What's your best "Behind the boat moment?"

[CarveItUp]

Best:

* Watching our daughter pop up on the wakeboard the first time.

* Watching my wife get up on the board.

* Having both of them LIKE it!

* The smile on my dad's face when he got up on a single ski after a 25 year layoff.

* Moving from Voice Activated Ballast to a human towable behind the boat.

* Getting up on a single for the first time (and on the first attempt behind our new 'bu).

Worst:

* Getting my arm tangled in a rope and being dragged. Fortunately we were idling forward and there was no lasting damage.

* The head plants after my patented surface 270s.

I'm glad the good outweighs the bad by a lot!

[Wkerat]

I have to say some of my other favorite memories come from teaching young kids...They just light up when they get up.

[kstateskier]

Worst boating moment would have to be in '02 when one of my teammates had to be Lifeflighted out of DuQuoin, IL at the Conference Championships after a horrible jumping accident where she got her helmet through the v in the rope handle. Horrible thing, crushed her larynx and she about died in the hospital in DuQuoin, luckily she had a great surgeon at SLU hospital in St. Louis. After spending the night with her in the hospital in St. Louis, drove back to the site in the early morning hours to catch my jump session in a 20+ mph wind, definately scary coming off the top the first time after seeing that. Probably the scariest thing I have ever seen in 16+ years of tournaments skiing. Ended up seeing 2 more people go to the hospital jumping the next weekend at the Regional Championships. Scary fall that was.

[UWSkier]

Worst boating moment would have to be in '02 when one of my teammates had to be Lifeflighted out of DuQuoin, IL at the Conference Championships after a horrible jumping accident where she got her helmet through the v in the rope handle.  Horrible thing, crushed her larynx and she about died in the hospital in DuQuoin, luckily she had a great surgeon at SLU hospital in St. Louis.  After spending the night with her in the hospital in St. Louis, drove back to the site in the early morning hours to catch my jump session in a 20+ mph wind, definately scary coming off the top the first time after seeing that.  Probably the scariest thing I have ever seen in 16+ years of tournaments skiing.  Ended up seeing 2 more people go to the hospital jumping the next weekend at the Regional Championships.  Scary fall that was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

UGH... My sister is a sophomore on the UW ski team. I don't know how much I like her jumping. I think it was 3 years ago at dual conference in Wilmington, my good friend's younger sister got crossed up on the jump. The back of her right ski hit her on the base of her skull right under her helmet and knocked her out cold. She was in the hospital for several days and had numbness due to swelling around her brain stem. Needless to say, it was a scary couple of days.

[Slider]

The best moment came this spring around March when we went boarding and my 9 yr old son did two sets in 49 degree water on his board and loved it. (no complaining about temp) There is no way that I could have been prouder.

The worst was when I first started boarding I thought because I am a slalom skier that it would be fun to crank up the speed and do some carving on my buddies board. At about 34mph I could really clear the wake. Unfortunately I caught my toe edge and performed a monumental scorpion maneuver where the back of my heels nearly touched the back of my skull. (or so it felt) I actually laid in the water moving fingers, toes, arm, legs, etc. because I thought I had broken my back. Needless to say I have slowed down on my boarding speeds. Its 21-22 for me now.

Joe

[SacRiverRat]

Scorpion - LOL

Usually we call that the mouse trap (or Rat trap for the big violent ones)... but can visualize the board coming up at those speeds

[VinRLX]

Watching the wife come up on slalom for the first time in her life.

Skiing double with my nephew.

Standing up from a kneeboard on my first barefoot-boom attempt.

And last but not least, my then 2 year old asking with the purest voice, "Daddy, will you teach me to ski?"

[NorCaliBu]

And last but not least, my then 2 year old asking with the purest voice, "Daddy, will you teach me to ski?" 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's awesome, ain't it? At the end of last summer my older boy was our third one day (broken arm, no play) and he looks at me after I get back in the boat and says "Dad, wakeboarding's cool and all, but next summer will you teach me to slalom?" I just about started tearing up. Of course, I ran out and bought him a stick right away.

Edited April 14, 2005 by NorCaliBu

[VinRLX]

  I just about started tearing up.  Of course, I ran out and bought him a stick right away.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I understand perfectly!

[NorCaliBu]

I'm getting misty eyed just thinking about the times we are gonna have this summer slalom skiing together (+ boarding, skating, surfing,....) Once his little bro gets into it, I won't have to make any calls. I'll have my second and third living in the house with me.

Being a boat-owning daddy is the best.

Edited April 14, 2005 by NorCaliBu

[VinRLX]

On the way home in the car the other day, we were talking about skiing (imagine that). And he asked if he could wear a wetsuit. . .

How can the CFO tell me no?

[NorCaliBu]

On the way home in the car  the other day, we were talking about skiing (imagine that). And he asked if he could wear a wetsuit. . .

How can the CFO tell me no? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

She can't!!

Ahhh, I just realized my scheme of me and my two boys out slalom skiing together has a flaw. I need a driver for me to ski. Alright, so one buddy and my two boys. Dream saved.

[88Skier]

My 14 yo has been pulling me since he was 12. Start teaching them. This summer I'll have an 11 yo and a 14 yo to go with every am. As long as they want to go, I shouldn't deny them.

[Slider]

I am going to find unoccupied water all through this summer and teach my 9 yr old to drive the boat. With lots of practice when he turns 16 I'll be set.

Joe

PS Tracie has promised to never say no to me when I ask her to drive. Brrrr. I'd rather ski in the cold then drive.

[VinRLX]

  Brrrr. I'd rather ski in the cold then drive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heated seat, Joe!

I have a feeling I won't need to worry about lacking a driver in about nine years.

I also know that the absolute best "behind the boat" moments are yet to come--and I'll be driving or skiing next to him.

[88Skier]

My youngest who was 8 yo at the time, got up on his 1st try at a deep water start on 1 ski 2 summers ago. I couldn't believe it. That is always one of the hardest things to teach.

[NorCaliBu]

Here in CA a kid has to be 12 to drive (with an adult sitting next to them). 16 years old to drive w/o said adult. Which means my older boy has four years before he can pull me with only his little bro in the boat. That gives me four years (starting in August) to get his skills up to snuff.

[88Skier]

In Maine, there is no age limit if an adult is in the boat. People have to be 12 to drive a boat with 10 hp or more by them selves. No age limit on under 10 hp. You need to be 16 to drive a jet ski.

[VinRLX]

Which means my older boy has four years before he can pull me with only his little bro in the boat.  That gives me four years (starting in August) to get his skills up to snuff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This shouldn't be a problem! Oh, wait, has he been watching you drive? He might need more than four years. . .

[martho]

I was running 38' off behind the RLX and turning 5 ball.

Then I woke up

That was by far my best moment behind the boat, even though it wasnt real

[Wkerat]

I was running 38' off behind the RLX and turning 5 ball.

Then I woke up 

That was by far my best moment behind the boat, even though it wasnt real 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't you love moments like that!

[NorCaliBu]

I was running 38' off behind the RLX and turning 5 ball.

Then I woke up 

That was by far my best moment behind the boat, even though it wasnt real 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't you love moments like that!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NO, I'd rather stay asleep and finish the run.

[whiteVLX]

My 14 yo has been pulling me since he was 12.  Start teaching them.  This summer I'll have an 11 yo and a 14 yo to go with every am.  As long as they want to go, I shouldn't deny them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, that's great! I guarantee as soon as my little one is big enough to understand boaters etiquette and see over the dash, she'll start to learn to drive.

[Wkerat]

That's how it was for me. I had a tiny row boat with a 2 horsepower motor at 5, then a old yamaha waverunner at 7. Finally. Once I could see over the wheel I was allowed to drive a small boat we had, but before that my father had me driving on his lap for years. By the time I was 10 I was driving the course for some of the slower skiers in our club, but my father was usually next to or behind me helping me out along the way.