OWC in November

Thinking about doing a weekend trip with some buds down to OWC this november. Whats the scene like, good time to go? Who coaches the boat lessons... thinking about grabbing a lesson and riding cables for a day or 2... never hit a rail so want to learn. Any commentary on what I should look into or whatever... first timer...


Duane

Delta, I can't tell you much about the lessons. But with only a day or two and never having hit a rail before, I can assure you that you'll be busy if you try to get a handle on hitting all the obstacles. You should have great fun.

We did the same thing a few years ago. They have a few entry level obstacles for you to start on. It's pretty easy going on the fun boxes. Lessons probably aren't necessary, but if you're anything like me, your stomach will be in knots as you watch the cable come around to swoop you up for the first time. I thought I was going to poop.

Sit down your first time.

Here's John and I throwing back a cold Tecate between sets. Johnny kills it!

its easy to learn on with the box and chz wedge

but if you've never been on the cables you may get a few hours of riding then be sooooo sore the next few days are worthless.
My first time and then again after a long break between cable sets (6 months or so) rib muscles HURT terribly.

Keep that in mind with the time you're there and expect to ride
--maybe boat day 1/2morn then the second half of day 2 cables

November usually a good time to ride...still warm in the day....and not too windy. Note that they are open 11 a.m - 8 p.m. till Dec 1. If you wanted to wait till later in the month...we have our largest sale of the year the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. There are some 'crazy deals' to be had....we simply have to get rid of some old product...and "cost" pricing goes out the window to try and move some stuff. Let us know if you have other questions.
Bill @ Performance

19th Annual Thanksgiving Super Sale: November 28th - 30th.

Ha..stomach in knots. I thought I was the only one who felt that way the first AND second time I had ever been to a cable park.

I think the only 2 people coaching at OWC at the moment, beside Mike Ferraro, are Tarah Benzel- Mikacich and her husband. Boat lessons are $65 for 30 min.

Def chill out on the cable. Take a lap or two and take a break...its like going from not working out to running a marathon if you ride cable an entire day straight. You get more quality riding if you take it easy the first day and then ride hard your second (last) day.

I ride for hours when I go. Seems like less work than a boat pull.

They haven't done a press release yet but Cobe and Tarah are coaching at the cable. They're both great!

(Message edited by solo on October 07, 2008)

LOL Jarrod.... The old man's still hanging in there.

well I wasn't planning on a cable lesson... altho I'm pretty nervous about hitting rails/sliders but would really like to learn( I will certainly try).

I was thinking about a boat lesson just to get a few pointers (still havent gotten the tantrums, hs r2rs, ts backroll, ts frontroll, hs5, ts7) all tricks I'd like to learn... have tried but not landed yet but my season is over up here... or just get bs1's consistent... I'll have not touched a wake in a month and a half. I'm weight training so fatigue wont be a huge deal and I could take a half hr of slams to get a new trick or 2 in the bag so thats what I was thinking with the boat lesson...
Lots to do and learn(especially with features)... maybe just ride the cable for a day and a half or 2? Don't want to try to do too much and miss out on anything in particular... maybe the cables will be enough

one other question that I haven't looked into... flying down, does it make sense to rent a board? What are the rentals like? Not sure if I can fit my mana 142 or old substance in my carry on

With the price of airlines...you may want to see if you can ship it via UPS to the hotel / whereever you are staying. However if you are looking at purchasing a board / boots...we apply all your board rental money towards the purchase of any new board / boots or wakeskate. Rental for a sliderboard and helmet is $45 / day. We have good rental gear...Ronix Mana's, Vaults, Liquid Substance Grinds, and more. We should have new gear about the time you come. Hope this helps..let us know if we can do anything else!

Bill @ Performance

With the price of airlines...you may want to see if you can ship it via UPS to the hotel / whereever you are staying. However if you are looking at purchasing a board / boots...we apply all your board rental money towards the purchase of any new board / boots or wakeskate. Rental for a sliderboard and helmet is $45 / day. We have good rental gear...Ronix Mana's, Vaults, Liquid Substance Grinds, and more. We should have new gear about the time you come. Hope this helps..let us know if we can do anything else!

Bill @ Performance

Delta, you'll find that the ramps are pretty easy. Spins are much easier than behind the boat. Even inverts are easier. The rails are a little spooky, but I think you'll pick it up fast based on the list of tricks you've been trying.

If you are there on a weekend then perhaps I'll see you out there.

yea.. see I've been getting real comfy on this mana... but still spooked at the thought of rails... I can do rails no problem on snow skis but I'm not a snowboarder by any means, so riding rails on a board might get a lil interesting just getting used to the balance. Still in the planning stages... Havent ridden in a few weeks but Im still amped on wakeboarding (think I like it better than skiing... better move to fl, oh no! lol)

just keep your weight on the balls of your feet and straight up from there....dont lean either way front/back

you wont be catching any edges -- their rails are very nice.

I sent you an email.

Hey John - you at OWC or McC anytime this weekend? Maybe you can explain the mindset needed to make the spins and inverts easier off of a fixed kicker vs. a wake to me. I think I just have it in my head that the kicker is "fixed" so I dont go at it as hard.

Ted, spins off a kicker are pretty easy because you can start spinning on the kicker to ease into it. So there is a lot of lattitude in learning. Kickers with a curve are a little harder than ramps (flat kickers?). A curved kicker requires a harder yank on the rope.

But I guess the main difference is that you get launched no matter how you approach the kicker, fast or slow. So yes, you don't have to hit it hard to spin. You only need to hit it hard for height and distance. Behind the boat you have to hit the wake right and use good technique. On heelside and toeside 360's behind the boat I practice hitting the wake correctly and getting good pop before I attempt the spin. Off a ramp I hardly give it any thought.

I hope to be out at OWC this Sunday.

just keep your weight on the balls of your feet and straight up from there....dont lean either way front/back

Just to add to this leaning forward is likely to cause a problem than leaning back. When learning most people have an inherent belief that the slider will cause drag on their board and make them fall on their face if they don't lean back a bit. So they end up on their butt. I frequently find my self leaning forward on sliders. Especially when pulled off the top of the curve box onto the table. But with that said... don't get crazy about leaning forward. I just think you have more latitude with leaning forward than backwards.

agree with John. Spins are way easier on the cable kickers. Edge over to the kicker late, and you'll find slack in the rope to spin.

Thanks man, Ill be back and forth between Tampa and Orlando - boat and cable this weekend. I will take your advise.

If you are there on Sunday, I might see you. Same board and helmet as Jarrod's pic. Same Jet Pilot vest as you can sort of see in the pic. I'll try to remember to wear the same board shorts too.

I heard the cable operators there are pretty cool

I spent most of the weekend in Tampa - Ill keep an eye out for you though. Thanks.

I was out sat afternoon. Had to spend Sunday doing my taxes. Six month extension is up on the 15th, and I'm a big procrastinator.

Rode boat most of the weekend, but hit McC on Sunday. Worked on handle passes and now my arms are killing me!

I am a completely garbage wakeboarder. Before starting at owc, I had ridden behind a boat probably 3 times in my life, which were like 6 years ago. I've now been to owc 3 times, and it is much different riding cable. I faceplanted the first time about nine times before getting up.the second time I could get up 90% of the time, and rode around about 5-6 times before getting tired. But on my third visit I hit the funbox, and it brings wakeboarding to a whole new level. Idk how good you are, but if you've been boarding recently, you should be able to hit the slider at least second day. You'll need a helmet for sure. If you're goofy footed or regular and decent at toeside turns, the toeside turns shouldbe no problem. Have fun, lessons aren't necessary, just ask the cable operator for tips.

Alright guys. My buddy and I booked a flight down... getting to Otown at like 11AM on friday morning, the 14th... hopefully be to the OWC at like noonish. Riding O-DUB friday and saturday and partying both nights... if anybody is in O-town and wants to show us around (especially if you are girls... jk) we'd be down. Heading home on sunday... I'm probably going to get torn up on the sliders... I've got real good balance wakeboarding and in general but its going to take a lil to get used to sliders I feel...
Let me know guys... I'd like to meet anyone down there!

just as an FYI....southwest doesn't charge extra for board bags.

Get the LF GOLF bag! It looks like a golf bag but for boards. You may be able to sneak it through. Im gunna try

ok I am flying united air... for better or worse... if I'd have known about their wakeboard charge before hand I may have searched elsewhere... anyways, "waterski" equipment is the same as a checked bag... its a weekend trip, it wont be heavy but I ride a Mana... not the narrowest board ever... Am I going to be able to pass this off as waterski equipment?? Or am I going to have to find someone/somehow to ship to...

I flew United with a wakeboard a couple of weeks ago. I mumbled under my breath that "this is my ski equipment" and no questions were asked. On the return trip I said nothing and neither did they. Both trips were $15 (checked bag equivalent).

what kind of board bag were you rockin? I need to acquire one or use my buddies... its a CWB bag (DOH)... I figured waterski equipment should suffice...

Once again check out the Liquid Force GOLF bag. Its sik and looks like you have a golf bag but its really a bag for boards. Very Very Sneaky haha

Just throw some clothes in the bag. When they ask whats in the bag - say clothes, lots of them if pressed. It works - I fly everywhere - all the time.

They are not going to open it to "prove you wrong" - they know TSA will open it later to check for security issues.

and if TSA opens it... do they know its a wakeboard or do they not care as long as its not a bomb?

TSA only care about security issues. All oversize luggage gets opened anyway - the TSA does not work for the airlines, and the charge they are hitting you with at the ticket counter is the airline's charge based on recreation or business. The charge has nothing to do with security.
I have literally said "its clothes" and had the ticket agent say "odd shape for clothes" and the truth is - there were clothes in it (and a harmless wakeboard). I just reiterate that its clothes.
Just dont over pack it or you get charged the overweight charge which I believe is anything over 50lb.

Anybody else think they will be around November 14, 15 and 16? Riding and partying! Who rides O-dub on a regular basis and wants to see a newb to sliders get owned? haha

J Rod...I remember meeting you guys there a couple years ago...my first time on a cable and it was fun.

Delta...Rod's right...you can go on the entry level side and get used to it then go to the side with more obstacles when you feel confident and comfortable. You will have a blast. There are people there of all ages and all levels. And the guys that run the cable are awesome. I told then it was my first time and they helped make it a successful take off from the start. No one's there to laugh at anyone. Its all good.

Oh..and I tell the airlines its a water ski...it is a type of ski for water. I have never paid and sometimes they look. As soon as you say a board of any kind, you will pay. The airlines aren't smart enough to know a wakeboard is not a surf board.

I am going Dec. 6-13

(Message edited by rnopr8 on October 20, 2008)

I'm looking at flying into Orlando around the 23rd of Nov for a few days at O-Town. Thinking about taking an afternoon to hit up the cable for the first time.