How to Make a Rail for Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding was developed by surfers during the 1980s, as a way of pulling a rider into a wave with a boat. It quickly grew in popularity and morphed over the years into the sport we know today. Wakeboard rails have been developed to provide the rider with floating obstacles to perform tricks on. These rails are specially designed to both float on the water and allow the wakeboard to glide across. Building your own wakeboard rail is a challenging project that requires considerable supplies and carpentry experience.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Square dock floats
  • 2-by-6 lumber
  • Skill saw
  • Hand circular saw
  • Wood screws
  • Drill
  • Pressure-treated plywood
  • 3-inch PVC pipe
  • Propane torch
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Instructions

    • 1

      Position the two square dock floats on dry flat ground, 10 feet apart. Measure the length in between the two outside edges of the floats. This is the length of the wood frame.

    • 2

      Measure and cut two 2-by-6 pieces of lumber to the length of the wood frame, with a miter saw. Then measure and cut enough 12-inch-long sections of 2-by-6 lumber for a cross brace every 12 inches on the wood frame.

    • 3

      Lay the two longer 2-by-6 cuts of lumber parallel to one another on the ground, and use the shorter cuts to create a cross brace between the side sections every 12 inches. Secure the cross braces to the longer sections with three wood screws through each side.

    • 4

      Measure and cut the plywood in 15-inch widths with enough length to span the top of the frame. Position the wood on top of the frame, and secure it with wood screws every 12 inches.

    • 5

      Measure the width of the floats, and cut enough sections of 2-by-6 lumber, at this measurement, for an under support every 2 feet.

    • 6

      Position the under supports beneath the wood frame every 2 feet, and secure each with six wood screws.

    • 7

      Measure the distance from the outside edge of the wood frame to the outside edge of the under support. Cut enough sections of 2-by-6 lumber, to this measurement, for the number of under supports.

    • 8

      Lay a flat edge from the two opposing corners on the cut wood, and draw a line across the lumber. This is the cut line to build the angled sides. Cut along these lines with a skill saw.

    • 9

      Position the angled lumber with one side against the wood frame and the bottom on the outside center of the under support, and secure with six wood screws. Repeat this step until both sides of each under support have angled lumber secured to them.

    • 10

      Measure the distance from the outside edge of the top plywood to the end of the angled side supports. Cut enough sections of plywood to cover both sides of the slide to this measurement. Align the plywood on both sides, and secure with several wood screws into each support.

    • 11

      Lay the PVC pipe along the outside edge of the top plywood. Drill a 1/4-inch hole in the top of the pipe and a 1/16-inch hole in the bottom of the pipe. Secure the pipe to the plywood with wood screws, using the top/larger hole as the access hole to install the screw. Repeat this process until the entire top plywood is evenly covered with PVC pipe, with 10 feet of pipe extending over each end.

    • 12

      Bend down the PVC pipe on the end by holding it down with your hands. Heat the bottom of the pipe slowly with a propane torch, where the pipe meets the start of the wood frame. As the pipe melts, it will hold the bent position permanently. Repeat this process to bend the other side of the rail's pipes, until they are below the top of the floats.