Overview
Wakeskating is a water sport and an adaptation of wakeboarding that employs a similar design of board manufactured from maple or fibreglass. Unlike wakeboarding, the rider is not bound to the board in any way, similar to the skateboard, from which the name derives.
Design
Fins are constructed of plastic, fiberglass or aluminum. Shorter fins must be deeper to get the same amount of tracking. A shallower fin does not track as well as a deeper one. But a deeper fin has more drag in the water, and does not release from the water as fast.
Wakeskating shoes are designed with quick drying materials and drainage channels. The drainage channels are a system of holes in the sole and channels through the midsole.
Most of Wakeskate boards are made with a grip tape on the upside part just as a skateboard. That grip tape is like a sand paper, it helps the rider to stay on the board and provide a good traction. It is the major reason why rider wears shoes. Some boards are made with a foam instead of the regular skateboard grip-tape. That surface is easier on the skin if you fall. Also that kind of surface can be ridden bare feet.
History
Wakeskating was pioneered by Thomas Horrell in the United States. Wakeskating has become urbanized due to the advent of the "winch", a mechanical device with a small horizontal shaft engine that holds a spool of rope and pulls the rope in at riding speed.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).