2016 CWB Dowdy Wakeboard Review

Does the CWB Dowdy look like a stock traditional board? The construction has traditional roots, but the ride is next-level fun that rivals even the most cutting-edge technology. No sidewalls? No wood core? No flex? No problem. Why fix what’s not broken? Seriously, though, this board was intensely fun to ride.

Let’s break down the characteristics that each feature on this board has to offer, starting with the rocker. More important than the type of ­rocker is the amount of rocker. The 142-­centimeter Dowdy has 2.93 inches of rocker. To give that some perspective, in the 142-centimeter size range, the rocker is ­typically between 2 and 3 inches, so the Dowdy sits on the higher end of the spectrum. More rocker means more drag, but it also means ­softer landings and a more explosive pop at the wake. I only noticed the drag when we were going slow while waiting for the boat to plane, but once we were up to speed, it felt pretty normal. The pop at the wake, however, was really explosive and fun. The landings were about as soft as I’ve ever ­experienced on a nonflex board. This is because in addition to the rocker, there is a center spine that runs the length of the belly of the board. That center spine acts as the initial point of contact with the board if you land flat, dampening the impact.

Next, let’s talk about how the Dowdy tracks and holds an edge. The rails are crisp through the belly and then get disrupted near the tip and tail, where the bottom channels exit the board. This makes the board quick and responsive edge to edge, but forces you to rely on the belly of the board rather than the fins to edge. It kept me riding tempered and controlled into the wake, which I liked.

Overall, this board exceeded my expectations. If you’re the kind of boat rider who likes to take your tricks straight up and down like Mike Dowdy does, this is the perfect board for you — hands down.