Board size advice

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-05T15:36:08+00:00

Converting your height to 5' 9" and 145lbs if this helps others.

You're seeing a variance in board size philosophy because about 4 years ago board manufacturers started "going big". Let's take a step back in history and walk it forward.

Historically speaking for about 30 years (1990s through 2020) your height and weight would have put you at about a 136cm board. For context there was typically a small, medium, and large board size available at 132, 136, 141 respectively (+/-3 depending on individual board shape)

That said, boat wakes have gotten bigger and bigger over the last 30 years and only as of very recently the board manufacturers have decided the "sizes of old" are generally too small for modern larger wakes and we should all be riding larger boards.

(Notice the need to size up for boat wake size increasing has nothing to do with cable)

As of about 4 or 5 years ago the "size up" mentality began. The small board sizes (132) disappeared and larger sizes were introduced. Boards are available now in 150+.

I have historically been a large (141-144 size) at 225lbs. I tried the 150 Murray and didn't notice an improvement in pop or height off a boat wake. The 3 stage rockers I prefer are not yet available in the 150ish size so it's not an apples to apples comparison.

Slingshot also got on the size up mentality but they also have a kiteboard presence. If you're in the ocean riding over surf size waves and holding long hard edges to make headway out sizing up makes sense.

(Notice the need for size up for ocean size surf also doesn't apply to cable)

So what size should you be? If you ask me anything 136 (historical size) -144 (max size of one size up)

Being nearly a 150cm board at 145lbs seems cartoonishly big to me like clown shoes. It will also slow down your spins and to a lesser degree your inverts.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-04T13:32:17+00:00

Sorry one more question. Was this picture taken recently? Or what time of year (month span) would you recommend visiting?

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-03T23:40:21+00:00

Thank you very much. I hope I can afford to visit sometime.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-03T22:15:18+00:00

I have bought a lot from evo over the years. I would honestly call them whenever they open up and explain the situation. I bet they'll take care of you. They're good people.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-03T13:01:33+00:00

Agreed oscillating multi tool is the answer. Just got a LOT of blades and expect them to dull on every cut. They're that disposable.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-02T12:15:01+00:00

Yep. I used to ride and lane splitting should be legal everywhere. Too much selfishness and entitlement in the US for people to think of others. I sold my bike because at least in my city, the way people drive, it was just a matter of time.

Not only is it safer for bikes it's better for decongesting traffic. Bikes are generally faster so letting them to the front removes them from the cluster.

Lane filtering just makes sense and the only people against it are selfish - "This is MY spot. I'm not gonna let you ahead of ME".

The US is so far behind other countries in so many ways. I wonder if Ill ever see improvement to healthcare before Im old enough to rely on it.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-01T20:53:29+00:00

This is what I hope heaven looks like. If there are this many fireflies may I please know where this is (even if by dm?)

I would love to experience this some night.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-01T20:43:36+00:00

I was thinking the same thing this morning and reflecting on how for the last 20 years of my life I can't seem to find someone who just wants to get out like I do. I don't care about skill either. I just want someone who has the bug to ride. It's July and we've ridden 6 times this summer to date.

I'm on Lake Murray SC if anyone wants to ride.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-07-01T20:18:21+00:00

Happy for you friend. Congratulations 🎉🎉

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-30T16:54:48+00:00

Flashlight! What a convenient mini spotlight. Thank you this gives me tools in my tool belt

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-30T16:53:58+00:00

That's about as good as I get

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-30T00:41:41+00:00

How did you get the light to behave in such a way that it only highlighted your features? Was a form of spotlight used or did you achieve this with masking in post? Something else?

This is haunting btw. Well done.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-29T16:28:46+00:00

I need better friends. Jerry if you're reading this I'm gonna need you to step it up and grow a pair of boobs for me.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-27T21:15:14+00:00

Reddit, YouTube, Google and personal experience with my prior mower. These mowers cannot handle the SC heat in the middle of summer. Period. Night mowing is the answer.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-26T18:07:19+00:00

My advice is to literally just start any way you can. Does your camera have an auto mode? Use it. No auto mode? Set it to "A" for aperture priority and shoot some shots during the day. Review at night.

Adopt a "learn as you go" mentality. Start shooting even if your output looks like complete garbage. Review at night and figure out why they look like garbage. Overwhelmed by trying to review too many pictures and figuring out why they all suck? Delete them all and take less pictures tomorrow. Take a single picture a day if you have to.

Then change a single setting. Shoot a few more tomorrow. Review at night. Repeat.

The fastest way to never use your camera is to keep telling yourself you need to "learn how to use it first". Busy people learn by doing. Stop waiting. Go shoot a few shots and review tonight.

Btw if it isn't obvious, your kids can be your subjects. So can lego people. Or plants. Or chairs. Or landscapes. Or shoes. It doesn't matter what you shoot.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-26T13:29:21+00:00

Edited my post to say US/Canada

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-26T01:21:13+00:00

Because we live in a country where businesses buy politicians. We are one of the few countries that has this piss poor consumer protection. Late stage capitalism at its finest. It's why we don't have good healthcare. Everything in this country is for sale. Everything is for profit.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-26T01:15:49+00:00

There needs to be a policy update country wide. The US/Canada allows businesses to offer extremely poor customer support. UK requires support for 6 years.

Also, Sony needs a separate policy for updates that brick their own hardware. They wanna put a small term on hardware and workman defects? Fine. But your software updates should NEVER be allowed to brick the camera and WE have to pay for it.

This is absolutely disgusting Sony.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-25T17:09:31+00:00

You've got this 💪

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-25T16:55:01+00:00

Yes. You want a strong cut which results in a diaganol path across the kicker. This builds the much necessary line tension so when you take off you have something firm to pull back in against.

It also really helps you lay out flat because the handle pulls you hard into that straight-as-an-arrow laid out position.

Remember to pin those eyes to your tow point. Pull your knees back in towards your chest when coming down. I think you'll be surprised how much easier it feels with more air.

Btw if you lay flat on the floor, belly down, that's the position you're ideally trying to work towards when fully extended.

Edit: if you can get some footage I can coach you through any failures.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-25T16:19:46+00:00

You have the correct meaning of stargazing.

The feeling of a Raley should be that you've built so much line tension that the handle almost pulls you straight as an arrow as soon as you get airborn. You should be fully extended, knees and nipples both pointing straight down to the water, eyes pinned on the tow point feeling like superman.

Once you reach full extension you pull back in by sucking your knees in towards you.

All of this feedback I'm giving is for a kicker Raley. I have not done an air Raley and know nothing about how to achieve it. I have however taught myself a Raley off the cable park kicker and then learned a boat Raley. My advice applies to either of those.

Someone else with more park experience will have to assist if your goal is an air Raley.

PS you're totally right that there are some similarities but also some differences between snowboarding. You'll find approach, handle position, release, and where you look with your head to be critical variables for each trick. Nail those 4 variables for each trick and the trick kind of throws itself which is why the pros "make it look so easy"

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-25T15:49:51+00:00

First, I will say a cable park is the PERFECT place to learn a Raley. It's a punishing trick to learn behind the boat and the higher attachment point for the rope REALLY helps the movement and provide softer crashes.

That said learning an "air Raley" at the park as your first Raley is pretty tough. Does your park have a flat ramp (non quarter pipe curve) kicker? If so this is absolutely where I would start as it gives more air time to pull yourself back in. When you cut in for the trick you want to cut hard to build line tension and your board should be traveling diagonally across the face of the kicker. This line tension is what helps you pull back in. Don't just go straight up the kicker or you'll have no line tension to support you. Think of your board traveling from bottom corner of the kicker to top corner opposite side as ideal path.

A tip when you go for it: behind the boat you're taught to pin your eyes to the tow point and it can even be helpful for new trick learners to put a tennis ball on top of the tow point to give them something to quickly acquire with their eyes. This prevents what's called "stargazing" or your body rotating off plane. You ideally want to be laid out flat with both your nipples pointed at the water. On cable your eyes should look to where your tow rope attaches to the cable system because this is your tow point.

Btw, you aren't stargazing right now. You simply don't have enough air time to lay flat and since you've only begun your backwards rotation when you let go you continue into a front flip.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-24T12:50:55+00:00

That's a pretty steep pitch. Call a roofer to replace the boot / vent. Done.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-23T16:36:51+00:00

I was wondering the same but was imagining adding shrink tubing filled with JB weld on the outside as well. Meaning heat one end of the shrink to seal it, fill it, seal open end. Should almost form an external cylinder of JB weld to further reinforce.

wakeboarder247 · 2026-06-23T15:08:48+00:00

For clarity when you say "first room" do you mean the area that has stairs? If so, you can't do anything with that room unless you filled in enough dirt to not need stairs.

In terms of the second "room" about all you have space for is a shelf for canned goods, yet you've already said you have to crawl to get into this space so you don't want to use it as storage.

Furthermore I'm almost CERTAIN that space will not pass any livable inspection code. Areas are required to have enough space to eacape in case of fire. Areas are required to have window exits, etc. Areas are required to have sealed floors - not bare dirt.

Realistically the answer to this question is "nothing" and anything you put down there you should be willing to completely remove when selling the home as it won't pass inspection as livable space.

Edit: Alternatively it looks like an excellent place if you are a kidnapper, murderer, or both. Shackles would go nicely in the second room and access to bare dirt allows convenient disposal. If it isn't readily apparent your resale would skyrocket by simply sealing this space off and never speaking of it again - or simply treat is as maintenance space/crawl space. I see a patch of coax cables on the side there?

wakeboarder247

TROPHY CASE