Why are wakeboard boats different to water ski boats?
Wakeboarding boats are specifically designed for allowing the rider to jump off the wake the boat creates. The size of the wake is important and is related to the boat’s hull size, weight and shape. The bigger and heavier a boat is, the more water it will displace as it travels across the water surface, thus making a bigger wake pop up behind the boat. Ballast tanks allow the user to add water to the boat, temporarily increasing the weight of the boat, and increasing the size of the wake. On top of size, the shape of the wake is important in how easy it is for the rider to jump and perform different tricks. The shape of the boat’s hull determines the shape of the “ramp” that the rider jumps off, but also the slope of the landing area on the other side of the wake. These major factors make jumping and landing a lot easier on the wakeboarder or wakeskater. Waterski boats are made to be flat, small and light in order to skim across the water and make the smallest possible wake behind the
