Intermediate Wakeboarding Tricks

How to do a Raley

Synopsis: In the sport of wakeboarding, the Raley is the kingpin. There is no other trick that will give you more respect for your money. The raley is the biggest, most high-flying of the base inverts. And here you'll learn to stomp it.

As far as tricks in wakeboarding go the raley is the ultimate crowd pleaser. This trick the ability to capture the attention and impress every type of spectator. Maybe it is because when a rider performs this trick, for a brief second they are flying like superman or maybe it is because the trick is completely different from anything else in the board sport arena.

Regardless, anyone who wakeboards and has seen a raley desires to be able to do one. In my time as a coach I have taught over 50 people to do raleys. Despite popular belief, this trick is really not that hard. But I will not lie. Everyone who knows how to do it has paid their dues.

Let's break down how to do a raley.

First, you must have a solid edge foundation. This means that your average air will take you into the flats and if you decide to go big you can go way into the flats.

If this is something you are not yet comfortable with, work on getting more speed from your edge and going bigger. You need comfort with speed and big landings to ride away with a raley.

Second, work on a progressive edge. It is imperative that you use a progressive edge on this trick. You need to go out wide and then slowly build a harder and harder edge all the way to the wake.

The most important part of this trick is to be cutting as hard as possible right on the wake.

Once you have a lot of speed and have cranked your edge all the way up the wake to generate a lot of pop, release your edge and let your lower body and legs fly out behind you. If you edged properly, and released your edge quickly, your lower body will naturally want to fly back and all you have to do is let it go. This is the commitment stage.

Hold on in the air, keep your head up and concentrate on keeping your body and board flat. Try not to let the nose of your board rise up (when you do, it's called star gazing, and it's a bad thing).

Pull the handle down and get back to your feet. Spot your landing and pull the handle like you are trying to crack it over your knees. The handle is your key to getting back to your feet, so trust it, keep it in the center of your body and pull down with all your might.

And that's it. Now you just ride away. Once you get it pulled back down it will feel just like landing a big air.

One thing to note: This is a commitment trick. It is not that hard, but if you do not commit to it 100% you won’t get the air you need to get your body extended fully and bring it back.

It is actually easier to let a raley out all the way and bring it back than it is to let it out half way (fighting it the whole time) and then bring it back. Visualize a ton of times before doing this trick, commit to it on the water, stomp it and then reap all the fame and glory!

Now that you have the Raley under your belt, try some other inverts, like the Tantrum, the Backroll, or the Toeside Backroll.

This tutorial was guest-written by Scott Duke of The Basecamp, a wakeboarding camp Lake Rosseau in Muskoka, Ontario. The Basecamp has an overnight children's camp, group programs for adults, as well as week and weekend-long wakeboard getaways. They also host wake shows and the Ontario wakeboard tour stop in late August each summer. If that doesn't impress you, maybe this will: The Basecamp was featured on MTV's Made television show. If you want to take your riding to the next level, The Basecamp is the place to do it.

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