Getting wakesurf air

[IDBoating]

It's ski season here, but we're still dreaming of surfing next season. One of my goals is to start catching air and I need some advice from the experts here!

Our primary board is a Inland Surfer Infectious (skim style board) with a single center fin about 1.5 inches tall. I'm very comfortable and stable on it now; I can stay on the wave just by feel with my eyes closed, can stand or crouch or almost sit down, can catch the rare surface 360, etc. I've started shooting forward and edging up off the lip near the swim platform (don't know what the move is called, but it looks like preparation for going airborne). I can get pretty aggressive with that move and then carve the nose back down onto the wave.

What's next toward getting fully airborne? Even more forward speed and up off the lip? Do I need more or larger fins to reduce sideslip? Do surf style boards work better for this? It's safe to presume I know nothing since you won't be far from the truth .

Thanks!

[duffymahoney]

Gosh this is a tough one. I don't know how to ollie, but I can still get air on a surf board. Some people say you just ollie off the top of the wave. I personally just pump down the face then turn up the wave and release. If i could figure out how to do this and ollie I bet they would be higher. I can't get as high as chase, or james but I can boost a little. Most of the guys in my crew can actually boost or jump as well. Next summer come out with us and I bet I can have you jumping quickly. Our best airs are never captured on camera and most of my pics are from camera phones

[duffymahoney]

Here are a couple more.

[duffymahoney]

I think you come out on my custom shred stixx boards you would fall in love with the speed you can gain and loose while pumping for airs.

[IDBoating]

the speed you can gain and loose while pumping for airs

Again, I'm no expert, but the various surfers we had out on the boat last summer (which included a sponsored semi-pro with boards custom made for him by Phase 5) all said our Infectious was "looser" than their own boards. I had lots of offers to trade on the spot. That doesn't mean it's the correct board for what I'm trying to do, though.

just pump down the face then turn up the wave and release.

What do you mean by "release"? I think I'm doing what you describe... I cruise in from back on the wave to build speed, then suddenly carve up the face to drive the nose skyward, then as the board falls I drive the nose back down onto the waveface and engage its active edge to restabilize. I get the most vertical with speed coming in from the back, but I can also repeat this move 2-3 times so I'm sort of "bouncing" in place if I want to.

I can boost a little.

What do you mean by "boost"?

Most of the guys in my crew can actually boost or jump as well.

What do you mean by "jump" in this context?

[IDBoating]

Also, you have WAAAAAY more fin surface area than I do. Is that important? I kept my single fin small at first because I like to spin and flip the board around (I'm big on 360's on wakeboards and figured I'd want to do the same sorts of things on the surfboard to start).

[duffymahoney]

No all of those pro skim boarders can get air, so i don't think fins will help. Pumping+ large fins = speed which can lead to airs (thus why chases airs are much higher then the skim guys). None of us ride skim boards so I don't think I can help there.

Ok, here is what I do, I pump down the face, turn up the wave a little, the goal is to jump at the point where the wave just starts to form. Then I lift up my front foot followed by the rear foot. Sort of like a ghetto ollie.

We all started surfing a tiny wave and we learned to jump while holding the rope. Just try holding the rope and popping or jumping off the top of the wave? Or just come up sometime next summer and watch us

[IDBoating]

Or just come up sometime next summer and watch us

I agree, we should get together next summer. Maybe visit each other's boats and lakes for some friendly comparisons!

[duffymahoney]

For sure! I have lots of fun mods planned for the spring. My wave should be even better

[IDBoating]

For sure! I have lots of fun mods planned for the spring. My wave should be even better

Not to hijack my own thread but I too have some mods planned. One set is related to fill and drain speed, I'm hoping to cut it in half without any new holes in the hull. Another is video system improvements. The third is waveshaping, but that is significantly more mechanically complex and I don't know if I'll get to it right away.

I need to be independently wealthy so I have both the time and the money to explore all the possibilities!

[duffymahoney]

Ha! I plan on adding stuff to my wave flap. Then tower lights, heater and maybe 300 pounds of lead bags to tweak the wave.

[topaz surfer]

sounds good you guys I'm curious to see what you come up with. I'm working on my custom fully automated system right now and can't wait till next summer to try it out.

[topaz surfer]

not to keep off topic but are you guys going to give us any clues as to what you are gona try? lol.

[IDBoating]

Shhhh... the Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of ballast innovation!

[topaz surfer]

awe shucks, I was hoping for a teaser. Guess we will have to wait and see what you come up with.