Hootin' and Hollerin' for the Wakesurfer

[slipperyrockTKE300]

Because of the rising lake levels of the Clermont Chain of Lakes, yesterday I was able to get into a large lake that has a slalom ski course.

While surfing, I could see in the distance that two boats where taking their turns running the course.

I gave my driver the signal and we plowed our way towards the course.

Seeing the wave that was coming towards them (and a very loud Van Halen being played), the ski boats pulled over - one on each side of the course.

I surfed my way straight up thru the slalom course, made a huge turn and surfed back thru the course for a 2nd time.

I received a standing ovation from the skiers :)

That was quite fun - I recommend you try it.

[996scott]

are you sure they weren't giving you the 1 fingered salute? :)

[jmvotto]

Lmfao ......

[slipperyrockTKE300]

are you sure they weren't giving you the 1 fingered salute? :)

LOL! yea I'm sure.

I talked with them after I took my bows. It was actually the 1st time one boater had seen anyone surfing and I took him out for him to try it.

I think we may have some new converts to the sport!

[BensonWdby]

Without knowing in advance what their reaction would be - why would you do that?

[ian ashton]

I would have been pissed.

[sandm]

Without knowing in advance what their reaction would be - why would you do that?

i was kind of thinking the same thing when I read this yesterday. glad I was not alone.

[jmvotto]

I would have been pissed.


Me too!....

[KG's Supra24]

Dude, it's Moomba Martha .... there is only one reaction to her.

[slipperyrockTKE300]

Without knowing in advance what their reaction would be - why would you do that?

very simple...as George Mallory once stated "because it is there".

I know the guy who owns it. It is open to whoever wants to use it, as long as we all pitch in and maintain it.

[New Guy]

Man I would never pull that Ed no offense but skiers much like wakeboarders prefer flat water. Not to mention all ski boats that I know have very low freeboard and can be swamped easily. Hell I took a massive surf wave over our Mojo. Maybe there is a reason that wakesurfing is getting a bad name. IMHO.

[slipperyrockTKE300]

must be the difference in living the Florida lifestyle. - these guys didn't care. By the time I got to the course no-one was skiing when I went barreling thru. It's not like I pushed them out of my way and they knew what I was gonna do.

Clermont is a fairly small town and the frequent boaters get to know the habits of the others. I was a skier for many, many moons before getting into wakesurfing. I know about flat water and I too like surfing flat water.

As I said - one of them got in my boat, I took him out surfing and then we sat on my swim deck and had a beer. Doesn't sound like someone all that pissed to me.

Will I do this again - hell yes. It WAS a lot of fun! Next time I'm gonna try doing some cutting around the boat lane buoys.

Try it - find yourself a course and run it....you'll like it!!

[viking]

Man I would never pull that Ed no offense but skiers much like wakeboarders prefer flat water. Not to mention all ski boats that I know have very low freeboard and can be swamped easily. Hell I took a massive surf wave over our Mojo. Maybe there is a reason that wakesurfing is getting a bad name. IMHO.

BINGO........quite frankly tubers are the worst. Respect for other boaters goes along ways for me and I find that the majority of them don't give a rats ass!

[WhiskeyRunner]

slipperrock- you clearly have a reputation on the lake and respect for others, but w/o knowing the context, I too was surprised you did it w/o people getting pissed. I have a slalom course on our tiny lake, and I stay far away from it for fear someone will get pissed at me and single me out (I'm outnumber by geriatrics and pontooners who ironically are 10x more dangerous than me).

I think wake surfing is getting a bad rap, and just like tubing, I think more and more people need a course on etiquette. You are already seeing places like Lake Norman in NC trying to ban the sport because of a few idiots. But that being said, there were things even I wasn't conscious of that could be annoying to others and had to take a step back and reassess.

Has anyone thought of putting together a short list of do's and don'ts of wakesurfing for new owners? Things like "no power turns" stay away from shores, understanding how loud music travels across water, etc... that some newbies may not even be cognizant of? I'm getting concerned that more and more lakes will try and put some ban on our fun if we don't try and educate at least some of the folks early on?

Or did I just enter grumpy old man stage early in my life and open myself for ridicule from the group :)?

[slipperyrockTKE300]

"Has anyone thought of putting together a short list of do's and don'ts of wakesurfing for new owners? Things like "no power turns" stay away from shores, understanding how loud music travels across water, etc... that some newbies may not even be cognizant of?"

WR,

I think this is a great idea - but what is considered "unpolite" on one lake is normal behavior on another. Perhaps the rules need to be specific: "when within such and such distance of another boater, do not do...."

For example - this same lake that I ran the slalom course on is used daily by professional wakeboarders (some of them sponsored by Skiers Choice) and it is normal to see them flying around the lake, close to the shore, music blasting, amazing power turns and creating huge rollers that come onto the beaches (and thru the same slalom course I took my turn on).

No-one gives this a second thought. People even have created party habitats on the beaches to watch the boaters do some wild stuff.

But _ I would add to the proposed rules that wakeboarders/wakesurfers should give the guys fishing on the lake a break and not throw rollers towards them.

I just turned 60 years old - I am one of the geriatrics and pontooners that you fear :)

[slipperyrockTKE300]

Oh - I also forgot to mention...

on this same lake, there is also a seaplane that taxis right next to the slalom course when it is in use - takeoffs and landings!

Just a normal day on the lake in Clermont.

[sandm]

agree with ed that what is good on one lake is not on another.
here in WI, we are boating on a narrow river. not sure why I even have a stereo on the boat as it's lined with houses and we do not want to be "that" guy. am glad I did not spend the cash on hlcd's. now at home in Idaho, it was a 4k acre reservoir with NO inhabitants within 5 miles and all blm/state land so being up there on a saturday afternoon you would hear many systems across the lake throughout the day and was no big deal. no shoreline to worry about eroding and no houses with permanent docks. I will say that eroding shorelines from surfing is something that I don't give much thought to as some of the 30+ft cabin cruisers that pass us on the river have a larger wake at 15mph than I do surfing.

it really boils down to knowing your environment and respecting others but for some reason, as soon as some jump in a boat, all disregard for others is left at the launch.

[Suprahunter]

That was rude behavior on any lake. Here on Lanier there are some coves that are known for Skiing one even has a course set up . There is no way to stop some ignorant Wally tubing or surfing there. I just shake my head and wait until they go away. Its all about common courtesy just because you can dosnt mean you should especially if there are thousands of acres of water available where it wont bother anyone.

[slipperyrockTKE300]

so because I was surfing thru the course it was rude...but if I was skiing and went thru the course (when the other boats pulled to the side) that would be ok?

[KG's Supra24]

I went to the library to practice my screaming. Everyone there that was quietly reading put their books down to watch me ... They welcomed me

Logic checks out

I think the complaints from others revolves around intended use.

[slipperyrockTKE300]

It cracks me up how you guys are upset about me doing this... and it didn't bother the skiers who were actually there!

so the intended point of this thread was - try surfing the slalom course when you get a chance. It truly is fun. Something different.

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”

[KG's Supra24]

and the take away is that it's truly fun when someone receives the attention they are seeking ....

If you aren't surfing around the bouys on the course, isn't it the same experience as the rest of the lake? Would it still be as exciting if no one had been there? Perhaps there was another point that was missed along the way. Or the point was teaching someone that has never done (or seen) it is an exciting experience.

That was awesome of you to take him out and let him try it! I bet most would agree teaching a newb can be fun and rewarding.

[slipperyrockTKE300]

"isn't it the same experience as the rest of the lake"

No. The balls coming at you (at what seems like a fast clip) makes it a bit of a challenge and rather exciting. Your attention is on what your doing, not what is around you.

Yes, the guy was really stoked to start surfing on a regular basis after trying it. All kinds of questions on how to equip his DD.

I'm totally into promoting wakesurfing in our area ( I was once a rep for The American Wakesurfing Association). Surfing is still not very popular and many on our chain of lakes have never seen it done before.

A Deputy Sheriff Marine patrol once pulled me over and I ended up teaching him the next day!

[DOCDRS]

"isn't it the same experience as the rest of the lake"

No. The balls coming at you (at what seems like a fast clip) makes it a bit of a challenge and rather exciting. Your attention is on what your doing, not what is around you.




Im confused here....what balls?.....how does one of these balls come at you?.....or even how do you come at one of these balls when your are surfing mainly behind the boat......are you running the balls over and having them pop up at you?......I prefer my balls tucked neatly away, maybe even behind a cup when I'm barefooting.....not laid out for someone to run them over.....or hit them with the keel of a surfboard.......I guess then it is now ok to take my seadoo thru a slalom course and see how many balls I hit or don't hit ( maybe not a good analogy? or maybe it is?)......But the you know what they say......."If you build it, they will come".......I always wondered who they were......now I know.