Watersports and bowriders go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly. There are a lot of different water sports that you can try with your family and have fun. My 16-year-old daughter thought it would be fun to try wakeboarding. I thought it was a good idea but never trying this before myself, I had no idea where to begin or if it was even possible to wakeboard behind a bowrider.
So we decided to do some research about it and want to share what we have learned with you. It turns out you can wakeboard behind almost anything including bowriders, center consoles, and even pontoon boats among others. All you need is some basic knowledge and equipment to get started.
Of course, we know that a bowrider doesn’t compare to a wake boat that was designed specifically to produce the best possible experience for a professional wakeboarder. But for the rest of us average just having fun on the weekend kind of wakeboarders, a bowrider will do the job just fine.
We are going to cover some essentials that you need to know before wakeboarding behind your bowrider. These points are the result of extensive research followed by a lot of tests and failure. We hope you cand find them helpful and save some research time.
1- Towing Point- while you can pull a wakeboard from the same low towing point used to pull tubes, this is not ideal. A high towing point is much better for pulling a wakeboard. This high towing point will pull the wakeboarder up, getting him on top of the water faster. Once on top of the water, an elevated tow point will help the rider stay on top of the water, ride waves and perform tricks easier.
If your boat is not equipped with a high towing point, there are some aftermarket options available such as wake towers and high poles.
High poles can be easily installed on almost any boat. The good thing about them is that once you are done using it you can remove and store it away. High poles are an easy and inexpensive way to give the wakeboarder the appropriate high towing point.
Wake towers are a bit more expensive and require more skill to install. The good thing about them is all of the added benefits you gain besides a high towing point. You can add a bimini top, tower speakers, lights, wakeboard rack and more. Another benefit is that it will give your boat e new cool look.
Any of these options are good and will make for a much better experience for the rider.
2- Speed- Learning to control and maintain proper speed is critical for the success of the wakeboarder. Start by going relly slow to remove the slack off the line, then accelerate gradually until the wakeboarder is on top of the water. It is essential to maintain a steady speed and avoid any erratic acceleration to avoid jerking the line.
A good speed for beginners is between 16 and 20 MPH. More experienced wakeboarders usually hover between 22 and 36 MPH. It is important for you as a boat driver to know the wakeboarders preferred speed and try to maintain it. Good communication between the wakeboarder and boat driver is key.
3- Spotter- extremely important to have a designated observer looking out for the wakeboarder. Although fun, driving a boat is not a game you need to pay attention to your surroundings and where you are going at all times. You can’t safely pay attention to where you are going and the person wakeboarding behind your boat at the same time.
Professionals add a rearview mirror as an added safety feature so they can focus on what’s ahead of them and also be able to check on the wakeboarder occasionally. This is a good idea but it is not a replacement for the designated observer.
The designated observer will be in charge of receiving information from the wakeboarder like adjust speed, stop, etc, and pass it onto the driver and also communicate any message from the driver to the wakeboarder.
4- Gear- Whether you are a beginner or a pro wakeboarder having the right gear is always a must. Bring the right stuff for the right job, wakeboard gear is especially designed to perform adequately and maximize enjoyment without complications.
- A wakeboard pull rope is designed for minimal or no stretch, floats and is 55ft to 75ft in length (65ft is a good length for beginners).
- A wakeboard that is the right size, length, and shape for your experience level and liking.
- A life vest that is comfortable, practical and can keep you afloat.
- Wakeboard boots of adequate size.
- A helmet designed for wakeboarding
5- Propeller- This is a big deal, some bowriders propulsion systems are a jet drive or forward drive, but most are a sterndrive or outdoor engine. These last two types could be very dangerous if proper precautions are not taken.
Use proper pulling rope designated to float so it doesn’t get caught on the propeller. Never have the engine running when the wakeboarder is on the swimming platform or on the water close to the boat getting ready.
Stick to rope sports, don’t try to wake surfing behind a bowrider, you’ll have to be too close to the boat right above the propeller and it can become a meat grinder.
6- Hand Signals- Communication between the boat and the wakeboarder is key for a successful wakeboarding session. This is very hard to achieve when you are competing with a loud engine, the wind and maybe loud music.
This is why it is important to develop or learn hand signals so the wakeboarder can communicate efficiently with the boat. You can develop your own hand signals or learn the standard ones. Whichever you choose, make sure that there is a way of communicating before the wakeboarder gets in the water. Here is a table you can use.
7- Storage- in case you are new to wakeboarding, you must know that wakeboards and all of the gear required can take up a lot of space to store on your boat once you are done using them.
Must bowriders have a sky compartment big enough to accommodate a couple of wakeboards, if this is not your case don’t worry there are other options. You can get wakeboard racks that can mount to your boat tower (if equipped wit it) fishing rod holders and cleats.
Whatever option works best for you, the main idea is not having those big wakeboards taking up space and getting on your way.
8- Shaping The Wave- Although you definitely can wakeboard behind your bowrider, the wake they produce is not the best for the sport. If you want to elevate your wakeboarding experience behind a bowrider, there are a few things you can do to improve the wake.
- Bring more people in the boat and seat them on the back, the people’s extra weight will push your boat deeper in the water which will help your bowrider produce a bigger wake.
- Trim up or down your drive, with time and practice you can achieve a better wake with the right trimming position.
- Adding a ballast system can also help push the boat deeper in the water to create that bigger wake without having to bring many people in the boat.
- Adding a wake shaper. This device mounts to one side of the back of your boat and it is designed to help produce and shape better wake.
9- Action Camera- This one won’t be essential for some people but the way I see it, wakeboarding off your bowrider is about having fun and creating memories with your family and friends and for this reason having a camera is essential. Believe me, you want some kind of camera recording the action. You can later watch the videos and use them to help you improve your skills, or to have a good laugh watching all the bloopers.
There is a huge variety of cameras on the market in all price ranges. If you don’t own a camera already, do some research and find one appropriate for your needs and start recording those moments, you’ll be happy you did.
10- Choose The Right Wakeboard- Choosing the right board could be the difference between having a good day on the water and hating the sport and never doing it again. As a bowrider owner, you are probably not trying to be a professional wakeboarder. You are probably after just having some fun with the family and friends
This is a list of suggested wakeboard sizes based on the rider’s weight. Keep in mind that the longer the board the easier it is to use and get on top of the water. If you are only getting one board for the family, choose the longest one possible based on the average weight of the people using the board.
| Rider weight LBS | Rider weight kg | Board length CM | Board length inch |
| 25-70 | 11-32 | 111-118 | 44-46 |
| 40-85 | 18-39 | 118-130 | 46-51 |
| 65-110 | 29-50 | 124-134 | 49-53 |
| 70-130 | 32-59 | 130-138 | 51-54 |
| 100-170 | 45-77 | 134-142 | 53-56 |
| 150-225 | 68-102 | 138-146 | 54-57 |
| 170-250 | 77-113 | 142-146 | 53-57 |
Final thoughts
Wakeboarding can be a very fun water sport to practice with your family and friends on your bowrider. Learn all you can and go slow at first, once you master the skill, you can add a very fun and fulfilling hobby to your list. Please follow all the safety recommendations and always wear your safety gear, but most importantly get out there have fun and create memories.