Dock Start (Standing)

Once you're comfortable with a sitting water start, the next step is starting from the dock already standing. This is how riders start at most full-size cable parks because the cable runs at a fixed speed and can't slow down for you. The move looks scary — you step off the edge of a dock holding a moving rope — but the mechanics are simple.

Sit on the edge of the dock with your board pointing out toward the cable path. Place the handle between your knees, arms extended. As the carrier comes around and the rope takes tension, stand up and let the cable pull you off the dock. Keep your knees bent and your weight slightly back when your board hits the water.

Key tips

• Keep the handle low, between your knees, until you're on the water
• Stand up smoothly as the rope goes tight — don't jump
• Weight slightly back as the board touches water, or the nose will dive
• Look forward, not down at the dock
• It's normal to fall the first few times — this is the hardest skill in Level 1