Wakesurfing

What Makes a Great Wakesurf Session?

A great wakesurf session is more than just a rip behind the boat. It's involves everything from the wakesurf boat to the driver to the board. In this article, you will learn everything involved in how to make a great wakesurf session so that you'll be carving on the lake all summer long.

Keep reading to learn all about: 
What Makes a Great Wakesurf Boat?
Types of Waves
Wakesurf Innovation, Convenience & Technology
How To Wakesurf
Wakesurf Boat Driving Tips
How to Get Up on a Wakesurf Board
Picking the Best Wakesurf Board for You

 

What Makes a Great Wakesurf Boat?

A great surf boat is multifaceted. It’s not enough to just produce a great wakesurf wave, the boat needs to be a Swiss Army knife with all sorts of capabilities that range from comfort to convenience to performance to technology. Malibu has spent tens of thousands of hours honing in the perfect balance of all these elements to make the best wakesurf boats in the world.

Performance

Comfort, convenience, luxury and technology are all important elements in a surf boat, but the single most important element is performance. And Malibu has that in spades. It all starts with Surf Gate, Malibu’s patented wakesurf technology that allows you to create a wave on either side of the boat with the touch of a button. You don’t have to displace crew and move weight from side to side, Surf Gate allows you to generate a world-class wave on either side with the boat while staying evenly weighted. In most cases, your evenly weighted setup similar to your wakeboard weight setup will work as a great starting point for your surf setup, so the convenience factor is off the charts. Another great thing about Malibu’s surf system is it combines with several different surf innovations to make an infinitely customizable wave. For example, your wakeboard weighting setup might be really close to your surf setup, but not exact. Malibu makes it simple to tweak your wave’s pitch and drive with ballast and Power Wedge III.

Wave Types

Create Your Perfect Wave

Wave Pitch

The face of the wave can take on a lot of different characteristics that will produce a different feel while you’re surfing. This is largely controlled by Power Wedge III and ballast. What’s the best wave pitch? There is no “best” wave pitch, it’s all about personal preference, and many riders tend to surf both styles. That’s why Malibu allows you to go from a steep to a mellow wave and anywhere in between, all at the touch of a button. Click the icons to learn more.
Wave Types | Malibu Boats

Steeper Wave = Tighter Pocket

Putting Power Wedge III in the higher positions (3, 4, 5, etc.) will make the wave more steep with a tigher pocket, great for larger riders or more experienced riders who want to air out off a steep, ramp-like lip. This steep wave will make a smaller pocket, or area to ride in without losing the wave.

Longer Wave = Huge Pocket

The opposite side of the spectrum is a long wave, which makes for a huge pocket to ride in, but not as steep of a face. You put Power Wedge III in the lower positions (lift, 1, 2, etc.) to accomplish this. A long wave is typically better for beginners because they have less chance of digging the wakesurf board’s nose in and they have plenty of room to play with while not having to worry about losing the wave.

Ballast = Longer or Steeper

Ballast can also affect wave pitch, with more bow weight making a longer, mellower wave face and more stern weight making a steeper wave face.

Wave Drive

Wave drive and pitch go hand in hand. The drive a wave has keeps you in the pocket and surfing, rather than trying to pump to stay in the wave. Here again, there is no “right” choice, it’s only the wave you prefer. Many riders like to stay somewhere in the middle between steep and mellow. Another huge benefit is that Malibu’s wave has an ocean-like drive that equates to plenty of push no matter whether you’re setup for a long or short wave. Click the icons to learn more.
Wave Types | Malibu Boats

More Drive = Steeper Wave

A steeper wave has the most drive, or push forward. This is helpful when you want to get plenty of speed to air out.

Less Drive = Mellow Wave

A mellower, longer wave has a little less drive and is helpful for newer or smaller surfers because their weight can be distributed more evenly in a neutral stance.

Customize

The great thing about Malibu is that everything is customizable, and the change happens almost instantly with Power Wedge III and ballast. If you prefer a steep wave and your crew prefers something more mellow, it can happen in seconds.

Wakesurf Innovations

Wake Plus Hull

Wake Plus Hull

An important factor in Malibu’s surf system is the Wake Plus Hull. A great wakesurf hull is the foundation of a great wave, and Malibu’s patented Wake Plus Hull is the best on the market. Just like building a house, you really can’t have a great wave without a great foundation. Everything stems from the Wake Plus Hull and the ideal-shaped wave it can create. From there, ballast takes the wave from good to great and Power Wedge III takes it from great to mind-blowing.

Ballast

Ballast

Ballast will take your wave up a few notches in terms of mass. It can also affect the shape of the wave depending on where you fill. If you put more ballast in the front of the boat you can expect a longer, more mellow wave with a huge pocket. If you put more weight in the back of the boat, the wave will stand up higher and have more drive. All this happens with the push of a button, of course.

Power Wedge III

Power Wedge III

Power Wedge III is Malibu’s proprietary automatic wake-shaping device that enhances and customizes your wave to the perfect shape and size for you. Developed from Malibu’s legendary Wedge, the Power Wedge III takes the same concept of driving the back of the boat down to and brings it to the next level. Power Wedge III can take your wave from steep to rampy and anywhere in between, and it can be adjusted while you’re surfing with Surf Band. On top of all that, Power Wedge III automatically adjusts to the way you’re driving, improving fuel economy on turns and starts while improving hole shot performance.

Surf Band

Surf Band

All this customization in your wave is made even better with Surf Band, Malibu’s proprietary device for controlling your wave while you surf. Without Surf Band, the surfer ends up having to yell at the driver to adjust the Power Wedge III up or down, change surf sides or adjust speed up and down. Surf Band covers all this from your wrist with no communication between the rider and driver, and you can even adjust the tower speaker volume!

Convenience & Technology

Malibu Command Center

The single most important piece of tech in your surf boat is the Command Center. It lets you do just about everything you need to from the comfort of the helm. Particularly helpful for learning how to use your boat, the Malibu Command Center has intuitive menus that are easy to dive into and learn without cracking the manual. The majority of the functions are so self-explanatory you will master them on day one. Click the icons to learn more.
Malibu Command Center

Touch-Screen Dash

Things like optional forward- and rear-facing cameras are not only convenient for docking and backing up, they also keep your crew safer.

Presets

Wave presets let you create a perfect surf wave with the touch of a button, and everything from your mood lighting to your sound system is customizable. Of course, all the boat’s vitals for driving a perfect surf pass are there as well.

Wakesurf Presets

At Malibu, we design our boats with users in mind. That means everything needs to not only perform at a world-class level, but it also needs to be convenient as well. Convenience is all about making your day on the water hassle-free, and there’s nothing more convenient than Malibu’s wave presets. Click the icons to learn more.
Wakesurf Presets

One-Touch Setup

Within the Malibu Command Center—the touch screen digital brain of the boat—are presets that automatically control multiple functions on the boat at the same time to set your Malibu up for a sport.

Less Setup, More Surf

For example, if you load the “Surf Left” preset, the boat instantly starts filling the ballast, sets Power Wedge III, dials in the boat’s speed control and engages Surf Gate for that side. It’s that easy. From there, if you want to tweak settings you can do it from the helm or Surf Band while you’re riding.

Malibu Towers

Surf boat towers have to come down now and then. It’s unavoidable. Whether it’s a low bridge, a boat lift or garage storage, folding down a tower is part of wakesurfing life. Most wakesurf boats have board racks, but unless they’re convenient your crew won’t end up using them. Click the icons to learn more.
Wakesurf Towers and Board Racks

Wakesurf Board Racks

Malibu’s board racks swivel from the outside to the inside of the tower so you can easily remove boards, and can option for clamping clamps that keep your board snug without squeezing hard enough to make pressure dings. Your quiver is safe, secure and easily accessible.

Tower Options

Malibu’s G5 tower is counterweighted so it’s feather light even while loaded up with racks and tower speakers. And for the next level of convenience, the Gx tower is even easier. The Gx tower is powered, so it automatically folds itself down with the turn of a dial.

Malibu Comfort & Luxury

Flip-Down Swim Step

Flip-Down Swim Step

Malibu’s flip-down swim step makes getting onto the platform from the water almost effortless. After a long surf session, the last thing you want to do is heave yourself up onto the platform. Instead, just flip down the step and settle into the lounge. With the flip-down swim step you can truly leave it all on the wave because you won’t need to think about saving some energy to get back into the boat. As a bonus, our four-legged friends love it too. For the next level of convenience, option up to the powered flip-down swim step, which folds out automatically with a button on the transom.

Rear-facing Seating

Rear-facing Seating

Unless you’re running down the lake to your favorite surf cove, the action is behind the boat. That’s why Malibu’s surfboats provide multiple rear-facing seating options so you don’t have to crane your neck to watch the wake theatre. Pop-up seats, fixed seat backs that face the action, and the Malibu Multi-View Bench Seat all come together to make plenty of rear-facing options. The Malibu Multi-View Bench Seat is a convenient work of art. It converts from a normal bench seat to rear-facing to a table with almost no effort.

Soft Grip Flooring

Soft Grip Flooring

On a long surf day, snacks and drinks will get spilled. It’s just the nature of the beast and a part of having fun. Fortunately, it’s not a big deal. Malibu’s Soft Grip Flooring cleans up easily and quickly. Additionally, Malibu’s Soft Grip Flooring prevents surfboard dings and doesn’t heat up on long summer days. Talk about convenient and comfortable.

Bimini

Bimini

A bimini is a lifesaver on hot days, but your crew won’t bother with it unless it’s convenient. That’s why Malibu put so much time into integrating its surf bimini to not only offer convenient shade, but also to store boards (including foils) up and out of the way.

Stern Turn

Stern Turn

One of the single most convenient pieces of technology of your Malibu is Stern Turn. Stern Turn is a rear thruster that lets you push the back of the boat around with the press of a button. Challenging docking situations and quick turnarounds are a breeze with Stern Turn.



HOW TO WAKESURF

Wakesurf Boat Driving Tips

Wakesurfing is one of the most rewarding watersports out there. It’s low impact, fairly easy to learn and there are an almost unlimited number of tricks to keep you challenged and engaged. Wakesurfing is one of the few sports in the world that’s just as fun for a teenager as it is for a grandparent, and the whole family can get involved. Here are some tips to jumpstart your wakesurf career and make this the best summer ever. Let’s start with driving.

Safety First

Driving for wakesurfing can feel a little intimidating at first, but it becomes second nature after a short time. The main thing to think about is always safety. Keep your rider in view at all times and make sure you keep a safe distance between the boat and the surfer when you’re circling around to pick them up after they fall. It’s also good to keep in mind that your boat has a lot of power and there’s no reason to use it all to pull the rider up. More on that later. Stay at least 200 feet away from docks, other boats and stationary objects while underway, and keep enough Coast Guard-approved PFDs in the boat for all passengers. Kids under 12 need to wear theirs at all times. You also need a throwable flotation device and some states require a watersports flag as a visual indicator your rider has fallen. If you’re on a busy waterway, tell your rider to hold their board up vertically so they are more visible to other boats when they fall.

 

How to Set Up the Boat to Surf

Malibu makes setting up a surf wave incredibly easy. There are two ways to do it. The first way is to navigate to the presets screen on the 12” display. From there, select “Surf Left” or “Surf Right”, press “Load” and the boat will do the rest. If you want to dig in and set your boat up manually, just select “Surf Left” or “Surf Right” in the upper right-hand corner of the 12”, engage cruise control and set your speed to somewhere between 10.6 and 11.4. Shorter boats can be at the lower side of that speed range whereas longer boats will need to be on the higher side. The last two steps are to fill ballast and set Power Wedge III to the desired level. How do you know which side your rider wants to surf? A great way for beginners to tell which foot they should have forward is to stand behind them and lightly push them forward so they have to take a step. Whichever foot they step forward with first is a good indication of which foot forward they will have while wakesurfing. The rider should have their toes facing the wave for beginners, so for example, a left-foot-forward rider (called regular foot) will start out surfing on the left side of the boat from the perspective of someone driving. In this case you will hit the “Surf Left” button. If your rider is right-foot-forward (called “goofy foot”), just hit “Surf Right.” Malibu makes it that easy. The boat will take care of filling the ballast, dialing in speed control and setting Power Wedge III and Surf Gate to deploy. Now it’s time to find some deep water.

Water Depth

It’s best to wakesurf in at least 12 feet of water. More is better. When you have less water underneath you, the boat will not generate a fully formed wave. If you have shallow spots in your waterway, you’ll notice the wave dropping out and losing size and push so it’s best to stay in deep water at all times.

 

Choose Your Line

When you’re looking for a wakesurf spot, find somewhere that has enough depth and is relatively calm. It doesn’t have to be glass calm, but less wind is typically better. You’ll drive in a straight line while surfing, so find a spot that has enough space for a good run. Also, if another boat is “running the line” you’re looking at, it’s typically courteous to either go in the same direction they are or find a different spot. Although it’s not always possible, ideally it’s a good idea to avoid going perpendicular to another boat’s watersports line.

 

Prep Your Rider

It’s good practice to go over a few signals with your rider so you’re on the same page when they get in the water. Some of the most common are to say “hit it” when the rider is ready to get up (“go” sounds too much like “no”), to signal with a fist on the top of the head when you’re ready to be done, and to wave to signal you’re okay after you fall. Designate someone in the boat as the spotter as well as the rope tender. The spotter will tell you when the rider is down and the rope tender will throw the rider the rope as you circle back around after they fall; the rope tender should throw the rope alongside the rider, never directly at them. Once the rider is up and surfing the wave, the rope tender should pull the rope in. 

 

Deep-Water Starts

When your rider is in the water with a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket on and the handle in their hand, wait until they get situated before moving the boat. Many surfers like to start out on their backs with the board on their heels so it may take them a minute to get into the right position. When they’re ready, they will signal you. Lift the neutral lock on the throttle and slowly push it forward to get a little tension in the line. Try not to jerk the handle from their hands or accelerate too quickly. You can anchor your forearm on the armrest to get more incremental throttle movements. As the rider is slowly being pulled forward, gently ease the throttle forward until they get on top of the board. The boat’s speed control will kick in at a certain point and your main job will be to watch for traffic and obstacles in front of you while your observer watches the rider. It can be tempting to watch the action, but never drive facing the rider. Instead, always face forward and glance occasionally in the mirror for the rider while relying on your spotter for information as well. If your boat is equipped with a rear-facing camera, you can pull that up on the main Malibu Command Center screen and watch the rider from there as well.

 

Falls

Chances are, there are going to be a lot of these at first so you’ll get some practice. When the rider falls, gradually pull the throttle back to neutral and start to turn in the opposite direction of the wave. Give the boat a little bump in reverse until the wave passes you, then slowly circle back around to the rider, keeping them on the driver’s side at all times. Have the rope tender toss the line to the rider and they’re ready to try again.

 

Rope Tender

When your rider throws the rope to the other side of the wave, the rope tender should pull the line back into the boat so the rider has no chance of falling onto it.

 

Transfers

If your rider wants to transfer from side to side, Malibu’s Surf Band takes care of all the work. You just drive the boat and the rider will push the button when they are ready to transfer. The boat’s surf horns will emit three beeps before the system transfers, letting the rider know exactly when to time their hop over the wave to the other side. It’s that simple. They can also slightly adjust the speed up and down, tweak the Power Wedge III setting and even turn the tower speaker volume up without you having to do a thing. When the rider has pressed the transfer button, an alert will pop up on the Malibu Command Center letting the driver know the transfer is about to happen.

How to Wakesurf Transfer

Surf Gate™gives you the ability to switch your wave from one side to the other without moving any weight.

How to Get Up on a Wakesurf Board

 

Getting up on a wakesurf board can feel a little intimidating at first, but it’s just like riding a bike—once you have it you have it for life. Here are some quick wakesurfing tips to get you started out right.

 

Goofy or Regular

If you don’t know which foot forward you ride, have someone gently push you from behind. Whichever foot you step forward with first is a probably the foot you will have forward when you ride. Start out surfing the side that has your toes pointing at the wave. Left foot forward is “regular” and right foot forward is “goofy.”

 

Tow Point

Attach the rope to the tower’s main tow point in the middle. If the tower is equipped with side tower points, you can place the rope on whichever side you want to surf. This is another innovation from Malibu to make wakesurfing easier. The side tow points help get you outside the wave so you can learn in clean water, and they can make a world of difference on a beginner’s learning curve.

 

Getting Up

When you’re all geared up with your US Coast Guard-approved life jacket, board and handle, hop in the water and swim away from the platform. Start lying on your back with your heels on the board and the edge of the board facing the back of the boat. As you say “hit it,” the driver will gradually ease the throttle forward and tension the line. At the same time, push your heels down so your feet land in the center of the board. The tension of the boat pulling you forward will drive the board into your feet. While this is happening, bend your knees and let the boat do the work as it pulls you on top of the board. The tendency is to stiffen your legs and try to muscle yourself on top of the board, but the boat is always going to win that game of tug of war. Instead, resist the urge and keep your legs bent with your heels as close to your butt as possible. Don’t stand up too soon; you can ride all around the lake crouched down like this but if you try to stand up too soon you’ll most likely fall. This whole process sounds complicated, but it becomes second nature in no time.

 

Riding

After you’re on top of the board, turn the nose toward the back of the boat and put some weight on your heels so you end up leaning against the boat’s pull and staying out of the wave. Now you can stand up, but keep your knees slightly bent and your core flexed in an athletic stance.

 

Getting Into the Pocket

When you’re feeling more comfortable riding, gradually start to turn into the wave by putting more pressure on your toes. Keep the handle at your forward hip as you make the turn so your board’s tip faces the back of the boat. When you get into the wave, let go with your back hand and start to move around until you feel the wave start to push you. When that happens, move your weight backward to slow down. When you have weight on your back foot, you’re hitting your wakesurf board’s brakes, and when you lean forward you’re hitting the accelerator. When you feel comfortable, throw the handle across to the other side of the wave and let the power of the wave keep you going!

Photos

What Makes a Great Wakesurf Boat?
What Makes a Great Wakesurf Boat?
What Makes a Great Wakesurf Boat?

Picking the Best Wakesurf Board for You

 

What’s the Best Wakesurf Board?

Let’s just get this out of the way now: There is no best wakesurf board, it’s all about what works for you. A surf style board is just as good as a skim board and a hybrid shape is just as good as the other two, they just do different things for different riders. What’s the difference? Let’s talk it through. 

 

Surf Style Wakesurf Boards

Surf style is more like a traditional ocean surfboard. While surf-style wakesurf boards have evolved quite a bit from the ocean, they keep the same spirit and a somewhat similar shape. In many cases they also have a similar construction style. Characteristics include a thick surface, more buoyancy and more fins that are curved like an ocean surfboard’s fins. Surf style is great for airing out and big, aggressive turns. They can feel a little squirrely to beginners, but that’s because they are so lively when you get them on an edge. That energy transfers over to sweeping bottom turns and pro-level airs that are hard to match on a skim board. A surf style wakesurf board will usually have a more locked in feel at the tail that can be hard to break loose until you know what you’re doing. The added tracking provided by the bigger fins can make it easier for beginners to get started because the board naturally wants to face its nose to the back of the boat. Brands include Ronix, Liquid Force, Hyperlite, Slingshot, Connelly (CWB) and more.

 

Skim Style Wakesurf Boards

Skim boards resemble the type of skim board you run and throw in front of you at the ocean. They have a very small fin (sometimes more than one), they’re thinner than surf style boards, and they love to spin. They can feel like you’re on ball bearings for beginners, but when you get around to learning 360s there’s no better platform. You can still air out, but it’s more difficult and probably not the best board to learn airs on. Brands include Ronix, Liquid Force, Hyperlite, Slingshot, Connelly (CWB) and more.

 

Hyrbid Style Wakesurf Boards

If there’s a compromise between a traditional skim and surf board, it’s the hybrid. It will take the best features of both boards and make a nice balance that can be a perfect all-around board for the whole boat. It’s never going to be quite as good as specific things as a dedicated surf or skim style, but for most people that’s okay. Look for plenty of buoyancy and the option to add multiple fins if you’re just starting out. For the bigger riders, look for a longer board so you don’t have to keep pumping to stay in the wave. The longer you go with the board, the more the nose should curl up so you don’t catch it on a steeper wave. Brands include Ronix, Liquid Force, Hyperlite, Slingshot, Connelly (CWB) and more .

 

 

 

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