Water skiing, wake boarding, knee boarding and even the less demanding inner-tubing are all popular activities in Tahoe for a simple reason – they’re fun!

Maximize your time on the water by taking a few tips from the pros and you'll have even more fun - and even catch a little air while you're at it! Any lesson booking typically includes a top notch boat, with a driver, instructor, wetsuits (yeah – it can be chilly), gas, equipment and room for up to four students/guests per boat.

Fun for the whole family
So if your 16-year old daughter has always wanted to try wakeboarding, but no one else in the group feels like giving it a go, three more family members get to take a nice – and often entertaining- boat ride. One great aspect of a few of the schools listed is that the instructor is actually in the water next to the student, on a separate ski rope, but still offering a helping arm for increased balance, plus immediate tips and feedback.

What to ask
Once you’ve booked a lesson (and yes, advance reservations are highly recommended), some questions to ask while booking include
• directions
• how much in advance to arrive (generally 15-30 minutes)
• how many guests can tag along.

What to know
• Expectations
You’ll arrive early to get fitted for a wetsuit and take a short “dry dock” lesson, which shows proper form to rise up onto your skis. All the student generally needs is to be in swim wear, and feel free to bring a towel and post-water sweatshirt. If there’s a larger group, consider beach bags so nothing gets left behind on the boat; and cameras are always a good extra.

• Tips for kids
Learning to water ski on doubles is encouraged before trying wakeboarding, especially for children. The reasoning here is that it’s easier to balance on two skis and just get the general gist of chasing a boat, prior to trying the more challenging single water skiing or wakeboarding.

• Start early
For those who are already adept at either sport, it’s fine to simply book some time for a tow, since every enthusiast should enjoy the crisp loveliness of skimming across Lake Tahoe. But book for as early in the day as is available – the wind can come up by as early as 10 a.m. some days, which isn’t too much fun for those cutting outside the wake. For water sport neophytes, wind isn’t as problematic, since the wake shelters you from the waves.

• Less is more
Timing-wise, remember that a little is a lot! For a good tow, 15 minutes is usually plenty, and for learning, the general rule is a half-hour per student. Arms get tired, especially when you’re in the learning phase, so a group of 2-3 beginners should only need to book an hour of boat time.

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Where to go *All businesses are listed in alphabetical order
• Action Watersports • Hyatt Hotel, Incline Village Nev. • (775) 831-4386
Directly on the Hyatt beach, they offer one dedicated boat for ski/board/tubing fun, with a certified captain who doubles as an instructor. The cove from Incline to Crystal Bay is slightly more secluded, and afternoon winds generally hit here after everywhere else is blown out for the day. Book by the hour - open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Birkholm’s Waterski and Wakeboard School • South Shore • (530) 573-1928
Co-owner Eric Birkholm says, “We provide the fun, you keep the memories.” With wife, Shannon, this school isn’t operated out of any set location – rather they pick you up wherever you’d like across the lake. Along with customized pick-up, they offer hands-on instruction from a pro next to you in the water.

• Borges Water Ski School • Round Hill Pines, Nev. • (530) 541-1351 and (530) 391-1215
Located on the beach in a calmer area near Zephyr Cove, Don Borges has been coaching water skiers, new and old, for 17 years. With a focus on wakeboard or water ski lessons, with the option of an in-the-water instructor, you may also opt for tubing or a scenic Tahoe tour. Open daily, by appointment only.

• High Sierra Waterski School • Sunnyside Marina • (530) 583-7417; Homewood Marina • (530) 525-1214
Owned and proficiently operated by Lee Schmidt, he draws from his wintertime snow ski instructing posse – so be assured the staff knows teaching. For 30 years, High Sierra has been coaching water skiing and wakeboarding, with some recent wake surf and wake skate thrown into the mix. Tubing and sight-seeing charters round out the mix – open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in two locations.

• Lake Tahoe Waterski School • Camp Richardson • (530) 544-7747
Scott and Heather Longoria have taught thousands of wakeboarders and skiers in the 19 years they’ve been operating at Camp Rich. The top-notch staff goes beyond ski and board lessons, offering a barefoot boom, kneeboards and trick skis to the truly adventurous. Their teaching includes in-water instructors. They also have a slalom course – for lessons and tows – on nearby Lake Baron in Meyers, which gets very little wind.

• West Shore Water Sports • Homewood • (530) 525-6839; Tahoe City • (530) 583-9253
Teaching beginners since 1981, this school is run by former US Ski Team downhill champ, Todd Kelly. Equally at home skimming across the lake as over the snow, Todd says he has a special way to teach newcomers, especially children. “We connect their skis together, start first on the rear platform, then usually they’ll get up on the first try – our way works really well, and we don’t need an instructor in the water.” If you have a large party, they can take up to 6 people in each boat and operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Which body part hurts the worst after a day behind the boat? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! Top