It may be fair to say that many people are more familiar with snowboarding than they are with wakeboarding. Part of that is due to the relatively high cost of entry into the latter sport; after all, you have to have a boat.

If you've already made the decision to buy a pontoon boat as your family wakeboard boat, you've already decided to enjoy the many activities available to you with such a versatile craft - from cruising and dropping the hook for a day of sunbathing and swimming to camping, fishing and even special events (see our Party Guide and Adventure Guide to learn more). And you're also well aware that you have one of the most affordable boats on the market, particularly compared to specialized watersports boats.

So adding wakeboarding to your repertoire of family activities is a no-brainer! It's easier than you'd think to get started.

Back to the snowboarding thing, for a frame of reference: As with that increasingly popular winter sport, you need to think about boards and bindings/boots. Here are a few tips as you start your kneeboard equipment search:

Boards:

• Consider choosing a kneeboard with squared edges. Its superior stability and control are ideal for beginners, whereas a round-edged board is designed for more experienced riders who want faster speeds and who need to land air tricks without catching an edge. (If you've ever tried snowboarding, you've likely had this unfortunate experience... trust us, face-plants and unintended cartwheeling are as unpleasant on the water as they are on the side of a mountain.)
• Consider the merits of single- versus twin-tipped boards. While most boards on the market are twin-tipped (rounded at both ends), which helps when you're switching directions or landing tricks, single-tipped boards are good for riding in one consistent direction… as beginners will do most of the time.
• Consider buying a long board (closer to 150 cm) rather than a short one (down to 120 cm). Longer boards are more stable when starting and during turns, which beginners will appreciate. They also hold more weight.
• You also might want to consider lower rocker, which means the board has a flatter bottom. More rocker might be better for landings, but less means you will accelerate more easily and have more control over the board. All good things for newbies.
• Then there are the fins. Wider fins will enhance control and stability, and again, that's the ticket.

Bindings/Boots:

• Downhill skiers, snowboarders and waterskiers can all relate to this: Snug bindings and boots are a good fit. Painful ones are not. This is a "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" lesson for the buyer: not too loose, not too tight, but juuuuuust right.
• A critical point about that just-right binding. If the boot is too tight, the board may not release correctly when you fall. That's when injuries happen.
• Always make sure your bindings are wet or lubricated before using them. (If you've ever tried to shoehorn your foot into a dry waterski binding, you know what we mean. Ouch. It usually doesn't go well.)

A Final Note:

Do your homework!!

And this is where the Internet is great for research, but we don't recommend buying online if you're new to the sport. Instead, go to retail stores and talk to the experts. Ask a lot of questions, make sure they understand your level of comfort, skill and experience, and if possible, demo a few boards before you purchase one.

You also can gain valuable experience from taking lessons on how to kneeboard, as you can test different boards in a school environment with instructors on hand.

To find your nearest retailer and/or waterski-wakeboard school, do a quick Internet search of your home or vacation location. You may be surprised to find out how many options are available to you!

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