Wake Pirates is a wakeboarding and wakesurfing school on Admiralty Road West in Sembawang, on the north coast of Singapore. The instructors take first-timers from their first deep-water start through to their first spin and invert, and they tailor each session to the rider's ability. The school has a fleet of MasterCraft towboats, and all the boards, bindings and life vests are provided, so you can come with only board shorts and swim gear. Customers who had a good session praise the patient instructors and the careful explanations of the basics, and say they picked things up quickly. Others found the teaching thin, and they were unhappy about an instructor who smoked during the lesson, a small and old boat, and a board that was cracked and slippery. Courses and single sessions both run here, so it suits a first try or a group outing. Our pick in Sembawang for a first go at wakeboarding.