Need your opinions

[Surfdad]

Good or bad, I really would appreciate your gut reaction and feedback.

Here is the scenario:

A wakesurfing contest SERIES at the end the points leader is announced the winner.

Most likely there will be 5 contests in this series.

The venue for this series is a lake that is only 7-8 feet deep, so the wake height will be limited. It will be made CLEAR the wake is SMALL to MEDIUM in height.

The time alloted for the wakesurfing contest portion is only 1 hour. With that time constraint, that means only ONE weighted boat. Most likely REGULAR.

Most likely the tow boat will be the same throughout the series

Most likely one class - Wakesurfing Open division.

Standard runs will be 2 passes with 2 falls per pass.

If done well, there is a possibility the contests could go on to a national level with regional and national championships.

The LONG-TERM goal is to get more time alloted, a deeper water venue, multiple divisions, etc. The reality is that may NEVER happen but if it does, it will be years away.

Your thoughts, good or bad, please. Thanks

[Tequilasun]

Re: Need your opinions

Ok, Not trying to be a jerk, but give some constructive input.

I like the idea of the Series, the points champion, the same tow boat and the Standard runs.

The 1 hour constraint will suck. What if you get 50 people entering. There is no way to pull that off. You limit the entries too much, people are gonna get mad and Bash your contest.

The location doesn't seem ideal, but limiting the size of the wave might make it harder to do well, thereby making it easier to define the winner.

As a Goofy rider, I find that not having a boat setup for me is insulting. The only way to make that fair is to give me extra points per trick because I would be doing everything switch or backside.

I mean why should I be forced to ride on the wrong side of the wake just because my natural foot placement. I see it as a potentially big disadvantage to Goofy Surfers.

I think it would be better if you could at least move the ballast around. Prop rotation and all tha jazz would still be a problem, but at least your trying to accomodate.

One open Division is fine for now, but I think that your long term goal to have more division will need to become a short term goal.

But I would still love to see this type of event come to a Lake near me!

[Surfdad]

Draginass, thanks so much for your input and I appreciate you taking the time.

The constraints or limitations are being put upon us by one of the National Sanctioning bodies...so they have asked us to "add" wakesurfing to one of their existing events...but limited us to the venue and amount of time.

I'm trying to determine if it makes sense to give it our best shot, or like you prefer, make it a more wakesurf oriented contest, even if that means probably only one local event and no national or regional campaign.

Again, thank you for taking the time and giving me your input.

[Tequilasun]

Actually given that information I'd say go for it.

But on the best show you possibly can, make it loud, proud, fun, exciting, yada yada.

Then maybe your sanctioning body will loosen up on some of the constraints.

[NICKYPOO]

Boy do I feel left out. I just found this thread. Knowing that you (Surfdad) have already secured a slot with the Nor Cal INT first let me say, KILLER! I'm still working on my Nor Nev INT (no resonse). Anyways, it sounds like the wave is the only issue. What have they done in previous contests? You know it's funny, you guys are referring to the wave as regular or goofy. You should be referring to it as port or starboard. I'm regular and prefer the starboard side. Of coarse I also ride my skateboard regular and push with my left foot. What can I say? I guess I'm just a freak. Point is, there needs to be a way of making it "fair". The only way I see this happening is to make one pass on the port side and the other on starboard. That way everyone has to ride both and not one or the other. This creates aonther problem, quick weight transfer. The quickest would be people. Weight the boat evenly and put four of five or however many people in the boat for the whole contest. Make one pass down on port, stop, rotate the crew, one pass back on starboard. The wave may not be identicle on either side but it would be as fair as you could make it. It would also be great for the spectators if they are all on one side of the coarse, they could always see the action. You would also be creating better surfers. We should all be able to rip both sides. This means you Tequila. With only one boat and one hour, the contestants might just have to bite the bullet and ride whatever side is weighted. In time we will gain strength through numbers and they will have to give us more time on the coarse. Soon after we will have our own tour and venues. Then we can start on our plan to take over the world. HA HA HAAAAAA!

[Surfdad]

I can't even ride backside!!!!!!!

We are basically using the ISA rules (Internationa; Surfing Association) and as you know, you show up at a beach break it's going left or right, so you ride frontside or backside depending upon what Mother Nature has thrown you that day.

We were able to finally secure two boats and a 1.5 hour time slot, so we'll have both regular/port and goofy/starboard weighted boats. Most boats favor one side or the other, so it's hard to get identical wakes, but...we are shooting for 80%. We are trying to accomodate as many people as we can with two boats, a surf vs a skim style divisions. Plus...we have got a ton of prizes...not just sunglasses, but boards and now board racks. Killer!

I don't think we'll be able to switch people back and forth between boats in the time we have alloted, but that would certainly tell us who the best rider is, if we required both frontside and backside rides! Thanks for the input!

[NICKYPOO]

Originally posted by Surfdad
I can't even ride backside!!!!!!!

We were able to finally secure two boats and a 1.5 hour time slot, so we'll have both regular/port and goofy/starboard weighted boats.

See, our plan to take over the world is one step closer. Seriously though, that is great news. What boats are you using? Have you done any testing for a weight set up at the site?

[Tequilasun]

Hey now, I can ride backside!

Since most of my crew rides regular (or should I say the rest of my crew) I either ride that side too, or they complain about moving around.


Some tricks are just easier if your doing them from your natural stance. But to tell the truth, riding backside is a little easier for me, so it all works out in the end.

Congrats on getting the contest rolling Surfdad! Too bad its only Norcal, I think you should have to send me a prize, cause you know if I was there, I would win!

[dogbert]

The only thing I'd change is that you have 2 boats...one weighted port and the other starboard. That way you wouldn't favor certain riders and you'd accomplish NICKYPOO's agenda at the same time. What could better?

Lake Austin here in Austin TX might be a good venue for you. You could host the event at Emma Long Park which gives you launch access along with a mile or so of shoreline that's actually a park. Our local Tige dealer has had their reunions here from time to time and it's always a lot of fun.

[Surfdad]

One of the BEST wakes I've ever ridden in a competition was behind a 24V at Elephant Butte in New Mexico. Most boats favor one side or the other, fairly substantially, but most of the 24V's have a decent wake on both sides. All they did for that contest was load the boat down with about 12 or so people and then shifted folks from one side to the other depending upon which side they wanted to ride. One individual rode BOTH sides and yelled to the folks in the boat to shift midway through his run.

Organizing these events, on your own, isn't fun or pretty. As we've found, and as Nick is suggesting, organizing in conjuction with a club affiliated with the INT League, or the WWA or USA Wakeboard makes it much more simple.

Tequila, thanks for the congrats and I want some of these prizes myself!

Nick, the INT League folks have insisted that we use the boats that they will have for the entire series. Currently they are using an '06 X2, '06 Supra XLV? VLX? STP? Whatever the designation is. And a SAN.

The initial lake test showed that we could get an OK wake, not great, but definately surfable. I'm going back on Friday morning to fine tune it.

[NICKYPOO]

Originally posted by dogbert
The only thing I'd change is that you have 2 boats...one weighted port and the other starboard. That way you wouldn't favor certain riders and you'd accomplish NICKYPOO's agenda at the same time. What could better?

Lake Austin here in Austin TX might be a good venue for you. You could host the event at Emma Long Park which gives you launch access along with a mile or so of shoreline that's actually a park. Our local Tige dealer has had their reunions here from time to time and it's always a lot of fun.

Would you classify that as a "Senior Member Moment". Three posts up, Surfdad has stated that they now have two boats and an hour and a half. Stay with us buddy. We don't want to put you in a home, but we will if we have to.

Emma Long Park. Is that the joint in your gallery. I'm guessing so. That would be an awesome spot.

[NICKYPOO]

Originally posted by Surfdad
Organizing these events, on your own, isn't fun or pretty. As we've found, and as Nick is suggesting, organizing in conjuction with a club affiliated with the INT League, or the WWA or USA Wakeboard makes it much more simple.

Ya' aint just wistlin' Dixie there brother. I can't seem to get a responce out INT or WWA.

Originally posted by Surfdad
Nick, the INT League folks have insisted that we use the boats that they will have for the entire series. Currently they are using an '06 X2, '06 Supra XLV? VLX? STP? Whatever the designation is. And a SAN.

That's understandable. They need to stay true to their sponsors. Hmmph, STP. That's funny.

Originally posted by Surfdad
The initial lake test showed that we could get an OK wake, not great, but definately surfable. I'm going back on Friday morning to fine tune it.

Let us know what you come up with. I'm very interested in seeing what kind of set up we can find for shallow water. I'm thinking a lot of nose weight. I would think you could get the most out of it by keeping the nose down and keeping more of an even attitude front to back. This would keep the back corner of the boat from getting too deep and just pushing the pressure wave off of the bottom of the lake, which we all know kills a surf wake. The area I'm hoping to use for the first NorNev contest is fairly similar toward the end of the season. Right now it's 15 -20ft. It will be too shallow to ride anything but a jet ski by the end of the year.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by NICKYPOO
We don't want to put you in a home, but we will if we have to.

At the rate things are going for me, I'm ready

[TeamAllen]

All you need is Alvie! He can switch port to starboard, no problem.

[NICKYPOO]

I forgot about 'ol Alvie. I was fortunate enough to have Ballast Boy along for an afternoon this last weedend. 265# of best buddy.