How long does it take you to get on the water?

[skippabcool]

ps I am jealous of all you guys that live on or close to the water.

[rensink]

long enough to walk and uncover it

[skippabcool]

I think that was a rub it in pic

[bryce2320]

long enough to walk and uncover it

Wow! Im super jealous too

[Dave S]

Wife likes to sleep in on the weekends and doesn't want breakfast before 8am, so lucky to be out the door by 9 + 45 min drive to marina + 15 min to get gas in gas cans and subway subs for lunch - boat is on the trailer in a garage 500' from ramp rigged and ready to go - load coolers, fill tanks and usually have boat in water by 10:30. I really like to be in by 8-9 for really good morning riding, water usually gets bad after 12-1. Now, I am pretty much done for the year, wife is 7 mos. prego and my college classes are in full gear!

[mdk681]

long enough to walk and uncover it

Beautiful! Here are a couple of my setup...

The first picture left to right - Neighbor's friends X-Star, neighbor's Wake Setter, my Dad's Chaparral cruiser, my Tige 21v. Needless to say we have quite the lineup of wake boats close by! Gotta love having people close by to BS with about the water sports!

The second is a pic of the Tige I took the other day from my Dad's boat after an evening cruise

[robert theisen]

Up at 6:00 AM and on the water by 7:00AM. Have to eat,brush teeth,walk the dog and uncover the boat.Then load the cooler and drive down to the wet slip.

[Ewok]

We get up before the kids, I usually get up around 0600, shower, get coffee going and pull the boat out of the garage. Wife makes snacks and lunch if she didn't do it the night before (and she ussually does). Kids get up sometime between 0630 and 0730, we feed them quick, load them up and we drive away from the house at 0830, 1/2 hour drive to the lake, 10 min to launch and park truck and we are on the water around 0915 ish. Although lately the lake is not busy at all so we wait until it warms up a bit, around 11ish before getting on the water.

If we have friends come along, that is where we get the hold up, so I tell them to be at my house at 0800 so we can expect them to show around 0830. We all have 1-4 year olds at this point so we are at the mercy of babies to some degree. My 3.5yo helps with the wipedown when we pull out of the lake and she helps clean the interior too, so that is a nice bonus.

[Joeprunc]

My wife and I have been really good lately, we can be on the water in 15-20 minutes after waking up. Routine: Brew coffee, let dogs out and feed them, sunblock & swimsuit, grab coffee, a banana, skis, and vests, walk down to boat, and lower hoist. Once in the water it does take 20-30 minutes to get out to fast water (depending on tide, and which neighbor we are going to pick up). But that morning boat ride gives us time wake up. Ski our hearts out, and back at home by brunch time.

We went skiing 4 times this weekend, 2 morning sessions, and 2 evening sessions.

[talltigeguy]

I have the boat just about 100% ready at all times, so that I just have to hook up and go. For morning runs with the fellas, I am on the water in 25 minutes. It takes about 8 minutes to back up the tow vehicle, connect the boat, put the boards in the boat, and then 17 minutes to backing the trailer into the water. If it took me longer than that, I don't know if I could stand it. I fill up the boat on the way home most of the time, so it is ready when I decide that I want to go.

When the wife and kids come, it can take hours of preparation and mostly waiting for people. I usually end up exasperated and just shout 'the train is departing' and leave. Usually everyone ends up with us.

I try my best to make it easy and quick to go, so that the wife does not feel overburdened with 'preparation' for the boating experience. With the lake being pretty close, not having to take food makes it much easier.

[IDBoating]

When the wife and kids come, it can take hours of preparation and mostly waiting for people.

You'll love this: One gal that visited our lake place this summer a couple of times apparently needs to shower before AND after going on the boat. I am not making this up. Shower, hair, makeup, the whole package. We waited 30-45 minutes a couple of times, with everyone else literally on the dock or in the boat, all equipment loaded and ready to go. And she promptly wanted into the water behind the boat!

She was the last straw that moved us to our "we'll come back for you" program. I just couldn't stand wasting all that great water and warm daylight hours, all but one person waiting for a turn of the engine key to back out of the dock and go. Life is too short.

On lake days (which is most of the summer) I shower and shave at night. What's the point of a shower before getting in the water? To look and smell better for the fish?!?

[houstonshark]

On lake days (which is most of the summer) I shower and shave at night. What's the point of a shower before getting in the water? To look and smell better for the fish?!?

If she was hot, it's acceptable. I'll admit that I shower before and after getting on the boat too. While loading the boat up, setting up the bimini and getting everything ready I usually get pretty sweaty. I know I'll just get sweaty again once out on the boat for awhile but I certainly feel better if I shower.

In reality though, most of the time I shower just to kill time while waiting for everyone else to get ready. This keeps me from sitting around and getting angry for having to wait.

[ragboy]

For us I would say 30 mins. One of the keys for us is to not to worry about food. We mostly go out on the weekdays and AFTER lunch. Around 2pm or so the family gets in the truck and pulls up outside my office door and someone hands me my trunks and sunglasses. I change and just get in the truck and head to the water. 15-20 mins to get to the lake and the rest to uncover, lower and go. One of the kids buys ice from the marina on the dock and we usually have drinks already on the boat or we bring some extra with us. We surf until it gets dark and head out to dinner.

I would rather go out 2x a week like this than just one all day when you have to bring food and all of that extra stuff. Not to mention weekends. We have had to do too many weekends this year, LOVE the weekdays.

[shawndoggy]

I'm a trailer sailor.

Tow is minimum of 1 hour each way, but more often than not, 2:10 each way. Takes me about 25 minutes to leave the house, put the appropriate boards and vests in the boat, pull the boat from storage and be back at the house.

I've met someone at the ramp ONCE. He was 2 hours late. He doesn't get to come anymore.

Grownups are a PITA. I usually have an SUV full of teenagers. Who can be loud, but are used to taking instructions from grownup and generally do what they are told (even if they aren't necessarily the most helpful without being asked to perform specific tasks).

I'm jealous of those of you who live with a boat on the lift in the backyard, and you'll get no sympathy from my about how long it takes to get the ball rolling.

[IDBoating]

I'll admit that I shower before and after getting on the boat too. While loading the boat up, setting up the bimini and getting everything ready I usually get pretty sweaty.

Umm... there's a great big lake within inches. Why not just jump in to cool off and get rid of the sweat? You're going to be in there eventually anyway. I like being clean and fresh too but seems like a lot of effort just to jump in the lake a few minutes later.