Havasu over Labor Day?

Last time we were there (maybe July 9th?), I saw a PACK of towboats gathered in the cove just north of Steamboat on the CA side (see pic). Didn't stop, but shoulda. What was that gathering all about?




Anyhoo, we'll be on the lake Thursday AM through Tuesday lunch, and wonder which other wakeworlders might be out there. Who's going?


Wife's with child, so we'll be cruising like idle speed through the weekend chop, and won't be spending much time around the monoxide for the same reason. Trying to get her to put a pastie on the bellybutton. jk, but it does pop out when she laughs. That's kinda gross for you probably.

Such a loser, I know there's not much good water there on a big weekend & basically suck as a rider, but man, I think I know what's wrong with my HS BR (starting too wide), and really want to try a tantrum and a TS backroll. I 'see' the tantrum and TS BR and everything about the former looks doable - landing the TS BR looks a little scary but I so wanna try. Figured out that the single biggest problem with my spins has been initiating way too soon and getting pulled OA, so wanna try the HS BS 3 again (hundredth try) and the HS TS 3 (first try). Will definitely be wearing the under-armor chubber-snuggers to prevent a three-day funk walk from twin-slapping backroll crashes. Been there done that. Splat.

If you see the Yota or our buddies in the Avalanche, send a shout and we'll hook you up with a Capri Sun or some Spongebob fruit snacks. Such a dork. West side.

Somebody call the cops over the v-drive rider


GET OFF MY YOTA!!!

Derek, youre a brave soul to go there on a holiday weekend!! I was there a few weeks ago on a normal weekend and it was still a bit crazy. The only place we found decent water was up river between Moabi and Needles. Have fun and watch out for the crazies.....

Thanks Paul. We got some nice water up where you're talking last time, but usually we just end up riding down by the damn. Seems like there's always some good water to be had on the southern half of the lake. Thursday, Monday and Tues will probably be pretty nice, and Fri, Sat and Sun will be.....

Biggest nuisance for us is just getting the boat in the water. Best recipe is to just VISIT the OUTSKIRTS of the fun spots. Rest of the time it's just a normal river trip for us.

I'll be there Wednesday through Saturday. We ride near the dam and if it rough on the river. We are going dove hunting Thrusday-Saturday so won't be on the lake until later, should be butter midweek though. Hit us up we're in the '98 Mastercraft Prostar 205 with an Air Boom and 2000 of water. If you run the buoy line stick on it tight, keeps rollers away from everybody.

PS- I've had so many great riding days there, you just gotta be on the water at 5am. It's worth it and the nap feels so good after breakfast.

Dude, I'm lucky to get my family on the water by 11. Agree about the bouy line. Sucks that they closed off the dam - 'DAM RUN' has been a rally cry...

Hey, one of the guys just posted this on our other site:

Not trying to bogart the board, but we had such a nice weekend. Spent Thursday through Monday on the lake, drove home Tuesday. Between truck and boat, we gave $350 to Chevron. Rode each morning on the leeward side of the island for a couple sets each (I had to sit out two days cuz my back got a little strained the first day.) Thursday and Friday sat in the channel - we never do that, but it was really nice in there with just a moderate roar. Saturday hung out in Steamboat, Sunday went up almost to Needles to get some riding in. Found a really cool little cove in the Gorge area, did the rope swing at Topac bridge and enjoyed the cold water. Had four good-sized adults, two kids and a single overfilled Bump in the boat and the wake was so fun that I rode for an hour (had to make up for the two prior days I couldn't ride :-).

Ended up running aground on the way back, just north of the sand bar. Water was way lower than I remember and the prop and rudder grabbed the sand/mud until the boat stopped from 25 mph to zero. SCARY!!! At first I thought the engine had just missed (which would've been $cary enough), but then it really slowed down in a hurry. So lucky there weren't any rocks in there. Had everybody move forward then opened up the floor in the trunk where the rudder tiller's at to see if it had broken off and/or was letting in water. Checked the forward bilge for water, then stepped off the back into knee-deep water (!!!) and started pulling the boat into the deeper water. Had some goggles, so I made sure the prop was straight and checked the runout of the driveshaft by carefully watching it from the side while it was in gear for a few seconds. Figure the stainless prop probably helped us in that situation cuz a NiBrAl might've bent - that's what they're soft for.

Sunday's northbound trip was really a nice day. Monday, we headed south after our morning sets. Anchored in a little cove south of Steamboat on the CA side to have lunch. Ended up with seven of us (including the prince and princess) in masks watching a whole fleet of striped bass in a feeding frenzy around us. So very cool. One of the guys there got me over my fear of lake diving and I ended up getting down to about twenty feet for the first time since being in the islands.

Never did try the tantrum (started to once but got scared - not used to charging in at the wake that fast). Didn't try the TS BR. Did try the blind one a couple times and landed another HS BR. Getting to feel a lot better TS and have been grabbing Indy a bit longer and better both HS and TS. TS jumps are just feeling great to me right now. Threw down some really slow-motion TS FS ones, but never grabbed them. Not sure if I tried the HS FS one or not, but did get a TS FS half cab pretty tall and across the wake.

My son Brandon got up on the wakeskate (actually it's my board with grip tape and no bindings) his first try. Tried having him surf on that thing too. He had some marathon runs, and started learning about edging through the wake. The pic below was his best TS jump to date. HS jumps aren't often that big.

Some boat blew up on the launch ramp - threw its engine hatch over the dock and into our lane. Smoke was flowing all through the Sequoia and the poor redneck was just looking at it like he was in shock. Pretty ugly. The boat, that is.

Spent a good amount of time behind our friends Avalanche, and at first the wake was just too obnoxious for me. By Monday, with the little stock ballast full and some clean water, I was just loving that wake. Still tends to crumble a little, but the steepness is fun at lower speeds.

We cruised pretty slow to keep the ride nice for my wife, and of course spent more time than usual idling though the channel and the big bay there, but in the end we logged 16.0 hours, burned 48.2 gallons; that works out to 3.01 gallons per hour. Especially important now, huh?

Few pics of Brandon (not quite eight) behind the empty S22:



Coming in from the south on the last day:


The Crowe's Centurion Avalanche on Monday:




The pretty princess waving to bats or something:


Finally, brandon got to contribute to the new shoe tree:



And I didn't even mention the naked amputee, either....

Hey Paul, how was the water depth between Moabi & Needles? I was trying to plan a trip to Needles in October, but am hearing the water is really low. Needles RV/Marina tells me their gas dock already in the mud. It was really bad last October, couldn't even launch. Hoping it would be better this year.

Pork, I just checked the waterflow report for the river, and its really low now. Last time I was there it averaged 9-12'. Sure hope it picks up by the middle of October. Our group goes every Oct (3rd week). I was there last Oct and the level was ok, but it was either raining or butta$$ cold. try the new launch next to Needles. Jack smith ramp in off season is free and brand new. Moabi is usually pretty good thru their channel. What week are you going?
Derek, looks like you found the good water away from the crazyness.

(Message edited by wakeme884 on September 08, 2005)

We were thinking Oct 7-11. We were there last Oct (22-23rd), couldn't even launch, had never seen it that low before. I was hoping that maybe it was just 'cause they wanted to work on the ramps & such, and that It would be normal this year, but from what you & others are telling me, I'm not getting my hopes up for the level to come back up before spring. Sucks, because it's such a nice place to hang & ride, great beaches, crystal clear (a little cold) water, and glassy in the mornings & afternoons.

(Message edited by socalwakepunk on September 08, 2005)

Wow, I was there a few weeks ago and it was fine. It the gas dock really in the mudd? I'll have to call over there.. we are planning to head out tomorrow.

Before you go check the waterflow and compare it to the last time you were there. http://www.coloradoriverinfo.com/waterflowreports/ Last Oct we left to go home on the 21st in the rain. One of our more sucky trips-got one ride in 4 days!!

Jeff, maybe a lame question, but how come you don't just stay in Havasu during that time? There's got to be great water all over the lake and no hassle finding good food or a place to launch.

Have never found good water @ Havasu. Really like the Needles area. Might have to look for an alternate place if it's too low.