What you need to
know about buying....
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It's a sport with power, grace and technical precision as well as plenty of visual appeal - awesome board graphics and hot bodies in bathing suits against a background of blue water and summer sky. Add a fast learning curve and a thriving contest circuit, and it's not surprising that wakeboarding is the fastest-growing watersport in the world. From its roots in Australia, wakeboarding has exploded into the North American watersports scene. A few years ago snowboarding injected a shot of pure adrenaline into snow sports and rapidly began taking over from skiing; now wakeboarding is having the same effect in
watersports. Walter Page's Muskoka Store has been there from the start; we were the first to import a wakeboard into North America in 1983 (in those days it was called a 'surf-ski'), and we are now the largest single wakeboard dealer on the continent.
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What to look for..
Walter Page's Muskoka Store has an excellent selection of wakeboards by FM, CWB, Liquid Force, Icon, O'Brien, Hyperlite, Double Up, Waketech, Blindside, NBN, and others. Many wakeboard manufacturers are specialized companies working with a high degree of input from riders, and new design innovations are constantly appearing.
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There are no hard-and-fast rules when choosing a wakeboard. It used to be that bigger people rode longer boards, but those guidelines no longer apply as short, wide boards with the same surface area as a longer board have become more popular. Short boards are easier
to spin and to control in the air. In general, boards with rounded ends will suit beginners as they are more stable in big waves. Beyond that, the possibilities are almost endless. Talk to our expert staff and find the best combination of design elements for you. All
boards come with a warranty against manufacturers' defects.
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Tip / tail design
The shape of the board's ends will affect the way it handles in the water and the degree of speed and lift you can attain. Rounded ends sit a little deeper under the surface of the water, and are more forgiving in rough water. Squared-off ends ride higher for a more
powerful cut. Swallow-tailed or bat-tailed ends dig into the water enabling you to cut harder for more air.
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Rocker
This is the curve of the board from tip to tail. More rocker means the board will ride up higher waves instead of cutting through them.
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Fins / curve
The bottom of the board may be designed with a single fin, multiple fins which improve directional tracking, or a concave shape with outside edges that dig into the water.
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Bindings
Bindings can be divided into two categories: basic boots and pro boots. Basic boots are made of low density rubber which stretches, allowing the boots to accommodate a range of about three foot sizes. Walter Page's Muskoka Store also carries O'Brien Morph Bindings, the best adjustable bindings available, which can fit a full range of foot sizes from 5 to 12 (men's). Pro boots are designed to give a more exact, 'customized' fit, offer more support, and are harder to pop in and out of. They are made of thicker rubber with moulded plastic inside and fastened with a combination of straps, zippers and Velcro.
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| Boot size | small | medium | large | extra large |
| Men's | 5 - 7 1/2 | 7 1/2 - 9 1/2 | 9 1/2 - 11 | 12 + |
| Women's | 7 - 9 1/2 | 9 1/2 - 11 1/2 | 11 1/2 - 13 | . |
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Wakeboarding accessories and resources at Walter Page's Muskoka Store
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The best wakeboarding resource in the store is our staff, some of whom are riders themselves. They can answer all your boarding-related questions in detail and show you the latest stock.
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Look for accessories that can boost your performance and add a new dimension to your tricks: Skylon Joystick and Ten Foot Pole; Launch Pads and Fat Buddies; Spectra ropes, Vandle Handles, G-bolts and Rainbow fins. Check out our selection of the hottest boarding videos and magazines. We also stock board bags, shorts, surf clothes, hats,
stickers, and wakeboarding ropes with minimal stretch.
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Ask about our rental program; it's a great way to try a board before you buy it. The cost of a rental will be deducted from a subsequent purchase, except on marked-down items.
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We have a fantastic selection, but once in a while a customer will ask for an item that isn't in the store. Talk to our staff - we can order whatever you need.
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The Muskoka Store - cottage@muskoka.com
Highway 11 North
Gravenhurst, Ontario
Canada
P1P 1R1
705-687-7751
FAX: 705-687-7789
Order Line: 1 800-MUSKOKA
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