We’ve bemoaned the unnaturally high attrition rate of sunglasses with The Watercraft Journal before. In fact, it was back in January that we decried the quickness in which we cycle through shades on the account of wear-and-tear, and of course, the occasional gust of wind ripping them from our face and into the lake. A smart person would reply, “Well, if losing sunglasses is such a problem, why don’t you get some floating shades?” To which, we reply: “We still haven’t found a pair that doesn’t feel like we’ve glued kitchen sponges to our face, and frankly, none of those guys are willing to put their shades up to the WCJ test.” And to this date, that statement holds true.
The avid weekend warrior typically cycles through sunglasses at an alarming rate. On the flip side, many riders insist on wearing the same old scratched and discolored pair because they’re the most comfortable pair they’ve ever had. Personally, we’ve still got a heavily weathered pair of Arnette Catfish wrap-arounds we still love although visibility through the damaged lenses is almost nil. Why? Because they’ve never fallen off, even after several spills, waves washing over the bow or heavy winds. That is quite the feat considering the nearly two dozen pairs of cheap gas station sunglasses we’ve cycled through.
A few months ago, we were approached by Amevie, a self-described “Canadian lifestyle and sun-care brand that cares.” The company prides itself on its ecological “sustainable” methods and charitable endeavors, as the brand follows the same pattern famously made popular by Tom’s shoe manufacturer, providing a pair of eyeglasses to a child in need through its charitable partner, Seva Canada. Amevie also prides itself on a high quality assurance, guaranteeing customer satisfaction with each purchase touting a very customer-friendly return policy that rivals companies ten times their size.
Soon, a pair of Amevie’s Bamboo Wayfarer Sunglasses in Laguna Black arrived. While geared more towards casual boating and waterfront lifestyle than actual on-the-water personal watercraft riding, we opted not to take these $70 a pair shades out on rides. Rather, these were more of our casual glasses, which even then, were nicer than our typical sunglasses. Designed after the same “Wayfarer” Rayband design made famous by Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” (no really), the shape is a unisex design for men and women. The lenses are smokey dark grey, CAT3, polarized, and provide 100% UV protection.
Yet, the big draw are the arms. The Amevie’s brown bamboo arms are smartly shaped, stained, engraved, and waterproof. The high quality hinges are polished and double spring-loaded, allowing some flexibility. Unfortunately, the frames are flat, thick and notably heavy. They rest naturally on the nose, but after an hour or two of wearing them, you’re still very much aware that you’ve got a stout pair of glasses on. The Wayfarer design is classic, yes, but allows so much sun and wind in from the sides, that they offer minimal protection from anything not coming straight at you.
Part of your $70 purchase is a very nice triangular folding case, microfiber pouch and cleaning cloth, as well as a tight-fitting box. The additional items make for a nice package, and the company’s model is chocked full of positive, earth-friendly sentiments, but the final product is more gimmicky than innovative or user-friendly. Visible wear marks on the bamboo are readily visible even after a few months’ use, and again, we’re only wearing these Amevie’s Bamboo Wayfarer Sunglasses “around” when we’re not on the water, which for a personal watercraft magazine, is kind of a deal-breaker.
The IJSBA US HydroDrag Nationals are right around the corner. This year they are sponsored by Hydro-Turf and presented by Riva Racing, Greenhulk.net, and others. The event will take place once again in beautiful Tavares, Florida at the Wooton Park extension and will be held the weekend of August 26-27.
This high-speed entertainment features personal watercraft drag racing. Hydro-Drag sanctioned promoter, Mike Young, of H2X racing commented “We are glad to be coming back to Lake Dora and America’s Seaplane City, Tavares, for our eighth consecutive season and it has become the racers’ favorite place to race.”
Last year’s event brought an ‘unofficial’ top speed record and had everybody on their feet. It was one of the most organized events in the history of HydroDrags and its action-packed venue definitely lived up to the name of “The Fastest Show On The Water!” With Yamaha’s new GP1800 lightweight hull for 2017, we can definitely expect there to be some contenders trying to make an official record-breaking pass. We will have to wait and see.
For registration and event details, see surfandturfpromotions. There will be a riders meeting 8:30am Saturday and 9:00am Sunday of the event at the bleachers at Wooton Park West.
Event Location:
Wooton Park West
100 E. Ruby Street
Tavares, FL 32778
Host Hotel:
Key West Resort
199 W Ruby Street
Tavares, FL 32778
(352) 508-5344
Many Sea Doo and other PWC riders will at some point in time have to traverse through a lock waterway system. Whether you are planning a long trip that takes you through locks or your home waterway naturally contains these bypass systems, learning proper techniques for traveling through is necessary.
We found a recent Intrepid Cottager article which details the exact steps necessary to get through a lock system safely and properly. It is beneficial to plan your journey and research the number and type of locks you will go through. Most locks are operated by trained staff however there could be some self-operated locks. Many require a fee pre-paid online or at the location so it is good to be prepared including taking some cash just in case it is the only payment method.
When approaching the lock, it is important to remember that you will likely not be the only boater on the water, so you should be respectful and courteous to other lock users as well as the lock staff. This includes keeping your wake to a minimum, keeping the line queue, and listening to staff instructions. There may be traffic lights to guide users before the lock and/or inside the lock. Generally Red means stop and stay back or stay put, Yellow means approach or get ready, and green means proceed.
Entering and while within the lock, you will be instructed where to go and where to tie off. You should continue to maintain control while entering and maneuvering to avoid other vessels. Sea Doo Watercraft are great for these type of tight environments and their IBR (Intelligent Brake & Reverse) system make for simple maneuverability.
The exiting process should go smoothly as well. Continue to follow instructions from staff or the signal lights. If possible, try to get the okay to exit before propeller boats to avoid any stirred-up debris from getting into your pump intake. Following these simple procedures, will make for a more enjoyable journey for you and those around you.
There’s something about going to Georgia for a Pro Watercross event that brings the best out of the competitors. Lake Hartwell is a small community with a big heart for racing watercraft. We were welcomed with open arms and in return, the racers were ready to put on a show for the city and fans on hand. For those that don’t know, the Pro Watercross Tour format is a three-moto format over the course of the entire weekend. Amateur Racing (any class that’s is not designated in the Pro Show), races Moto 1 and 2 on Saturday, and the 5 classes designated as “The Pro Show” race one moto on Saturday and Moto 2 and 3 on Sunday.
Pro Am Runabout Box Stock opened the program with one of the most exciting races to start things out. In Moto 1 Troy Snyder grabbed the early hole shot with Hidden Trails’ Cameron Frame right behind him. Dylan Osborn wasn’t too far off and as Cam tried getting close to Snider to make a run for the lead Osborn took the inside split and snuck right next to Frame coming off the merge buoy down the front straight. Frame ultimately denied Osborn the position. Meanwhile, the laps were getting away from both of them as Snyder continued too lead out front. But on the last lap, Frame got a great run on the back straight and kept it pinned until the split buoy where both guys went into their respective splits, Snyder on the outside, Frame on the inside.
It came down to the last turn where Cam Frame was able to edge out Snyder by about a boat length. Frame went on to win Moto 2 as well. In Moto 3, the Snyder Built, Judge Motorsports team pulled out all the stops and Snyder got the early holeshot and lead with Frame right behind. Snyder would not be denied and took the final moto win. Frame took the overall with a second and Dylan Osborne went 3-3-3 for the final spot on the podium. Unfortunately, due to Frame not running the removable small storage box in his ski, according to the technical rules he was DQ’d after the final moto. That bumped Snyder to the overall, Osborne to and. and Jim Bennett to third overall (4-4-4).
It was a full line of some of the best ski racers in the country for Moto 1 of the Pro Am Ski Stock class. On the split start it was Cabrera out front early on the inside on his Hydrospace with Brett Underhill on the outside and Matthew Rychuck close behind. Notably, Jimmy Wilson got a horrible start and had to battle from the back, which he did! Underhill took a bad spill in the log jump that gave way too Wilson in third. After making his way by Rychuck the battle was on! Cabrera and Wilson took different splits the rest of the moto until, with 2 laps to go, Cabrera had a mechanical that gave the lead and the win over to Wilson. Wilson went on to win Moto 2 and the overall with his Moto 3 second place finish. Richuk would rebound to take two second places and a Moto 3 win for second overall and Kenny McKenzie quietly made his way into the third overall position with 6-3-5 finish, showing the parity in the class.
Freestyle was awesome! It was the first multi-competitor field this season and there were four guys spread out between Amateur and Pro. All the guys came prepared and put on an awesome show for the fans. They carried their show into the Hey Day Wake Boat Demo, which made some huge waves for the guys to air it out on. In the end it was Ryan Doberstein taking the overall in Amateur Freestyle to Zeb Zarzour. Luke Stocks took the overall in Pro Freestyle and racer Kevin Rowe took Freestyle 800 overall.
The Sport GP was exciting as well with some of the fastest boats and riders putting it all out there. A fan favorite class, it was Florida’s Richard Taylor who went 1-2-3 for the overall. World Champ Billy Dearman put his Judge Motorsports Bullett hulled ‘Blaster into the second overall spot with a 2-5-2 finish. National champ Sam Nehme had another uncharacteristic Moto 1 mechanical problem for the second weekend in a row and apart from his 8th place finish, was perfect on the weekend with Moto 2 and Moto 3 wins for third overall. Keith Dill had a good weekend looking strong and fast each moto finishing 4th overall with a 3-3-4 finish. Jordan Carrol was very impressive on his stock hull ‘Blaster going 4-4-7 for 5th overall.
Claude Clayton and Brian Baldwin came to play with their GP Runabouts in the Pro-Am Runabout GP class. Baldwin, in his first Pro Watercross appearance of the season, was armed and ready for battle. The results showed him finishing 1-1-1 but the action in each moto was far more exciting as Baldwin came from behind each race. Clayton had to settle for second going 2-2-2, but he sure gave Baldwin a run for his money. Trey Frame finished third overall with a 5-3-3 finish. Stan Hightower took a high-speed get-off on the long back straight and came off the course under his own power, but would not return for the second and third motos. As of this writing, Stan was recuperating with some pretty significant deep tissue injuries and displaced or broken ribs.
In Pro Am Ski GP it was a great 3 Moto contest between Jimmy Wilson and Craig Warner. Wilson was on his triple cylinder SX-R and Warner was on his new Kawasaki SX-R. Both guys showed signs of brilliance and it was anyone’s moto to win as they were dicing their way through lapped traffic and over the log jump. Wilson pulled it off though and took the overall with a 1-2-1 while Warner took second overall with 2-1-2. Broc Harris finished on the box in third with a 4-3-3.
The Juniors are always fun to watch and this weekend was no exception. As it’s been all year, Hayden Skellet had the field covered going 1-1-1 for the overall. His buddy Sammy Nehme went 2-2-2 for second overall. Hayden’s sister Tay Tay Taylor Skellet looked strong finishing 3-3-3. Devon Farthing won the overall in the 13-15 class.
The Sport Stock riders decided to all come to this race and there were 20 entries in the class. Some suggested to divide the class into Novice and regular Sport Stock. So, 7 newbies broke off into their own class, which was a good move on the part of Race Director Carson. In the Novice Sport Stock class, it was all Kevin Benjamin going 1-1-1 for the overall. Thomas Skellet went 2-3-2 for second overall. Will McDaniel in his first race ever went 5-2-3 for third overall.
That left 13 entries in the Sport Stock class – some of which are going for the Championship. Susan Anderson was on a rail and jumped out to two early moto wins in convincing fashion! She finished 1-1-2 for the overall and although there were whisperings of her most likely being DQ’d during post race technical inspections, it was not to be! According to the very capable and knowledgeable Tech Director for the class, Paul Lehr, she was completely legal. Unfortunately, there were two entries that were DQ’d for minor technical infractions. Keith Dill has a fast ‘Blaster courtesy of Wade Chapin Performance. He finished 6-2-1 for second overall. Team Faith’s Jeff McPhail struggled to keep his boat hooked up and wound up swimming in Moto 3 but managed to finish on the box with 2-4-8 on the weekend. Other notables were Team BMS’s Ken Waddle, Jules Hopkins looked fast and had a good weekend going with two third place finishes in Moto 1 and 2 until he came in on the hook in Moto 3.
The IROC Stock class had some exciting motos with Team Faith teammates Brian O’Rourke and Kelly Smith trading wins in Moto 1 and 2 to go into the final moto tied for the overall. O’Rourke jumped out to an early holeshot but Smith was hot on his tail for the entire race. It came down to one lap to go and Smith, who had been studying O’Rourke’s lines, setup and executed the sweetest pass! Something strange happened though as Smith rounded the final buoy on the outside split and O’Rourke tried to make time up on the inside split. In a move reminiscent to Ryan Dungy’s pass of then leading Marvin Musquin in Supercross, Smith somehow “bobbled” and slowed enough for O’Rourke to make the last ditch pass with inches to go to the finish line! O’Rourke took the overall, his first of the season while Smith too second. John Block on his new Yamaha EX took third overall in his first Pro Watercross race.
Amateur Ski Stock had a huge class for the weekend with 17 riders. Kelly Smith jumped off the IROC Stock boat and into the ski tray of his Team Faith SX-R to take the Moto 1 win. But a red flag penalty was imposed on him in Moto 2 and he had to start with his hand on his head with a dead engine. He came back through the field to finish an impressive 4th but that gave the edge to Bret Underhill who clinched the Tour Championship and the overall for the weekend going 5-1-1. Smith would finish out Moto 3 with a third having to come though the pack again after a horrific start to take the second overall spot on the podium. Ryan Doberstein hung up his freestyle ski for a race ski in his first race in 10 years to round out the podium for third with a 4-2-4 finish.
At the awards ceremony, longtime beloved tour participant Clay Barbee suffered a post race “episode” surrounding his health, but as of this writing was fine. Other than the sticky red clay mud and humid conditions with no breeze, this past weekend’s Pro Watercross race was a fun and exciting event. At the time of this writing, this weekend was the final round of the tour in Charleston, WV. It’s not only where Tour Championships are decided but also the National Championships are decided in this one event which will be aired on CBS Sports. Points are doubled for this last event and it all comes down to this weekend! Stay tuned!
With everybody walking around with a miniature high-speed computer in their hip pocket, today more than ever, it’s important to be relevant and digitally active. Obviously, you can’t dip a toe into the personal watercraft industry without knowing who Hydro-Turf is and what they do. But, for a long, long time, Hydro-Turf’s website has just been lacking.
Well now, the industry giant of traction mats, seat covers and so, so much more has recently released a completely redesigned website. Some key new features include: A more visually appealing method if purchasing our products. When specific mat kit variations are selected, there is now a featured thumbnail photo of the specific color option selected for clarification; new options for standard seat cover colorways. This makes ordering standard seat covers much easier. The custom seat cover options are also still available and are much easier to use.
Additionally, a new category of sheets specifically for boating applications is now available. This includes our new Wide Groove (Teak Look) and several new colors such as Dark Brown, Brown Camo, 2-Tone Grey on Black, and Gator Camo. Boating sheets are offered in different sheet sizes that cater to the larger surfaces and have been formulated to have more UV protection as well. And as a bonus, most currently available Hats and T-shirts are now featured and only cost $10!
The Watercraft Journal got to talk to Hydro-Turf‘s president Arno Olbricht, “After years of work with web developers working with our extensive combination of great products. We’re excited to finally release the new Hydro-Turf website with a fresh new look and a modern, user friendly layout.”
When brothers Nick and Jason Bordelon were enjoying themselves at The Barley Oak pub on Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, Louisiana on August 1st, they’d never have expected to take on duties as firefighters. As the brothers sat at the pub enjoying the sunshine, they noticed smoke in the distance out on the lake according to a report by Fox8Live. Figuring they should investigate in case somebody was in the danger, the brothers put down their drinks and hopped on their jet skis that were moored across the street.
As they approached the smoke, they saw a jet ski fully engulfed in flames and floating by itself on the lake. According to Jason, the jet ski rider had been picked up by a passing boat and was not injured however the ski was left to burn. Using a procedure they learned while watching a YouTube video recently, the brothers jumped into action and used their jet skis to try and extinguish the fire. After a few passes at the fire, they were successful in dousing the flames.
This incident is proof that while YouTube is full of millions of pretty useless videos, you can learn some very cool tricks that could just very well come in handy one day! Way to go guys!
Stand up personal watercraft are incredibly fun and rewarding to ride, but the learning curve is so steep that many people give up before being able to stand and ride. After I bought my first stand up in 2015 I scoured the Internet for hints and tips on how to ride one, but came up empty handed. Now that I have a few years behind the bars of a number of stand ups, I’m bringing you my own how-to guide for learning how to ride these rewarding machines!
The Basics
The two main differences that separate the stand up from a sit down personal watercraft are the movable handle pole and the lack of a seat. The rider stands in the tray and the pole mounted handlebars move with the rider. Sounds simple right?
Parts of a Ski
There are a few pieces of a stand up ski outside of the main hull, handle pole, engine and pump that are important to note when learning to ride:
Start/stop switch – the control on the left handlebar with a green start button and a red kill switch that you clip your lanyard into. If you fall off the ski, the lanyard that is attached to your body will come out causing the engine to die.
Throttle lever – a lever found on the front of the right handlebar. Modern stand ups use a finger throttle where your index finger controls the pull of the lever. Pulling the lever toward you opens up the throttle. Some older skis have a thumb throttle on the back side similar to ATVs.
Steering plate – how your steering inputs are connected to the ski. Handlebars mount directly to the plate, which is mounted to the handle pole.
Steering Nozzle – directs the flow of water from the pump to push the stand up forward and turn.
Intake grate – a scoop found on the bottom of the hull mounted to the pump tunnel that feeds water into the pump. Some stock skis do not use a scoop, but rather straight bars that keep debris from getting into the pump. Different scoop styles allow for more braking and better pump efficiency in choppy water.
Ride plate/pump cover – a plate mounted below the pump itself that can extend beyond the hull for stability. Most stock ride plates are flush with the hull. Changing these out can increase stability and turning grip.
Getting Moving
The big question on everyone’s mind is, “how do you get moving on one of these skis?” Each person has their own method that works best, but if you have never tried or nothing is working for you then keep reading!
Shallow Water Start
Best to stand in water that is about knee/thigh height and already have your lanyard in the kill switch. With one hand on the start switch and the other on the throttle, place a knee in the tray with your other leg behind the ski out of the way of the jet blast. Start the ski and moderately accelerate. While doing this kick off with the other leg and bring your knees together in the tray. If you have difficulty bringing both knees together, you can let one leg trail in the water as stabilization. Moderate speed helps with the side to side wobbling that plagues many beginners, including myself, but not so fast that you feel out of control and fly off.
Take your time to ride around on your knees to get the feel of the ski. Keeping your center of gravity lower makes it easier to correct mistakes and balance side to side motion. Once you are ready to stand I find it easiest to bring one leg forward, place that foot in the front of the tray and rise with your rear foot at the back of the tray. This method automatically puts you in the ‘surf stance’ riding position that gives you the most control over the stand up.
Deep Water Start
If a shallow start area is not available you can try two methods for deep water starts – pushing the back of the tray down or body dragging. Tray Push – With your lanyard in the kill switch and your upper body in the tray, push the back of the ski into the water and place your knee(s) into the tray. Follow the steps above to get moving. This method takes some initial balance while the ski is stationary. Body Drag – Make sure your lanyard is in the kill switch with your upper body in the tray, reach forward with both arms to place your hands on the controls to get the ski started. Your body will still be in the water behind the ski so you have to be careful of the jet blast. Once you are moving fast enough use the handlebars to pull your body forward into the tray in a push-up-like motion.
Turning
Now that you can get the ski moving and stand, it is time to try turning. As with most other tasks on a stand up ski, turning is a balancing act between the rider, gravity and the water’s drag. To start a left turn place your left foot in the front left corner of the tray and your right foot in the right rear part of the tray. Turn the handlebars to the left while simultaneously adding a bit of throttle. Adding some throttle overcomes the extra drag of the hull and bond rail dipping into the water. It helps to crouch lower if you have issues with wobbling side to side. For a right turn the right foot needs to lead in the front right corner with your left foot in the left rear area of the tray.
Pro tips: if you are turning the ski and falling to the inside of the turn (low side) while it feels like the jet ski is still going straight, try adding more steering angle for a tighter turn and a bit more throttle to stabilize the ski. On the other hand if you are falling to the outside of the turn (high side), crouch lower in the tray and try less steering angle and less throttle so you stop flying out of the tray. When switching feet, it helps to place both feet at the back of the tray to orient yourself.
Advanced Turning Techniques
Once you get the hang of turning you can practice some techniques to increase corner speed and stability. It is best to have a buoy or some other marker in the water for a fixed point to practice turning. These techniques very much depends on the ski and riding style, but for most modern skis this is a good starting point. As you initiate the turn shift your body weight slightly forward on your front leg to set the front end of the ski. Keep low, lean your upper body and core out of the tray to the inside of the turn. Add throttle as you apex the corner. Shift your body weight on to your rear leg to weight the pump for increased traction. Bring the ski upright and start the next turn. If you have difficulty increasing your corner speed, always get your body lower! There are many different tray sizes and hull designs so feel out what body positions work for you on the particular ski you are riding. Smaller stand ups require less rider input, while wider and longer skis need more steering and body lean to turn.
The Sky is the Limit
The greatest thing about stand up personal watercraft is that the opportunities to have fun are endless! From lake cruising and ocean wave riding to competitive freestyle back flipping and 60+ mph racing – stand ups can be customized to fit your adrenaline needs. Don’t sit down and let stand ups pass you by!
Middle Tennessee Personal Watercraft Club (MTPWC) headed east to the Old Dominion to explore a couple lakes nestled on the Roanoke River: Lake Gaston and Lake Kerr (locally known as Buggs Island Lake). These two beautiful lakes straddle the Virginia/North Carolina state line. Home base for our trip was Americamps located in Bracey, VA just off of I85 and right on the northern shore of Lake Gaston. The accommodations were single room cabins furnished with bunk beds and A/C; that is all we would need, and the folks that ran the campground were extremely nice and accommodating.
Day One: Lake Gaston is over 20,000 acres and 34 miles long, and at its widest point is one and a half miles wide. We launched our skis from the park’s ramp at 9am. “It was gorgeous weather,” chimed in club member David Parker. “80 degrees with low humidity, calm water.” We headed east from the launch ramp with a plan to ride the entire lake end to end. We were not on the water for 10 minutes before we were stopped by the North Carolina DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources). It’s not uncommon for us to get pulled over on group rides – many areas are not accustomed to seeing a large group of PWC riding in tight formation. He gave us a quick rundown of the laws and departed with a “This is your one and only warning.”
We continued our journey looking at the various homes along the shoreline enjoying something new around each sweeping turn. We passed under the Eaton Ferry Road Bridge, continuing east until we arrived at the Gaston Lake Dam located in the small town of Thelma, NC. Built in 1963, it created the lake and is used for power production and flood control. Here we took a short water break. Afterwards we headed back west about a mile to catch a large branch that extends to the north. It was well worth the trip. Passing under several small bridges, we rode until we ran out of water, ending up behind a small farmhouse on a beautiful piece of property.
This was great place to stop and reflect. MTPWC member Tom Hill said, “The water is smooth and warm. Sightseeing is a plus on a new ride and Gaston didn’t disappoint.” Our next stop was lunch at The Pointe in Littleton, NC, a full service marina. We sat outside on the covered bar overlooking the water. The staff and food was welcoming; one thing shocked us: fuel prices where over $2 bucks higher than on land. Club member David Parker asked, “Is there an embargo or something?” After lunch, we backtracked west to our starting point and continued upstream to start covering the western end of the lake. We immediately noticed the river was much narrower here and less populated.
As we came closer to the dam the water was moving at 3 knots. We approached cautiously as you could look down and see large boulders just under the surface; also there was a strong smell of sulfur in the air. We closed in to within 300 hundred feet before calling it close enough. We spent the next hour drifting downstream enjoying the surroundings before returning to the launch ramp. A good ride today with 105 miles under our hulls!
Day Two: We trailered our skis 30 minutes west from our location to the nearest launch ramp on Lake Kerr, affectionately known here as Buggs Island Lake (or as we would later name it Mud Bottom Lake). We arrived at our launch location at North Bend Park in Boydton, VA around 9am. What a difference 24 hours makes. It was an overcast day with temperatures in the mid-70’s with a brisk wind and light rain. However, the ride plan remained the same, ride it to the bitter end!
We headed southwest from the ramp to take in a huge finger that stretched all the way down to Henderson, NC. It was less than perfect water with 2-to-3 foot chop, windy and the water was white capping. We tried to hug the west bank and use it as a wind block, which worked out pretty well. We stopped several times down this branch to let everyone regroup. When we reached a small bridge near the end of the branch, we all had to lay flat on our skis to make passage. We continued on to the other side until up came bubbling mud. We knew we had reach the end.
Going south, we headed back up the branch to the main river channel. Along the way, a rider lost a hand grip so we had to make a stop for repairs. It might not be a big deal for most but he had a prosthetic arm and needs a custom grip for him to be able to hang on. We were able to cut a piece of yoga mat and wrap it around the handle bar end. We secured it with a few tie wraps and we were back underway. (Little did we know this was just the start of his adventurous day.) We proceeded west still dealing with the heavy chop trying now to ride close to the north bank of the river, but it was fruitless, the lake was whipping and there was no escaping.
The ride – although rough – was beautiful. The overcast skies and dark water had an eerie vibe. There weren’t many boats out save a few fishing boats. A DNR officer watched us pass from a distance through binoculars but we heeded their warning from the day earlier and he made no effort to stop us. When we reached the Hwy 58 bridge we knew this was our queue to stop for fuel as there would be no other chance to do so from here until the end, and we did not have enough fuel to get back. We followed the bridge to the north end to Occoneechee Marina. At the state park, shockingly fuel prices weren’t that bad. There we each put in $20 bucks to get us to the end and back to the ramp.
We proceeded upstream to the confluence of the Roanoke and Dan Rivers. It was a tough to find deep water, the rivers were flattened out, almost marsh-like. Later, while talking to a local, he said, “Y’all are lucky. You have to know the river up there!” We took a branch off of the Dan called Flat Creek. We rode it until we reached mud. As we headed back out, continuing up the Dan, we found a really beautiful area that was very narrow and grassy with several choices to make for passage. A few miles farther, once again three of us were high and dry in the Mud! We spent the next thirty minutes freeing the stuck skis from one foot of water and two feet of mud. “Enough of this crap!” we proclaimed and decided to head back downstream to the Hwy 58 bridge.
There we came up on a small town on the south side of the bridge named Clarksville. We were told it was a “must stop” for us. We arrived and tied up our skis to an old wooden dock. From there we walked up a hill into town. It was a quaint little town with a touristy feel to it. The looks we got walking down the street with our riding gear on – many of us quite muddy – were interesting. Locals said Pizza Pub was “the place to go” so that’s where we went. After lunch we hit an ice cream parlor and a souvenir shop. A few of us got Bugg Island Lake shirts and told the locals it should be called Mud Bottom Lake!
From here the plan was to ride back towards the launch ramp, taking in a few of the bigger branches along the way. Up the first branch we went, and once again we landed up in the mud. After freeing several skis, we followed an absolutely beautiful branch called Bluestone Creek back several miles. This is what we lived for and made everything before OK. Passing under an old abandoned railroad bridge with absolutely gorgeous water, we stopped before anyone got stuck in the muck.
Only when we went to leave did one ski decide “enough was enough” and refused to proceed. The battery had died for good! It was becoming late in the day and we thought the best plan of action was for us to tow him back to the ramp about 15 miles away. We made it back to the dock with no further issues; our road trip to the Old Dominion State was coming to a close. Back at the ramp we loaded our skis and discussed the ride: we covered 125 miles that day. “It’s all about the journey with great friends,” Tom concluded. “Exploring the rivers and creeks was fun until you ran out of water.”
The IJSBA (International Jet Sports Boating Association) is very pleased to announce that one of their newest vendors will unveil an exciting new product at this year‘s Blowsion IJSBA World Finals that takes place at Lake Havasu, AZ from September 30th to October 8th. Works H2o Designs have been in the PWC racing industry for years and they have been working on a race use watercraft boot for some time. Finally, they are ready to showcase to the public eye close up at this year’s World Finals.
Their brand new “Alpha-1” is a wet-purpose race boot. The boot is made from the highest quality materials with construction that is designed to last for years to come. After two years in development, the design team at Works H2o Designs is excited to bring this new product to the watercraft industry. The boots are now available for purchase on-line on their website. They will be on display for the first time in a retail location at the World Finals and you can find them in Vendors Row. Additional retail outlets in US, & internationally are coming soon.
U.S sizes range from size 6 to 13 and come in Body Beach Blue, Ripcord Red & Carbon Black. In addition, kids and smaller sizes 3, 4 & 5 are now in final testing with a few Young Gun riders like Tallon Chambers, JuJu Beaumer, Sebou Girello, Cohen Klippenstein, & others. These should be available for purchase as well in the fourth quarter of 2017. These killer boots are sure to be hit.
Retired Army Warrant Officer, Anthony Radetic (Rad Man), has always had a zest for life. Prior to a 2004 motor vehicle crash which cost him the use of his legs, he piloted a Blackhawk Helicopter. Through the encouragement of the VA, he became involved in its National Rehabilitative Special Events and now he pilots Sea-Doo personal watercraft.
Radetic is an elite challenged athlete and rides for the BRP Sea-Doo X-Team. He loves to go fast and riding a Sea-Doo. The Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 affords him the opportunity. He doesn’t spend much time in his wheelchair because he is driven to compete and above all else, live. Check out this video, “One Fun Day.” You’ll see him race at blistering speeds! From wheelchair to water, Radetic races hard on his Sea-Doo and is an inspiration for not only the Sea-Doo team, but the rest of the watercraft community as well.
Radetic and his family enjoy traveling together and it comes shining through in the video. He has come a long way since his injury and Sea-Doo is proud to have him on its team and he is stoked to have their support. He recently moved from amateur to pro watercraft racer and has ‘podiumed’ at several international events. At the age of 37, Radetic is just getting started!
