Wakesurfing is a popular sport behind the boat and for good reason! You don’t always need smooth, glassy water conditions and the boat speed is much slower compared to wakeboarding and slalom skiing. Wakesurfing is fun, forgiving and often the best choice when introducing someone new to water sports. Wakesurfers span a range of shapes to accommodate specific riding styles and ability levels. Choosing a new wakesurf board can be daunting so in this article we’ll walk you through the 3 styles of boards, various constructions, and what size to choose.
STYLES:
- SURF: Surf shape wakesurf boards are the most popular option and are reminiscent of surfboards you’d you use in the ocean but are shrunken down to suit a boat wake. Traditional surf shapes have a thick profile and mellow rail/bevel allowing a rider to smoothly pivot a turn from their back foot and are best ridden with a few deep fins. A Surf style board is the most user-friendly as they are stable and catch waves easily. The can do tricks and spins, just with a fluid-like feel!
- SKIMMER: Skimmer’s are smaller in size, feature a thin profile and sharp rails designed to be responsive and playful. Most skimmers include a single fin resulting in a slippery, chaotic feel on the water but also allowing for easier for spins and shuvits! Their flat rocker and sharp rails result in a board that is extremely quick across the water meaning we often size-down.
- HYBRID: A mix of the two above styles, hybrid’s take the profile and rocker of a surfboard with the sharp rail of a skimmer offering the best of both worlds! Most hybrid boards feature 3 removable fins allowing the rider to choose how they want their board to respond. Hybrids are a great option for wake surfers not sure what they need but want a little bit of everything.
CONSTRUCTIONS:
Wakesurfers are available in 4 key constructions: Compression moulded fibreglass, plastic, epoxy, or carbon fibre. The construction of a wakesurf board determines its price, durability and performance often complimenting a specific style of board.
- COMPRESSION MOULDED FIBREGLASS: Durable and inexpensive but heavy and lacks response and board feel.
- PLASTIC SHELL: [DURASHELL OR SURFACE]: Durable and lightweight but lacks response and board feel. (Best beginner boards)
- EPOXY: Lightweight with the best board feel but suffers from poor durability. (Best for surf style boards and skimmers)
- CARBON FIBRE: Lightweight with the best response but expensive with average durability. (Best for skimmers)
SIZE GUIDE:
Wakesurfers are measured in feet and inches but unlike other water sports, there are no strict length recommendations. Instead, wakesurf boards rely on a combination of rider weight, wake size and board style. Longer boards have more surface area, volume and therefor buoyancy which makes them ideal for heavy riders or smaller boat wakes. Shorter boards are more manoeuvrable and are best suited to advanced riders, lighter weight riders or larger boat wakes.
SURF STYLE:
- 4’ (Kids up to 50 kg)
- 4’4 - 4’8 (50 - 80 kg)
- 4’8 - 5’2 (65 - 90 kg)
- 5’2 - 5’8 (90+ kg)
SKIMMER STYLE:
- 4’ (Kids up to 50 kg)
- 4’0 - 4’4 (50 - 80 kg)
- 4’4 - 4’10 (65 - 90 kg)
- 4’10 - 5’2 (90+ kg)
HYBRID STYLE:
- 4’ (Kids up to 50 kg)
- 4’4 - 4’8 (50 - 80 kg)
- 4’8 - 5’2 (65 - 90 kg)
- 5’2 - 5’8 (90+ kg)
Slingshot 2023 Gremlin Wakesurf
Description
The GREMLIN is a bottom turning, lip smashing, air popping party animal with a name that suits it. Built in our premium XR construction, this board is feather-light for that super responsive feel you crave - built for premium waves. The GREMLIN was built to shred as a twin fin, but with an optional "cheater" or "nub" fin in the back center for those who crave a little more grip. We've surfed a lot of boat waves over the years, and there's something about this progressive new shape combined with growing wave heights that has us asking for "just one more" every time we hit the lake.
Specifications
• Customizable Fin Configurations: Ride it as a ripping twin with the supplied FCS II fins, or add a little extra directional stability with the Slingshot ""cheater"" center fin. The choice is yours.
• Quad Step Down Rail Channels: This all new channel design helps create more leverage when attacking the lip of the wave without sacrificing board speed.
• Carbon Matrix Overlay: Gives the board increased torsional strength and adds the bling it needs to stand out from the rest.
• Cheater Center Fin: This new breed of surf fin is ideal for surfers seeking a little extra directional stability without sacrificing the freedom required to break loose for both airs and spins.
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