Getting up on a towed board has a knack, and the knack is almost the opposite of what instinct tells you. Understanding it before getting in the water saves you several attempts.
To stand up on a wakeboard you have to let the boat pull you, without pulling with your arms. You wait in the water with your knees tucked to your chest, the board in front and your arms straight, and when the boat moves off you let yourself be drawn up until you are standing, slowly. The typical mistake is trying to stand up all at once.
If it is your first time, the easiest way to start is the kneeboard, ridden on your knees, before moving on to water skiing or wakeboarding. All three are towed behind a motorboat, with an instructor and in fifteen-minute slots, and the equipment is included. The only essential is being able to swim.
The kneeboard is the way in. You ride on your knees on a short board, held by a strap across your thighs, and your centre of gravity is so low that keeping your balance takes little effort. It teaches you how the boat pulls, how to ride over the waves of the wake and how to fall, which is what worries people most at first.
Water skiing spreads your weight over two skis, one on each foot, and gives more side-to-side stability than a board. Wakeboarding uses a single board, ridden sideways as in snowboarding, and people who have snowboarded or surfed usually find it more natural. For everyone else, starting on the kneeboard and moving on to standing up later is the most comfortable order.
You begin floating, with your life jacket on, sitting in the water as if on an invisible chair. Your knees are tucked to your chest and the board is in front of you, on its edge, with the tip showing above the water. Your arms, straight and outside your knees, hold the rope handle. When everything is in place, you signal to the instructor and the boat moves off.
As you feel the pull, keep your body compact and let yourself be dragged a few metres with the board pushing against the water. Little by little the board rises to the surface, and then you gradually straighten up, without hurrying, until you are standing. On a wakeboard, once up, you turn the board sideways, with your front foot pointing the way you are going.
Pulling with your arms. It is the natural reaction, but bending your arms throws your body forward, the board digs in and you go flying over the front. What works is the opposite: straight arms, as if they were part of the rope, and let the boat do the work. Your legs, bent, straighten little by little.
The second mistake is standing up too quickly. If you stand up suddenly while the board is still under the water, you lose your balance backwards. The right thing is to stay crouched a few seconds longer than seems necessary, until the board is planing. And the third is letting go of the rope too late: if you fall, let go straight away.
Knees bent, back straight and your weight slightly on the back foot. The rope handle stays at waist height, close to your body, with relaxed arms. Look ahead and towards the boat, not at the board. With soft legs, the waves of the wake are absorbed without losing your balance.
At first it is enough to go straight, inside the wake, without trying to cross it. Once you feel stable, you can try tilting the board slightly to one side to move across. Jumps come much later: on the first day the aim is to stay standing as long as possible and to learn to fall well.
More than you might think. A fifteen-minute slot fits several start attempts, and each failed attempt is short: the boat turns round, comes back and you start again. Anyone who listens carefully to the instructor from the first attempt tends to make better use of the time than someone trying to work it out alone.
For a beginner, the sensible plan is one kneeboard slot to build confidence and another on water skis or a wakeboard to try to stand up. Your arms and thighs work hard on every start, and it is worth resting for a few minutes between slots. The next day you will feel it in your forearms: that is normal.
All the equipment is provided: board, skis, life jacket and helmet are included, and the safety equipment is checked before every outing. What you need to bring is swimwear, a rash vest or close-fitting T-shirt if the sun is strong and water-resistant sun cream, put on before you start. Sunglasses stay on the boat.
Being able to swim is essential: although the life jacket keeps you afloat, after each fall you have to get back into position and wait for the boat. If a child is coming, give their age when booking so the life jacket and helmet are their size. And if anyone has a knee or back injury, it is best to mention it beforehand.
A flat sea and first thing in the morning. With still water, the board planes sooner and falls are cleaner. From midday the sea breeze comes in and raises a chop, and with a westerly that chop grows through the afternoon. A beginner notices it on every start, because the board knocks against the small waves before it rises.
Before you go it is worth checking the sea forecast on the home page of the website, which shows wind, waves and water temperature off Fuengirola every half hour. In winds of 15 to 20 knots the light kit is called off, and if the forecast does not allow a safe outing, the date is changed at no cost. Once you have mastered your balance, you can try the jet surf next.
If it is not here, call us: two minutes on the phone and it is sorted.
No. The instructor explains the start from the water before you begin, and on a first go you can start with the kneeboard, ridden on your knees, which is the easiest. You need to be able to swim.
Board, skis, life jacket and helmet are included in every slot. You only need to bring swimwear, sun cream and, if the sun is strong, a rash vest or close-fitting T-shirt.
Fifteen minutes, towed behind the boat with an instructor. There is time for several start attempts, and for a beginner the sensible choice is to book two slots.
It depends on the person. Skis give more side-to-side stability; wakeboarding feels more natural to people who have snowboarded or surfed. To start with, the kneeboard is the easiest.
Leave us your number and we will call you. In July and August it is worth booking ahead.
Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, local 367. You can drop in and see the boats before you book.
At no charge. Going out to see what happens is never worth it.
Life jackets for everyone on board, included in the price.
