When determining the speed of the wake boat for wakeboarding, most people think that the bigger the wake, and the faster the boat the better, but there’s much more.
Finding the “sweet spot” for your wake boat’s speed isn’t only to ensure the satisfaction of the wakeboarder, but it’s also about the safety.
Even though you’re surrounded by water, accidents are ineradicable. Especially when you’re new and try to eyeball the speed, things could get ugly fast. It’s because falling on the water while you’re wakeboarding isn’t the same as falling into still water.
When you are wakeboarding, the wave created by your boat is called a “wake,” which has a density of over 800 times more than still water. Hence, crashing onto a wake will definitely hurt a lot more than just falling into the water.
That’s why knowing the ideal speed for your wakeboarding is essential.
How To Get The Ideal Wakeboard Boat Speed
Now that you know how important and not simple it is to find the “sweet spot” for your wakeboarding boat speed, we’ll talk about how to find the ideal speed.
There are three simple steps to find the ideal speed for you to wakeboard: understanding the boats, the components, and the rider.
1. Understanding Wake Boats’ Speed
In general, wake boats have a maximum speed of around 40 mph to 55mph, but it’s different for every boat. However, every wake boat has different speeds and accelerations that depend on many things:
How efficiently the boat can push its power output, the size of the boat, construction, weight, and dimensions all contribute to the speed of the boat.
For example, here are two of the best wakeboard boats with their speed limits and differences in construction.
Supra SR 450
Supra SR is the newest iteration of the wake boat from Supra, one of the prominent leaders in the wake boat industry.
Supra SR 450 has a top speed of 38.8mph and can achieve the speed within 3.4 seconds with empty ballast. With an efficiency of 3mpg at 25 mph, this boat is ready to take you on a joyous ride on a wakeboard or any other watersports.
Moomba Mojo
With a size of 23 ft, Moomba Mojo has the perfect size for excellent maneuverability and speed for you to drive. This flagship wake boat from Moomba has a top speed of 41mph, one of the fastest in the industry.
And with the AutoWake features from Moomba, you will be able to create a smooth, clean, and easy-to-ride wake for you to surf on.
2. Understanding Wake Boat’s Features
The next thing you need to understand is different features on the wake boat can produce a different wake. That means you will need different speeds to produce the same wake using different wake boat types.
Here are the features you need to pay attention to.
Ballast Size & Weight
The more water that the wake boats displaced when piercing through them on the water, the bigger the wake will be. This is influenced by two critical factors: the size of the hull and the weight.
That’s why knowing your ballast size, which is machinery used for leveling and shifting loads on a barge during heavy loading components, is essential. The heavier and bigger the ballast system, the stronger and bigger wake it will produce.
Hull Shape
The next feature to consider to determine the ideal speed is the shape of the wake boat’s hull. A different hull shape will produce a different kind and shape of the wake.
For example, a V-Shape hull can cut the water perfectly and effortlessly, making them require less speed to create a higher wake. In contrast, a rounded bottom hull will require a higher speed to create a similar wake because it can’t cut through the water that well.
3. Know Your Rider’s Capability
The last thing to consider to find the ideal wakeboarding speed is knowing the wakeboarder’s capability.
These are the general guide to a wake boat’s speed when pulling a wakeboarder compared to their level of expertise.
12 – 14 mph: Entry-Level Speed
Learning wakeboarding can be difficult. That’s why it’s best to start with a smooth and easy wake.
The speed of 12 – 14 mph is more complicated when you try pulling some tricks, but it’s best when you are new and want to practice stabilizing yourself on a smooth and stable wake.
15 – 19 mph: Riding For Comfort
If you’re already comfortable being on the wakeboard and have no more problem stabilizing yourself, you want to kick the speed up a notch to 15 – 19 mph.
With this speed, you will find yourself on a smoother, more consistent, yet bigger wake, which is perfect for you to start trying tricks.
20.5 – 24 mph: Experienced Rider
The last one is when you’re already an experienced rider that wants to wakeboard on another level.
This speed isn’t for someone who only wants to enjoy a comfortable and relaxed ride; however, it’s the speed that the pros are looking for to try new tricks and take their wakeboarding to the next level.
Conclusions
Determining the ideal speed for the best wakeboarding experience is crucial, not only for the enjoyment of the ride but also for your safety.
Now that you can set the ideal speed, all that’s left is for you to enjoy your time and make the best of your wakeboarding experience.
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