
Alan Erickson is an Austin, Texas, entrepreneur with an extensive track record of building quality custom homes. An avid water skier, Alan Erickson enjoys going on family outings where he drives the boat and teaches others to ski and wakeboard.
Wakeboarding often involves performing flips and other tricks, so a large wake is important. This is created by the boat, which churns up a wake with its movement through the water. This creates a moving ramp that the rider uses to launch into the air.
Most wakeboarding boats have rear “v-drive” engine placement next to the transom, which makes the back of the boat heavier and generates a larger wake. In addition, they may be fitted with ballast tanks that weigh the vessel down. Automatic filling and emptying features in these tanks help regulate the boat’s weight and ensure its right for the water conditions.
The vessel may also have a metal wedge installed behind the propeller, which provides shape and structure to the wake. With these features, as well as specialized hulls, the wake created by a single, mid-sized boat can be dramatically large.