Author: kevintcom

Errata, or oops

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The recesses of memory played tricks on me, and I incorrectly deprived a podcaster of credit for his work. The Water Skit Tech Podcast was produced by Drago (Leigh Sheldrake), not by Marcus Brown. Marcus was kind enough to point this out to me recently, and I wanted to ensure that Drago got the credit for the work that he did.

In doing this, I don’t want to deprive Marcus Brown of the credit for what he’s doing to push forward a love of water skiing either. Marcus’ marcusbrown.tv is a great resource for videos relating to a love of the sport. I’d recommend that you check it out if you haven’t already.

Thanks for the correction, Marcus.

Episode 7: Nautique Boats and Fly Board

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This is the Weekend Water Skier Podcast, coming to you today from the Utah Boat Show. I’m Kevin Taylor, the host and producer of the show. This is the first of five episodes of interviews that I recorded at the Utah Boat Show between 7 and 9 February 2013. Today we have two interviews from the Boat Show: Greg Dick and Dave Hall.

Greg Dick with Nautique Boats

sport-nautique-200
Sport Nautique 200: Nautique’s recommendation for a crossover water ski and surf boat.

First up is Greg Dick, a factory rep from Correct Craft. I had a chance to talk with Greg about the Nautique line up for 2013. We talked about the 200 and spent some time talking about the new Nautique Surf System. I found that a lot of the innovation this year — not only from Nautique, but from all the major tow boat makers — was focused on wake surfing. After our interview I had a chance to sit at the helm of a Sport 200 on display, and found I really liked the layout and ergonomics of it. I also tried to sneak some information out of him about the prototype electric ski boat that Nautique teased in a YouTube video a few years back. He also talks about cable parks as a way to grow water sports.

LINKS

http://www.nautique.com
http://www.croftmarine.com

Dave Hall of Rocky Mountain Fly Board

Then I have a fun interview with the stand-out product at the Utah Boat Show. After hovering for some time, I finally got to speak with Dave Hall of Rocky Mountain Fly Board. This has nothing to do with water skiing, but it sure looks like a lot of fun on the water. It is like being a comic book character flying over the water. He addresses the issue of safety when flying on a stream of water being pumped out by a personal water craft. They have a program to try out flying without purchasing the entire system for people who want to experience it without commitment.

LINKS

YouTube Video
www.rmflyboard.com

Contact Info

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. If you have, then tell your friends, especially your skiing buddies, and leave me a comment at weekendwaterskier.com, or send feedback to feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.

I also welcome your thoughts about on today’s interviews. Or if you have topics that you’d like to hear about in the future, I’d love to hear those as well.  Leave a comment at weekendwaterskier.com or an email at feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.

Show notes for this episode are at weekendwaterskier.com. Look for Episode 7.

Episode 6: Marcus Brown and Terry McNew

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This is the Weekend Water Skier Podcast, coming to you today from the Utah Boat Show. I’m Kevin Taylor, the host and producer of the show. This is the first of five episodes of interviews about water ski tow boats, water skiers, water skis, and other lake stuff  that I recorded at the Utah Boat Show between 7 and 9 February 2013. Today we have two interviews from the Boat Show: Terry McNew and Marcus Brown.

Terry McNew of Mastercraft Boats

MasterCraft ProStar 214V
MasterCraft ProStar 214V, the boat recommended for open water skiers.

First up is Terry McNew, the President of MasterCraft Boats. We talked about MasterCraft’s commitment to water skiing, the renaissance of water skiing in general, boats that he would recommend for skiers in open water or a closed course, and some of his skiing experience. Mr. McNew has been in the boating business for two decades and has a lot of great information to share.

I want to thank Matt Hodson of Utah Water Sports for arranging this interview for me.

LINKS

http://www.mastercraft.com
http://www.utahwatersports.com

Marcus Brown of HO Water Skis

Marcus Brown on HO Skis
The finest dreads on the water, professional water skier Marcus Brown.

Next we spoke with Marcus Brown, dreadlocked professional water skier and product designer for HO Skis. Marcus and I talked podcasting and sharing the love of water skiing, then he walked me through the HO Skis lineup for 2013 — there is a lot of cool innovation they’re putting out — and finished with some of his skiing history and a tip for skiers hoping to improve.

Marcus’ podcast, Water Ski Tech, gave me a lot of my inspiration to produce the Weekend Water Skier Podcast. He was even kind enough to give me a second interview after my recorder broke in the middle of our first interview.

I also want to thank Marine Products Pro Shop for bringing in some industry greats to their booth at the Utah Boat Show! I know that everyone was there to sell their product and help out Marine Products, but they were all great to work with and I appreciate having access to them.

LINKS

http://www.hosports.com
http://www.marcusbrown.net
http://www.marcusbrown.tv
@Marcus_Brown_ on Twitter

Contact Info

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. If you have, then tell your friends, especially your skiing buddies, and leave me a comment at weekendwaterskier.com, or send feedback to feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.

I also welcome your thoughts about on today’s interviews. Or if you have topics that you’d like to hear about in the future, I’d love to hear those as well.  Leave a comment at weekendwaterskier.com or an email at feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.

Show notes for this episode are at weekendwaterskier.com. Look for Episode 6.

Follow me @kevintcom on Twitter.

Episode 5: Chris Rossi and Tigé Boats

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This is the Weekend Water Skier Podcast, coming to you today from the Utah Boat Show. I’m Kevin Taylor, the host and producer of the show. This is the first of five episodes of interviews about water ski tow boats, water skiers, water skis, and other lake stuff  that I recorded at the Utah Boat Show between 7 and 9 February 2013. Today we have two interviews from the Boat Show: Drew Adamson and Chris Rossi.

Drew Adamson for Tigé Boats

First up is Drew Adamson. Drew is a sales rep for the local Tigé dealership here is Salt Lake City, High Adventure Power Sports. We talk about Tigé boats, the TAPS2 system, the new Convex VX wake scuplting technlogy, and crossover boats.

Links

http://www.tige.com
http://www.highadventureps.com

Chris Rossi of Radar Water Skis

Chris Rossi water skier
image from www.slalomguru.com

we spoke with Chris Rossi, professional water skier and product designer for Radar Water Skis. Chris and I talk about teaching kids to “grass ski”, his slalom tip for people hoping to advance, the age of my current ski (a Radar Theory), and the Radar Skis line.

Links

www.slalomguru.com
www.radarskis.com
@slalomguru  on Twitter

Contact Info

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. If you have, then tell your friends, especially your skiing buddies, and leave me a comment at weekendwaterskier.com, or send feedback to feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.

I also welcome your thoughts about on today’s interviews. Or if you have topics that you’d like to hear about in the future, I’d love to hear those as well.  Leave a comment at weekendwaterskier.com or an email at feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.

Show notes for this episode are at weekendwaterskier.com. Look for Episode 5.

Follow me @kevintcom on Twitter.

Episode 4: Water Ski Lake Powell from a Houseboat

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This is the third in a series on Lake Powell, continuing from the 5 January 2013 episode Lake Powell Water Skiing Vacation Teaser, and the 19 January 2013 episode Lake Powell Vacation from a Marina. After teasing and sharing the budget vacation option, this episode covers the real, best, and most immersive way to water ski Lake Powell: houseboating.

Waterski magazine called Lake Powell the Ultimate Houseboat Vacation in its August 2012 issue

Why stay on a houseboat, not a hotel?

  • Stay where you play – 5 minutes from wake up to first turns
  • More coastline than the US Pacific Coat – so if you choose well you can get a place just as quiet or loud as you like it
  • Store water toys on the houseboat, not your ski boat – the back deck can become a crowded place with skis, tubes, boards, and other toys
  • Immersive lake experience, as close as you can get to a private house on a lake.
    • Watch the sun rise and set over the lake
    • Get in touch with the rhythm of nature
    • Push and play as hard as you want, then relax until you’re ready to do it again

Preparing for your Lake Powell house boating week

  • Packing for a week – everything from clothes to food and first aid supplies. This can take some space in a car.
  • What is the refrigerator and freezer capacity on the houseboat? What coolers can you use to supplement if it is not enough?
  • Getting a rental houseboat: Aramark or Antelope Point
  • Expect to lose cell coverage as you drive away from the marina
  • Trip planning secret: the first and last day will be dominated by travel to and from your campsite. Plan accordingly.

Who should you bring with you?

  • At least one other driver, even subsidized
  • Good friends, families with kids of similar ages
  • Discuss costs up front: rental, travel, food, fuel, park entry
    • Minimum fuel use I’ve seen for a week is $1,000, but it can go up well past that if you’re playing hard or exploring

Menus and meals

  • KISS – can you prep parts of meals in advance so it doesn’t take away from your lake time?
  • Grill whenever possible. The oven and stove top can really heat up the cabin.
  • Divide meals between families or friends going with you

Where to moor the houseboat and water ski?

  • Get a map of the lake that shows interesting features as you plan
  • Distance from civilization and other people?
    • Travel time on the houseboat (track the time out from the marina so you can know when to head back)
    • What is your gas supply for your ski boat and toys?
      • Aramark‘s five biggest have a fuel pump so you don’t have to bring your own cans.
      • Ask if you’re renting from Antelope Point
  • Use your ski boat or PWC to scout places you want to consider
  • What is the exposure to wind and waves?
    • Anchor it well!
  • Canyon walls are beautiful, but impossible to anchor to, and reflect waves back. You’ll need at least a hundred feet of beach to moor and anchor.
    • Add more space to moor your boat and PWCs

My favorite spots to camp and water ski

  • Warm Creek Bay (if it’s a quiet week on the lake)
  • Three arms of Padre Bay
  • Rock Creek Bay
  • Anyplace in the San Juan River Arm
  • Ribbon or Little Cottonwood Canyon
  • Halls Creek Bay (if it’s a quiet week on the lake)
  • Warm Springs Canyon
  • Good Hope Bay

Other activities

Additional Links and Sources

 

Feedback on Weekend Water Skier Podcast

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. If you have, then tell your friends and leave me a comment at weekendwaterskier.com, or send feedback to feedback@weekendwaterskier.com.
I also welcome your thoughts about a land-based vacation to Lake Powell, if you’re for it, against it, or just have additional input.
Show notes for this episode, including links to many of the hotels and restaurants mentioned in this episode are at weekendwaterskier.com. Look for Episode 4.

Weekend Water Skier Podcast now on iTunes

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The Weekend Water Skier Podcast is now listed on iTunes. You can subscribe through this link! Get your water ski fix delivered directly to you every time I record an episode.

I’m also working on a direct link to subscribe from the weekendwaterskier.com website.

Getting listed on iTunes has been a learning experience for me with a few mis-steps along the way including listing my website instead of a title, which really hurt my search results and learning how to get the direct links up and running. I ask your forbearance as I work through these issues. It can only get better in the future as I learn the ropes.

As I get the subscription process down, I’ll list on other directories as well. If you have a preferred podcast directory through which you’d like to subscribe to the Weekend Water Skier Podcast, please let me know by leaving a comment on this post and I’ll work on it as quickly as I can.

WW-Cover-Art-libsyn

Episode 3: Lake Powell Vacation from a Marina

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Welcome to the Weekend Water Skier Podcast. My name is Kevin and I am the host and producer of the Weekend Water Skier. I am kevintcom on most social networks. You can also find me in the Water Skiing group in Google+
This is the second in a series on Lake Powell, continuing from Episode 2: Lake Powell Water Skiing Vacation Teaser, released on 5 January 2013.

Intro Story

Trip to Page with Vanya in June 2007
     Took family along, but not on the lake

Why would you stay in town or at the resort?

  •      Buy meals at restaurants
  •      More off-boat activity
  •      Could be cheaper than renting a houseboat, depending on group size
  •      Trailer parking was an issue

Staying there

Launch Ramps

  • Hite
  • Halls Crossing
  • Bullfrog
  • San Juan primitive launch ramp
  • Antelope Point
  • Wahweap

Hotels

          Bullfrog – Defiance House Lodge,
                         Family units
                        Ticaboo Lodge near Bullfrog
          Page – 22 hotels
          Wahweap – Lake Powell Resort

     Restaurants

          Bullfrog – Anasazi Restaurant
          Ticaboo – The Grill
          Page – 29 restaurants
          Wahweap – Rainbow Room
          Antelope Point – Village at the Point, on-lake dining

Shopping

     Bullfrog – convenience store
     Ticaboo – convenience store
     Wahweap – tourist trap store
     Page – Safeway and Walmart, plus convenience stores

Water Skiing from the Marina

  • Bullfrog – Head over to Halls Creek Bay, or find one of the smaller canyons uplake from Bullfrog Bay, like Cedar Canyon, Knowles Canyon, or Forgotten Canyon. Moki Canyon and Hansen Creek Canyon are usually busy with people looking for the closest camping to the marina. I’m told that Good Hope Bay also has some good water, although I’ve never made it there myself.
  • Page – Some skiing in Wahweap Bay or Warm Creek Bay, but it’s best to head up lake to Padre Bay or Last Chance Bay for smoother water. Much further become impractical for a day trip.

Getting there

     Going to the middle of nowhere, so there’s not much on the way
     From Salt Lake, Bullfrog 5 hr, 7 min; Page 6 hr 5 min
     From Denver, Bullfrog 7 hr 25 min; Page 9 hr 59 min
     From Las Vegas, Bullfrog 7 hr 43 min; Page 4 hr 27 min

Conclusion:

  • Would I recommend a Lake Powell trip that is based at a resort or town? Yes, for a small group or a short trip.
  • Which marina gets my vote? Page side has better amenities and shopping so that you don’t have to bring EVERYTHING with you
  • If the travel time differences are a deal breaker, then just pack everything that you’ll need and go to Bullfrog

Signing Off

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. If you have, then tell your friends and leave me a comment at weekendwaterskier.com
I also welcome your thoughts about a land-based vacation to Lake Powell, if you’re for it, against it, or just have additional input.
Show notes for this episode, including links to many of the hotels and restaurants mentioned in this episode are at weekendwaterskier.com. Look for Episode 3.

 

Episode 2: Lake Powell Water Skiing Vacation Teaser

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Today’s episode is about things that you really have to do at least once on a water skiing vacation to Lake Powell, and some of my memories and experiences from my water skiing get-aways at Lake Powell.
The idea for this episode comes from Tom Churchwell through the Google+ Water Skiing community. Thanks, Tom!

Show Notes

My history with Lake Powell

  • In 1879, my great-great-grandfather found the hole in the rock passage across the Colorado River, at a point that is just about mid-lake today. I attended a family reunion in Little Cottonwood Canyon to commemorate this event.
  • The first time that I got up on skis was at Lake Powell at a church Youth Conference when I was 14 years old
  • The first time that my wife got up on skis was at Lake Powell on a houseboat trip with friends when she was, well let’s say, in her 30s.
  • I’ve had the chance to explore major portions of the lake. One voyage of exploration we had a dead battery on the boat and had to cut it short by two days.

Can’t miss, unique features and experiences on and around Lake Powell

  • Sand dune hill is a great place to spend some time on a hot afternoon.
  • Rainbow Bridge is probably THE landmark attraction at Lake Powell. There are daily tours from Wahweap if you don’t want to take your own boat, or you can drive yourself up to the dock and take the short hike up to the bridge. Remember to take your photos on the trail, not at the base of the bridge, as you will be too close to get it in your camera’s frame.
  • Slot canyons, mostly in the lower lake between Dangling Rope Marina and Wahweap, can be explored from the water with massive cliffs rising up on either side of the boat. Just be sure you can get back out.
  • Lost Eden, at the base of Halls Creek Canyon, weaves through a maze of tight passages into a huge grotto at the end.
  • San Juan arm of Lake Powell offers some incredible seclusion and calm water almost all day. The reason for this is that it is so far from any civilzation that most people won’t travel there. Even if you can’t get your houseboat there, take an afternoon to explore this part of Lake Powell.
  • Hole in the Rock has great historical significance for the southeastern part of Utah. Try to scramble up the scree, then imagine coming down that passage with a horse-drawn wagon.

Lake Powell Water skiing Links and Sources

Information on Lake Powell and other lakes on the Colorado River
Hole in the Rock

 

Water Skiing at the Utah Boat Show

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Utah Boat SHow
Utah Boat Show

I’ve been issued a press pass for the Utah Boat Show, put on by Greenband Enterprises on 7 – 10 February. I am excited to get a chance to learn about new products, and learn from industry experts. I know that I’m going to have to be selective in who I interview simply because of the time constraints of a show like this.

Is there anyone or anything from a boat show that you would like to learn about? It could be new skis, new boats, odd products from small manufacturers, anything that I can find at the show.

I also plan to look for people with a long history in water skiing who will give me a few minutes of their time as well.

I’d love to hear what you’d love to hear about. Let me know.

 

Episode 1: Welcome to the water skiing podcast

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The first episode of the Weekend Waterksier, a podcast about water skiing,  is now available. I’m still working on getting the publication smooth, but it is out there for the world to hear.

 Click the play button below to listen to the podcast now. It’s less than eight minutes, so don’t worry about it taking all day.

Show notes:

2.     Introduction

a.     I am a weekend water skier

b.     Live in Utah

i.     Nick Parsons

ii.     Chris Rossi

c.     I have a day job, which I plan to keep

3.     My water skiing history

a.     Not a pro, no aspirations

i.     Different sport

1.     Drew Ross and Bob LaPoint

b.     First got up at age 13 after many years of trying behind friends’ boats

c.     First saw a private lake at 21

d.     First skied a course in my 30s

e.     Spent most of my years free skiing on public lakes at

i.     6 AM to get good water

f.      Recently ski at Last Chance Lakes

i.     Run 15 off at 30 MPH

ii.     Get 4-5 buoys

4.     Why create a water skiing podcast

a.     Follow in the footsteps of Marcus Brown

i.     Followed professionals

b.     Want to create a place for

i.     Product Reviews and comparisons

ii.     New products and ideas

iii.     Fitness tips and other tips and ideas to improve your skiing

iv.     Interviews with pros and industry experts

v.     Interviews with other weekend water skiers

c.     Thought someone may just be interested.

5.     What to expect

a.     One topic per show

b.     Hope for forthightly during the water skiing season

c.     Probably less frequent in winter

i.     Boat show

ii.     Snow skiing that relates

6.     Conclusion

a.     If you liked this show, tell your friends

b.     If you haven’t liked it, tell me what I can improve.

i.     Email feedback@weekendwaterskier.com

c.     Show notes and other goodies at https://dtg.dlq.temporary.site/

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