Boat Shows & Beyond: The Social Side of Wake Sports

Riding the wake isn’t a solo sport. On and off the water, we lean on each other for everything from spotter support to teaching each other techniques to simply enjoying the ride.

And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks to today’s technology, discovering the social side of wake sports has never been easier! Boat show season especially helps us connect with boaters who share our love for the thrill of the wake. For more tips on how to enjoy your favorite sport in equally great company, just read on.

Find local hobby groups

These days, with the help of modern technology, there’s a group for just about everything you could possibly be involved in. Browse around your social media, or check in with your water-loving friends, to see if there are any such groups in your area—local wakeboarders, surfers, boaters, or simply outdoor explorers who organize outings to places you’re sure to love! These groups are also great for connecting with each other, sharing tips and ideas for future trips and pointing out helpful resources or local destinations.

If there’s not a group like this near you, what are you waiting for? Start one yourself! By getting the word out to friends and even friends-of-friends, you can assemble a group that’s as passionate about water fun as you are.

Bring the crew to the next boat show

We’re in the midst of boat show season, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy the weekends ahead with friends by your side! Invite the crew to the next show near you. Even if you’re all geared up and have your boats ready for the season ahead, additional show weekend events, from delicious dinners to live music, can serve as great get-together opportunities for your fellow aquatic aficionados.

Stay connected

Did you make connections at the show? Whether you talked with industry professionals or attendees who share your passion for on-the-water fun, be sure to keep in touch with those contacts! They can help improve your ride, or even serve as your future riding buddies, in the future.

Here, too, social media can play an important role in bringing us boaters and boarders together. Follow your connections (and water sports heroes, of course) and post your own updates on mastering tricky moves or excursions you have coming up. This sport of ours is even more fun when we embrace its inherent community aspect.

Host regular get-togethers

You don’t need an excuse to hit the water every month, but here’s one anyway! By planning regular get-togethers with friends, you not only get to enjoy your favorite sport that much more often—you get to keep up with one another, too, against the informal backdrop of a well-spent day on the water. Laughs and lifelong memories are built around shoreline bonfires, casual raft-ups and the cheering-on of friends riding the wake, so be sure to embrace these opportunities as often as you can. You don’t need to do much more than bring your boat, music and maybe a few simple snacks. The rest comes easy.

Invite someone new

In the pursuit of embracing the social side of water fun even further, why not invite someone new to experience the water? It might be a friend, family member or neighbor who’s never thought of themselves as the boating or boarding “type.” Take them out on the water and prove them wrong. Whether they go tubing or simply kick back by the bow, they’ll soon learn that time on the water is an activity everyone can enjoy.

Nothing beats a thrilling ride on your wakeboard or skis—except, maybe, sharing the thrill with a friend or family member. We hope that today’s tips help you get even more connected to the wake sport community in the year ahead!