Summer is right around the corner; activities that we have all know and love are in our sight.
A water sport that is gaining popularity in the past few years is wake surfing. In the land of 10,000 lakes, water sports have been the flagship of the summer craze. Wake surfing has gained massive amounts of popularity in Minnesota.
In the early 2000s, wakeboarding was the most popular water sport being seen in lakes all over the state of Minnesota. In recent years, wake surfing has taken the crown as the most popular water sport in Minnesota.
Wake surfing requires a special type of boat containing ballast tanks under the boat. These ballast tanks settle the hull deeper on either side of the boat increasing the boat’s displacement, in result creating a wave. Additional trim plates under the boat are used to critique the wave to its height and length to create and customize the best wave for each rider.
For beginners, it’s recommended setting the trim plates allowing for a long wave to make it easier for the rider to find the ‘sweet spot’ and be able to surf freely. For more advanced surfers, adding additional ballast, critiquing, and trim plate setting is needed to make a steep wave allows for performing tricks easier.
There are two different styles of boards that accommodate people’s interests. Skim boards are lighter and smaller. These agile boards are used for experienced wake surfers. Lightweight and versatile, the skim board is used to perform advanced tricks like pop shuvits and frontside spins.
The other style is the long board also known as the surf style board. This type of board is used for every level of surfer. The longboard has larger fins on the bottom that allows for a stable and smooth ride. This style board is recommended for beginners as it’s easier to stay in the wave and allows for better footing with the space.
Wake surfing is one a the greats when it comes to summer activities. This summer I encourage everyone to go out and give it a try. Surfing is a fun activity that also promotes great exercise. Surfing takes a lot of strength from certain muscle groups, especially legs and core. During a wake surf session, shredding up and the the wave, your thigh and calves work hard as you constantly balance yourself on the board as you use your body weight to carve up and down the wave.
For beginners, letting go of the rope to surf freely can be a great goal to aim at. Some may say that letting go of the rope is the hardest to learn, but once you have it it opens up a whole to world to performing actual tricks. An important baseline to surfing is your footing and balance. Weight too far forward or backward can cause your board to nose dive or to fall back out of the wave.
In an interview with Sartell alumni and avid surfer Logan Hamak, I asked him his thoughts on the two different boards and his overall experience. “It is a great activity to do on the water. It’s a water activity that is a lot of fun to do and you don’t have to worry about getting hurt or being sore after. Its pretty relaxing and anyone can do it. I also like all the different kinds of tricks you can learn.”
