Recreation
Grab
An air in which the rider grabs a rail of the board with one hand while airborne.
Grab is a term from limnology — the scientific study of inland waters. The detailed explanation below covers the definition, why the concept matters to lake water-quality interpretation, and how it intersects with the LakeGrade rubric. Reading Grab alongside the LakeGrade rubric helps make the rubric's structure intuitive — each grading parameter maps directly onto an established limnological concept.
The per-lake pages on LakeQuality always show the specific Grab value for that lake, so you can move from the general concept to the specific lake without leaving the site.
What It Means for Your Lake
A grab is an aerial trick where, after launching off the lip, the rider reaches down and holds onto a rail (edge) of the board during the flight before landing. Grabs add style and control to airs and borrow naming conventions from skateboarding and wakeboarding, such as indy and stalefish, depending on which hand grabs which rail. Because a grab requires a stable, high enough air to free a hand from balance duty, it is a more advanced air-based maneuver.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is grab?
An air in which the rider grabs a rail of the board with one hand while airborne.
Why does grab matter for lake health?
A grab is an aerial trick where, after launching off the lip, the rider reaches down and holds onto a rail (edge) of the board during the flight before landing. Grabs add style and control to airs and borrow naming conventions from skateboarding and wakeboarding, such as indy and stalefish, dependin...
Related Terms
Launching off the lip with the board into the air and landing back on the wake with the nose still facing forward.
The top edge or crest of the wave, the powerful upper section where riders throw slashes, off-the-lip turns, and launch airs.
A wakesurfing discipline using flatter, thinner, low-rocker boards with little or no fin, built for spins, shuv-its, slides, and skateboard-like freestyle.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.