Watersports Buying Guide

Watersports can offer a thrill like no other. They have risen significantly in popularity in recent years and while partaking may be all fun and games, figuring out how to set up your boat and get ready to enjoy your new watersport can be overwhelming. Let us take some stress off for you by going over what you might want to consider for your watersports experience. When first getting into watersports it is important that you have a good setup. The ideal setup might include a wakeboard tower, boards, racks, speakers, lights, and more. Continue reading to learn more about the possibilities for your watersports setup.

Wakeboard Towers

While you can do watersports without a wakeboard tower, it is recommended to have a wakeboard tower to elevate the tow point to make your ride smoother. Some boats come with a factory-installed tower, and others don't. If your boat doesn't have a tower, you can add one on to improve your boat's looks and functionality. When looking into an universal-fit wakeboard tower, it is important you find a reliable brand that is durable and high-quality. Most aftermarket wakeboard towers will support wakeboarders, waterskiers, wakesurfers, and kneeboarders. However, it is highly recommended to not tube from any wakeboard tower. Instead, if tubing is on your mind, we recommend choosing a tube-rated towing system like TurboSwing to keep your riders safe as they enjoy time on the water.

There are some things to consider when choosing the right wakeboard tower. First, you need to make sure that you measure your boat for a proper fit. You need to know your boat's length and beam width to ensure the tower you choose will accommodate the boat's size. You also get to decide if you want a more traditional, cage-style tower or a more modern, forward-facing tower. Another consideration is which finish you want to go with - we recommend finding an anodized or powder coated tower to ensure it resists corrosion. There are also some towers that have folding capabilities so that it is easier to trailer and/or store when the tower is not in use.

You can also get accessories for your wakeboard tower such as board racks, speakers, or lights.

Speakers & Audio Accessories

The right audio equipment can make those days on the water even better by letting you jam to your favorite tunes. When looking for marine speakers it is important to ensure they are completely waterproof to avoid potential water damage and corrosion.

While there are multiple marine speaker brands that are great, there are two main kinds of marine speakers you can get - tower-mounted speakers and in-boat speakers. Tower-mounted speakers come with the option of single or double barrel speakers. Single barrel marine speakers have one speaker driver (also known as a "woofer") in each speaker enclosure, while double barrel marine speakers have two speaker drivers in each enclosure - one woofer and one tweeter. Features of each of these speakers may vary across manufacturers, but it is recommended to get a swivel mounted tower speaker so you can reposition as needed. In-boat speakers, on the other hand, are placed in holes cut out of the walls of your boat. There are multiple sizes and styles of in-boat speakers that you can choose from to suit your ideal setup and available space.

To further enhance your marine sound system, you can consider adding a subwoofer or an amp. Subwoofers enhance the overall sound quality by boosting the low-range frequencies of your marine sound system and allowing your speakers to deliver mid- and high-range frequencies more effectively. If you need or want to add more power to your marine sound system, you might consider adding an amplifier. Amplifiers enhance your time on the water by giving your marine sound system more power so that you can enjoy better sound quality at high volumes. This will make your marine sound system louder and better sounding than ever before.

Boards

No matter what watersport you want to get into, you will need a board for it. There are multiple kinds of boards such as wakeboards, surfboards, foil boards, kneeboards, and waterskis. Wakesurfing and foilboarding have been huge hits recently in the boating world. There are multiple factors in choosing which watersport you want to pursue, and once you have chosen you will have to find the right board for you. Each of these watersport's boards come in different styles and sizes depending on your weight, height, and level of that watersport.

• Wakeboards: A wakeboard is a single board that has two boots (one for each foot) screwed into it. The rider places one foot in each boot and gets towed behind the boat at a speed of between 15 and 25 mph. The length of the wakeboard you need depends on the rider's weight. You can get different styles from beginner to advanced, and there are endless color/design options for each style as well to choose from.
• WakeSurf Boards: A wakesurf board is a single board with fins on the bottom, and nowhere to lock your feet in. The rider gets towed behind the boat at about 10 mph and the rider stays closer to the boat than in wakeboarding There are different styles of wakesurf boards including thruster style, skim style, and hybrid style. The style you choose will depend on what you are hoping to do on your board and your wakesurfing skill level. There are many different materials, shapes, and designs to choose from depending on your weight, height, skill level, and style preference.
• Water Skis: Water skis are two narrow “boards” with a boot on each one, for each of the rider's feet. The rider's feet are bound to the skis. Skiers are further from the boat holding onto a rope similar to wakeboarding, and the rider gets pulled at a minimum of 20 mph, but usually closer to 26 to 27 mph.
• Foil Boards: Foil boards are similar to wake surf boards but with a hydrofoil on the bottom of the board that goes into the water. The hydrofoil allows the rider to glide above the wave and minimizes choppy water condition effects for the rider. The boat pulls the rider at 8 to 12 mph. There are different styles of foil boards depending on the skill level of the rider. Larger boards are easier for beginners to learn on, whereas smaller boards are for more advanced riders.
• Kneeboards: A kneeboard is kind of similar to a wakesurf board, but has a strap across the middle of it. The rider sits on their knees instead of standing, and gets pulled between 10 to 20 mph depending on the age and skill level of the rider. There are different styles of kneeboards for beginner, intermediate, and expert riders.

Board Racks

If you are getting into watersports, you likely already have or will soon invest in a board or two that you'll take along with you on your upcoming boat rides. Whether you are into wakeboarding, kneeboarding, waterskiing, or wakesurfing, we have the perfect solution to not let the boards take over the seats on your boat - board racks! There are a variety of board racks to match your needs whether you need one for a wakeboard, skis, a kneeboard, or one with space for a wakeboard and surfboard. Having board racks also drastically improves the safety of your passengers. If boards are laying around, it is easy to trip over one or cut yourself on a board, but with board racks you keep the boards put away so everyone can enjoy their time out on the water!

Lights

The US Coast Guard requires each boat to have a navigation light installed at the highest point on the boat (hint: if you have a tower that is probably the highest point of your boat) that provides at least 2 NM of visibility in every direction. There are also additional lighting options for improving your watersports experience. If you have a wakeboard tower and want to have a spotlight effect, you may want to add an LED light bar. However, if you want broader coverage you may consider an LED light set. While neither of these are required, it increases your safety and visibility if you are out on the water during early morning or after sunset.

There are some very important considerations when choosing lights for your boat. The most important is voltage - ensuring that the lights you purchase are compatible with your boat's system is the first step. Another aspect to look into is your boat's existing wiring and the installation process for adding each kind of light to your boat's system. You also have other options such as dimmability, brightness, housing color, and color temperature of your boat's lights.

No matter what watersport you choose to try, it is surely going to be an exhilarating ride! Knowing that you have a durable foundation is important so that you can stay focused on the fun and not have to stress!