Wakeboarding Stag Do

A wakeboarding stag do straps your feet onto a board, puts a handle in your hands and pulls you across a lake until you either glide along like a pro or face-plant in spectacular style. For most of the lads it’s the second one for the first half hour. Most stag packages use cable wakeboarding, where an overhead cable system tows you round the lake instead of a boat.

The beauty of it is you can never predict who’ll be good. The lad who’s been bragging about his snowboarding holiday sinks like a stone, and the stag’s little brother is carving round the corners by lunchtime. Nobody will ever let either of them forget it.

Cable wakeboarding is the stag-friendly option. Cable parks are usually set up on lakes or old quarries, and a full-size cable can take several riders at once, so the group isn’t stood on the bank waiting. Some parks also have a simpler straight-line cable for beginners, which is where I’d start the lads. When you fall off (you will), you swim to the side and join the queue again.

Boat wakeboarding is one rider at a time behind a speedboat, with an instructor at the wheel. The driver can go slow for beginners, which helps, but there’s a lot more standing around. Fine for a small group, painfully slow for a big one.

The stag goes first. Obviously. With the whole group watching from the jetty and at least three phones filming.

Fancy dress on the water is a laugh, but ask the park first, as some won’t allow anything loose that could snag. A pair of novelty medals for best trick and most dramatic wipeout goes down well at dinner, and the footage is gold for the best man speech.

• Kit. Boards, wetsuits, helmets and buoyancy aids are usually included. Bring swimwear and a towel.
• Swimming. You’ll spend a lot of time in the water. Everyone should be able to swim.
• Arms. Hanging onto a tow handle is tiring, and day-two arms are real. Don’t plan an arm wrestling tournament for the evening.
• Booze. Sober on the water. Have the beers at the lakeside afterwards.
• Season. Most cable parks are busiest in the warmer months and some cut their hours or close in winter. Check before you plan an autumn trip.

Wakeboarding goes well with a bit of surfing if you’re near the coast, or try a water jetpack if the lads want to see what it’s like to leave the water entirely. Dry off with some go karting the next day, or book white water rafting for more chaos as a team. Plenty more on our stag do ideas page.