Flowrider - Any tips/tricks

[ignites]

Anyone have some tips/tricks for riding flow rider (either bogey board or the surfboard?)

[Wilson]

The staff was great when we were on Navigator. Just let them know you are a first timer and they will help you out. I am 50 years old in crappy shape and I pulled it off with their assistance. Oh...tighten the string on your shorts. We saw lots of crack. LoL

[Calgon1]

Don't wear a skimpy, thong style, skimpy, Brazillian bikini. :eek:

Wait . . . On second thought . . . Please do!! :D

[ignites]

Don't wear a skimpy, thong style, skimpy, Brazillian bikini. :eek:

Wait . . . On second thought . . . Please do!! :D

 

lol haha thanks.. but i meant like.. more skill wise :)...

 

Anyone got some balance techniques?

[DerekB]

Practice practice practice!

 

To tell you how this goes...my 68 year old beer-belly laden father was able to "stay up" for a minute or more without assistance after 3 attempts. He says the next cruise we go on (Aug '15) he wants to be sure we get on the flow rider on day one so that he can do some tricks by the end. By then he will be 70 years old and about as out of shape as one can imagine - yet by practice he is sure he will be able to do basic tricks.

 

So again...Practice!

[A&L_Ont]

Take a lesson on the first day available. It will help you the rest of the week, big time.

[mil76]

Shift your weight to the back foot, NEVER lift either foot off the board.

[BLAMBKY]

If you body boarding, elbows in (safety) do not try to put half your body on the board (this helps with putting weight in the right area) Go the first day and to the early morning sessions. Have fun!

[snorkelman]

BLAMBKY gave you good advice. I can do about 40 tricks on the boogie that RCI does not allow me to do on the ships, and my basic advice to beginners is the following:

 

1. Beginners start in the "prone position" which is on your belly, not your knees. Learn the basics of controlling the board in that position before you try and go on your knees.

 

2. Always keep your elbows on the board. The #1 mistake is lifting your elbows off the board to try and steer. The only time you should lift your elbows is if you are doing a trick, or moving up to your knees.

 

3. Keep most, if not ALL of your legs in the water.

 

4. If you hit the plastic in the front of the wave, it means that either you jumped in too far, or you have too much weight on the front of the board. Making sure 100% of your legs (including your quads) are in the water, not on the board, will correct this.

 

5. You are ready to go on your knees when you can remain in the same spot in the wave indefinitely, and can move to the left and right, and up and down the wave when you want. If you cannot do that, you need to practice it more, not go on your knees yet.

[brewcrew4]

My tip is for when you're ready to kneel on the boogie board. As soon as you get up to a kneeling position, extend your arms down, parallel to your body, so your fingertips are in the water on either side of the board. This will straighten you out and help you balance. The crew is really great about helping you though, so don't worry.

[snorkelman]

Yeah, when you are ready to go on your knees, my tip is to kind of jump up there. Faster movement is much better than slowly trying to get up there.

 

Once you are up there, the #1 problem beginners have is that they fail to keep their toes in the water. It does no good to have your toes on the board. Your toes are your rudders. As soon as you are on your knees (with toes in water) you no longer need to hold that board at all. drop your arms down beside you and sit up (erect). Beginners tend to stay hunched over which is a mistake.

[Royalmoyal]

Keep your knees wide for a good base, and sit back on your heels while boogeyboarding.