Got to ride with the Dykmans family today. Thanks to Rich for letting me bring out the family. <BR> <BR>Chris was looking very comfortable. Also landed, but not in the pics below....TS 7 and a Backside (blind) 5. Very close on Osmosis 5 and Backmobe. <BR> <BR>My favorite trick that no one else does... TS OA 3. It looks harder than the 5. <BR> <BR> <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324493.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324494.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324495.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324496.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR>

<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324502.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324503.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324504.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324505.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR>

<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324510.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324511.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>BTW guys This is a stock VLX wake NO EXTRA WEIGHT! By far the best stock wake you will find. I was quite impressed. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324512.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR>

damn, was that with the wedge down atleast? how far back were they riding and how fast? also, is that pretty common in the delta for the same boat to be behind you for miles, or did that nautique know you? gotta love all that good water though. i'll trade my clean, aesthetically-pleasing ocean of a lake for dirty, debris-filled delta water anyday

Why are there two boats following you guys?

Nice shots Jarrod! <BR> <BR>Actually Chris gets followed by other boats a fair amount which is fine as long as they don't get right up on our a$$. It's better then someone making a leisurely pass and then screwing up his water for the next half mile. He rode from just around the turn past twins all the way down Old River to Italian slew before he went down so there wasn't much chance for those guys to pass anyhow I guess! <BR> <BR>Jarrod brought his wife and baby daughter so it was a real familly affair and a good time! <BR> <BR>

J-Rod - a TS OA 3 is way harder then a TS OA 5. I have been doing TS OA 5's for a year now and still have no idea how anyone can stop their rotation for only a 3.

All of those look huge, nice camera work! Pics like that might even impress Walt! <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0>

damn...nice riding and sick pics! i can't wait to get up there!

Killer pics. I haven't got to see Chris ride in person for a while. Chris is a stand up guy on and off the water.

Very nice J-Rod. That must of been a blast watching Chris ride.

The wedge was down. <BR> <BR>You would have to ask rich about the speed, but Chris rode 85 and I rode 80. I would go as far as to say the wake is better than the x2/205/x1 with an extra 1000 in it over stock. <BR> <BR>Leo...I thought the same. He grabs the TS OA 3 throught the entire rotation. Picture 8 is the TS OA 3. No idea how he pulls it back down. <BR> <BR>Thanks again Rich. <BR> <BR>

Jeff Vaaler has the 05 VLX, which i have ridden a few times. The wake is a dream, if yall dont know me, I ride an 01 response. Such a big difference. I can't believe you are saying the VLX wake is better then the x-2, J-rod.

i think j-rod is just saying the vlx is the better wake with "small" amounts of wake (stock + 1000 lbs. or less) distributed equally. something tells me he'd still favor the x-2 sacked out. and for good reason: i've seen his wake pics and a couple of the CIE submarines. if i planned on sacking my boat out all the time, the x-2 would have been no lower than 1 b) on my list of possible choices. one day i'll see what a sacked out vlx looks like in person, but in the meantime, the stock wake is still way more than i know what to do with. the dykmans just changed a lot of minds on how much weight is necessary for big tricks. awesome pics, j-rod <BR> <BR>(Message edited by jcv on May 07, 2006)

I'm not necesarily saying it's better. But I do beleive the stock VLX wake was as good as a medium weighted X2. <BR> <BR>I can only imagine what would happen if you slammed the VLX or even added 500-1000 pounds.

The 05 VLX is the best stock wake I have ridden too. <BR> <BR>I also rode a pro's 05 VLX with 4 tank factory + wedge and approx 2000 extra &amp; 6 people and the wake was insane. The biggest and best wake I have had the pleasure of. The boat was so loaded it wouldn't plane up with the rear tanks full &amp; the nose scooped a bit if you didn't feather the throttle. For comparision I have ridden weighted up SAN's, X-2's &amp; X-stars. <BR> <BR>Here is a photo which shows the wake but because of the massive trany it doesn't look super narley like it did in person. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/324559.jpg" alt="Upload">

It's good to see more pics of Chris. He is definitely one of the most stylish riders that I have seen. He lands better blind than regular. <BR> <BR>Rich's VLX has definitely got a nice wake. It's nothing like the old VLX and I liked it just as much as my saced out SAN.

darren, i know you were trying to avoid name-dropping, but is that jeff weatherall in the picture? what was it like riding with him? he is easily one of my favorite riders. in my opinion, he has the most picture perfect technique i have ever seen, especially toeside. his posture, handle position, and edge hold is always ideal no matter what trick he's doing. in "the book", he almost made kyle schmidt look sloppy--which is saying something. is he in any good new videos?

Sent you a PM!

J-Rod, <BR> <BR>I think we saw Chris riding on Friday afternoon down old river, he was killin it... Wind was up on Friday but old river right around the bridge to Vics was almost all butta. Thx for sharing the pics, look great! <BR> <BR>Lzy

Aaron...when are you going out next?

Jrod, <BR> <BR>With the wedding less than 3 weeks away it is getting less and less - LOL. This week it seems I have meetings / apts the first half of this week Mon-Wed. Thu/Fri I am free. I also got the hall pass for Saturday while the lady has another shower / party / ladies night out. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>You heading out anytime this week? <BR>

Wednesday I think. Supposed to be 88 on the Delta <BR> <BR>

Aaron, <BR> <BR>Was that you in the red X-2 in Old River Friday afternoon? The wind did pick up, however, the weekend was very, very good. <BR> <BR>

Great shots Jrod. Both the riding and the wake. That stock wake does look fantastic. BU deserves applause for that!

Chuck, <BR> <BR>Yeah the Metal Flake was us, one of my good friends Paul Judd &amp; co-workers was saying he thought that was you... He was talking bout your kid killing it &amp; said that looked like your boat but we were both always riding as we passed - Looked great from what we witnessed.... Yeah water was the best right round the bridge... <BR> <BR>Lzy

Sick pics. Man, I love seeing Chris ride. That plus he's such a cool, respectful guy. I've gotta ride behind a new VLX one of these days. The wake looks great. IMO it's the boat to buy if you're tired of filling fat sacs. <BR> <BR>Sunday was the best day on the delta that I've had this year. Water was warm and flat and the crowds weren't too bad yet. Just a little preview to the summer ahead. Man, I love that place. It's kinda funny to hear people comment about being followed by boats. I guess the delta folks have just gotten used to it. It's just a bit narrow to make a pass when someone is riding. Only when you are lucky do you get stuck behind a boat where someone is killing it like Chris was. Usually you just hope people are paying attention, then pass when the rider falls.

Wow great pics J-rod! Glad you took the camera this time. Thanks for sharing.

Those are nice shots. I am doing all kinds of flippy spinny things but I have a hard time grabbing my inverts. Simple grabbed inverts look so smooth.I guess I am too old and not flexible enough. Later, Mike

Awsome shots J-rod, Chris is by far my favorite rider on the Delta. I can't count how many times I have watched his section in Delta Scession.

Another shot of the TS OA3 taken a few hours ago. The evening glass-off has become almost automatic the last 4 or 5 days! <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/326493.jpg" alt="Upload">

Sick pic Rich. Looks like the boy is back to normal. Tell Chris I said hello.

i think the best stock wake i have ever seen...and soon to ride behind is the new MB B-52 23V....i'll try and dig up a post with its stock wake....my buddy alan posted about it.

<a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/321001.html?1146776752" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/321001.html?1146776752</a> <BR> <BR>HERE YA GO!!!! CHECK OUT THIS STOCK WAKE!!! JUST SCROLL DOWN A FEW PICTURES! <BR> <BR> <BR>HERE'S THE THING TOO...THAT BOAT WASN'T EVEN THE V23 "TEAM" WHICH HAS EXTRA 500 POUNDS OF STOCK BALLAST. JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON THE STOCK BALLAST ONLY ARGUEMENT

Glad to hear MB is getting their act together re: their wake. The last time Chris rode behind a B52 it wasn't pretty.

the B-52 you probably rode behind is the old 22'. That wake did suck! My buddy Alan who sells MB will even admit that. The V23 is where its at.

oh yeah, rich, don't get me wrong....i'm a boat whore and love all boats that i get to ride behind....and a huge amount of people i ride with own Malibu's. So a majority of the time i am riding behind a Malibu. I love Malibu wakes too!!!!!! <BR> <BR>Also, Chris is killing it!! <BR> <BR>(Message edited by iamnathanhudson on May 15, 2006)

nathan, that is a nice wake. is the 2000 lbs. of build-in ballast stock, or an option? i think the term "stock" should imply 1500 lbs. or less otherwise the best stock wake by far has to be on the epic with 4000 lbs.

Jeff, I think that is yet to be proven. I've heard great things from everyone that has ridden behind the Malibu with just stock ballast. <BR> <BR>I can also attest to the MB 23' boat making a killer wake with just stock ballast. The one I rode behind was the team and had 2600lbs of stock ballast. We did nothing else and the wake was kicked. That was with only 3 people on board. Nice boats.

from what i understand the epic is a lot lippier and friggin huge...while the MB is more rampy and huge.

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1><b>quote:</b></font><p>I've heard great things from everyone that has ridden behind the Malibu with just stock ballast.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> <BR> <BR>Everyone? <BR> <BR> <BR>That's a bold statement,I wouldn't say everyone but I guess you meant most? <BR> <BR>

Oh, and this post has officially been hijacked!!! Sorry about that....didn't mean to take the limelight off of Chris' riding.

Believe me Chris doesn't care, he's gone from "I'll never learn that trick behind this wake" (our 01 sunsetter) to "If I can throw it off a smaller wake I'll be able to throw it behind any boat" <BR> <BR>I guess riding behind a VLX all the time will do that. The funny thing is he learned just about everything riding behind our old sunsetter!

Ed: I'll follow it up by saying }<u>everyone</u>. I'm not talking about an older VLX (although I think they are great with some extra weight). I've never heard anyone say that the stock wake behind a '05 or newer VLX with the 4 tanks and wedge wasn't great. <BR> <BR>BTW I didn't say that everyone would think it was perfect if they rode behind it. I said that I hadn't heard anything bad about it. That's a long way from saying flat out that it's a great wake (which by the way is soo subjective that I would always pre-empt it by saying "in my opinion" which since I have yet to ride behind one I won't yet give "my opinion"). <BR> <BR>

wow...insane pics. But once again, those pics look crazy to my delta-virgin eyes with boats following that close. lol

Ty, <BR> <BR>The "telephoto" effect in Jrod's zoomed in shots is making those boats look closer then they really were. But I will say that I can always tell a "Delta boater" from someone who hasn't been there much by their "boat body language" Some people will get very close and it won't bother me at all. Others make you nervous from the minute they come into view. It's hard to explain but I think most of the Delta regulars on this board will agree with me that it's easy to tell a "lake driver" when they come around here for the first time! (the frantic look they give you when you're driving right at them is usually a dead giveaway!) I suppose it'd be like growing up in the country and then driving an LA freeway for the first time!

That is awesome. I wish there were more posts like this.

OK<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>

ha, ha, sorry Ed.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0>

Evan, <BR> <BR>Why don't you come out in ours next time J-rod comes over. <BR> <BR>You know "IMHO" don't cut it around here. LOL

Rich, <BR> <BR>I don't really want him to go. <BR> <BR>I would like to ride Saturday, but I have a stupid wedding to go too! <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>

j-rod, <BR> <BR>screw that wedding, lets go ride... its no one important anyway.

rich, <BR>gotcha.... LA freeways are crazy though. lol. <BR>i do understand your point.