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)
Lib Tech 2024 Fly-Pad Wakesurfer
Description
Mike Olson’s dream, the Fly Pad, is a scaled down, teched up, ultra speedy, wake expanding, high performance, skateboard influenced wake surf shape. The game changing Fly Pad comes in three short, magical alien sizes: 3’10”, 4’ and 4’3” . You ride it 6-8” shorter than your normal board. Mike is a big fellow and rides the 4’ and has never been happier! There are so many features designed into this small fun enhancing dream stick it clogged our CAD programs… The plan shape features a nar-row bullet like outline that is quick rail to rail, has a speedy straight rail line, and a wide fast tail with super pop. This is combined with a fl atter rocker body and precision bevelled nose that fi ts radically into small spaces. Mike added some critical details he dialled in through years of experiments… hard tucked rails that release water and create lift wrap the entire shape and he added two speed generating PAD “particle accelerator dish” concaves, one in the tail and one in the nose. The deck features a concave under the front foot to maximize the skateboard feel. Now you can fly with Mike on his space expanding, high speed explorations to the magical delicious nano centre of wake surf design. Art by Ben Lardy.
Specifications
• Magnesium Fiber - Tough, resilient, great rebound
• Hexylon Fiber Foam Skin - Vibration absorption, dent inhibiting
• Nitrogenecell Foam with engineered vertical cell structure - Non-toxic blowing agent. High compression strength and water repellent
• G-Glass - Lightweight strengthener
• Low VOC Bio Matrix Resin - Resiliant smooth surfing
• Handcrafted in ecoIMPACTO construction with Lib Tech's new BRR Bottle Rocket Rails made from and toughened with recycled PET bottles
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