A somewhat funny, DOH!

[Guma]

So last week we spent at a lake with the boat on the water all week. Surfing, boarding, and even a little tubing for the kids. Everyone had a blast and I can't wait to do it again!

One afternoon we are out surfing and I am out. We are wrapping up to head to the dock and swap out some passengers. I take the ride in. Normally on a wakeboard, skis, kneeboard, what have you, I throw the "cut it" sign, cut out and coast to the dock. Pretty normal, right?

Anyone see where this is going? Did I mention we were surfing?

Yep, you guessed it! Close to the dock, I know I am not going to cut over the wake, dock is on the starboard side and we are surfing port, I throw the "cut it" sign to me wife. She is well trained to follow my EVERY signal while in tow, and she cuts it down to idle immediately. The look on everyone's face, including mine, was priceless! I had just enough time and wits about me to cut out, barely missing the swim platform and transom, but ended up hanging half on the rear locker sunpad and half in the water. A near miss that could have hurt bad, but in the end a little funny. I had to assure her that is was completely my fault for throwing that signal in the first place. Only thing missing was the video camera as the battery had died about an hour earlier, would have loved to have seen my own face then!

[G-MONEY]

nice one, good thing no one got hurt so you can laugh about it.

[Booms]

Next time you throw the "cut it" sign hop on the swim platform. It is probably not the safest way to stop after wakesurfing but we do it all the time. So far no injuries and you stay dry. Right when you are over the swim platform step down on your front foot and you stop on the padding.

[2whlin]

Brings up a good question. Why do riders feel the need to give the "cut it" sign when all they need to do is let go of the rope or bail out the back when surfing? The only thing I can think of where the "cut it" sign is really needed, is when tubing, since the tube is attached to the boat. I

[Duncan]

But you should definitely convey to riders what to do when the driver gives a "cut it" signal to the rider (i.e., get off the board fast).

Sometimes a driver will have to cut power for safety (e.g., upcoming hazard) or mechanical issues (oh, let's say a pesky re-occurring engine alarm). You cannot just pull the throttle back without a heads up to the rider. And if you have not clearly conveyed to the rider what to do when you give the signal, vacating the wave might take longer than you have or want to spend.

So, my instructions to riders include get off the board immediately if the driver gives the sign (no second guessing or looking for what is wrong; just get off the wave/board fast).

[Guma]

Brings up a good question. Why do riders feel the need to give the "cut it" sign when all they need to do is let go of the rope or bail out the back when surfing? The only thing I can think of where the "cut it" sign is really needed, is when tubing, since the tube is attached to the boat. I

Less distance for the boat to travel returning to the downed rider, mostly when there is a lot of traffic in the area. A good habit to get into nonetheless. My

[rostap]

I knew i had heard a similar story somewhere, although yours Guma is laughable cause i can see myself doing the same thing! This guys...not so much.

http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=781117

[Guma]

I had read that one too, not so funny there! I sometimes have to give my wife the Meet the Fockers "I'm watching you" sign language to look ahead instead of back at me.