Boating World

Back To Basics: Falling Down

Whether it's waterskiing or wakeboarding, falling down is a natural part of the learning curve.

by Michael Verdon

Whether it's waterskiing or wakeboarding, falling down is a natural part of the learning curve. As the experts suggest, some falls feel a lot better than others, so it's just as important learning how to handle falls as it is figuring out ways to prevent them. Another pearl of wisdom: Discard any ideas you might have of looking cool while falling, and instead focus on making it an injury-free fall rather than an ankle-twister. It's better to look momentarily uncool than be in pain for days. 

 1. Assume The Position

b2b1 Waterskiing, according to the experts, is all about finding the right ratio of strength to balance. "You can avoid a lot of falls by maintaining a proper position," says Kim Veon, an instructor and  manager at Sammy Duvall's Watersports Centre located in Orlando, Fla. On two skis, that means keeping your feet about shoulder-width apart and balancing your weight on the balls of your feet, not on the heels or toes. Bend the ankles forward to push the knees forward over your feet. But keep the knees soft, because they're your shock absorbers. Square your hips with the boat and keep your back straight and strong, with the arms straight forward. "The chest should be proud, looking like the superman position," says Veon. "Since you're holding on to the handle, your upper body is always the anchor, and your lower body absorbs any shocks from wakes or waves."

 2. Falling Backward

b2b2 Given his druthers, pro wakeboarder Zane Schwenk would rather fall backward than in any other direction. "It's like someone is pushing you away from the back of the boat," says Schwenk. "You're more protected landing on your rear, and gravity isn't jerking you forward like when your wakeboard or your slalom ski's edge catches." Ideally, the backward fall should look similar to when you start out waterskiing in deep water in a crouch by tucking your knees up to your chest as you go backwards into the water. Most of the time your skis will come up out of the water - though Veon says she remembers one catching her tailbone as a kid. Fortunately, feet tend to pop out of bindings if the skis get twisted too much. "Bindings have become much more advanced in recent years," says Veon.

 3. Falling Sideways

b2b3 Both experts agree that if you feel a fall coming - which can range from dropping off because the boat starts out too slowly to being tossed off when the edge of the ski catches a wake - you should try to relax as much as you possibly can. "You don't want to resist it too much, because doing that could result in an injury," says Veon. She adds, "Make sure you let go of the handle, because you don't want to become a human torpedo." Falling sideways is the most likely scenario for both slalom skiing and wakeboarding. The idea here is to fall away from the ski or board as gently as possible, and then to let it pop off the foot so there's no ankle twisting. "You want to do a tuck and roll," says Veon. "You don't want to fight it, but instead, you should roll with it as much as possible."

 4. Falling Forward

b2b4 The face-plant is the most dreaded fall in watersports, and for good reason. Not only are you providing unin-tentional entertainment for those on board, you're likely to swallow a lot of water. Think of tripping on a crack when you're running - you get the idea. But on the water, the speeds are higher, though the surface is considerably less forgiving. Try to do the tuck and roll when going forward to avoid hitting your head on the skis. Schwenk says he notices an increasing number of children wearing helmets for extra protection. And World Wakeboard Champion Shaun Murray even says if he's going to hit hard, he'll let out a scream, and then close his mouth. He says, "This tightens my diaphragm, which keeps the wind from getting knocked out of me too badly." It also keeps him from sucking in excess water.