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I have been skiing and coaching water skiing since ’95, I started recreationally with my family and moved into competitions a few years later. The Kneed Board was a staple piece of equipment that travelled in the boat for many years. Knee Boarding is a board sport in the family of Surfing, Wakeboarding, and Skiing, but is performed on the knees instead of standing. Knee Boards are like short surfboards with padding on the top. Riders either surf ocean waves or get towed behind a boat. Knee Boarding began with surfers in the Polynesian Islands and is still considered a surfing discipline. Knee Surfers will paddle into a wave and ride their boards on their knees, doing tricks on the open face of the wave. In the 1970s, with better board design and the rise of the private powerboat, Kneeboarding transitioned into being a tow sport as well. Both disciplines are alive today with their personalized competition layouts and characteristics. Lake or Ocean Lake - Kneeboarding Behind A Boat Kneeboarding is seen as one of the rungs on the Water Skiing ladder, and you will find them in most recreational ski boats. It is an excellent progression for younger kids to move to once they are getting bored with tubing. The boards are stable, and young kids can ride them as slowly as 10mph. Kneeboarding has developed a following over the years, resulting in competitions and even crowned ‘World Champions.” There is an increase in Kneeboard participation, thought to be due to the rise in personal boat ownership, and something of a nostalgia factor making it retro. Competitions have 3 events; Slalom – Just like Water Ski Slalom, Boarders run a course of 6 buoys, arranged 3 to each side of the boat. The only difference between Slalom Skiing and Kneeboard slalom is the top speed for Kneeboards is 39km/24mph vs 58km/36mph on skis. Tricks – Again, like the Water Ski Trick event, Kneeboarders have 2 x 20 second passes to perform as many tricks as possible. These will be surface rotations, wake rotations and flips. Freestyle – This is akin to a Wakeboarding competition where points are awarded for style and flow. Ocean - Surfing Ocean Waves On A Kneeboard Knee Surfing is thought to have originated in Polynesia along with Body Surfing and Standing versions. Western diseases and influence are felt to have wiped out vast numbers of surfers partaking in all three versions. When Surfing had its resurgence in the mid-1900s, the focus was on Standing/Conventional style, and so the Knee Surfing got left behind. Knee surfing has continued as a discipline as it does attract riders. Knee surfers consistently point to these reasons With a shorter board, they can ride tighter waves.Smaller boards are more maneuverable so they could ride waves and places others couldn’tBeing lower and closer to the waves lets them inside smaller barrels.Being close to the water enhances the feeling of speed, giving the sensation of going faster than you are. New design advancements, however, have removed most of those advantages. Average kneeboards are now about 5’10” by 23″, roughly four inches shorter and four inches wider than small-wave shortboards. Competitions are run the same as conventional surf comps. Kneeboarding Gear Kneeboarding behind a Boat BoatRope and handleSwimwearLife JacketKneeboardButt Suspension – It’ll save your knees and back Beginner Kneeboards are thicket and made with a foam core similar to Surf Boards. Many Water Ski manufacturers have taken up producing Kneeboards as there is a consistent market for them. The development over time has reshaped the bottom of the Kneeboard and begun building them with lightweight aluminum and carbon fibre designs. These redesigns have made them very thin and lightweight while shaping the base to give more control to the rider. Kneeboards have a velcro strap that goes across the knees to help keep the rider attached to the board. Riders will often put a cushion under their butt to give suspension and protection. Some just look like any sports ball. Kneeboard Surfing Kneeboard Surfing only has one piece of gear, the Board. They come in as many shapes and sizes as conventional Surfboards. They are often wider and flatter than a surfboard and features a fish or diamond tail and a wide, round nose. Check these out by Neil Luke at Neillukekneeboards.com Some Knee-Riders will use fins on their feet to help catch waves while still in the lower end of progression. How To Kneeboard Learn To Kneeboard Behind A Boat Getting up on a Kneeboard is fairly straight forward. They float quite well which means it is easy for them to get up on top of the water. The boat driver will also play a large role as they control all speed and direction and must maneuver around the rider while they are in the water. If your kneeboard has a hook (as many modern kneeboards do), then you can place the handle of the towrope in the hook to get you started. If your kneeboard does not have a hook, you’ll need to hold onto the handle of the towrope against the nose of the board. 1 – Lay on the board with your belly down and your forearms resting on each side of the board. Keep your elbows bent as you hold the handle. Let the boat driver know when you’re ready to go. 2 – The driver should accelerate slowly and smoothly so that you stay comfortable with the feeling of the boat pulling you. Once you are confident, the boat can pick up speed. 3 – You will quickly be up on top of the water. 4 – Focus your weight on your elbows so you can lift your butt 5 – Slowly scoot your knees up the board until they are in the knee grooves, or touching your elbows. 6 – Rest your weight back over your heels, allowing your elbows to rise off the board as you sit up 7 – Hold the rope with your dominant hand so that the other can adjust the velcro strap 8 – Keep your arms straight. If you begin to bounce on the flat, move your weight forward and back to find the spot where the bouncing stops. How To Kneeboard Surf Learning to Kneeboard surf is very similar to how conventional surfing is done. You will want to know how to swim and have a level of comfort in the waves at the beach. Go to the beach, rent a board, and try the process below 1 – Look for a small four-foot wave 2 – Paddle and kick for the wave, the same you would for conventional surfing 3 – When the wave catches you, brace the board with your hands to pop up 4 – Extend your arms to scoot through both knees to their pad position, While looking where you want to go 5 – If needed, use your hands to accelerate by double hand paddling 6 – Cruise down the wave 7 – Try grabbing the outside edge with your hand to roll into turns 8 – Keep your inside hand close to water to maintain balance 9 – Paddle with both hands or pump the board with both knees if you need more speed down the line Tips To Remember For Kneeboarding On A Boat Arms straight with your elbows facing down. Instead of pulling in try lowering and raising the handle while keeping your arms straightBe confident that you can remove the velcro strap when you fall. Some people will feel trapped under the board if it takes too long to get the strap undoneTo Turn pull the handle down and into your hip and lean away from the rope. Handle to left hip will make you go to the right.

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