Practice Safe Wakesurfing

[ragboy]

@tall, how is wakesurfing behind he x-45? Can it do wakes on both sides well? The guy in the slip next to us is an x-45, nice boat, just curious if it surfs well.

[jwanck11]

I think in the Quest video, my son called me fat, so I threw him in the water. It was fun. I made a point, a long time ago, that when doing this wake9 thing, and the videos we were going to be ourselves. If you come on our boat, and you are welcome, you would find us the same.

Its kinda funny, I was trying to get Larry, my partner in the local shop to do the video stuff. I would tape and edit, and he would be the "spokesman" so to speak. Who wants to see some fat mexican dude behind camera. But Larry doesn't go out like we do, and he doesn't do as well talking behind camera. So I just said, the hell with it, and did it. In the end, I think it works, because there is no doubt that I am not a paid spokesmodel. I am just out there talking about the stuff I love, with the ones I love. I am having a blast, and won't stop unless I stop having fun.

As far as the dork comment, when and where I grew up, "dork" was a term that meant geek, nerd, dufus, nothing more. We do definitely make fun of each other a lot, its our way. I have done it since they were little, for a good reason. My kids have SUPER THICK skins. You can come up to my kids and give them a good burn, and they would just turn to you, give you a fist bump, and say "good one". They won't go crying into their room. I like it that way. But hey, with your kids, you do what you think is best.

Constitution is all about bouncing from one trough to the next without any loss of enthusiasm.

Good for you Rag - love the videos and indeed all content you provide on wake9!

[talltigeguy]

@tall, how is wakesurfing behind he x-45? Can it do wakes on both sides well? The guy in the slip next to us is an x-45, nice boat, just curious if it surfs well.

I have been EXTREMELY impressed with the surf wave of the X45. My 24V wave was very good with my custom sac(was essentially a precursor to the ENZO sac). This is better with less weight. I filled up the stock ballast and then added 400 extra to the port locker and moved several people to that side and the wave was awesome. I only know one person who surfs goofy, so it is hard to know how that side is going to be. I have not played with the goofy at all. The length of the pocket is the biggest difference compared to my 24V.

I have recently plumbed in a 700 pound bag instead of the 400, and don't think I yet know how it is going to be. Some swim platform modification might be a good idea if I got serious, it seems to cut into the wave a little.

The promo video playing at Utah Watersports has the owner (Billy McKee) surfing backside behind an X45 on one side and then he hops the wave and goes to the other side. He told me all they did was turned the steering wheel when he switched sides.

Pics never do much justice but this is my wife. She is 5'9" tall and 135 pounds.

[Duncan]

^^^
That looks like a "stout" rear pylon

I assume it is a pop up?

[turbonine]

^^^
That looks like a "stout" rear pylon

I assume it is a pop up?

I think only Malibus get the pop up pylon.

[Nobody]

It would be appropiate for all of US to call Obama a DORK!

But Obama's Mom would NEVERE call her son a dork.

[MTtigekid]

It would be appropiate for all of US to call Obama a DORK!

But Obama's Mom would NEVERE call her son a dork.

dude were all done with it.. got on getting on

[LovinPowell]

It would be appropiate for all of US to call Obama a DORK!

But Obama's Mom would NEVERE call her son a dork.

GET OVER IT.

[chadster2]

Great job! That's too funny someone gets onto you for spending time like that with your kids. This world is upside down for sure. and that's all I want to say about that!...
4 years ago when I first messed with this
I wraped the rope (ski rope) up as I got into the pocket.....
then I fell....
then my hand went through the coil...
then the coil got tight...
then I talked to God for a sec.....
then I got "lucky"
for the next week or two my arm was black and blue with some green.....
from my pit to my elbow....
The next time out I crashed the deck with my face.....
This sport will change with time as we all share our stuff. Thanks!

[rpaxton]

I have two areas where I disagree with your video. But first I want to say I think it is excellent that you have made a safety video. I wish more of the guys on my lake would watch the part about returning to pick up a rider. We have a lot of people creating unnecesary rollers doing high speed turns to pick up riders.

Now to where I disagree: first on the helmet issue. A helmet is not there just to protect the rider from the water on a fall. It will also protect a rider from getting hit in the head by a surfboard or from the possibility of falling forward and hitting the swim platform (I know this would be hard to do, but possible especially if the boat slows unexpectedly).

Second point, which has already been brought up, I would never get close enough to a rider in the water so that I could touch them. You put them in danger of putting a foot into the prop as you pass by them. Also if you experienced a steering malfunction or other incident (struck in the opposite side by another boat) the stern of your boat could turn over your rider unexpectedly.

Now that is just my worth, but overall I think the video is awesome! Has anyone made a safety video for wakeboarding?? If not we should create one and make it mandatory....

[ragboy]

On the helmet issue, I almost agree with you, but I guess not enough to make my kids wear helmets, but I did with wakeboarding. It is a very minimal risk with wakesurfing, especially at 11mph. Think of this, do you make your kids wear a helmet when they run outside in the yard? They can fall and hit their head, and they can run 11 mph. Now we are doing 11mph on water. Its soft. My point is that I think running in your yard, is about the same helmet/risk factor as wakesurfing. Hope that makes sense.

When you see us roll by the rider, the prop isn't turning, we are just coasting. Also, we pull up to the rider at about 5mph. I have been hit directly by a ski boat at that speed, its not even fast enough to pull you under boat. We are going straight, barely above idle when we get to the rider, since we do a nice slow controlled turn around. You need to get closer for wakesurfing, since the rope is so short.

I hear you, and your criticism seems constructive, so well taken. Have you ever seen a safety video by pro riders, and you go "Yeah, right!". You know they don't do that, or they ride without PFDs, and you have seen them on your lake, etc. I wanted to make a REAL safety video. That shows a reasonable amount of safety, with a reasonable amount of risk. After all, just being out on the boat, and getting in the water at all is a risk. What you see in the video is EXACTLY how we really do this day in and day out. We didn't put on a show.

[rpaxton]

Sorry Ragboy but I still disagree with you on the helmet for two reasons. One while you are running on dryland what you are standing on is less likely to slip out from underneath you and smack you in the back of the head. Chadster2 posted above where he smacked his face on the swim platform while surfing so now we have a documented case of face meets swimplatform. Additionaly, if you fall on dry land and hit your head knocking yourself unconscious you are less likely to drown than when you are in the water.

My second reason for disagreeing, and I hope you will see my point, is you are making a SAFETY video. In your video you denounce the use of a helmet. You are setting yourself up for serious civil litigation. Someone who watches your video, takes your advice to heart and does not wear a helmet, and then gets hurt where a helmet would have prevented the injury will have a very strong case against you personally and any company you represent. Just from that standpoint I would change the video, even though you may not actually use them.

Again, just my worth. Take it or leave it, but I still feel overall that it is a good video.

[ragboy]

No problem, we can agree to disagree. However, I definitely do NOT denounce the use of a helmet. I make a point to state that it is a valid piece of safety equipment while wakesurfing, don't be embarrassed to enforce helmets on your boat, and in the end, it is your choice.

[rpaxton]

I'm not embarassed to use a helmet. After blowing out my right ear drum and spending a year to get it to heal (which I still have hearing loss), I now wear a helmet just to protect my ears. I also found that face plants don't hurt as much with a good helmet. I don't make my riders wear one if they don't want to, but I strongly encourage their use. I was really hoping to change your mind and get you to encourage their use more than what you did, but we will just have to disagree on that one. Stuff occurs!! LOL, no hard feelings!

[chadster2]

What the deal is:
We don’t have the right helmet design yet.