Wakeboarding has become quite a popular sport and hobby. It is somewhat a combination of water skiing and surfing. This sport is usually done with the wakeboard rider being towed behind a boat. Any boat can be used in wakeboarding, but to be able to perform tricks, you will need a specialized wakeboard boat.
This type of boat creates the perfect wakes for wakeboarding. These boats have inboard engines at the back. The placement of the engine puts the center of gravity of the boat at the back. More weight at the back of the boat can make it create better wakes.
These specialized boats feature many technologies all aimed to create better wakes. Some of these technologies are Ballast, Wedge, and Hull Technologies. Most of the boats manufactured feature automated ballast technology.
Boats that use ballast technology have ballast tanks placed just inside the hull. These tanks can be filled and emptied with water, controlling the buoyancy of the boat and affecting the type of wakes that they produce. This is especially useful when doing high speed stunts, as the boat might lift off from the water, leaving the rider being towed with unsatisfactory wakes. There are switches on the cockpit of the boat, which the driver can use to control the ballast tanks.
To further enhance the wakes, boat manufacturers have added wedges and plates underneath the boat. Wedges are drag devices, and when used, they can pull the boat lower to the water when it is in motion. This has been proven to be a very effective technique in getting better waves, but it can also damage the boat's hull if it is not designed properly.
Wakeboard boat manufacturers have started to develop advanced hull technologies. Specially designed hulls permit the boat to create the best waves without any modification. And with only a few simple modifications, boarders can now get their perfect wave. With good hulls, boarders need only to add some aftermarket ballast and other heavy objects to make the boat heavier. At high speeds, this can produce wakes large enough for tricks.
When buying a used boat, there are some things that you need to check out. First, you should look at its hull. If the boat is still out of water, walk around it and inspect if there are signs that the ship has undergone major repairs. Also check the deck if it has soft spots. If it does, then it might be a sign that the deck is rotting, and should be avoided if possible, unless you want to spend for its repair. Also, ask the previous owner the obvious questions such as how old is the boat, is it stored while not in used, or if it had undergone repairs in the past. And lastly, you should take the boat for a test drive. You would know how good the boat responds if you test it yourself.
If you want to start wakeboarding, having the proper equipment is essential. Your gear must be specially made for the task. With a wakeboard boat, you could have the perfect wakes to ride on.
Discover more interesting ideas about Wakeboard boat or you may visit http://www.WakeboardBoat.org for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Toby_Criddern
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