New season

[CP3]

Wish we had some of the powder you speak of.
Reason I love Vegas. Wakeboarding is 15 minutes away.
Next day Snowboarding 45 minutes away.

[CP3]

Anybody else gotten out yet?

[dogbert]

Yup, we've been going for about a month now.

[NICKYPOO]

You guys are killin me. 68 degrees here yesterday and I'm not ready yet. I suck. Im going to pull the boat out from hybernation this weekend and do the final get readies. Can you say JONESING.

CP3- Sorry, I never saw your question on the teak start. It goes like this. I get the board on the platform with the nose right up to the transom as close as possible with out touching the back of the boat (don't want to scratch it). You should be between 3/4 to 2/3 of the way over to one side (which ever side you like to ride). Do not set up right in the middle. Set your front foot comfortably on the board and put all your weight on it. Go ahead and put your back foot right next to it. Make sure you've got both hands on the back of the boat somewhere so that you will be stable when the boat takes off. Tell the driver to "roll" onto the throttle gently but you do want to get up to riding speed fairly quickly. It sould take about 8-10 seconds. Once up to speed move your back foot as far back as you can and stand up keeping all of your weight on your front foot. Now that you are standing and the boat is up to speed transfer all your weight to your back foot and the board should slide right off the platform. Once you are clear of the platform you need to get off the brakes (backfoot) and get on the gas (front foot). Otherwise your going to drift right through the wake. So long as you get yourself into the pocket and surfing on the first try, you'll look like a hero. Chicks dig it. Otherwise you'll look like a jackass.

The teak stop is a little more tricky as you need to be really quick with your weight transfers. You want to charge the back of the boat with some pretty good speed. As you come up on the platform you want to transfer your weight to your back foot to slow your momentum down a bit. Once your front foot is over the platform put all of your weight onto it real quick like in order to "stick" the nose of the board on the platform before it hits the back of the boat. The teak "stall" is a great way to practice your timing before you go for the full on teak stop. Once the board is "stuck" to the platform get your hands on the back of the boat in order to stabilize yourself and tell the driver to cut it. Once the "cut it" command is given by the rider, the driver needs to roll out of the throttle, just as when they rolled into the throttle in the teak start. Be ready to push with your arms to keep yourself out of the back of the boat when the throttle is cut. Be aware of the wake coming back up to the back of the boat. It will push the board and you up off of the platform if your not paying attention.

The driver really plays a critical role in all of this so make sure you are both on the same page before you even attempt either of these. Have the driver do a few test "roll on" and "roll off's" so that you both have a good feel for the timing. Once you get both of these moves down you'll be saying "Rope? I don't need a rope".

[Surfdad]

With all due respect, we struggled incredibly when Wakesurfing was about to be banned, especially here in CA. Those of you that read WW know that a number of folks were able to convice SC, Inc. to change their stance on wakesurfing as being dangerous. There is still a great deal of misunderstanding about 20 foot rules.

In most states that have adopted the NASBLA model law, it would appear teak starts are illeagal. Here in Northern California, the local Sheriff's have been given clarification that includes issuing warnings and/or tickets for anyone that has the engine running while someone is touching/standing/etc on the swim deck, once underway.

Without arguing the merits of such law, I would REALLY like to encourage everyone involved in the sport of wakesurfing to adhere to all regulations that govern our sport. For the enjoyment and possible safety of others, I appeal to everyone to skip the teak starts and stops unless clearly and unequivocally it is legal in your locality. (Off mu soap box now )

[NICKYPOO]

That is an excellent point. It would be a true shame to see wakesurfing banned. I wonder what Nevada's stance is on this subject. I do know that a lot of the legislation agianst it is derived from the deaths of a few people "teak surfing" which has abolutley nothing to do with actually riding a board. This resulted in the CO poisoning of these few careless individuals. While wakesurfing is a completely different animal, you are still in somewhat of a danger zone so far as CO poisoning is concerned. For this reason, I'm installing the FAE. I always insist on safety first and I also practice it. I am confident in my abilities to pull off said manuevers but do not in any way endorse the safety of the accounts described in this post. However, if you do decide to try this, please think safety first. Good solid communication between driver and rider are of utmost importance. And don't do it if it is illigal in your area.

Surfdad- Where did you find this info?

[Surfdad]

Hey Nicky, thanks for the support.

I am the President Elect of the American Wakesurf Association and have been involved in the sport for a number of years. California was on the verge of banning wakesurfing several years ago. The now "idle" world wakesurfing association lead by the efforts of Rick Lee were able to convince the CA legislature to remove any and all references to "wake surfing" and a 20 foot rule. The NASBLA created a model law, which most states have adopted verbatim, most recently the state of Washington joined these ranks. In heading up this new association I have been fortunate to work with many of the members of the original Association.

California is quick to regulate people from doing themselves harm. If I am NOT mistaken, Nevada has adopted the NASBLA model law also.

[NICKYPOO]

Nevada usually follows whatever Cal. does. It's been that way since I can remember. Oh well. Anyways, what is NASBLA. It's almost unnervingly (is that a word) close to NAMBLA, the NAtional Man Boy Love Assosiation and also the National Assosiation of Marlon Brando Look Alikes. What is the AWA doing to support our sport? Where are the contests at? I've been trying to get my local INT to start a wakesurf division with no results. Admittedly, I kind of gave up on it over the off season but I'm starting to get fired up again now that the weather is turning in our favor. Feel free to PM me if there is anything I can do to help keep things rolling.

Nick

[Surfdad]

You aren't going to charge me for all this exposure are you? We have three contests that we should be announcing shortly. The first one will be up in the Portland Oregon area, it's being organized by Nanci of Blue Turns and I'm sure will be a fun event for all. They are renting the entire lake for the day and will hold 3 separate events - wakesurfing to be one. We've got local TV coverage scheduled, hopefully we will get a TV personality from the area on a board. That is tentatively schedule for the first week in June.

The Scioto River Wake Fest just received city approval and is scheduled for 8/5-6. Ed Geary is organizing that event and expanding it to include 2 days of wakeboarding and wakesurfing competitions, demo's and instruction. Great fun for the whole family in the Ohio Area. Look for announcements of that within the next week.

I will be traveling to Florida next weekend to attend the Moomba Jamboree and will be talking with Kyle Schmidt of the wakeboard camp about finalizing an event in the Florida area in late summer. We also have 3 events in the NorCal area that are in the talking stages.

I will be HOLDING you to the offer to organize. We haven't had much luck in involving the INT League, but I would REALLY like to get that happening. The INT League is involved with a wakesurfing contest in South Carolina and Karen Nelems of Nelems Marine in TN (a Tige delear) has asked that we give a clinic and hopefully can gather some local INT League folks to watch and allow me to give my dog and pony show.

Again, thanks Nick for your interest.

Jeff

[Surfdad]

This is the first draft of the flyer announcing the Ohio Event.

[NICKYPOO]

Oh sure, put your kid on there. I'll see if I can get ahold of Mark. He runs the INT around here. Maybey I can go bug my Tige too. With a little luck we can get some sort of ,ha ha, dog & pony show going around here.

[Surfdad]

Thanks Nick, I'd really appreciate that. What we have found is that it's much easier to NOT recreate the wheel. Find a club that would like to replace one event (some clubs are finding that intrest in slalom or wakeskating is fading) and get them to add wakesurfing to one event. They have trained drivers and safety personnel.

As an incentive, if you can get a wakesurfing contest organized this summer I will personally present you with your own custom (you tell me what graphics you want airbrushed) Walker Project F-18.

[dogbert]

Surfdad,

Do you know what the regs are here in Texas? Also, if there are any events around the Austin area, let me know!

NICKYPOO, thanks for the great explanation on the teak start/stop. My son is wanting to try it, but I've been telling him it's not allowed. I'm still debating whether I share your tips with him

[Surfdad]

Tweirich,

My understanding is that Texas has NOT adopted the specific language included in the model law. I have all that info at my office, so I'm shooting from the hip here.

I had two groups show some interest in organizing a contest there in Texas, but nothing definitive at this date.

[David]

I'd be down for helping get something set up in Texas. I know alot of shops and companies who would hopefully support it and help get it running/out to the public as well.

If any Texas people are working on this, PM me, I'd like to help with this in any way.