A Big Surfers Reflection

ive weighed from 320lbs to 335lbs in my very short wakesurfing experience, i wanted to be able to surf immediately and dennis was able to accomplish that for me by letting me use a board that was 6'2" and 24" wide and had to be at least 2 1/2" thick. I used to be an accomplished ocean surfer and waterskier. This board let me surf instantly and after riding it for 3 weeks i could actually surf it with my backfoot behind the rear fins ( sidenote was my kids loved riding this big board, my daughter looked like a longboarder on it ) so this board was pure fun for me and everyone else who tried it. Why no one produces a board like this is a mystery to me! I wanted more and found an old inland surfer green room 2003 model 21 1/2" wide and 71" long. I was able to surf on this board behind the boat and get some performance out of it, i cant really get my rear foot back all the way like it should be but it is still alot of fun. I then got to ride a Shredd Stixx Comp Quad Fin Board that was blown up to 5'6" long and almost 24" wide, this board was a blast to ride and it was actually the only board that ive been on that i was really surfing on because i could get my rear foot all the way back on the rear and could actually surf!! I then got to try a couple of boards from Props that i rode behind roberts boat, i was able to surf both boards but i was not able to get my rear foot all the way back like it should be. A 22" or 23" wide board would be awesome for someone like me who is extra heavy, or for a smaller guy with a smaller wake behind his boat. I am amazed at the posts of people weighing 225 and not being able to let go of the rope. Everyone on my boat who has surfed all these big boards have loved them and had fun on them so why isnt anyone making a Bigger Fun Board? My biggest tip for the large surfer out there: you have to go a slower speed then everyone else, we just have a tach on my boat and i am always 150 rpm slower then my kids, behind roberts boat i found that while everyone else surfed at 11 mph i found the 10.2 mmph to be perfect for me. This is what my 3 months of wakesurfing has taught me. So manufacturers need to step up and make a line of bigger wider boards for the " recreational user " to surf big people or people with small wakes and let them have instant fun and be able to surf!

agreet.

paragraphs are your friend though......

i got one on the way 5.2x22x1.375 , just email me

Hey Frank,
Glad the big yellow worked for you. The Walker Project makes boards that will work for bigger guys. I had myself and an 70 lb girl on my 5'3" JWSM a few weeks ago. That is 350#s Had no problem staying with the boat.

id like to try that board out dennis .... if i can get my rear foot on the back of that board ill buy 1 right there if you got 1 .... i just dont understand why someone doesnt make a 23" wide board at least 66" long .... people talk about the best board of the year, that would be the best board of the year if the public had any say about it .... ive talked to so many people about wakesurfing and if you could give them a $500 board that everyone could and would surf on instantly it would do the sport a world of good .... as far as having something to progress on - give them a performing board that they can surf instantly and they will be able to progress all they want and enjoy doing it .... dennis i got a free weekend if you got 1 of those boards to sell!!

ooops more to say .... i am in the middle of making 3 boards myself, 2 different theories and a tester model .... when i FINALLY get em done and used ill let evryone know if they worked and how they were shaped and bottom concaved, i cant believe it should be this difficult to get people to be able to surf quickly and have alot of fun at the same time

So I have 3 boards from 3 manufacturers that have stepped up to the plate to make a board to see if it works for Frank. I am going to setup a day where frank can test these boards and I will video the whole thing. If you are a manuf. and have a board that you think will work, take the "Big Guy Challenge" and contact me. It will all be in good fun, and if a board just tanks, we will not put it in the end video. This is not about bashing anybody or their boards. However, there will most likely only be one board that Frank will buy.

Are you a big guy within Driving distance of Nor Cal? Over 250lbs up to 300lbs? Contact me, and lets see if we can have some fun with this. Like I said, it looks like I have 5 boards from 3 manufacturers at this point. I will work out a date once I know when all the boards are ready, it will be sometime in november, as quick as possible, before it gets too cold.

that would almost be worth a road trip!!!! And I'm in the 250 club. Used to be in the 300 club...

Hey Frank

So what are you looking in a board , whats your style, twin, thruster , surf or 360's??

Hey Robert I am in. I have 3 Walker Project boards that work for me at 280# They range fro 5.0 to 5.3. I am working on a R& D board also. Won't have to worry about not enough ballast on this test.LOL

Cool this is going to be fun. I think we are going to sink the boat. ;-) I will have the pontoon out to switch riders and chase so we don't sink!

i wanta surf!! never tried a skimboard yet .... i would like a quad or a thruster second .... i would like to be able to carve it and cut and turn hard that coming from my waterski background .... im obviously big enough to muscle my way through the water so breaking fins loose should be an afterthought .... with all the hoopla im going into intense training ( so much for tonights barbq ) starting tomorrow LOL

I wanna go too...when is this going to take place?

You get to go?

Then I get to go!

*throws tantrum*

I don't qualify under the listed required weight. I just want to be where ground breaking wakesurfing research is taking place. Anyways, it doesn't hurt to ask right?

Groundbreaking. Are you implying that us big guys will break the ground? Dave you can go as my board caddy. I will have 4 to 6 boards in my quiver.

That wasn't the implication, but it is an interesting twist for sure.

Board caddy reporting for DUTY!

get enough people we can turn this into " board fest " .... do you see the possibilities here, pick 1 one spot every 4 to 6 weeks to have manufacturers show up, get a bunch of boats, a little advertising, some demoing and give the public a free ride, bring enough boards, ropes, and fat sacs to sell .... possibilities are endless

hey gunz just start eating and eating .... robert ill tow my boat up there also to help out with all the towing if its needed, can tryout boards on 1 boat and film on yours .... ill empty my other locker for dennis and see what my goofy wake looks like if its needed

Hey Robert,
You need to have a wetsuit for the kids. I need to carry Jess with me for added weight. I am a little light at 280 #. Bigcatpt make the road trip it should be fun.

So where in Nor Cal would this be???? I used to live in Sacrament, Stockton, and San Jose so I am a little familiar with the area.

Keep me posted on the date. Airfare is really pretty cheap if you book it early enough...

As far a boards for big guys I have an Inland Surfer Red Tide and a Inland Surfer Red Woody. But if I flew they would be hard to bring.....

Keep me posted, I would love to come. That would mean my season may not quite be over!!!! WAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!

This could be the first annual "no fat sacs needed surf fest". With 6 or 8 of us in the boat who needs ballast!!! LOL Must be 250# to attend. ROTF!!!!

OK, I am thinking of doing this on 11/15. If you are in 250-300 lb range and would like to come, contact me. robert - at - wake9.com.

We will meet at my warehouse, down the street from the lake and head down. I have a pontoon boat, 2 wave runners and the tige, so I can float a significant number of people. If you want to come, just let me know so I can keep a head count, and I will work out with the marina to borrow a pontoon, or they have this huge floating barge. So don't worry about room, just contact me. This could be a real kick in the pants.

NOTE TO MANUF: If you got a board you think may work, contact me. If you send me a board at your expense, I will be responsible for it and get it back to you in the same shape, or pay for its COST.

Also, this is all in good form, as long as I can help it, this will not be about bashing any other boards or companies, especially if you send a board. I have a rule at wake9. If I buy a product with my own cash to review, I will say whatever I want, good or bad, hey, I bought it. But if a company sends out something at their own expense, I use the old proverb of my mother "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all". So in those cases if I don't like the product, I would just send the product back, say thank you, and we wouldn't release a review.

I say all that to say, Any more boards? Its all in good form. Sounds like fun.

DTW, if you are brave enough I can have one of my kids drive you on the waverunner, and you can get some REAL nice shots. Be the camera man from the sled.

Gunz, you are always welcome. Go buy one of those pregnant suits, strap it on, and we will throw you on a board! Eat some twinkies or something. And this time bring katelynn. I will find room.

The event would be at Lake Orville. Sometime middle of Nov. I think. I think we would sink the boat if we all got on one side. LOL Robert will have his pontoon boat as well to kept the weight off the riding boat. Should be a fun "BIG GUY" get together. Weather could be a factor

This is the address of my building, So TENTATIVE of Sunday 11/15, meet at 10:30am.

9300 Skyway
Paradise, CA 95969

I am going to call marina about the platform and stuff, but I will need a head count. Does that date work for all? We will have to pray for no rain.

1st Annual Polar Bear Surf Challenge.

roberts lake is lake orville .... i can even arrange to stay up there for the weekend so you dont have to come all that way for 1 day of surfing if you so choose .... same for all the people that would come from afar

any chance of a Saturday?????? Rain don't scare me none!!!

I can do SAT or SUN. But last time SUN seemed to work better, cause some guys work on SAT. You guys chime in. I have penciled out both dates.

robert ill have christopher at the very least with me .... laura gets a taste of real life and has a job on the weekends untill snowbaording she says LOL .... if its only 1 day i may be able to wrestle her away though as they love making the trip up to your place .... for any people intrested you dont find people any nicer then roberts family!!

Either would work for me. How about a "Polar Bear Retreat" both days? Any all you can eat places we could put out of business up there? LOL

I was thinking we would all head to this great college pizza place called Woodstock's pizza. They are going to pass out when all these fat guys come walking in. Otherwise, we will just eat DTW.

Saturday works better for me,as I've been workin the graveshift.......but sleep IS over rated.

Last time,I got home at 12:30am,had to get up for work at 2am,but I made it because of the overwhelming stoke,and the killer tri tip.

2 day event???? Lots more riding!!! I have gas money!!!

Saturday is definitely better for me.

Will there be anyone going from or through Sac and can give me a ride up? I have gas money!!!! I would prefer not to rent a car...

find a nice italian place with family style entrees and when the plates come out we'll say i thought these were family size?

by looking at the ocean tides the weather should be good .... from my old charter fishing days we used to predict the weather faily accurately .... opening my mouth a little wider i may be able to get the other foot in

Man, i hope the weather holds out. This is going to be funny. Bunch of big guys out in the cold water.

Woodstock's is great, incredible food and big place. I think I took Dennis and Bre there.

If everyone wants SAT, then I can do saturday fine.

I just called Lake Oroville Marina. I asked about helping us out, with the use of this:

http://www.lakeorovillemarina.com/watercraftdetail.cfm/PatioBoat

It holds 15 people, in CLASS. I would say 80% chance I get this for free for us. I will know today. Off season really helps this, but they know me and my site, and are excited about people coming from all over and me plugging them on our site. They are good people. It even has a bathroom on board.

MY GAWD THIS MAN HAS PULL!

Looks like a full bar. I'm in.

Looking at flights as we speak.....

bigcatpt I can get you at the airport and back if you want.

OK, I thinking we should make this demo for riders 200+ and get some more manufactures.

Who wants to get a hold of inland and shredstixx, I am working out other details and need some help. We need a blue lake and a red woody, and I am sure shredstixx has some bigger boy boards.

Who else, Phase 5?

I am going to build a page on wake9 that will be devoted to this, and will prominently post logos of each manufacturer. Not to mention blogging and videos of the event that will all point to this page.

I want at least 10 guys over 200+ and I will video all of it, so those that can't make it will have the opportunity of seeing a guy that is built like themselves, and have some extra confidence in a board purchase.

200 lbs + men, those are boat owners my friends. This is the market to please. Decision makers.

thanks Dennis for the ride offer. This is starting to come together. I am calling my surfing buddy right now who is 230# to see if he will come. He's got frequent flyer miles. Should be a no brainer!!!!

Robert... Add a Inland Surfer swallow on that list!!!!!
I have a Red Woody but I don't know about getting it there on a plane.....

Robert any chance they would let a couple of us sleep overnight on that pontoon boat if we brought a sleeping bag and you had it reserved for 2 days???

Let me say this now, I WILL out eat any of you 'polar bears' when it comes to pizza. Fact.



I'd be happy to film from the sled or anywhere else for that matter. First, I need permish from the BOSS. Lets see how this one goes over.....

I MAY be able to borrow more pontoons from the marina if more people come, but I am going to need a head count. And if it gets nuts, I may have to turn away, so RSVP here.

http://wake9.com/blogs/blog/category/events/

I don't want to push on the sleep over part with the marina. If you need a place to crash, say so on your RSVP. I have a 30 foot trailer I can setup next to my warehouse. It would sleep at least 4-6. My guess is DTW is going to be the little spoon on this one. LOL.

Well that changes everything. 200 is for light weights.

I put out a LOT of body heat.

DTW is my board caddy. Find your own. Shoot if we go to 200 then I might need two board caddies.

and i will bring my boat for the entire weekend .... now all you need to make it outrageous would be jdjjamesz and his boat to make a showing!!

Robert I can't get blog link to open


I got the "do whatever you need to do" from my wife.... which mean I can go but will pay the consequences... some things are worth it!!!

Are we gonna need more than one surf boat???

I will let you know about needing the place to crash.

Does this work?

http://wake9.com/blogs/blog/2009/10/26/1st-annual-polar-bear-wakesurf-challenge/

I am working on another boat, and I think frank is bringing his. I may have another surprise for you guys.

The reality of the weight thing is that 200 # riders have lots of options. The issue of options is over 250# the amount of boards available is quite small. That seems to me to be the area that needs the exposure and research.

I'd love to get the 'do whatever you need to do'

Pray for me.

And I got dibs on RJ as my assistant (if I make it)

yes yes ill bring mine for sure and i will stay for both days as long as everyone wants to surf!!

dennis can you bring some of your lead? coooool!!

Funny Frank I was just about to offer that.

Yes, I agree on 250+, but if we have 2-3 boats and a barge, I think we have some room. How can we say no to gunz and bueno? Beside, I want to see bigcatpt and bueno on the queen bed in my trailer. bueno as the little spoon cracks me up.

DTW is MINE. Don't be poaching my guys.

little spoon with the pencil holder (if i'm the outside spoon)

LOL

@ragboy - i'm in I will come up with DTW, Dave might come too. I will bring a couple of more boards to.

Great, please use the RSVP, it will be my official count.

http://wake9.com/blogs/blog/2009/10/26/1st-annual-polar-bear-wakesurf-challenge/

"We're gonna need a bigger boat"

HAHA.

So how many/whose boats you got?

So, here is the thing. It looks like we will have 2 boats confirmed, and I just confirmed the 44' barge will be at my disposal. 250lb + guys will be priority, but ok if you are 200+ and really want to come, don't want to exclude. But I don't want to drop off a 250+ guy for a 200 guy if that makes sense. This is mostly about helping to resolve that Bigger Guy market. I think we are going to have enough room for all, but wanted to be clear.

I am shooting for my tige, Frank's sanger, and maybe one other tow boat. Also my pontoon, 2 waverunners for video and photos, and the 44' barge which will be great if it rains.

What is the limit?

What should I do?

You are booked, since you are the official still photographer, deal?

haha. Okay, but i still need permish. I will work it and try to come up with Clay. That is a big selling point.

blog link still not working!! Spoonin with Bueno is no bueno for me. LOL I fill a queen size bed all by my big bad self!!!! LOL

Wish I could snap my fingers and bring the Avalanche along for the trip!!!!

Me and my buddy are looking seriously at our options here. Save a place for 2. Thanks!

ok, I have received several RSVPs. And I have tested myself. Not sure what issue you are having.

Who will I be spooning then? Dennis? Gunz?

That whole line of this thread is just wrong on so many levels.

Only if you by me dinner,and we do a F the OG sign.

At least we aren't talking about FORKING.

sheesh.

Is that the same as scissoring?

If we are both there, the FtOG sign WILL HAPPEN!

diff than scissoring. and knifing.

Is there a fight that weekend?

YES...UFC 105 Couture vs. Vera....a Spike freebie on the 14th!!!!

There has to be a place in Chico to see it.

Woodstocks is a sports bar with large flats all over. They would probably put it on. And that is where I was planning on going. They would prob at least put it on in the side room.