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View Full Version : donating and helping others enjoy the water



sandm
08-09-2012, 04:42 PM
kind of a long story, but here goes...

have a buddy at work with a boomerang. he's an excellent slalom and an ok boarder(best slalom I've ever seen :) ). he and his brother have been on the water since birth. his brother has a gf of 2 years or so with a son that's like 13, 6ft3 and 260lbs. he's huge, but he's "soft". hasn't got any muscle yet. they have been trying to get him up on a wakeboard all summer and he hasn't been able to. struggling with getting pulled up and not having much fun.
I had an extra broadcast that hasn't been used in 2 years in the garage. gave it to friend as they were heading up to play end of last week. figured that since I'm probably not ever going to use it again, it can sit in his garage just as easy(not to mention I needed the slot in the garage boardrack for a new board). I know his boomerang is far from a surfboat, but thought they might goof off with it.
talked to him about his trip last week and apparently the kid was able to get up on the surfboard and be pulled around the lake behind the boat. had an absolute blast with it even though they were not really "surfing" as we think about it. had so much fun that 3 hrs later, they stopped and realized the late morning/early afternoon glass was gone and wind was blowing the water over so they missed the opportunity to get a good ski set in. asked if he was disappointed and he said no, the fact that the kid was able to get up and all the fun they had was worth it...

I kept thinking now of how much fun that kid will have on the water now that he was finally able to get up on something and how much better the rest of his summer will be....

kaneboats
08-09-2012, 05:00 PM
Good job! Pour yourself a tall glass of something cold. I've stated on here about how the "get up" on a surfboard is just like a slow motion "get up" on a wakeboard. I routinely use the Broadcast with newbies who are struggling -- just to get them up on something. It's amazing how easy they transition to getting up on a wakeboard after they get the feel down.

chawk610
08-09-2012, 05:19 PM
Prolly the first real exercise the young man has gotten... He may get addicted and end up ripped!!! Good on ya!

ian ashton
08-09-2012, 07:21 PM
Funny timing; yesterday we volunteered time and boat to the Oakland County Sheriffs 26th Annual Handicapped Fishing Derby - basically spent the morning giving boat rides to handicapped people and their care takers/families. It was awesome to see the joy something that we take for granted brings to those less fortunate. Really puts things in perspective I guess.