Intermediate Wakesurfing Tricks: Master the Next Level
So you're cruising without the rope, carving with confidence, and you've got the basics of pumping down. Nice work! Now it's time to step up your game and add some serious style to your riding. These intermediate tricks will take you from "I can surf the wave" to "Did you see that?!"
Whether you're looking to slash spray across the boat, land your first 360, or boost some air off the lip, this is where wakesurfing gets really fun. Let's level up.
How to Do a Floater Wakesurfing
The floater is all about style and control—riding on top of the wave for a few seconds before dropping back down. It's a smooth, flowing trick that shows you can read the wave and position yourself exactly where you want to be. Plus, it's the foundation for the chop hop.
How to Practice:
The Setup:
Go all the way back on the wave
Build speed by pumping toward the boat
Getting On Top:
Before you reach the boat, put a lot of weight on your toes
This brings you up to the top of the wave
Transfer all your weight to your front foot
This keeps you stable on top for a few seconds
Staying Up There:
Hold your position on top of the wave
Keep your weight forward
Balance and enjoy the float
Coming Back Down:
As soon as you feel yourself going back into the wave, let it happen
Drop back down into the wave
Get your speed back and continue riding
Pro Tip: The floater is all about timing and weight distribution. Too much back foot and you'll sink back into the wave too early. Keep that weight forward and trust the top of the wave to hold you.
Common Mistakes:
Not building enough speed before going up
Leaning back instead of keeping weight on the front foot
Trying to force yourself to stay up instead of letting the wave hold you
Panicking when it's time to drop back in
Once you've got the floater dialed, you're ready to progress to the chop hop!
How to do a Chop Hop Wakesurfing
The chop hop is a progression from the floater—it's where you take that top-of-the-wave position and launch off the side to get some air. Think of it like jumping off a box, except the box is the lip of the wave. This is your gateway trick to getting comfortable being airborne.
How to Practice:
Start with the Rope:
Practice with the rope in your hand first
Do a floater to get on top of the wave
Once you're floating on top, jump off the side of the wave
Think of it like jumping off a box—simple and controlled
The Motion:
Float on top of the wave (just like you practiced)
As you're on top, prepare to pop off the side
Jump off the lip using the wave as your launch pad
Stay centered over your board in the air
Land back on the wave and absorb with your knees
Go Ropeless:
Once you're comfortable with the rope, drop it and try without
The motion is exactly the same
Confidence is key—commit to the pop
Pro Tip: Don't overthink it. You've already mastered the floater, so you know how to get on top of the wave. The chop hop is just adding a little jump at the end. Start small and build from there.
Common Mistakes:
Not getting fully on top of the wave before trying to jump
Hesitating at the moment of takeoff
Landing too far back on your board
Forgetting to keep your knees bent for landing
How to Slash the Wave
The slash is one of the most stylish tricks in wakesurfing—and yes, you can use it to spray people in the boat (we won't tell). It's an aggressive move where you whip the tail of your board across the top of the wave, sending a big spray of water flying. This trick uses your whole body and shows real control of the wave.
How to Practice:
Start with the Rope:
Practice this trick with the rope first
You're going to lose speed as you slash, so be ready to pump back and catch the wave
Try to do it fairly close to the boat
Once you're comfortable, drop the rope and go for it
Key Elements:
1. Your Starting Position: Start at the Back of the Wave
Let yourself drift back until water starts hitting your back knee (right knee if you're regular, left if you're goofy)
2. Initiate Forward Momentum
Now you’ll start pumping forward. Build speed as you approach the top of the wave
3. The Slash Motion
Push hard on your back foot to slow down and pivot
Think about getting the board under the wave and spraying water forward
Use your whole body—not just your legs
4. Get Back Over Your Board
After the slash, you'll be losing speed fast
Get your upper body back over your board immediately
Pump to catch the wave back
Advanced Slash (Spraying to the Side):
Once you've got the basic forward slash down, you can spray to the opposite side of the boat:
As you come forward, do a small bottom turn to disconnect slightly from the wave
Lead with your front shoulder to create some width
Turn your upper body toward the wave to load your core
Lift your front foot as your back leg gets under the wave
Throw your back hip and back shoulder toward the boat for a snapping motion
This creates a bigger spray and sends water to the side instead of straight at the boat
Common Mistakes:
Not starting far enough back on the wave
Using only your legs instead of your whole body
Forgetting to get your weight back over the board after the trick
Not building enough speed before initiating the slash
Difficulty: 5/10 - This isn't a first-trick kind of move. Get comfortable with carving and pumping before adding slashes.
How to Ride Switch Wakesurfing
Riding switch is one of the most fundamental skills for progressing in wakesurfing, especially if you want to learn tricks like 360s. It feels super awkward at first, but once you get comfortable, it opens up a whole new world of tricks.
How to Practice:
The Setup:
Get up exactly the same way you normally do
The only difference: have your board facing the opposite direction with the fin in front
Keep your knees bent
Getting Into Position:
Ride out to the flats, staying away from the wave initially
Drop the rope with your front hand so only your back hand is holding it
Slowly open your hips toward the boat
Let the fin catch and transfer your weight to your heels
If possible, move your feet like an inchworm to get your heels closer to the heel-side edge
Moving to the Wave:
Once comfortable, lightly put pressure on your heels
This slowly moves you closer to the wave
Riding Switch in the Wave:
Focus on three key things:
Stay next to the wave, not on it - If you go too far up, you're going to slip out
Keep your weight over your front foot (heel) - This keeps you in the wave
Keep your knees bent and try to relax - Tension makes it harder
Dropping the Rope:
Once you can keep slack in the rope for a significant amount of time, drop it
It's going to feel super awkward at first
But once you get comfortable, it'll feel just as easy as riding regular
Pro Tip: Riding switch is all about patience and practice. Dedicate at least 25% of your session time to switch riding. The discomfort is temporary, but the skills you gain are permanent. Think of it like learning to ride all over again—embrace the awkwardness!
Common Mistakes:
Going too far up on the wave and slipping out
Keeping weight on your back foot instead of your front
Tensing up instead of staying relaxed
Not giving yourself enough practice time
Trying tricks switch before you can ride comfortably
Once you can ride switch confidently, you'll have the foundation for switch tricks, body varials, and smoother 360 rotations.
How to Get Air While Wakesurfing
Getting air is one of the most exciting milestones in wakesurfing. This is where everything comes together—pumping, bottom turns, and board control—to launch you off the lip of the wave. The feeling of floating above the wake is unmatched, and once you get your first clean air, you'll be hooked.
How to Practice:
Build Maximum Speed:
Go all the way back on the wave
Pump hard to generate as much speed as possible
Speed is your friend here—the more you have, the easier the launch
The Approach:
Ride all the way up the wave toward the lip
Keep your momentum going strong
The Takeoff:
Once you reach the lip of the wave, push down hard with your back foot
Lift up your front foot as you push
This pops the board off the wave and sends you airborne
In the Air:
Once you're up, push down slightly with your front foot
Lift your back foot to level out the board
You can turn your shoulder slightly toward the boat to angle the board
Stay compact and controlled
The Landing:
As you come back down to the wave, bend your knees
Absorb the landing by flexing through your legs
Ride away clean and enjoy the rush
Pro Tip: Airs are all about commitment and timing. If you hesitate at the lip, you'll lose your launch. Build speed, hit the lip with confidence, and trust the wave to send you up. The landing will take care of itself if you stay balanced.
Common Mistakes:
Not building enough speed before the approach
Hesitating at the lip instead of committing to the pop
Keeping your board flat instead of leveling it out in the air
Landing stiff-legged instead of absorbing with your knees
Leaning too far back and losing the wave on landing
Once you're getting consistent air, you can start adding grabs, rotations, and style to make them your own.
How to Do a 360 on a Wakesurfer
The 360 is the trick everyone wants to learn—a full rotation spin on the wave. It looks impressive, feels amazing, and once you nail it, you'll want to do it on every ride. But here's the thing: the technique varies depending on your board style, so let's break it down for both.
Understanding Your Board
Surf Style Boards:
Larger fins provide drive and control during the 360
Require more power and a different technique to complete the rotation
Need a solid bottom turn to break the fins loose
Skim Style Boards:
Smaller fins make the spin easier to initiate
Harder to control and prevent over-rotation
Less power needed but more precision required
How to Practice:
The Setup:
Go all the way back on the wave to build momentum and speed
Ride up toward the pocket of the wave
Don't do the 360 too close to the boat—a bottom turn that close might carry you over the wave
Perform the 360 right when you reach the pocket and start generating forward momentum
Initiating the Spin:
Use your front arm and head to lead the rotation toward the back
Point your head in the direction you want to go—your body will follow
Break your fins loose with a bottom turn (especially important for surf style boards)
Stay super low to the board by bending at the knees, not at the waist
Keep your back straight and center of gravity low
Mid-Rotation:
Keep your upper body and head up
Keep your eyes open and spot the back of the boat
Stay low throughout the entire rotation—don't stand up mid-spin
If you do come up, drop back down immediately to maintain control
Completing the Rotation:
Keep your shoulders open to the boat to stop the rotation
Look over your shoulder to control your momentum
Land with bent knees to absorb the impact
Enjoy the ride!
Board-Specific Tips:
For Surf Style:
Start with faster forward momentum to help break the fins loose
Focus on a powerful bottom turn to get those fins to release
Distribute your weight properly to initiate and control the spin
Use the lip to help push you back into the wave
For Skim Style:
Don't go too high on the wave—you'll slide into the flats and lose momentum
Use a solid bottom turn and put your hand in the wave to help pull yourself around
To prevent over-rotation: look over your shoulder and put your hand in the wave where you started
This lets you over-rotate slightly, then swing back around on track
If you're burying your toe-side edge as you complete the spin, shift weight to your heels
Easy, slow, controlled rotations work better than aggressive spins
Pro Tip: The 360 is all about staying low and looking where you want to go. Your head leads, your body follows. Don't rush the rotation—smooth and controlled beats fast and sloppy every time.
Common Mistakes:
Standing up mid-rotation instead of staying low
Bending at the waist instead of the knees
Doing the 360 too close to the boat
Delaying the spin instead of initiating right when you hit the pocket
Not breaking the fins loose (especially on surf style boards)
Over-rotating on skim style boards
Looking down at your board instead of spotting your landing
Once you land your first clean 360, you'll be addicted. Keep practicing and soon you'll be throwing them consistently!