I know a handful of people on here wakeboard or waterski and tons more just enjoy boating off on the lake. Being on the lake is my favorite thing about summer.


I finally got the board out for my first ride of 09 this weekend and wow i am out of shape. Not to mention I was behind our new boat for the first time and there are a lot of kinks that need to be worked out with that. My bindings are still rediculously tight, I got them late last season and didn't have much time to break them in. I need to get some fat-footed friends in them to help loosen them up some. All in all i rode for about an hour last night. The water traffic was still suprisingly heavy even at 6:30 when i went out. It made for some rough riding, but i was just trying to get my legs back under me. I'll get out in the early morning next weekend for some smooth riding

So who's out riding, who's learning for the first time, who's just spending their summer on the lake?

6/1/2009 12:07:39 PM

I'll post in your thread.

6/1/2009 12:35:43 PM

needs more salt

6/1/2009 12:37:05 PM

aye

6/1/2009 12:39:29 PM

Spent the last 2 Sundays out on Jordan. Yesterday was perfect weather. Water temp is warm enough to enjoy it, but not so warm that it's not refreshing. As for wakeboarding, I've only tried getting up a couple times and have been unsuccessful so far. I hope to change that at some point this summer. I definitely enjoy some tubing though.

6/1/2009 12:40:37 PM

I have only made it out for one wakeboarding session and two or three surf sessions this year. I just really got my boat in the water the Saturday before memorial day, so I've been riding with other people all year. My boat has new carpet, a new water pump impeller, a new thermostat, all new fluids, a refinished teak platform, some stereo work, and a couple of replacement upholstery pieces this year; so I'm ready for some boat time. Memorial day was a bust because it was so crowded.

[Edited on June 1, 2009 at 12:47 PM. Reason : l]

6/1/2009 12:41:17 PM

i'm learning for the first time. Heading to lake gaston for a week with my in-laws later this month.

I tried a few times last year and was never able to get up. I was using my much younger brother-in-laws' wakeboard, and it was suggested that i might be too big/heavy for it, even though it fit my feet. I outweigh the older of the two by about 40 pounds.

Does that make any sense? if so, where can I get a reasonably priced entry-level wakeboard? I'm 6'1 and 190 if it matters.

6/1/2009 12:42:55 PM

Do you know what size his board is? A 138cm-140cm board would probably be ideal for you. You could probably still get up on a shorter board though. It'll just be a little more difficult to pop out of the water.

6/1/2009 12:51:54 PM

the hell with lake jordan. a gaggle of landlocked rednecks who know nothing about boating, its laws, or courtesies all on one relatively small body of water is a horrible combination.

6/1/2009 12:55:44 PM

saw someone cutting flip son a hydrafoil yesterday at falls lake, shit was nuts


jesse do you go to lake norman or lake wylie?

6/1/2009 1:03:08 PM

^^any suggestions on other places to go that are close by then? You're going to run into lots of people who are ignorant of boating laws wherever you go anyways. I haven't had too much of a problem at Jordan (although we did bitch at some dumbass pwc riders for blasting through the no wake zones yesterday )

6/1/2009 1:06:04 PM

^yeh, the coast

it's not too far away. and sure, there are ignorant people everywhere. but I firmly believe there are more here than the coast, not to mention that there is so much water you hopefully won't have to put up with them

6/1/2009 1:08:49 PM

I haven't wakeboarded for a few years since I busted my eardrum once but I could get up and jump back and forth a little bit back in the day

hit up some great kayak and jetski time on Lake Norman last weekend though, and I, too, love being on the water

we should have a TWW boating off

6/1/2009 1:22:47 PM

Quote :

"jesse do you go to lake norman or lake wylie?"

neither actually. I'm at High Rock Lake about 90% of the time these days. My parents built a place there last year.

The other 10% is on Lake Norman, if i go with some other friends now and then

6/1/2009 2:15:03 PM

High Rock Lake haha

my parents have a place on Abbott's Creek

I haven't been up there in years tho...I much prefer going to the beach

6/1/2009 2:21:36 PM

Abbott's Creek is where i'm at.


I actually prefer HRL to LKN. yes, there are less women to meet but there are also less guidos in oversized boats to deal with and you can actually get a decent ride in.

I like the sandbar tie-ups at LKN, but the over population on new jersey gel-heads blaring bad techno really makes it lose its appeal.

6/1/2009 2:34:35 PM

I'm between lake Gaston at a friends place and Hyco lake where my grandparents have a place. I hope to be at the lake as much as possible this summer.

6/1/2009 2:40:27 PM

I've spent probably 3 out of the last 5 weekends at Lake Gaston, this past weekend was the first time the water temperature was something I'd call "comfortable". Original plan called for some skiing and such but the boat battery was dead, so we tried to charge it and it wouldn't hold a charge so we said fuck it, got on my friend's pontoon boat, and rode around and got wasted. I, too, enjoy lake season.

6/1/2009 2:41:18 PM

<--- Pea Hill Creek, Lake Gaston.

6/2/2009 10:32:33 AM

I hit Washburn's for grub Saturday, I think that's the area you're roughly in.

6/2/2009 10:38:59 AM

ya lake norman is a great party lake with with a ridiculous amount of douch bags

6/2/2009 10:40:04 AM

^^ Yeah, I can see Washburns from my dock. I worked there one summer after high school. It was fun being able to jet ski to work and take wakeboarding lunch breaks.

[Edited on June 2, 2009 at 10:42 AM. Reason : l]

6/2/2009 10:42:09 AM

I generally hang out in the Willow Run/Outdoor World area, but I have some other friends with places in Wildwood Point.

6/2/2009 10:44:08 AM

I was just at Gaston and still haven't learned how to wakeboard.

I will though. That and waterskiing.

Boating off is hella fun though.

I plan to spend every other weekend on the lake (if possible).

6/2/2009 10:45:40 AM

^^ That's cool. I can be found at the island in front of Big Stonehouse a lot of weekends; just across from Camp Willow Run. I know a couple of people who own places in Wildwood Point too.

6/2/2009 10:55:36 AM

anyone have any tips to speed up the breaking-in process on new bindings? I've tried the bottle trick to stretch out the upper tongue, but it didn't have any effect.

The top tongue on these is unbearably tight.

6/2/2009 10:59:55 AM

Get bigger bindings? I dunno...I think the bottle trick comes from the days when bindings were made of layers of wrapped rubber and didn't have laces. I've never had to do it since they started making them with less stretchy materials and laces.

You could try adding some heat to the bottle trick...Toss them in the car with the windows up for the next few days.

[Edited on June 2, 2009 at 11:11 AM. Reason : l]

6/2/2009 11:04:52 AM

yeah that's a good idea.

I just pulled up a couple reviews about them and people have had similar complaints...just too tight on the upper tongue when new, but will break in over time with some stretching.

They don't feel bad when i'm up on the water, just hurt when i'm sitting waiting on a pull. If I stay up for long sessions i shouldnt have a problem lol

6/2/2009 11:23:24 AM

I've only done most of my boarding at the coast. Adams Creek, the canal, or on the Neuse in front of the O-club at Cherry Point. The water is shallow in some areas but you can a continuous run for miles. Another good thing is that it's on the ICW and whenever a Hatteras yacht comes through we make a B-line for its wake.

The only problems are that I think the board we have is getting into it's final days, it's about a 2 hour drive home, and most importantly the deck of our boat is under great repair.

6/2/2009 11:51:24 AM

I'm wanting to buy a wakeboard to get started. Does anyone know what I should start looking for? I'm 5'10" and 170lbs. I need to start with the board obviously then find some bindings. Are there beginners boards/bindings that i should be looking for? What manufacture should I buy? LiquidForce, CWB, O'Brien, Hyperlite?

Also, My girlfriend really wants to start too. Could she use the same board or bindings as me? I have a feeling she needs a smaller board.

Any advise would be great!
Thanks!

Harris Lake (Sharron Harris Power Plant)is a great lake for riding too. Its smaller in size, but boat traffic is very minimal.

6/8/2009 4:10:29 PM

The Liquid Force Trip is one of the most versatile boards out there. It's good enough to take you from being a beginner to doing inverts without needing an upgrade. Overtons has it on sale right now at a really good price: http://tinyurl.com/m8ua5n

You'd probably want the 138. Your girlfriend might want the 134, but as a beginner she'll be fine.

If you want to search for a while check out http://www.boardersbestbuy.com/ and http://anothersmokingdeal.com/ every day and you might catch a slightly better board/bindings for about the same price.

6/9/2009 10:16:13 AM

I know several people who work at Overton's in Greenville. I've never bought anything through them, but I've heard them talking about having "vendor sales" where rediculously high-priced shit is sold on the cheap. Might be something to research.

I've spent the last 2 weekends on the lake, looking like number 3 is a done deal at this point.

6/9/2009 10:23:34 AM

message_topic.aspx?topic=535115

StrikrBeaver, take a look at that thread. Good info on what to look for.


I went with the trip and love it.


Didn't get to ride this weekend, should be out there this coming weekend though barring the weather

[Edited on June 9, 2009 at 1:33 PM. Reason : i]

6/9/2009 1:33:05 PM

I was at the beach for the last two weekends (and everything in between!) Hoping to get a good session in Saturday morning.

6/9/2009 1:38:40 PM

Quote :

"The Liquid Force Trip is one of the most versatile boards out there"

agreed, i'm 6'3, about 225, and I have a trip 143. Fuck wakeboarding on the lake though...

me off the neuse river, this ended up being a pretty big wipe out haha, I'm almost starting my cutback from the front of the boat.

6/9/2009 2:45:41 PM

Thanks for all the advice! I know there is a Fall Boat Show & Sale in Aug a the NC Fair Grounds. They usually have boards really cheap. I might wait till then to buy one. That's prob. the "vendor" sale your buddy was talking about.

6/10/2009 2:37:05 PM

Overtons takes a ton of stuff to the show and has it at really good prices, so that's probably it. They'll have racks of stuff really cheap in the store the week after too. I bought a vest that was marked down from $129 to $30 or $40 last year.

6/10/2009 2:43:37 PM

I like the look of the trip. The one for sale on Overton's has LF Domain bindings. Are those good? From what I've read i should go closed toe, right?

6/10/2009 3:07:49 PM

Domain boots are pretty comfy looking to me. I rode Alphas which are one step up from the Domain for years and they were super comfy. I'd bet the 08 Domain is better than the 05ish Alphas I was riding. They actually sell that boot for $209, so $279 for the Trip with the boots is going to be pretty tough to beat.

6/10/2009 5:11:51 PM

When do I get invited to the lake?

6/10/2009 5:13:27 PM

whenever you have a weekend off. May go up there this coming weekend if your schedule permits.

will know more details tomorrow













These are the new 09 Trips. I would love to have all of them on a wall at my place



The complete picture looks awesome when they are mounted side by side. you can find it somewhere on the LF page.

[Edited on June 10, 2009 at 5:18 PM. Reason : k]

6/10/2009 5:16:28 PM

I will let you know: probably won't be free for a weekend till July.

6/10/2009 5:22:01 PM

WAKE GASTON!

6/12/2009 11:37:39 AM

How's it looking? I will be enjoying several alcoholic beverages on the lake this weekend.

6/12/2009 11:38:54 AM

Not there yet. Heading up tonight or tomorrow a.m. I need to start getting there on Friday afternoons though. There is usually some decent water to be found before everyone else shows up for the weekend. Sunday nights are always great riding. Just gotta be prepared for the early drive in to work the next day.

6/12/2009 11:44:47 AM

i was out riding today.

shit is awesome on weekdays.

Anyone see me on falls, come say high. White/blue slant-back nautique with a black tower

6/12/2009 11:47:29 PM

got some decent riding in Sunday morning. I wish i had perfect pass on my I/O. Its hard when the driver doesn't have much experience. But it was still a lot of fun.


shifting the topic for a few minutes...Does anyone have a recommendation for a tube? I've got a basic one thats several years old and has a hard time staying firm. I've got a couple friends who really love being ripped around on a tube and I want to get something new to have.

6/15/2009 2:53:31 PM

lol...Myself and my neighbor had big plans to be on the dock at 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning, but neither of us made it. Did some mid-day surfing yesterday...That's about it.

6/15/2009 3:24:25 PM

lol yeah i had a handful of people up for the weekend. One really wanted to get up early and give it a try on the wakeboard. He even set his phone for 8. Needless to say we even waited till 9 and he still didn't join us.

6/15/2009 3:41:42 PM

set em up

6/16/2009 2:39:27 AM