Radar Lake

Has anyone tried to build a "Radar Lake"? I wonder how much something like that would cost?

the cost just depends on how fast you want it and good you want to make it. if you have the land and the heavy equipment to move the dirt than the cost will be much lower. also much lower if you do it all yourself and don't have to pay someone to truck the dirt off. i don't know exact numbers but know a guy in Texas that dug out his own lake for around 250K. that was estimating his time that he put into it all winter. he had his own tractors and that stuff. that wasn't the cost of the land which he already had too. i'm sure the cost go up and down depending where you live.

When you state the question? Has anyone tried to build a "Radar Lake" it really confuses me. If you mean a private lake that was built for waterskiing and then got turned into a lake that is suitable for both waterskiing and wakeboarding. (Sure plenty of people have done that) If you mean Radar lake as in the amazing place that it is with all that is on the property including the infamous "Barn". The amazing backdrop and views of the valley. Along with being in a place of expensive realty. Then I'm sure not too many people have tried due to all the permits and cost associated with it. I heard a ***"RUMOR"*** that a few years back during the Windows boom that Someone from Microsoft made Herb an offer on the place and he of course denied and I'm sure laughed behind closed doors. If you ever get to go to the Ronix/Radar Factory in Preston, WA you will see pictures in their office of the vintage days at radar when there used to be numerous of waterski competitions held there regularly. The place is definitely like no other due to all the history that is behind it and of course just how amazing it really is. Although, I will note that if you were also referring to "Radar Lake" as a wakeboarding lake. It is not. Confusing to many uninformed individuals who have never been there. It appears to be a wakeboarders dream with all the rails and gnarley obstacles that they put in place from time to time. The lake itself is extremely shallow and not really all that long. Nor are the turn around islands necessarily designed for "Double ups". Driving on the lake is also a very tricky thing due to all the obstacles and the waterski course. So I hope I helped answer your very open ended and uninformed question.

However, The cost to build radar today is Priceless because nowhere in the Greater Seattle area is there that amount of land with such a view and the permits to do so are unattainable. Even Bill Gates couldn't buy it from Herb and Pam.

Also, if you want to see some sweet once in a lifetime footage at Radar be sure to check out the Video "Good Times 2" by Jared Eygabroad. In the bonus features you will see footage of a powder/glass day at Radar on the Ronix Covenant. There was a once in a life time chance that the lake was not frozen over and there was enough fresh powder to carve up both on snow and water.

I have seen the footage Mike is speaking of and it is very cool.

Stepchild, get back to work at DCS, SON!

Oh I will as soon as these stupid concerts are over!!!! Only two more weeks. This week is a tough one DMB 3days ... I think Eddie is taking them out on the X-2 again or at least that's what I scheduled them for! Should be a fun weekend regardless.. How is life at DCS ? ... Do we have mad orders for surf expo? ....

(Message edited by Mikesteppie on August 27, 2008)

Matthew, I've done it, built two lakes, one for wakeboarding, the other for slalom skiing. Shoot me an email if you'd like more info.

Killin' it man! We are on fire! We miss the big brown ninja stopping by and harassing us! I will be here til 8:30pm tonight. Roll through. Monster's on me! LOL!!!


Surf Expo orders - not too many, but we have enough stuff keeping us busy! So it's all gravy!

Hit me up Steppiechizzle!

Yes, I have built it. www.placidwaters.com

It is a residential community. Three bays completed, three more to go.

As far as I know, I am the first to engineer a lake for a fully loaded X-Star.

Here is a overhead pic of radar lake. http://wikimapia.org/#lat=47.7302675&lon=-122.0229471&z=17&l=0&m=a&v=2

"As far as I know, I am the first to engineer a lake for a fully loaded X-Star."

Not unless you beat Craig!

I've heard of people getting lakes dug for free or even getting paid. In fact I know of one in the area. If you have land, and there is a major construction project in the area and your soil is suitable for fill, they will pay you good money for that fill and dig a lake for you in the process!

You should tell the world about that chaser.....

everywhere is different , but there alot of things to consider . neighboors, permits, water supply , soil being able to hold water etc...

chasin is right some companies will dig the hole for the dirt but its not very common . excavation costs will usually run about 150K -250K .

for those interested in the Sac, CA area. . There are already two lakes completed for slalom skiers and a third lake is in the works. wakeboarding will be welcome. reach me at rodltg2@aol.com and i can keep you in the loop of what will be planned.

the attached pic is of the two completed lakes..

Mike you explained that so well (radar). The views, the barn, the good times at that lake are priceless. Then again, I blew my MCL out a week before I was heading up to Radar to hangout and ride. I still rode tho!

I think I may have had time to do 2 heelside and 2 toeside tricks on one run (if that), but didn't care because of where I was.

I've been waiting for a thread like this to find out what others have done to build a private ski/board lake and what it takes.

This was a good article I found a while back...good info in there...

http://www.waterskimag.com/article.jsp?ID=4710

You can build a lake in the shape of Radar....but I promise you there will never be another Radar. The views / setting / and history of the lake simply can not be duplicated. Pictures simply can never do justice to what Herb O'brien created there.

Bill @ Performance.

Radar is is absolutley amazing. I grew up less than 10 miles from it and didn't know it existed till a couple years ago.

My jaw dropped and I believe I entered heaven when I went up there for the first time this summer. I rode like crap and it is still the best set I have ever had.

Thank you Herb and Pam

(Message edited by polarbill on September 02, 2008)

Thank you to all who responded to a very open ended question. I didn’t realize it wasn’t a “wakeboarding lake” but mainly for slalom/ski. I should have known since it was built back in the early 70’s. I agree the beauty of the lake could never be duplicated!
Anyway what I was trying to ask is what would make the perfect wakeboarding lake. Examples: how deep does it need to be, what shape should the lake be, how long/wide should the lake be, what should the shape of the lake bed be, how much tree cover should there be, what is there for building permits, what involvement does the DNR need to have, does it have to be naturally spring fed, is there be any blue prints out there for a “wakeboarding lake”?
My roommate is trying to get a small pond on his property & he found out that it is possible to get paid or have it dug out for free like Chaser was saying, I’m going to dig deeper on that. I apologize for the open ended question & hope this clears up things for everyone.
Rod & Craig I'd like to pick your brains if I could.

one of my teachers from high school bought a .5 mile strip of water that was used to allow cows to drink from.... he dug it deeper, wider, moved the dirt to the outside (no wind) and now is just fighting the the DNR about trees...but it hink he and people he knows dug it all so he is doing it rather cheap