How To Wakeboard

Hi! My name's Brett Hodgkins. I'm a professional wakeboarder and instructor here at Princes Club. And today, I'm going to tell you how to wakeboard.

Alright, first thing you're going to need really is a wakeboard; one of these. Mine's basically a four fin board and oxford rubber binding so I can actually come out of them. And pretty much, that's it.

And you'll definitely need a pair of shorts, a boat, a line handle and a life vest. Okay, first thing is first. How to start on a wakeboard.

I usually tell people to get into the water. The board is very buoyant so if it gets behind you at any point, just don't panic, flip yourself over. Knees up into the chest as far as you can, knock kneed, elbows around your knees.

As the boat pulls you forward, you come forwards, forwards, forwards till there. Don't push on the board; don't pull on your arms. Now we're on the surface of the water, from this point here, we stand up slowly, halfway into a crouch and twist one hip into the handle, elbows in.

Once you're actually up and riding the board on the water, what you want to try to concentrate on is keeping your front knee and ankle nicely bent. 70% weight on your front foot, if you ride the tail of the board, you've only got about a quarter of it in the water so it won't react. 70% weight on your front foot, elbows tucked in, head up.

Once you want to start moving around on the board, press on your heel side to move that way, press on your toes to move that way and point the board in the direction you want to go in on your toe side. That's just some of the basic things that you need to be concentrating on when you're wakeboarding. Have fun out there.

Always wear a life jacket, life vest. Good luck! Keep your head up. Keep your knees bent. .