Tips by David Ngiam
Video : Mark Griffin
Photo : Tatsanai Aye Kuakoonrat
Keep your weight even on both feet and your knees slightly bent.
To turn heelside (ie. turning right for right foot forward riders, left for left foot forward riders), put your weight on your heels for both feet and lean back a little.
To turn toeside, put your weight on your toes, lean forward a little and keep the handle close to your forward hip (because of the awkwardness of the position).
Don’t make any quick movements, but slow, gradual ones. Use the line as leverage to keep your balance as you edge. You don’t have to twist the board in the direction you want to turn to. By leaning on your edge, the board will naturally turn on its own. The harder you edge, the more the board will turn. When you first learn to turn on the wakeboard, try practicing one one side of the wake before you try crossing the wake. When you do cut across the wake, try to cut it at an angle and make sure your board is pointing in the direction its travelling. Also keep your knees a little loose as you cross the wake to absorb the bump.
If you feel that you are sliding out alot when trying to edge, try using bigger fins on your board to help with traction. However, as you get better, you might want to switch back to smaller fins and rely more on your edge control than on your fins. Having smaller fins have some advantages such as better release off the wake and its easier for surface tricks (like surface spins) as well as having less drag on obstacles.