Hot Buddy Products (Power Flag)

Some of you might have know'n I was installing a Power Flag from the "How would you drill this hole" thread. But for thoes of you who didnt.

Ill start by saying Patrick Cone, the inventor, is a real cool guy. I went down to his shop in San Jose Ca, to check out the new power flag.
My friend has one of the orignal Power Flag's and I had used it and knew what they were all about. He has had it for some time, I had heard threw the grape vine they had come down in price and there was some new changes I was intrested in what they had done, So Patrick invited me down to come check it out. Hot Buddy Products makes the soap buddy (soap holder) and the Tower Sock (tower cover) The sunglass buddy (sunglass holder) and the Power Flag. He starts off by showing me around. Its a small well put together place where everything has its spot, he makes most everything in house so theres no room to have mess. Thers a cool machine that is used to fill like 15 soap buddys at once fully automatic that gets fed from a 55 gallon drum of tropical soap. Theres a huge table for cutting fabric and neoprean and a industrial sewing machine for sewing the tower socks and Sunglass buddy's together. Last but not least over against the wall is the power flag station, Hanging like guns on display mirrior polished and black powder coated aluminum power flags adorn the wall. Below is the test bench where each power flag is built in a velvet lined holder. there is also a power supply and a amp quick disconect connector that plugs into the power flag, Amd a up and down switch ready to test each hand built flag.

This is where my factory tour gets interesting. he pulls out a padded rifle case and in it is a for display only, power flag its like a working cutaway model, Its the same as a real power flag but its made with a clear plastic tube instead of a aluminum tube. He plugs it in starts running it up and down up and down , It was so cool seeing how it worked I was sold. Its very complex and exact. Its very detailed and designed to opperate over and over. Totaly over built, and thats why I love it and its my new faverote toy. The whole unit sells for $750 out the door. That comes with Power flag, Computer controler, Adjustable wake designs bracket and all the mounting hardwear. I know it sounds like alot of money but if you see it in real life you would understand, I know what it takes to make somthing like this, and if I could make somthing like this it would be way more than $750 so to me $750 is a deal. To each his own.
you can go here and see all the photo's
http://svtsupercharged.com/gallery/album14?page=1
when you click on the photos they enlarge there is 2 pages of photo's

Grant, The Bling meter is pegged ! What else could you possible do to your boat ? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Your one of a kind my friend.

can you try to get a photo of it extended, I looked on your site and no such luck. That looks pretty sweet but $750 bucks is alot for a cool factor product.

Not if your the King Of Bling !

Nate I know what your talking about. I think If I would have never used it before It would be easy to dismiss it as usless and expencieve.
Like I said once you see it and use it, it gets alot easyer to think about shelling out the money. But trust me its worth it.

Grant, you did a fantastic job!!! My only beef with the product,not your install is that the product is just too dang big!!!! It looks like a mortar shell launcher. I do like the nippley power button

Grant,

Looks great, for some reason I was expecting to see it in the polished variety? I guess the last one I saw at the boat show was polished so my mind just went there. Did you consider a polished version? Where did you mount the LED indicators?

Does it make that cool light sabre sound when going up and down like the ones at the boat show did?

Now you just need to add a little strain gage sensor circuit into the tow rope so it automatically senses when the skier goes down, or just tie it into the perfect pass.

Cool stuff Grant. I met Patrick when I purchased my tower sock. He is a neat guy.

Next, put a water proof clip-on transmitter on the rider and a sensor on the boat. When the rider goes down, the radio signal is silenced and the flag goes up. When the rider is out of the water, the radio signal is live and the flag goes down. The best thing is that it fails with the flag up. The flag is only up when the transmitter is working and above water.

If you are the only one on the water with this transmitter, then the radio can be super stupid. If it is designed for many boats using the same product on the same water, then you need a smarter transmitter/reciever.

Andrew: Yes it looks tall from that photo/angle its mounted about 4 inches higher than the tow point, So the rope doesnt get caught on the side of it. you could mount it lower and it could blend in a bit more. The LEDs are mounted on the standard up and down switch, I have that remote so that the passenger can opperate it. Theres photo on my website of it.

Mike: I wanted the black one so it would blend into the tower a bit better. If I was to have had chrome speakers cans or clamps I could see it looking quite nice polished. The LEDs are mounted on the standard up and down switch, I have that remote so that the passenger can opperate it. Theres photo on my website of it.
I thought about the perfict pass idea also.

Dane: Patrick has a transmiter in the works it should be out soon its just like what your talking about. And will work with old and new power flags.

I was thinking about getting a tower sock
do you still have yours?

Grant,

Looks great, for some reason I was expecting to see it in the polished variety? I guess the last one I saw at the boat show was polished so my mind just went there. Did you consider a polished version? Where did you mount the LED indicators?

Does it make that cool light sabre sound when going up and down like the ones at the boat show did?

Now you just need to add a little strain gage sensor circuit into the tow rope so it automatically senses when the skier goes down, or just tie it into the perfect pass.

Yes. I was going to sell it. But, instead it is covering my tower on the dock at DiscoBay now. Its a nice product but over built for my needs since I don't tow. The stitching leaks and the sock fills with some water in the winter. Still, its much better than no cover. Its also a bit of work to put on. A more simple solution could work for me and it would be easier to put on.

Ok, now here's the big question...i thought i heard that power flags were illegal in the state of california, and that you have to actually have a person holding your flag. is this not true? if not, would it be acceptable to have one of those (cheap) holders that permanently holds the flag up?

i know, i'm a cheapskate, but $750 is a lot of cheddar...

I dont know for sure, My friend was stoped by a Water roach (AKA cop) and he hasseled him about not having the 3rd holding the flag. Insted of disputing it with him my friend said Ok officer Ill use the regular flag and he went on hes way. He uses it all the time and has only been asked one time. I dont think it matters how or who opperates the flag as long as you have a flag and are using it correctley its all good in my book. The water roach said the person who holds the flag needs to be older than 12???? I think it was just a B.S. shakedown

This was in a different thread.

Department of Boating and Waterways.
Title 14, section 7009

7009. The Ski Flag.
(a) A red or orange flag measuring no less than 12 inches on each side, in
the shape of a square or rectangle, mounted or displayed in such a manner
as to be visible from every direction shall be known as a ski flag.
(b) The use of this flag will not be construed as conferring any rights or
privileges on its users, and its display will not be construed in itself as
restricting the use of the water in the vicinity of the vessel displaying the
flag.
(c) Operators of vessels will, however, exercise precaution commensurate
with conditions indicated.
(d) The ski flag shall be displayed when one or more of the following
conditions exists.
(1) A downed skier.
(2) A skier in the water preparing to ski.
(3) A ski line extended from the vessel.
(4) A ski in the water in the vicinity of the vessel. The ski flag shall not
be displayed at any other time.
NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 652, 658, 658.7 and 659, Harbors and Navigation Code.
Reference: Sections 650, 655.3, 658.7 and 659, Harbors and Navigation Code


Link to the codes:http://dbw.ca.gov/boating.htm

I would say the power flag is totally legal. Still, water cops may still invent laws as you go.

I will try to to find the law on the observer too. This just describes "displaying/MOUNTING a flag".

The boob cops simply merge the laws. You must have an observer over 12 years of age.
And, you must display a red/orange flag. Yet, it does not say that the observer must hold the flag.
The law even encourages MOUNTED flags!

7009. The Ski Flag.
(a) A red or orange flag measuring no less than 12 inches on each side, in the shape
of a square or rectangle, mounted or displayed in such a manner as to be visible
from every direction shall be known as a ski flag.
(b) The use of this flag will not be construed as conferring any rights or privileges
on its users, and its display will not be construed in itself as restricting
the use of the water in the vicinity of the vessel displaying the flag.
(c) Operators of vessels will, however, exercise precaution commensurate
with conditions indicated.
(d) The ski flag shall be displayed when one or more of the following
conditions exists.
(1) A downed skier.
(2) A skier in the water preparing to ski.
(3) A ski line extended from the vessel.
(4) A ski in the water in the vicinity of the vessel. The ski flag shall not
be displayed at any other time.

658. Operation of boats towing water skis. (a) No person shall operate a vessel
on any waters for towing a person or persons on water skis, an aquaplane, or a similar
device unless there is in the vessel a person at least 12 years of age, in addition to the
operator, in a position to observe the progress of the persons being towed.


Print the PDF, highlight these sections and kindly inform the water cop the law.

Good point's. Thanks for the info. I bet what the problem was his 3rd was not over 12. His son was like 10 or 11 at the time, and yes I bet your right they merge the 2 law's for there own reason. I will copy the the file just in case the water roaches pull out there ticket book. Thanks G

Grant'
Nice job, like it alot. I am also looking at the installation of the power flag. I was wondering if you have looked at the automatic rope feeder/holder? I have been considering that also. Talk about ching ching, $1500 and change. But it is remote controled so it has to be worth it. I hopw to pick up my flag at the P-town boat show in January.

Gary. That automatic rope real thing IMO needs a makeover. I think it's pretty ulgy, I saw a smaller cool looking one called a SkiReal< I think, that looked better then the large one I have been seeing latley, IMO Parts and acessories need to look some what cool before I would even think about putting them on my boat LOL, just like "form and function" in that order.
Yes if and when you get your flag let me know if theres anything I can help you with instalation.

Grant,
I agree 100%, I just looked at the one in the new WBM. It appeared alittle more sleek. All the other ones I saw at Boardstock were enormous. Hopefully the P-town boat show has a good turn out of vendors with all the cutting edge products. It was good to see a full page add for Patric in WBM. Are you ridding this Sunday on the Delta?