Axis Wake 'Boat Like A Pro' Instructional Videos
Whether you just bought your first Axis from Active Water Sports or you are now on your fifth boat, it is always a good idea to brush up on the fundamentals! The team of Axis pros put together this 5-part guide to show you how to "Boat Like A Pro". From getting ready in your driveway to having fun out on the water and eventually heading home from the lake, this guide will show you to do it safely and properly.
How to Trailer Your Boat
Part 1 of Axis' guide starts in your driveway. Bec Gange gives some quick tips for safely getting from your driveway to the boat ramp.
GRAB YOUR GEAR
There’s nothing worse than getting to the ramp and realizing you forgot your PFDs or your surf rope. Gear up ahead of time with wakesurf boards, wakeboards, life jackets, tow ropes, and all your crew’s snacks and beverages. Per U.S. Coast Guard regulations, kids under 13 need to be wearing their PFD at all times, so comfort is key. You’ll also need a throwable float along with a watersports flag in some states. It’s always a good idea to check local and state regulations for any other safety requirements as well.
TRUCK TO TRAILER
Just like docking, take this step slow. Set your truck up with a 2” ball. If your vehicle has a backup camera you can line things up by yourself, but it’s never a bad idea to have your crew helping out. They can give hand signals to guide the truck’s ball onto the trailer’s coupler and make sure the trailer is at the right height, which is about one inch above the ball. This height is low enough to make it easy to judge when you’re lined up in the backup camera, but still high enough for the ball to clear the coupler. For the crew giving signals, remember: if you can’t see the driver in the mirrors, they can’t see your signals.
LOCK IT IN
When you’re lined up with the truck’s ball directly below the trailer’s coupler, lower the coupler onto the ball using the tongue jack. Secure the coupler onto the ball and connect the safety chains in an “X” pattern. Secure the transom straps from the trailer to the boat’s transom and remove the boat’s cover unless it goes over the tower and is specifically meant for towing. Pull your chocks from the wheels and you’re ready to head to the ramp!
ON YOUR RIGHT!
When towing a trailer, you’re going to need to swing wide on turns—especially on the right side. The longer your boat the wider you’re going to want to swing out to avoid clipping curbs. When pulling out onto busy roads, patience is key. Wait for your window and take it slow until you get comfortable. When available, it’s usually best to get into the slow lane and let faster traffic pass you by. You’re on lake time anyway!
USE YOUR MIRRORS
Your mirrors are there to cover your blind spots so make sure to use them. In most cases, you’re not going to see much when you look backward anyway so rely on your mirrors and plan your route ahead of time so there are no surprise turns.
BACK IT UP
Reversing with a trailer takes some practice, but the longer the trailer the easier it is so be glad you’re not backing up a jetski. If it’s been a while since you’ve backed up a trailer, a trick is to put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. Whichever way you turn your hand the trailer will go.
How to Launch Your Boat
Part 2 of Axis' guide covers everything you need to know to become a boat ramp champ! Guenther Oka shows you how to do it quickly and safely with a few helpful tips.
PREP LIKE A PRO
Showing up like a boss at the ramp is all about preparation. Go to the staging area before hitting the ramp and take care of all your prep. This includes putting in the drain plugs, removing transom straps and turning on the batteries. If you really want to impress, put your bow and stern lines as well as fenders on their cleats and have them ready to go for your crew when you launch.
BACK IT UP, BACK IT IN
Solo launching can be difficult at first, so it’s best to have a driver at the helm ready to go. When you’re backing in, remember that everything turns in reverse with a trailer so use your mirrors and go slow. If you get stuck, you can always put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn it whichever way you want the trailer to turn. Note the water level on the trailer so you know how far to pull in when you’re going to load the boat back up on the trailer.
UNHOOK IT
When the boat is floating, set the emergency brake and put your vehicle in park, then unhook the safety chain connecting the boat to the trailer. Reverse the winch selector switch and with a tight grip on the winch handle, let out enough slack to unhook the winch strap from the bow eye. From here, signal the driver to start the engine, reverse off the trailer and dock or beach (if the shore is sandy).
PARKING THE TRUCK AND TRAILER
Keep your foot on the brake until you’re ready to release the parking brake, then put the vehicle in drive and release the brake while applying light pressure to the accelerator. Just about any vehicle can spin its tires on any ramp if you goose it hard enough, so take it light and slow to keep traction. When parking, make sure you leave plenty of room for your exit strategy and go join your crew for a great day on the water!
Driving Your Boat
Part 3 of Axis' guide covers the most important and most fun part of your day: driving your Axis! Join Guenther on the water to watch how he drives his Axis.
SAFETY
First things first, safety needs to be the number one priority. Fortunately, Axis is an inboard boat, which is inherently safer for swimmers because the propeller is tucked under the boat. Still, it’s important to always turn the motor off when swimmers are in the water or you leave the helm. Kids 12 and under should always wear their Personal Flotation Devices (PFD)s at all times when in the boat or in the water. When you’re getting ready to leave the dock, attach the emergency engine cutoff switch safety lanyard to yourself and make sure the other end is attached to the cutoff switch on the boat. Next, run the blower for a few minutes, get your crew situated in the boat, make sure the throttle is in neutral and start the engine.
LEAVING THE DOCK
Take things slow here at first. The crew should unhook the dock lines and pull the fenders in, then give the boat a good solid push away from the dock. The tendency is to push the bow out first, which is a good idea, but make sure you push the stern as well so you have plenty of clearance for the swim platform. Pull up on the neutral lock button on the throttle to go forward or backward. It takes a little while to get used to driving a boat because it turns different than most things, but with a little practice in open water you’ll get the hang of it. Turn gradually away from the dock until your swim platform is clear.
DRIVING
Driving an inboard is really easy and fun when you get the hang of it. Rest your forearm on the armrest or the gunwale—whichever feels more comfortable—and ease the throttle forward. The boat won’t be quite as responsive to turns at slow speeds, so get used to that in open water. When underway, your Axis’s precision throttle and steering will feel more like a car with an immediate response when you adjust things at the helm. When you’re feeling comfortable, fill the ballast and practice driving at different speeds to see how the boat responds. While underway, all crew should ride in the cockpit or bow of the boat at all times.
WAKE AND WAVE SET-UP
Axis makes it easy to get started with watersports by providing simple buttons that correspond to what you want to do with the boat. For example, if you want to fill the ballast, the button is at your fingertips. Just clear your gear out of the compartments if you have Plug ‘n’ Play ballast and fill it up. Want to put the Power Wedge III up or down? The button is right there on the dash. Same goes for Surf Gate. Set the cruise control where you want it for your sport (beginner wakeboarding is around 21 miles per hour and beginner surfing is around 10 miles per hour) and you’re all set. You can always adjust things on the fly as well.
RIDING
First and most important, make sure your rider has a US Coast Guard-approved PFD on. Attach the rope to the main tow point on the tower for wakeboarding and surfing, grab their board out of the rack and have them hop in the water. When they are away from the platform, start the engine and idle forward until the line is taut. Wait for the rider to say “hit it” (“go” sounds too much like “no”), and accelerate slowly to give your rider a smooth pull out of the water. The cruise control will engage at your preset speed, so your main job is to watch out in front of you while your crew watches out for the rider. If your state requires it, have your observer ready to raise a flag when the rider falls. If possible try to signal your rider when you plan to make a turn as well.
FALLS
When your rider falls, slow down gradually and let the wave pass if you’re surfing. Turn at idle speed so the rider is on your starboard side and you can easily see how close they are to the boat. Be careful not to run the rope over as you circle around. Unless it’s an emergency and you need to get back to the rider quickly, don’t circle back to them at speed. This is called a power turn and besides messing up the glassy water for you and every other crew on the lake for a good 15 minutes, it can also be more dangerous for the rider. When you get back to the rider, have your spotter throw them the rope if they’re going again, or turn the boat off if their set is over.
DON’T BE A KOOK
We all know kooks, they have no respect for their waterway, homeowners, or other riders. Don’t be that guy. Instead, stay in at least 10 feet of water (you won’t get as much out of your wake or wave in anything shallower anyway) and 200 feet away from other boats, docks and shorelines. Try not to blast your music too loud or cut anyone off either.
NO WAKE ZONES
Pay attention to these. They are important for a lot of reasons. They are usually marked with a circle on a sign or a buoy that says “No Wake” or “Idle Speed.” Don’t go fast enough to make a wake in these areas.
SHALLOW AREAS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
This goes back to staying off the Qualified Captain. Many waterways have areas that are too shallow to boat. They are typically marked with signs that say something like “Danger” or “Rock.” When in doubt, seek a local’s knowledge or steer well clear.
REVERSE
Like almost all inboard boats, your Axis will back to the right because of prop torque. It’s a good idea to practice backing up in open water to get used to the feeling. It’s also a good idea to practice docking (without the dock) by coming in slowly and hitting reverse to kick the rear end around. Imagine where the dock would be and try to adjust your speed to come in slowly with the boat parallel.
Docking Your Boat
Part 4 of Axis' guide will teach you how to dock your boat like a pro. Axis pro wakeboarder Bec Gange offers a few tips to shorten the learning curve and make docking the boat less intimidating.
GROUND RULES
It doesn’t matter how much experience you have, you never want to come in hot to the dock. Slow and steady with short bursts of throttle is the way to go in nearly any situation. If you’re coming in wrong or there are too many other boats around or you don’t like the situation for any reason, there’s no shame in calling it off and circling back around for another attempt. Also, while your crew will probably want to help, just make sure you set the ground rule that they should never get any part of their body between the dock and boat (that's what fenders are for).
PREPARATION
Particularly when you’re starting out, your crew should be a big part of your docking experience. They can hold lines and quickly cleat them off to help secure the boat if you’re having trouble, or they can jump off and pull the boat in. It’s a good idea to have lines and fenders ready for the front, middle and back of the boat. You may not need them, but it’s about being prepared.
LET THE BOAT DO THE WORK
Because of prop torque, your Axis will back to the right. This means it’s almost always easier to dock on the driver’s side. Even if you have to spin around, the driver’s side is usually easier because you can point the nose slightly toward the dock and hit reverse to let the prop torque ease the back-end in. Cushion the boat from the dock with a fender, tie it up and go have lunch. And remember, when in doubt, always take it slow.
TIE IT UP
From here, your crew can jump off and tie the boat up for you. And remember, always turn the boat off when you leave the helm.
Getting Home From The Lake
After an action packed day on the water, it is time to head home. Part 5 of Axis' guide gives you the rundown of putting the boat back on the trailer and getting home safely.
GROUND RULES
Like many things with a boat in motion around a stationary object, loading up is best done slowly and carefully. Don’t worry about the lineup at the boat ramp, they will all wait their turn just like you did. Just concentrate on the task at hand and make sure you don’t put yourself between the boat and the trailer. Remember: Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
“GO HOME” BUTTON
Axis makes it easy to get your boat ready to trailer. When you’re ready, hit the “go home” button to drain the ballast, stow Power Wedge III and Surf Gate, and deactivate cruise control. It’s as simple as that.
BOAT RAMP CHAMP (IN REVERSE)
If you’re loading solo, you can beach or dock the boat and get the trailer yourself. If you’ve got help, they can grab the truck and trailer while you idle the boat. This way is almost always faster when there’s a backup at the ramp. In the meantime, prep the boat by stowing your fenders and lines and swiveling board racks back in.
BACKING IN
If you’re backing the truck in, take it slow and try to get the trailer to the same depth you used to launch the boat. Every ramp is different, but typically backing in until the front bunks are at the waterline is a good depth. Try to back in straight and keep your windows down and music off so you can hear any signals from your spotters or boat driver. When you’re at the right depth, put the vehicle in park and set the emergency brake.
DRIVE IT ON
Here again, slow is the name of the game. Just like you’re kicking a field goal, keep it between the uprights and you’re going to be golden. It’s easy to overcorrect at slow speeds, so try to use small steering movements and short bursts of forward to keep going straight. Try to aim the bow at the winch stand and don’t come in too hot. You can always back up and take another shot at it if you feel like you’re off track.
HOOK IT UP
Hook the winch strap onto the boat’s bow eye and center the bow on the bow roller. Reverse the winch selector so it’s pulling in and clicking, then start winding the boat in. When the bow eye meets the roller, the boat is where it needs to be and you can connect the safety chain if your trailer has it.