Wake surfing injury?

[CDAWaves]

I'm curious if anyone has ever had a waksurfing accident or injury. I always tell people I am trying to get interested in the sport that it's low impact (this fact appeals to my aging demographic). I have never been hurt or seen anyone get hurt wake surfing, but I've seen and heard countless water skiing, wakeboarding and tubing accidents. Is safety a legit selling point?

[dukesofhazzard]

unless the board hits you in the head or u pull the rope in and let it dangle around your feet, leg or hands, etc, haven't once yet been hurt.

[dom w. forte]

A friend of ours got stiches in his hand because he tried to grab the surf board as he was falling and grabbed the fins which sliced his palm, so beware!

[dakota4ce]

Very LOW IMPACT, therefore by default safer. Nothing with ropes, propellers and water is super super safe, but this is much better than the above mentioned for sure!

[turbonine]

Skim board to the forehead that resulted in stitches. I have never towed a boat so fast to the hospital.

[dukesofhazzard]

to the OP if you are new to the sport of surfing when you wipe out hold a hand above your head so you dont get hit in the head (hand hurts less than head) as mentioned above don't grab fins, so just let the board go when you wipe out and you will be fine. Has to be the safest tow sport. my 5 yr old kneels on it behind the boat.

[artvandelay]

I DESTROYED my hamstring (fell down, but right leg stayed on board while body went underwater)... It was terrible, massive bruising with medium tear.

Another friend got her tooth Chipped when the board popped up and hit her in the face!


But nothing like my Knee Destroying, Concussion Wafting, Hip Scorching Wakeboarding Days

[IDBoating]

Another vote for board injuries being the primary "threat". My son is adamant about teaching people to cover their heads when surfacing. But that's about it, unless you do something stupid with the rope or surf forward really fast and then faceplant onto the swim platform. Remember, the boat is trying to get away from you at 10+ MPH.

[BCRider]

^ agree with you and dukes. I cover my head every time I fall in case the board comes back at me. It probably doesn't help I took a friends surf board (actual surfing) fin to the side of my mouth years ago that required 8 stitches.

[Smcqueen]

I did a partial tear on my MCL this past spring. Right foot planted on the board fell back with a twist and pop. Three prior knee surgeries though so starting off at a disadvantage. I do cover my head when I go out the front.

[Thegerman618]

Sure, boards that are not strapped to can get a little unpredictable when surfacing. Ropes dangling at the feet of course, and IMO is equally as dangerous when I see people the just throw the rope to the other side of the wake while surfing. I pitched this to my dad this year and got him out and surfing, he's a prior motorcross rider so to say he is little beat up is an understatement. He rode for hours and couldn't get enough of it, at least he chips in for gas. . The common stuff doesn't worry, but here is my 2 biggest fears:

Someone surfing (new to surfing) goes to fall backwards and kicks the board toward the boat and hits a kid or anyone for that matter in the boat.
New Surfer still trying to find that balance goes down and gets wrapped in the rope. Now I ALWAYS go to idle and let boat stop and the wave to pass me before I turn around but still waiting for the scream or pop when they surface.

So yea its much safer then other water sports, and well we have inboards still significantly safer then trying to surf and I/O

[talltigeguy]

I saw a post of a guy who lost his finger in the rope. I once fell on the rope and got a cool rash in my armpit.

But overall, far safer than wakeboarding, where I have seen femur fractures, sprained ankles, broken noses and some pretty awesome gymnastics where a guy hit the back of his head with the board without coming out of his bindings. And a handful of people have died wakeboarding from head injuries. Hydrofoiling is generally easier than wakeboarding, but broken ribs are common, and once heard of a spinal compression fracture that narrowly escaped paralyzing the guy.

So yes, surfing is way easier on the body.

[dukesofhazzard]

always keep the rope in the front hand and do not wrap it. Coil if u need to and hold all the coils so if you do fall it just pulls outta your hand. other than that, go have fun and don't worry. There is a reason why surfing is so popular.

[CDAWaves]

My biggest fear is someone getting caught up in the rope but I have never seen it happen or heard of anyone I know directly that has had this happen. Hope I never do!

[007]

Did my ACL in meniscus in a wakeboard jump. I've since retired from wake boarding. Barely messed with surfing until then. Oddly I was able to surf goofy better than regular until I get strength back in my knee. My wife has busted her lip with a board and a friends wife got stitches in her head from a fin. Knock on wood, I've not re injured my knee surfing in the 3 years since my ACL reconstruction.