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2013 Polar Bear Wake 9 Wakesurf Event


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Polar Bear 2013 - It's On

by ragboy

Published on 09-04-2013 05:34 AM 8 Comments

October 12-13, 2013

We have had several obstacles that have caused us to hold of announcing and locking in the Polar Bear event. Not the least of which being whether there would be enough water in the lake. We have met with the Lake Oroville Marina (lime saddle marina) and we feel we are going to be able to have the water level we need.

There are a few other issues. We have to have a reliable turn out of boats so that we can accommodate a certain number of riders. We have to have lots of boards to demo. Based on years past and some new circumstances we can't do things like we have done in the past. California Marine Sports is no longer offering a demo program and maintaining a large inventory of demo boards. Boat manufacturers are now selling more boats compared to the previous conditions of over inventory due to the weak economy, and boats to demo and put hours on are VERY hard to find. Add to that that we want to slam them and surf til we drop for a couple of days.

So now what? One thing that hasn't changed is that there is a growing group of folks that want to enjoy this event. One person referred to it as the Woodstock of Wakesurfing, another a Mecca. Sheesh, that scares us. We don't want to let people down. So Amy and I sat down with the Harringtons over a few days and I believe we hashed out a pretty great plan, and have already set it in motion. I think its going to be pretty epic because it focuses on what is most important. A bunch of people wakesurfing together. So what is the plan?

Boards

We are going directly to the manufacturers. We already have heard from several manufacturers that want to be a part. Brigade, Evercarve, Mendonesia, Shredstixx, The Walker Project, Soulcraft, Idol Surf, Victoria Skim Boards and more. Each will provide boards for the riders to demo and most of the demo boards will be on sale after the event at a reduced price. If you are a board manufacturer and you want to be a part, just contact us. The system is very simple. The riders will choose the boards they want to demo most and we organize them to demo as many as possible. In the past, riders demo 8-10 boards easily.

Boats

This is where things take a bit of a different direction, but I think its going to be a better direction. We will be looking for surfers, especially former PB riders to bring and share their boats. For instance, we will have our Z3, the Harringtons will have their Supreme V226, we have several other boats lined up. We are hoping to have 8-10 boats. Some will be new, some may not, but all will be great wakesurf boats or new boats to find out if they are. We have found that many people want to find a good used wakesurf boat, so we will have at least a couple of great examples of more budget surf boats used but with great wakes. If you bring a boat your gas and a small stipend will be covered for you, but you will be required to sign a waiver releasing liability. If you are interested, contact us. If you are a boat manufacturer and want to be a part, contact us.

Accommodations and Cost

The cost will be very similar to last year but we are finalizing our budget and cost. The cost last year was $200 and it should be the same or less. That includes riding all day on Saturday and a half day on Sunday. Lunch and snacks provided both days. We are hoping to open up to 40-50 riders.

Lake Oroville Marina is going to be sponsoring the event and giving us the party barge and houseboats for less than half the normal cost. We have worked out that a bedroom on a houseboat will be about $300 which includes a single bedroom on a 4 bedroom houseboat for Friday and Saturday nights, returning to marina at dusk on Sunday. That is not much more than a hotel in town and we are planning a party on Saturday night with all of the houseboats tied up together in the same location we used last year on the same beach. I am VERY excited about this and thanks goes to the Harringtons for making this their pet project. If you want to be on the houseboats with all of us but don't think you can afford the cost of a bedroom, just get a hold of us, we are planning to have a small, limited number of low cost options. We would love if everyone is together. We will be providing shuttle to and from the marina on Saturday morning/evening and Sunday morning/afternoon for any that stay in town.

Stay tune for more details, we are now in high gear.

Riders and Registration

We are going to be contacting and working out commitments for Boards and Boats immediately. We will be taking registration at 6pm September 12. Registration will be first come first served. We are stating the time exactly because last year we sold in in about an hour. We are sorry we can't open the event up to more, we expand a bit every year. If you are a multi-year veteran, bring a boat and drive for people, its just about as fun. We are even working out a way where a boat driver can bring a second to drive, and one can ride in the event while the other drives in an organized way.

Final Thoughts

If you would like more information about the polar bear event, check out the videos from last year here. We are looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. If you are nervous and haven't attended before, just come. You will make friends for life like many of us have.

Keep in mind that we budget this event to break even and there is no profit in it for anyone. All of us at wake9 and several others will all be volunteering. This event has been a pure example of "for the love of wakesurfing" and we want it to stay that way. We are actually excited to do this without any real sponsorships. Its just a bunch of people that love to wakesurf getting together to get jelly legged. Man, the houseboats tied up together all weekend is going to be epic. I can't wait.

Use the comments in this post to ask any questions you may have. You can use THIS LINK for the thread for questions and information.

8 Comments

mfnoel - 09-04-2013, 06:59 AM Reply

I'm excited! I would really really love to do this - we are from Quebec, Canada. My hubby and I had planned to go to the World Wake Surfing Championships after I finished 1st at my first wakesurf competition. Howver, it seems as though there was some miscommunications and we were never invited to WWSC. We were planning on going to the MyWake finals in Reno the week after WWSC but now since we aren't going to WWSC, we could move our vacation by a week go to Polar Bear instead! You say registration will be Sept 12 at 6 PM (I image its going to be 6 PM PST). Where can we register? Is registration online?

SlimJim44 - 09-04-2013, 07:34 AM Reply

Will there be a single day option? Also, do you have an idea when the board list will be ready? I was hoping to try to make it this year, but just had a baby so can't get away for too long and was really wanting to try out the big flyboy.

stingreye - 09-04-2013, 10:17 AM Reply

8-10 BOATS!!! Wow! After last year's complaints about the Enzo not having enough weight..... I bet you will get a proud Enzo owner to bring one over slammed!

Bibbs - 09-04-2013, 11:52 AM Reply

Hey Ragboy silly question but price is per person for event? What about houseboat price-per person or couple. What is the closest airport to fly into from Canada as we might not be able to drive there in time. Thanks

Rob H. - 09-04-2013, 01:34 PM Reply

Yes the price of the polar bear event is per person.

Houseboat layout.....

http://lakeorovillemarina.com/rentals/Deluxe

The price for the houseboat is per room and this should cover the cost of the gas as well. There is a queen bed in each room so basically it can accommodate one or two adults and your stuff..

We can get on the boats Friday afternoon.....

You will be responsible for your own food other than lunch Sat and Sunday...

Closest airport is Sacramento...about an hour and a half drive. There is a grocery store in a couple of the towns on the way from the airport

Rob H. - 09-04-2013, 05:51 PM Reply

Oh yeh, we are in for the houseboat.

Who else?

metalfabguy - 09-04-2013, 08:55 PM Reply

yup, we are in. the woodards too.

Highly Misguided - 09-06-2013, 11:33 AM Reply

How do we register? Will it be here at the Wake 9 site? and is that 6pm pst?

Thanks

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....One person referred to it as the Woodstock of Wakesurfing....we hashed out a pretty great plan....

Message Received (in my best Capt Kirk voice)....

May give new life to the "gas, grass or ***, nobody rides free" bumper sticker....

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Message Received (in my best Capt Kirk voice)....

May give new life to the "gas, grass or ***, nobody rides free" bumper sticker....

We need a Diesel Dually, shrink wrap my boat, at least 6 crew members to split the cost of gas. These people need more boats to be part of the event. Or multiple California crew members donate use of their boats and I get lucky and register on time, and find good plane tickets.

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We need a Diesel Dually, shrink wrap my boat, at least 6 crew members to split the cost of gas. These people need more boats to be part of the event. Or multiple California crew members donate use of their boats and I get lucky and register on time, and find good plane tickets.

Sounds like a plan....but I was pretty much making a reference to marijuana in my post....Woodstock...'hashed' out a plan... :)

And as much fun as I think it would be to drive cross country with you and a couple other members of the 'crew, any event with "Polar Bear" in the title and I know it will be too cold for me....I only get in water if it is above 80 degrees (F)...I don't like it when I can't breathe when I first jump in....

Edited by RTS
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Sounds like a plan....but I was pretty much making a reference to marijuana in my post.... :)

And as much fun as I think it would be to drive cross country with you and a couple other members of the 'crew, any event with "Polar Bear" in the title and I know it will be too cold for me....I only get in water if it is above 80 degrees (F)...I don't like it when I can't breathe when I first jump in the water....

You Florida people make me sick. ;)

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What a cool event, Rag boy I commend you.

FYI,

Ragboy is not a crew membe...he could be...but I don't think so. Wake 9 is part of a group of families that work together to promote wakesurfing. Nobody benefits from any profits created by his trip. It's a god opportunity to give exposure to all the custom wakesurf shapers out there. Pretty neat group of people.

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8 hour drive, 430+ miles one way... hmm, I might be able to make this work!

If you do attend.....you must promise to post a very lengthy review on all those killer boards. Evercarve Stealth really intrigues me. Some of the Brigade and Idol Wakesurfers. TWP may have new stuff. Trying to get my hands on Bomb Pop as we speak.

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