internet video tutorials to point me to? I leave for Norris Lake for a 10 day vacation and want to master this early in the week.

Thanks,
Matthew

[travis5550]

Dude good question...I've been trying to do the exact same thing. Last week, I got close, but after I made the full 360, I was way too far back to keep the wave. Basically I started by dropping back on the wave, heading down the line towards the front to get speed, then cutting sharp right up to the top and rotating. I found a few basic videos here: http://www.howtowakesurf.com/Trick_List.jsp - any other pointers/videos would be great...

[Surfdad]

Do you know the Gordon's on Norris lake? They used to wakesurf all the time.

Not that I'm super consistent, but I have landed a few 3's. I hate the self-serving/spammy nature of posting the link, but the Flyboy site does have a really short tutorial. Forgive the spamming please:

http://flyboywakesurf.com/wakesurfing-how-to-do-a-360

For me, hitting the 3 is almost always dependent upon my entry into the trick. I have to have my front foot at the top of the spine at 90 degrees into the rotation or I miss the trick.

Not great pictures, but this is the "alingment" thing that makes or breaks the trick for me.

[Surfdad]

Dang! all out of sequence!

Let me try again!

[Surfdad]

Yeah do it the way I show in the first sequence!

I can never seem to remember how to post a youtube video, but I'll give it my best shot. Dennis did the editing on this for us.

[Surfdad]

Hopefully that helps and good luck!

[Iwndr]

Thanks SD Can't wait to start trying that

[Fiveflat]

when you come back down off the wave for speed is the nose of your board just missing the swimdeck as you begin the turn for the 3?

[embo]

Thanks for the info Surfdad. Almost had one the other day but just didn't get the finish completed. I will have to try to keep the "front foot" tip in mind next time to see if that helps.

[Surfdad]

Thanks embo and lwndr - good luck and I hope it helps!

fiveflat, no, I think that I am about 2 feet back, but I do have to make a conscious effort to WAIT to start that turn. It's funny, my natural "instinct" is to try the turn further back and I think to myself WAIT and then do the turn. Like I said, the key for me is having my front foot right on the peak as I come around. That seems to set the rotation in the correct spot so that I come back DOWN the wake face (don't go over the table or bury the nose) and also stay in the pocket.

[Timmy!]

Riders like James and Keenan make it look like child's play when they do it.

[wallacmc]

Thanks a ton surfdad. This video will be a great help. I'm going to nail this three. Part of the problem seems to be my wave is getting too big and it knocks me off balance. It's good to see another big guy nail it. I'm gonna get this.

[travis5550]

at what point would you be considered "competition-worthy" for wakesurfing? do you need to be getting airs and making 720s? I'm trying to figure out how much more I need to practice before I can consider myself a "legit" wakesurfer and start seeing how my skills measure up...

[Fiveflat]

I'd say definately need a front side air and at least a 3. But there are divisions for people that are just learning to drop the rope too....

[Surfdad]

@ wallacmc, I have (more) trouble on a steeper wake than on a more mellow wake. If it's possible, you might try setting your wake up for less steep and more long, but not too fast when you are going to practice the trick for any length of time. It seems that once you get it, it tends to come back a little more easy.

@ travis5550, I compete but I'm not really competitive and I'm in the Masters division! The amateur divisions tend to vary widely depending on the contest. For me and this may not be universal, the contests give me a chance to meet up with old friends that live across the country. I also get to ride behind different boats and wakes and that can be an eye-opener (glad I have mine! glad I don't set it up like that! ) and at many of the events I can look at different boards up close. So for me, I've resigned myself to not winning and I go for other reasons.

I am sure that you have a bunch of skills and it's always fun to benchmark with other riders, but also the connection shared with other wakesurfers can be some of the most fun you'll ever have.