"Wakeboarding...On The Edge" - Book / CD Review

"Wakeboarding...On The Edge" is a book and CD-ROM combination offering instruction on the basics of wakeboarding, as well as jumping, and also focuses on the more complex moves of rotations, and an experts only section. Photos are plentiful throughout the book, allowing the reader to remove all question as to how to pull off moves/tricks.

The Book

"Wakeboarding...On The Edge" is ideal to take on the boat because not only is it waterproof, but it also floats. The book begins with a "Getting Started" section and covers safety (equipment and driving), terminology and wake speed, equipment and setup, and information about boats. The next section, "First Time Techniques and Fundamentals", gives excellent instruction on getting up on a wakeboard for the first time, tips on basic riding fundamentals, and essential moves which will help you progress to the next level.

The Book

Nearly every wakeboarder wants to know how to fly higher behind the boat. Riders... prepare for liftoff. The "Jumping" section gives the reader instruction on the four basic jumps, the double-up, grabs, and rotations.

Once the rider has mastered jumping it's time to move to the "Getting Aggressive" section. Here you'll learn how to pull off inverts and high end moves (rolls, flips, and raleys). Do all these terms sound foreign to you? Never fear - the author does an excellent job of offering definitions as well as giving step-by-step instructions with photos in the "Fluid Access" section. Here, 17 moves are depicted, catering from the beginner all the way to the advanced rider. Each move/trick lists the skill level required to complete the move, as well as the recommended boat speed and towrope length.

The CD ROM

"Wakeboarding...On The Edge" contains an easy to use interactive CD-ROM for instruction off the water. All you have to do is select your trick and you are presented with a video presentation of the how to execute the move. You can choose to view the moves in either a regular or goofy (right foot forward) stance. This mirror image option takes the guesswork out of trying to figure out a move with an opposite foot forward. You also have the option of viewing the videos with or without music, as well as with or without instructions that freeze the videos at certain points. Fast forward or rewind the videos with ease, as well as freeze them at any point to better break down the moves.

Instructional moves available in video on the CD-ROM

Getting Up
Up and Riding
Crossing the Wakes
Sideslide
Surface 360
Heelside Jump
Toeside Jump
Double-Up
Grabs
Wake 180
Wake 360
Ollie to Blind
Blind Wake 180
Tantrum
Backside Roll
Frontside Roll
Scarecrow
Front Flip
KGB
Air Raley

This book is very well done, easy to read, and packed with great information. There are only two drawbacks. First, the majority of the photos in the book are a bit dark. This does not hinder the reader in understanding the photos except in a few places where the rider blends in with the background. The second drawback is that the CD-ROM will not work in a Mac computer. Despite these two things, "Wakeboarding...On The Edge" would be a great accessory to any wakeboarder's boat.