New rider from Iowa

sidewayz · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 19 City: Des Moines

So I haven’t posted up on here much yet basically because I don’t know anyone... So I guess I'll take the time to introduce myself....and I thought I throw up a pic or 2

My name is Dan and I am newbie when it comes to wakeboarding.

This year my wife of 3 years and I had our first kid (a son) and after a couple of weeks of being a dad I realized I never was going to be able to ride my motorcycle ('99 GSXR 750) so I sold it and bought an old boat outright (that’s right its old but I don’t owe a cent) so I got a 1987 Bayliner 1950 Capri I/O 3.0 (yes too small of a engine, I know) and bought a tube. Took going out twice on the tube before I decided that was gay and went out to Scheels All-Sports in the local mall and bought a 2005 CWB SOL 141 it came with CWB Mobe bindings, a rope and handle, and a instructional video for $329 (I think that’s a pretty decent deal) and started learning off of my ski ring......took me about 10 try’s to get up but I figured it out (of coarse I was getting up all wrong and working way to hard at it too) and then I got addicted....

So since then I have gone a little wakeboarding crazy, I now own a '05 Hyperlite Era 147 w/ Byerly bindings (for those choppy days), a '05 Hyperlite divine (for the wife), and a '05 142 Byerly w/ Byerly bindings.....not to mention I also have purchased and installed a monster tower on my boat.... (Yes I know I should just buy an inboard but for now I have all this stuff and don’t owe a cent) and of coarse some neopreme llife jackets

I also took a trip down to Florida and got a chance to take a lesson at OWC (Orlando Watersports Complex...it’s a cable park with a boat too) which was extremely helpful and I am planning to take another trip this winter just to take some more lessons

Now I got some basic down such as surface 180's and butter slides and even Ollies and single wake jumps but I really would like to get better. Now Iowa gets pretty cold in the winter so I am going to switch to snowboarding for the season but I would like to meet some cats from around here that ride and so that when spring hits I can start right back up...and also maybe get some tips from better riders than myself....I definitely will be heading down to KC next year several times to hit up their cable park so I can learn the sliders (I cant wait to slide)

So now you know my story here are a few pics I got laying around of my stuff

The Gixxer that I sold to buy the boat

Boat before the Monster Tower

Boat after the Tower

here a pic of the CWB

And a short video of my wife and I wakeboarding at OWC (editing sucks it was done automatcly by the program I have but atleast the music is cool)

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

Great post man, welcome!

And your boat should be just fine for learning behind. I usually ride behind I/O with a 2.3 and no tower, so don't worry too much about that man, you're good!

earlcombearl · Posted: Sep 24, 2005 9:05 am Post subject:

Welcome man, good to see more people closer to the midwest. I've never been to KC, but been thinking about it. I haven't boarded in 2 years since my friend sold his boat, but I was throwing tantrums and trying to learn spins when I was riding last.

K-dub · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 14760

great post. welcome to the wb.com family.

you get a ***star*** from me. I only wish all newcomers here would post so nicely right off the bat.

sidewayz · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 19 City: Des Moines

Well I diffenately think the tower helps alot....I actually built a 7 ft ski pylon simluar to the one in the DIY Section(the floor jack model) and that worked pretty good but nothing is quite like a tower so I just had to upgrade after riding behind the boat and tower at OWC....Been out twice in the last week and I love it but the waters getting chilly and I dont really want to buy a wet suit becuase I am getting ready to buy a new snowboard (havent been Snowboarding since 2001) pretty sure I am getting the Burton Custom X and we just bought my wife a Burton Freestyle ES

MojoPin · Posted: Sep 24, 2005 9:56 am Post subject:

Hey! Welcome and enjoy the forums! I know about the cold winter, but that just makes it more fun when summer comes.

wesgardner · Posted: Sep 24, 2005 6:11 pm Post subject:

Hey sidewayz,

Welcome...we don't get cold like you guys get cold but have you considered a drysuit to help extend your season...they're great (wear your street clothes and stay nice and warm)

Maybe gin yourself up a heater from some auto parts or buy one "ready made" from buywake or similar.

Warm water showers are nice inexpensive add-ons - fill that wet suit you haven't bought yet with nice warm water before you jump into that nice cold lake/river/sea

Getting a ***Star*** from K-dub, - you've done very well me boy

Keep up the great work, enjoy...the boat looks like it's in great shape.

Peace

Blake · Posted: Sep 24, 2005 9:21 pm Post subject:

sidewayz · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 19 City: Des Moines

Yeah I thought about getting a wet suit or something but really snowboarding season is right around the corner and instead of throwing in a couple hundred dollars to extend the season for 3 or 4 weeks I thought I'd just throw it down on upgrading to a nicer snowboard than I was going to buy....Today I just ordered a '06 Burton 164 Custom X and a set of red carbon fiber bindings...I like to have the best gear whenever possible....

Oh and I appreciate the nice comments and such, I was pretty stoked when I found this forum and have been lurking around for a month or so. So far I have been impressed by the content of the boards....

sidewayz · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 19 City: Des Moines

Oh and the boat pics are self flattering.....I only paid like 4g's for it and it runs great but its definitely seen better days...however this winter my wife and I plan to do some rehab work to it (new upholstery, gel coat touch up, and some new graphics (all DIY style)....oh and a new stereo system and maybe some fat sacs or something (got to research and find out if they would work for an I/0)...

I'll keep throwing up some pics as I fix it up

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

sidewayz, fat sacs will work. Get like 500-600 lbs and put it in the bow.

Then if you can, get some lead or some type of smaller weights and you can use those on the sides to balance the wake out.

Blake · Posted: Sep 25, 2005 8:10 am Post subject:

ontrider, Word... On an I/O, you want to weight it from front to back. If you have a ski locker, then you can buy the two side sacks, for like 179 or something, and stuff one in there, and have a spair to counter balance the driver. And I hear you man, I started about 7 years ago riding, and the equipment sucked, but I would buy everything I could (with my fathers money). I have since slowed down, since I have to pay for some things, but damn can I go right through a check. I am the dude that will take a student loan out, just to buy some cool things. I am hoping to get sponcered so that I dont have to do this much longer. (Its hard when there is no local board shops either). Snowboarding is fun too, I usally go to Tahoe for a month, to ride and what not. Are you fairly good at snowboarding, or are you pretty green to that as well?

sidewayz · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 19 City: Des Moines

-deleted double post-

sidewayz · Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 19 City: Des Moines

I am pretty green on the snowboard too. I used to own one and I was just starting to grind and do fairly basic grabs .....however now it's 5 years later and 30lbs heavier so who knows what if anything I'll be able to do...my real goal in all of this is to have fun doing something that my family can enjoy.....cant wait till my 4 month old son can particapate in this stuff

Chad H · Posted: Sep 25, 2005 12:09 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the boards. I have only been around for a year, and have loved it for the time i have been here on wakeboarder.com

Snowboarding would be good for the offseason, if i had snow here i would be doing it in the offseason.

buckthis · Posted: Sep 25, 2005 2:37 pm Post subject:

sidewayz, can you ride switch on the wakeboard? ride goofy on the snowboard as much as possible this winter and it will actually help you ride switch next year