Wakeboard Safety

Hitting the water can be fun and it can be even better when you participate in some of your favorite water sport activities, like wakeboarding! Wakeboarding is one of the most popular activities for on-water thrill-seekers, but if you’re not careful, you can be seriously injured. That’s why Family Powersports San Angelo has provided some tips for staying safe on the water. If you’d like more advice, or if you need a wake boat to tow your wakeboard, then stop by our location serving Abilene, Big Spring, and Sonora, Texas.

Safety Gear

Everytime you go wakeboarding, you’ll want to have the right gear with you. The most basic of these items is a life jacket. Even the strongest swimmers can find themselves in a situation where staying afloat is difficult and a life jacket will keep your head above water.

A helmet is also highly recommended, especially for those who like to crank up the speed. Ask an experienced water enthusiast. You might look at the fluidity of water and think that it’ll cushion your fall, should you have one, but once you’re going fast enough, hitting the water can be like hitting concrete. A blow to the head at that speed can be incredibly damaging, so consider investing in a wakeboard-specific helmet (so it doesn’t create a hazard once you’re in the water).

Finally, make sure all wakeboarders have a signal flag. The other boaters on the water might not see that someone’s getting towed behind you. A flag can keep your wakeboarders visible to avoid any accidents.

Strong Swimming Skills

This is probably a good idea for anyone stepping onto a boat, regardless of whether or not they’re wakeboarding, but this is particularly important if you’re getting towed on water sport equipment. Your lifejacket will of course help you, but you still should be able to keep your head above water on your own.

Be Courteous to Other Boaters

Treat boats the way you might treat your car. You need to respect it and the other boats around you. This is a matter of safety and simply just as a courteous gesture to the other boaters on the water. Keep an eye on who’s traveling at top speeds and who seems to just be out for a leisurely float and give every boater their space.

Limit Downtime in the Water

Downtime refers to when the wakeboarder is sitting the water, not being towed yet or moving. While downtime is a necessary part of the sport, for resting and reorienting, limit this time. Your wakeboarder is essentially a sitting duck at this point and it’ll be harder for other boaters to realize you’re towing someone behind you.

Obey Speed Limits and Safety Signs

If you’re out on public waters, there’s probably a speed limit, as well as other safety signs around you somewhere. They’re there to warn you when there’s a hazard coming up and keep everyone on the water safe. Make sure you keep an eye out for these signs and follow them. This isn’t just about you and your wakeboarder, but also the other boaters on the water and even the environment.

Build Up to the Tricks

We know how tempting it is to dive in head first to those tricks, but most of the tricks you see in movies and on TV are performed by professional stunt coordinators who have years of training. Don’t expect to nail these kinds of tricks the way they do, especially if you’re just starting out. Work your way up to some of the bigger jumps and tricks so you can avoid injury and make sure you’re doing it right.

As we mentioned earlier, though, you’re going to need the right boat to tow a wakeboarder. To check out some wake boats, stop by Family Powersports San Angelo and we’ll show you the models we have available right now. We proudly serve Abilene, Big Spring, and Sonora, TX.