Wakesurfing, Wakeboarding, and More on Lake Berryessa
UPDATED 12/12/20
Lake Berryessa is Napa Valley’s largest lake. It was formed in the 1950s after the construction of Monticello Dam on Putah Creek and today you can see many boats lining its docks. If you love to boat, fish, swim, or waterski, Lake Berryessa party boat rentals are for you. There’s nothing like spending the day on the lake with family and friends for some good time fishing and swimming. These party boats can fit a small crowd and give the perfect atmosphere for a party on the lake. If boating is one of your favorite things to do, you’ve probably thought more than once about purchasing your own boat. While you’re at Lake Berryessa, take a look at the many boats for sale, such as a 16 foot bass boat for sale, a 17 foot aluminum boat for sale and an 18 ft bass tracker boat for sale, all perfect for fishing. There is also a wide range of new and used 17 ft fishing boats for sale on Lake Berryessa. Browse the inventory and make your boating dreams come true.
Water has always been a critical part of human society, being a source of drinking, fishing, transportation, and even natural barriers against invasion throughout history. Today, while water is still essential for drinking and fishing, it can also be a very popular arena for sports, both with and without jet ski rental equipment and a wakeboard boat. Traditional surfing, competitive swimming, water polo, and much more are popular activities, but for those looking to take it to the next level, jet ski activities can make for thrilling water sports either for fun or for sanctioned sporting events. Jet ski activities include wakeboard and wakesurfing, as well as other personal watercraft like a pontoon boat with enough speed for these sports and others. What jet ski activities are right for you?
Boats and Sports
There are plenty of American boat owners who can use their vehicles for friends and family to ride on and use for water sports, and for those without a personal boat, boat rental is a popular and very doable option to get the water sports started. There is plenty of interest; just over 87 million American adults like to take part in recreational boating, speaking broadly, and in the year 2017, some 13.4% of Americans took part in water sports, which can include wakesurfing and wakeboarding with a jet ski or pontoon boat helping out. Jet skis, in particular, are shaped just right for wakeboarding and wakesurfing, creating the kind of wake, at the right speeds, for these sports to work best.
Wakesurfing started as a hobby and became a proper sport ever since it evolved in the 1980s and 1990s. To do this, the wakesurfer uses a surf board about five feet long and simply rides on the wake that a trailing jet ski creates as it moves at high speed. To get started with this brand of jet ski activities, the wakesurfer hangs onto a short rod at the end of a rope or cord that is attached to the back of a jet ski on any body of water such as a lake or the shallower part of an ocean. Then, the jet ski takes off and builds up speed, and the wakesurfer keeps up by hanging onto that rope or cord as momentum builds. Finally, once enough speed is built up, the wakesurfer can let go of the rope and use momentum to properly surf on the wake, using their own skills and strength to stay upright and keep moving, often close enough to the boat to hear calls of encouragement and cheers from those on board.
Wakeboarding is related to wakesurfing, and stands as another popular brand of jet ski activities. This time, the person is still on a water board, but hangs onto a rod at the end of a longer rope or cord attached to the wakeboard boat or jet ski and never lets go of it. As with wakesurfing, the person allows the boat to start moving and build up speed and momentum on a lake or shallow part of the ocean, and the wakeboarder hangs onto the rod for speed and power while staying upright on their board. This may not involve the same skills as staying upright on a wakesurfing board, but it can still be great fun for those who try it out.
Spending a day on a pontoon boat does not have the same thrills as wakeboarding or wakesurfing, but for older boat enthusiasts or those simply not interested in jet ski activities, a pontoon boat is a great way to relax and take in the marine environment of a lake. Due to their width, and the swivel chairs and couches on board, pontoon boats are great for fishing, and can be used as small party boats, where friends and family can gather for picnics, wine, music, fishing, and swimming. Those who try swimming or fishing should be aware of nearby boats to make sure that there are no accidents, but as long as safety is observed, a pontoon boat is a low key but great way to enjoy a day on the lake.
