With five decades of boating experiences under my belt—and a passion for angling over more active tow-sports—I figured my wake-riding days were behind me as well. That is, until I saw the hype for a hybrid wakeboard called the ZUP. Developed by wakeboard pioneer Glen Duff and produced by the Durham family of watersports fame, the ZUP is designed to allow just about anyone, using just about any boat, to enjoy knee boarding and wakeboarding.
We found the ZUP to be perfect for pulling people behind pontoons boats. Measuring 58 inches long by 28 inches wide and weighing about 20 pounds, the Roto molded ZUP board is super- buoyant. Not only does it get up on plane at low speed, but the buoyancy makes the ZUP a perfect candidate for towing behind any slower-moving boat because it doesn’t require a ski pylon, tow/bar or tower to use. And yes, if you want more speed, it’s a viable option under the feet of more experienced wakeboarders.
My testing behind a 21-foot pontoon powered by a 115hp four-stroke showed that boat speeds up to about 12 mph were perfect for allowing kids and adults to get the hang of the ZUP board. In fact, everyone who tried it got at least to their knees atop the bright green board on their first session. My 13-year-old son, with no boarding experience, got good enough to stand atop the ZUP with the first half hour of use. My wife Maria needed a bit more time, but eventually was able stand and enjoyed a good ride.
ZUPs don’t come cheap—they retail for $369 for the board—but are worth every penny. I highly recommend the matching double-handled tow rope ($129) that is designed to be used with it. To watch friends or family members, who thought they were too young, too old, or just too lame to enjoy fun in the wake, makes it a must-have for our boat.
PRODUCT SCORE: 89
Style 18/20
Function 48/50
Comfort 8/10
Design 9/10
Price 6/10
www.zup.com
