How to Do a 360 Turn on a Wakeboard

Ever wanted to know how to do the awesome tricks the pro's do? Now you can!

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Boat
• Tow Rope
• Lake, river, ocean, etc
• Wake board
• Life Vest

1. There is the assumption that everyone looking at this article has mastered the basic getting up and crossing the wake on a wake board.
   If you haven't gotten that far yet, check out some of these other great resources and then come on back to this page:
   
   http://waterski.about.com/od/tipstricks/a/howto_index.htm
   
   http://www.wikihow.com/Wakeboard
   
   http://www.wakeboardbum.com/

2. With that out of the way, start by getting up behind the boat and going straight for a while to test the waters out. You want the water to be relatively calm for your first shots at doing a 360 turn.
   
   Also I have found it much easier to master the turn if the fins have been removed from the bottom of the board.

3. As you are going behind the boat start by using your back foot to slide the wake board into a sideways position, parallel to the back of the boat.

4. After mastering that maneuver a few times, take it one step further and switch the board all the way around with your back foot, completing a 180 degree turn, and thus riding "goofy" with your right foot forward.
   
   It is essential in this step that you immediately ground your left foot once it is in the goofy position, so that your wake board doesn't catch the water.

5. While in that "goofy" position, practice holding onto the rope with your right hand (or left if you're left handed) and then taking your left hand and reaching around your back to grab the handle on the other side.

6. If you can master all that the next part is easy. Once you reach around and are holding on with both hands, stay on your tippy toes and and let go with your right hand and let the boat pull you into a very quick 360.

7. With practice those steps will combine into a flawless and seamless 360 turn! How impressive!!

Tips & Warnings

• Always ground your back foot when going, whichever one that might be.
• Don't hesitate, just do it. Hesitation = Devastation
• Trying it in the wake of the boat is much easier at first than outside of it.
• Always wear a life jacket

[MarieSteris]

on 1/8/2009 I love wakeboarding! I am getting better at it and soon will put your steps into practice! Looking forward to the weather changing where I am so I can give it a try! Thanks!