Im looking to grab a wake skate.
Does anyone have any recommendations? Brand? Deck grip/skate tape?

Make one champ! I have one on the go atm. I recon it's going to be a game changer!




I used the outline profile of a Tona pop, it's 119cms long and 43cm wide. 6 ply, 12 ply on the kicks. Minimal (40mm)rocker coz rocker is not your mate. Might put some concave into it.

Still not 100% sure on rails. Atm it's all just 90deg.

Will glass it and probably put fake lawn on the top for ****s and giggles.







Don't think I'll put any fins on it.

whatever you do don't pay too much for one as no-one seems to want to buy them.

secondly unless you're willing to put hours in learning you won't get much joy they are pain to go upwind, weigh too much, have too much rocker so you need a bigger kite etc. etc.

cue sir Rowdy meister

Ta, I'm pretty lazy with building so will see what I can find second hand :)

There's a few people here with skate deck tape type boards .. Not super keen to be wearing runners kiting..

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HighzaKite said..
whatever you do don't pay too much for one as no-one seems to want to buy them.

secondly unless you're willing to put hours in learning you won't get much joy they are pain to go upwind, weigh too much, have too much rocker so you need a bigger kite etc. etc.

cue sir Rowdy meister

Wakeskates are forever, you don't sell them . (they also cost hardly anything so why would you?).

The problem most people have is that they expect it to be a surfboard... wakeskates aren't surfboards, they are a small twin-tips, so as such you need to take the right size kite and ride it in conditions you would ride a normal twin tip.
Wakeskates aren't a light wind board, wakeskates aren't a skimboard. If you take the right size kite a wakeskate is no harder to ride up-wind than a twin-tip without straps. I never have trouble going up-wind if I have the right size kite.
Many people are lead to believe that they should ride a wakeskate to mess around when they can't ride properly on a twin-tip... this just isn't right.

Any wakeskate is usable pretty much, even better if it's not under 41inch and doesn't have too heavy of a rocker line. Almost anything will ride fine given you are using the correct size kite. Kite size is really a subjective thing... what's it matter if you need to use a kite size or two bigger than a surfboard? In my opinion that's all the better as I don't have to worry about some twitchy small kite messing up my tricks. Wakeskating is about keeping the kite static for the most part so the slower turning the kite the better.

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RosieKB said..
There's a few people here with skate deck tape type boards .. Not super keen to be wearing runners kiting..

If you want to get serious shoes make a massive difference. Even if you don't want to get serious, shoes and skateboard grip tape make a massive difference.

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sir ROWDY said..

HighzaKite said..
whatever you do don't pay too much for one as no-one seems to want to buy them.

secondly unless you're willing to put hours in learning you won't get much joy they are pain to go upwind, weigh too much, have too much rocker so you need a bigger kite etc. etc.

cue sir Rowdy meister

Wakeskates are forever, you don't sell them . (they also cost hardly anything so why would you?).

The problem most people have is that they expect it to be a surfboard... wakeskates aren't surfboards, they are a small twin-tips, so as such you need to take the right size kite and ride it in conditions you would ride a normal twin tip.
Wakeskates aren't a light wind board, wakeskates aren't a skimboard. If you take the right size kite a wakeskate is no harder to ride up-wind than a twin-tip without straps. I never have trouble going up-wind if I have the right size kite.
Many people are lead to believe that they should ride a wakeskate to mess around when they can't ride properly on a twin-tip... this just isn't right.

Any wakeskate is usable pretty much, even better if it's not under 41inch and doesn't have too heavy of a rocker line. Almost anything will ride fine given you are using the correct size kite. Kite size is really a subjective thing... what's it matter if you need to use a kite size or two bigger than a surfboard? In my opinion that's all the better as I don't have to worry about some twitchy small kite messing up my tricks. Wakeskating is about keeping the kite static for the most part so the slower turning the kite the better.

yep kinda what I said, except for the bit about wanting to sell it

ta Rowdy for the info,

Have you tried boards with surfboard style soft 'gorilla' grip - Or are you better off using runners so you don't bash your feet when flipping the deck about??

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HighzaKite said..

sir ROWDY said..

HighzaKite said..
whatever you do don't pay too much for one as no-one seems to want to buy them.

secondly unless you're willing to put hours in learning you won't get much joy they are pain to go upwind, weigh too much, have too much rocker so you need a bigger kite etc. etc.

cue sir Rowdy meister

Wakeskates are forever, you don't sell them . (they also cost hardly anything so why would you?).

The problem most people have is that they expect it to be a surfboard... wakeskates aren't surfboards, they are a small twin-tips, so as such you need to take the right size kite and ride it in conditions you would ride a normal twin tip.
Wakeskates aren't a light wind board, wakeskates aren't a skimboard. If you take the right size kite a wakeskate is no harder to ride up-wind than a twin-tip without straps. I never have trouble going up-wind if I have the right size kite.
Many people are lead to believe that they should ride a wakeskate to mess around when they can't ride properly on a twin-tip... this just isn't right.

Any wakeskate is usable pretty much, even better if it's not under 41inch and doesn't have too heavy of a rocker line. Almost anything will ride fine given you are using the correct size kite. Kite size is really a subjective thing... what's it matter if you need to use a kite size or two bigger than a surfboard? In my opinion that's all the better as I don't have to worry about some twitchy small kite messing up my tricks. Wakeskating is about keeping the kite static for the most part so the slower turning the kite the better.

yep kinda what I said, except for the bit about wanting to sell it

Sort of, except you said "they are a pain to go upwind, weigh too much and have too much rocker", all of which I would disagree with. If you don't have rocker or weight you're probably better off on a surfboard or skim as most the primary functions of a skate have all but gone.

I think we're on the same page, but it just didn't read like that. I think most people always underestimate the kite they need to use, they shouldn't be scared to ride a bigger kite, it actually makes it easier to ride a skate, not harder as a lot of people think.

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RosieKB said..
ta Rowdy for the info,

Have you tried boards with surfboard style soft 'gorilla' grip - Or are you better off using runners so you don't bash your feet when flipping the deck about??

If you have nothing but that as a choice it's not bad to start with, but the difference for me is night and day, especially considering water makes stuff slipperier. I mean if gorrilla grip worked well, people would ride it on a regular skateboard to stop their shoes wearing out... but it doesn't and they don't. You will find with grip tape you also have a better lower connection to the board than with foam or eva grip.

I've seen some companies trying to make new grip for skateboards that doesn't wear your shoes out, I might look into it for skate/ surfboard usage.

Can someone point me in the right direction for shaping the rails....

I'm finding it difficult to get some reliable information.

Also - would you recommend a concave/double concave bottom?
Thanks.

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RosieKB said..
Im looking to grab a wake skate.
Does anyone have any recommendations? Brand? Deck grip/skate tape?

given tape and andrew deane regularly kite at rosie, could chat to them and have a go

good timing! havent been on here in ages! I ride the frontier kite skate actually designed for the kite. So good having the slightly less rocker after us playing with about 10 diferent shapes, Andrew at frontier has really nailed the latest model. They even can be bought with a snowboard type sintered base now too. Also there is the option of foam or griptape top. I like the griptape myself, but kungas rides the foam top and prefers it. Just personel taste in my opinion. Just be ready to have scuffed up ankles if you ride griptape though.

Check out these hand made beasts here: http://frontierwakeskates.com/

we are always down at rosebud carpark 14 if u ever want to give one a go just come ask. i always have a spare one in the van. Byo some shoes

Done, my first proper wake skate. I learnt a great deal and know how to make some improvements for next time.

Triple glassed, soft rails, 16 ply on the ends taping off to 7 ply. ( Next one will be thicker)

45mm continuous rocker.
Glass for 5m2 was $30
Resin $10
Grass $15
Ply $10 (off-cuts from my work bench)
Sand paper $5
Other expenses $15

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Underoath said..
Done, my first proper wake skate. I learnt a great deal and know how to make some improvements for next time.

Triple glassed, soft rails, 16 ply on the ends taping off to 7 ply. ( Next one will be thicker)

45mm continuous rocker.
Glass for 5m2 was $30
Resin $10
Grass $15
Ply $10 (off-cuts from my work bench)
Sand paper $5
Other expenses $15

Nice work there man. Thats cool as hell

Thanks bud.

Glass for 5m2 was $30
Resin $10
Grass $15
Ply $10 (off-cuts from my work bench)
Sand paper $5
Other expenses $15

Hair cut - priceless