A Gathering Storm

A few of the Midwest surfers that were at the Scioto Wakefest have been planning a wakesurfing get together on Morse Lake near Cicero Indiana on the 23rd of September. This small gathering of just a handful of riders has been gathering strength and numbers. We think we’ll have about twenty riders, four boats, and everyone’s wakesurf boards. Were planning to run side by side boats and surf that wish bone sine wake. I’ve been working with Jeff walker and a few of the wakesurf board manufactures and have scored some awesome demo boards for the gathering. The following demo boards are going to be at the gathering:

Demo:
Shred Stixx Extreme
Inland Surfer Yellow
Waker Project
Strait Trippin

My Boards:
Surf This
Trick Boardz Mojo
Inland Surfer Red Tide
Hyperlight Broadcast 5.6

Jeff Walker has laid down an East vs. West challenge to come up with the best alternative wakesurf board. This whole idea was inspired by my Surf This and Skim that boards and Dennis’ plywood flyer. I’ve got an idea or to, Dave on my crew is starting to think about it and it looks like Scoot S. is thinking about it too. I’m not sure what wins this alternative wakesurf board competition, best ride, lowest cost to build, most peculiar, … I think that main goal is fun.

LOL - Ed, the titles to your threads are always so dramatic! I would like to correct you, the main goal is BRAGGIN' RIGHTS!

I am tinkering with the material you and spoke of the other day - cardboard. I had a shipping box left over from the last boards I received and cut one side off.

Dennis and I have been talking about using cardboard as the core material also, so I did a test patch last night.

The corrugation in the cardboard is amazingly strong and in the test it didn't soak up much resin, I was concerned that after wetting the glass the cardboard would either disentigrate or would soak up so much resin it would weigh a ton.

It did neither. Still light and the opposite side of the cardboard was dry. After glassing both sides I was able to stand on the test patch without causing distortion.

I am VERY concerned with the rails. They are so small that it's going to be hard to get the glass to bend around them. The best I can hope for, I feel, is sealed but bubbly, ugly rails.

However, talkin' smack - I'm sure this will be the superior alternative board by far.

I've had the Walker Project demo for a few days and the Inland Surfer Yellow just came in today

We saw the Walker Project board at Wakefest, but it had shipping damage and couldn't be ridden. The board has been repaired, and wow I have a hard time finding the repairs.

I've ridden the IS Orange and the Blue. The Yellow has some features of both. The Yellow appears to have the general shape of the orange but has twin fins at the tail and a dimple in the front like the Blue.

If the weather holds we should get a chance to pre-ride theses boards tomorrow, can't wait!!!

Jeff I have some ideas on making a alternative materials board – also from card board and other paper products. I’m not sure when I’ll start. What I’d really like to find is an ironing board at a garage sale.

I was also thinking of an ironing board. I will have my IS Blue Lake and Trickboards SurfSkate at the gathering.

The 23rd should be a blast, I'm looking forward to it. I'm anxious to try the walker and the yellow. I know many of the other guys are looking forward to this as well.

This just in, Larry Mann with Trick Boardz is also going to support our gathering. He needs to check on delivery of some fins, but thinks he can send a Freestyle and a medium Velocity for us to demo. Thanks Larry!!

I was going to ride today but was rained out, maybe tomorrow

Ed were you going to tether the ironing board to someone's leg? We thought about a section of corrogated steel roofing, but no one would volunteer to to put the leash on.

I'd take the legs off the ironing board then fill the body with expanding foam, that should keep the ironing board from sinking.

We only teather heavy objects to people we don't like; did you know that Jimmy Hoffa used to wakesurf?

I rode the Walker board and the IS Yellow on Wednesday. Mike Walker said the F-18 bullet demo that he sent was good for riders up to maybe as high as 190 pounds. I’m about 210, the board just isn’t big enough for me, I could free ride but at my weight I was really crushing the wake. That said I think these boards are all custom made, so there’s no reason why one couldn't be made for my size.

I also got some time on the IS Yellow. If you’ve ridden the Blue but your looking for something more maneuverable this should be a good board. For me the demo Blue at Wakefest was a really good ride. The Yellow is also a very good riding board for me. I ran the boat speed up to about 12.5 mph and kept up fairly easily. Perfect Pass overshot by one full mph on the last speed increment and I lost the wave, I think I can ride this board faster, maybe as fast as 13.5, that’s about how fast I was able to ride the Blue.

What’s really odd is that my other surfing crew that was riding with me didn’t like the Yellow at all, frankly I was surprised. He prefers the Hyperlight 5.6. He has trouble with the IS boards, and says that they do not steer strongly back in to the wake. The Broadcast has three fins and so is more directional and more stable. I bet if we take the center fin off of the Broadcast he’ll have the same problem. I think that the IS boards are lose and probably easier to break free for spins. Anyway that’s why I think it’s helpful for riders to get a chance to demo boards; we all ride differently, have different preferences, and skill levels.

I'm pretty sure I'll be making the trip down also, and I'll be bringing my Walker Project board.

(Message edited by vfalco on September 18, 2006)

OK so how do you get there and when? I’m going to stay over Friday evening and I’ll be on the water well before 10:00 AM. Here’s a link to the marina associated with Wolfies: http://www.marinalimited.com/morselakemarina/index.htm.

Here’s a description of the meeting place that I found online here: http://www2.indystar.com/articles/0/144288-2530-P.html

"Wolfies (20999 Hague Road, Noblesville, (317) 770-4505), located at the reservoir's Morse Lake Marina, is set to open next week. It replaces Carrigan Crossing.
Owners Scott and Nyla Wolf are closing their Nyla's Market & Cafe in downtown Noblesville.
"My entire staff is excited because they are going from a restaurant that overlooks a parking lot to one that overlooks a lake," Nyla Wolf said.
Wolfies stripped the bar off the deck to stress family dining of steaks and ribs as well as lunch and weekend breakfasts. Now a 100-seat dining area, instead of just a bar, majestically oversees the water."

The 20999 address didn’t mapquest, but if you mapquest the street without the street number you can get close.

The Shred Stixx board is here!!!! !!!! Man we are really set up to ride at the gathering or what. The Shred Stixx boards are just too cool, Thanks Jerry!!!!

yeah they are, nice board, you gonna have to tell us how it rides