I'm giving this board 5 stars because it's a beginner to intermediate board, and it is good at that. I was a beginner with some experience when I bought my boat and this board last summer, and by the end of the summer, I was riding this board with no rope for pretty much as long as I wanted. I was also successfully able to get up several new riders who had never surfed before. The biggest drawback to the board is that it is a bit long and fast, which is good for a beginner who's trying to stay in the wake, but is hard on riders that are moving into intermediate levels, as the calf work required to hold the board back is intense (without the rope). By the end of the summer, I was cutting my rides short due to my calves (or really just my back calf) being tired and cramping. We'll be looking for a good intermediate to advanced board to add to the assortment this summer, but this CWB Ride will be a mainstay in the boat for all beginners and newcomers.
A couple of notes:
Thickness - This board is pretty thin and fits in my boat's regular wakeboard racks, so that's awesome!
Rope/Handle - The rope and handle are actually pretty decent for a free add-on, the rope is short for a longer boat, but I believe would work perfect on a 20 footer with a tower near mid boat. Also, you can add a section of rope to the end, 4' to 8' depending on what you need.
Rider Sizes - I'm 6' 185 lbs, and again, it was great for me to learn and advance my skill level to the intermediate level. I have a niece who rode regularly and probably progressed at about the same rate as I, she is probably 5'4" 140 lbs, so this board works for a pretty wide range. My wife is 5'8" 130 lbs, and she struggles on this board a bit, I think partially because she had less experience to begin with (this was the first board she attempted on) but also I think the tall and skinny may struggle to hold this board back, as it is fast and wants to run to the boat, so if you don't have the weight proportion to hold it back, it may be hard to balance (for beginners). My sister is short and skinny but experienced at surfing and rode it like a pro, although, she didn't love it, as it was a little too big and bulky for her preference, she was able to ride it well.
I actually wrote this review, because I am currently looking to add to our Wakesurf Board assortment, and realize that no one ever writes reviews. There's some pro reviews and industry reviews which are all biased, but no real world "hey this is how it worked for us" reviews, so hopefully this helps some potential new surfers decide on a beginner board. We're overall very satisfied with our CWB Ride.
| Sport | Wakesurfing |
|---|---|
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 66.5 x 21.5 x 4 inches |
| Package Weight | 6.6 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 67 x 23 x 3 inches |
| Brand Name | Connelly |
| Warranty Description | 1 year manufacturer |
| Model Name | Ride wakesurf board |
| Suggested Users | Unisex |
| Manufacturer | Connelly/CWB Board Co. |
| Part Number | RIDEWAKESURFERw/pkg - BLKw/FIN |
| Style | With Rope Package |
| Included Components | wakesurf board and towrope |
