Water Sports To The Extreme
It’s the middle of the summer and the best time to do water sports. Here are some basic info before you get started.
Water-skiing was invented in Minnesota by Ralph Samuelson in 1922 and became competitive around 1939. Today it’s the oldest and the most popular water sport.
All you need for water-skiing is a pair of skis or a single slalom ski. They are thicker and wider than snow skis. The rider holds on to a tow rope while being pulled by a boat and skimming the surface of the water on the skis. More advanced skiers are able to perform tricks or jumps using the wake behind the boat as a ramp.
Another option is slalom riding. The skier uses only one ski with one foot directly behind the other.
Barefooting began in Florida in the late 1940s. The Barefoot membership was reserved for those who could stay up longer than 60 seconds. Today riders can go a lot longer than 60 seconds but the ride is intense and physically demanding.
It’s one of the most difficult water sports. It’s almost like water-skiing but … with no skis! While going at a very high speed, the rider’s feet support his body as they plane on the water. From there, the rider can do wake slalom, tricks and jumps.
Barefooting is prohibited on some lakes without a special permit.
Wakeboarding originally started as skurfing, a combination between water skiing and surfboarding where the rider rode on a surfboard while being pulled by a boat. Today it’s one of the most popular water sports.
To do this sport you’ll need a wakeboard (the water-sport equivalent to a snowboard). The rider is pulled along with feet in bindings attached to the board. There are probably more tricks possible with this board than with any other kind of towable water sport.
Tubing is a water sport of unknown origin. There is no competitive tubing but it’s a very popular recreational sport.
You will need a tube, you’ve got a choice of hundreds you can buy, each with its own particular style and ride. You’ll also need a rope to attach you to the tube as well as an air jump.
You don’t need to be a good skier to do tubing. The tube is inflated and attached to the boat with a special rope. The rider hangs on as the boat takes him for a ride.
Kneeboarding started about 35 years ago in California. Today there are competitive areas for this sport with slalom, tricks and expression events. As equipment you’ll need a kneeboard. It looks like a boogie board but it’s slimmer and made of durable material.
In kneeboarding the rider kneels on the board facing forward and using a strap that goes across the top of the legs. The rider can then jump off the wake and perform tricks.
Wateskating started in the mid ’80s in California.
You’ll need a wateskate that is like a a wakeboard but without the bindings to keep your feet attached. You use traction pads, the board is often ridden barefoot. It can be very difficult but allows for tricks that are not possible with other water sports.
Hydrofoiling has been used with large watercraft for almost 100 years, but it wasn’t until the ’60s that Walter Woodward developed a water ski using them. Today it’s a very popular for use in rough water because it rides so smoothly.
A hydrofoil consists of a seat tower, board, and metal fin attached by a metal pole about 3 feet below the board.
The rider in this sport looks as though he is levitating above the water. With a seat saddle on top and the foil on the bottom, the hydrofoiler gets a really smooth ride and can perform many tricks.
