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Season Wind-Down Report


EchelonMike

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All:

As we pass through the Labor Day weekend, my thoughts here in the Midwest turn to securing inside winter storage, winterization timing, and reflect on all the fun we had on the boat this year. I am happy to report that we'll break the 100 hrs of use barrier, and have done so without a problem (knock on wood). Gas for the boat really didn't sting as bad as anticipated - but gas for the tow vehicle is another story! :-)

My first year as a Malibu owner was an absolute blast. This is my third boat, but first Malibu, and she ran great, and got compliments where ever we took her. For an 11 year old boat, it is hard to tell from new as far as condition goes. She's no worse for wear, either - no interior or hull damage, even with all the use this year.

Some of my year highlights are:

- Trips to 6 different lakes and rivers across the midwest

- Teaching my son to kneeboard and my daughter to wakeboard - their excitement and sharing the joy of boating as a family really made it all worthwhile

- Getting into wakeboarding myself (versus primarily slalom)

- Lots of really early Saturday AM ski runs on the Ohio river glass with my ski bum buddies

- Lots of runs back to the dock at sunset - a great time to be on the water

Here are some of my favorite pics from this year:

Malibu in the water at Rocky Fork with the new Skylon Installed

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My 9 year old son working on his 180 and 360 spins

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My 12 year old daughter did great on her new Hyperlite board this year

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The whole fam having fun jumping and swimming off the back of the 'Bu

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Hope everyone had as much fun this year as we did!!

-- Mike

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Those are truly great pics of the fam and Bu. Sounds as though you had yourself a great season. It's just crazy to hear people talking about the end of the year already Cry.gif However, I hate to brag, but this is just getting to be the best time of year for us (well me and my fam anyway). Phoenix lakes can be so overcrowded in the summer months and that really falls off after Labor Day weekend. So now is our time to hit the glass and enjoy the nice weather that we have left Clap.gif

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I think we did about 30 hours this year, pretty bad honestly.

Had a ton of fun learning to barefoot and doing some cooler stuff on the skyski. Some pretty sweet falls (for those who watched) while that was happening.

Its back to college tomorrow, so boating is pretty much over for me this year.

-Chris

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Mike,

I see we're neighbors! Great pictures. We may hit Caesar's Creek tomorrow and then that's probably it for us. From now through Halloween, every weekend is taken up by soccer games and tournaments. Weeknights aren't much better with practice and everything else going on now that school is back in session. We had a great summer, highlighted by a week down at Lake Norris in July.

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We are still having a great season and hope to not put the Bu away until mid-October.

I don't know exactly how many hours we put on it this year because my hour meter isn't working properly but it is probably in the 70 range. Which given that we split 3 ski time among 3 different boats that we ski with and we live on the lake we ski on so we don't waste any gas or hours getting to the ski site.

My kids have had great seasons. My 9 year old moved from running the course without gates at 19 mph at the beginning of the season to running the full course including gates at 25 mph. He had a new PB the other night of 3 at 26 mph. If we had two more months I am sure we could get him up to the max speed for his age of 30 mph. On top of that he has picked up trick sking and has both side slides, a back wrap, wb and wf. While we were at Coble's he went off and landed a jump on the big jump. His wakeboarding has taken a little bit of a back seat but he has landed some wake 180s in addition to coming very close to jumping wake to wake.

My daughter (10) has gotten more solid at her deep water starts and has taken to the kneeboard this year. She does 180s and 360s in both directions and is having a blast at it. She didn't want to go to Coble's with us this year but after hearing about the trip she is anxious to go with us next year.

I have been struggling a little bit with a bad elbow and some blisters but have been consistently running deep 28 off. I ran 2 at 32 off every day I was at Coble's but I haven't been able to translate that to my home lake. I am struggling at 28 but 15 and 22 off (all at 34 mph) are much easier with some tips I picked up from April.

It has been a great season and I am sad to see it ending. My 9 year old will ski until we pull the boat. I expect my daughter may ski through the mid-end of the month but she isn't the diehard my son is.

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We usually go well into November, but the boat is always ready for action. I must say it is nice to have a heated garage.

Indeed, I am hoping to push the envelope this year also. It is tough getting out with 2 kids in weekend soccer, and practices during the week. I would kind of like to go out an ski on new years day, then maybe head up to the pass for some snow skiing!

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I'm counting a good 6 to 8 weekends left until our typical last ride of the year on Halloween weekend. I'm hoping the weather holds out that long for us, but it's sad to think I'll have 12-16 days left :( (weekends only).

We've had a great season despite a full month of slow no wake due to the spring rains here. It could have been worse, my river riding buddies have only had like a month from April until now where the rivers have been open for them. I don't feel bad for them, but thought I'd mention that it could be worse, or worse like Lake Delton that just plain isn't there any more, I can't even imagine the smell!

Landed 1 of my 5 trick goals for the season early on and have them pretty dialed in now (Toeside frontside 360). I'm so close it makes me sick to 2 more (switch backroll - grabbed scarecrow) and will hopefully figure out what I'm doing on my toeside backroll to reverts before this time is over. The switch backroll and grabbed crow should be done ... I just hadn't been trying them the last couple of weekends. Otherwise, it's been a fantastic summer! FANTASTIC!!!!!

I'm so excited for this cool weather though, time for the tubers and power turners to start packing it up for winter giving me a good 4 weeks of butter! That's right wallys! It's fall, go put your boat away

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Sad to hear others are already packing it in already this year, we’ve got much more skiing to do!

We'll go well into October for sure - a little cold water doesn't hurt too bad. But the "summer" is on a downward slide, unfortunately....<sniff>.

We used to live in Dallas, which afforded a much longer boating season than Ohio.

-- Mike

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Mike,

I see we're neighbors! Great pictures. We may hit Caesar's Creek tomorrow and then that's probably it for us. From now through Halloween, every weekend is taken up by soccer games and tournaments. Weeknights aren't much better with practice and everything else going on now that school is back in session. We had a great summer, highlighted by a week down at Lake Norris in July.

Howdy Neighbor! Enjoy Caesar's tomorrow! We might do our early AM ski run on the river tomorrow @ 7 if this rain moves out. You are welcome to join us anytime!

We did not make our trip to Norris this year, unfortunately - what a gorgeous lake. We had a blast at Cumberland over labor day however. Lots of glass water in the AM and PM hours.

-- Mike

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Sad to say that I only have about 75 hours on the boat for the season. Won't be taking it out this weekend but hopefully next then I'm gone until OCT. Night temps will be my determining factor, and mountian temps, since I have to go over it to get to any decent lakes. It's been a good year I finally landed the backroll so that capped off the year pretty good.

However just because my boat may be going down for the winter soon, doesn't mean I won't be boarding thanks to all my crew friends in Cali. Thumbup.gif Hope to be boarding at least until Oct, maybe even Nov, depending on weather.

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The summer has been great for us. Unfortunately we lose a weekend tomorrow & Sunday due to the remnants of Hurricane Hanna. That leaves a few before the girl's dance schedule picks up too much.

The best was a few weeks ago when my super-shy 12 y/o tried the kneeboard and nailed it. She was doing surface 180s & 360s next day. (Weird mechanics, but successful.) Then last weekend she tried the wakeboard and popped right up - and down again. Better bindings and not so tired after kneeboarding and she still be going! So thrilled about that. Yahoo.gif

My 16 y/o was in the camp ski show on her board. Thumbup.gif I really want her to push herself to try harder, clear the wake, etc.

All-in-all, a great season, but not yet over. Still some time to hurt myself trying! Crazy.gif Got some good grabs, sped up with a longer line, all good.

Not quite time to buy oil, filter, antifreeze, stabil, etc. Thinking about it, but that's it.

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Our first season with this boat. Just over 90 hrs so far, and we'll keep riding till maybe the first of November (hopefully). Then maybe Santa will get a ride in over Christmas, weather permitting.

It's been a great year for me. I got rid of the weight of the Shock Tower, and rode SkySki's new Evo seat all year. No back, elbow or shoulder problems that have plagued me in the past. I guess that working out crap really works. And my riding is bigger & more consistent than ever. Thumbup.gif

Bummer it has to end!

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Well we put the boats away last weekend, with 2 of them not coming back out next summer. So I'm in the process of saving hard for a new bu around april/may, depending on what prices are like.

We put a good 130hrs on the response, and about 40 on the outboard. God knows how many on the pontoon. It has been my first summer wakeboarding, and I can happily say I have progressed to where I would have liked to be, next year its all about the tricks :D

Next year will see a lot of wakeboarding, skiing and parties in the cove. Possibly a move to Texas as well, which will mean making new friends, and finding some people to be a third/forth for us.

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Sad to hear others are already packing it in already this year, we've got much more skiing to do!

We'll go well into October for sure - a little cold water doesn't hurt too bad. But the "summer" is on a downward slide, unfortunately....<sniff>.

We used to live in Dallas, which afforded a much longer boating season than Ohio.

-- Mike

We'll hopefully get runs at least once a month during the winter, the winter here is milder than in Dallas...whoo hoo!

Sad to say that I only have about 75 hours on the boat for the season. Won't be taking it out this weekend but hopefully next then I'm gone until OCT. Night temps will be my determining factor, and mountian temps, since I have to go over it to get to any decent lakes. It's been a good year I finally landed the backroll so that capped off the year pretty good.

However just because my boat may be going down for the winter soon, doesn't mean I won't be boarding thanks to all my crew friends in Cali. Thumbup.gif Hope to be boarding at least until Oct, maybe even Nov, depending on weather.

Not sure who they are... :)

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I got the boat out a little more with the family this year than last, my youngest(2.8yrs) can stay on the boat half a day now before he and my wife are ready to go home.

I had more Friday and weekend trips with my party/wakeboard crew this year so over all I got more use out of my boat this year Thumbup.gif

I might make one more house boat trip and one more Friday trip with the wild bunch, one buddie just bought a 99 Centurion v drive so I might go out with him after I do a full inspection of his boat, I don't like to paddle.

Other then that, Septembers usually it for me, too cold. Time to prep the dirt bikes. Rockon.gif

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So far about 40 hours this year on the boat. Of course I lost 3.5 weeks and $1,000 to my little run in with a rock bar during July. Made my first wake to wake this year at about 80 feet. I never knew my line was that long till last night when a buddy brought his rope and handle out. So I'm pretty stoked that my first wake to wake was at 80 feet!

Spent some good family time out on the boat too. My oldest is more secure about being in the water. He turns 5 in October. My middle child at 4 in November is still hesitant about getting in the water. He's getting close though. My 15 month old daughter is a fish! She loves the water so far.

Gotta get the wife involved next year. Need to get her on something in the water!

We have at least 6 more weeks left, but like others, the kid stuff is starting to get in the way. But that's what life is all about!

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First year with the new boat and a new baby and were able to put 80 hours on there. At the first of summer we thought about selling due to lack of abilty to get out, but as the summer rolled on so did the hours. Looking forward to riding until mid to late october. The lake is about 12 degrees cooler than this time last year. I think it has to do with global warming.

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Not the best year for us. We had a late start something called ice. Cry.gif Got the docks and lift in April 10. First ski on 17 April. Yahoo.gif Down June 7 hospital trip Diverticulitis. Out of commission untill June 27. Cry.gif

Back to the hospital August 28. Still on the side line most likely another week. Dr. said I will need surgery, Not good....... Badmood.gif

I have put just over 40hrs on the boat 90% skiing. 14 outings on 99SSLXI 10 on CC 196 2 each on MC and 05 RLXI

I am not done as the skiing should get good with the colder weather but won't make last years numbers.

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