Like many sports, waterskiing is one of those things that you suddenly get and it clicks. Here are the things that made the difference for me:

1. Keep your legs and skis between you and the boat. They keep you from falling forward. Don't lean forward.

2. Don't lean back or you'll fall back. Your weight should be over your skis.

3. Keep your knees bent until you naturally stand up

4. Arms around your knees when starting up in the water

When doing mono (one ski), start with your ski pointed in the direction of the rope (the middle), but this is not critical.

For wakeboard, start with the board transversal to the direction of travel and as you stand up, your front foot pushes the front of the board forward. You turn by looking in the direction you want to go and twisting your body that way, like snowboard. I am right handed and right footed, so my left foot is the forward one.