Fess up, your youngest spotter was.......

Darin · Guest

My daughter was our spotter when she was 5. *poet*
She will be 15 in June and pulling me this year. She's easier to train to drive the boat in a staight line that the wife. Smile

logan · Posted: Mar 22, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject:

spotter? haha there are times when we're camping and we'll take morning runs with a 2 riders, one drives, one rides, then we switch. Just gotta have good eyes!

Darin · Guest

Ahh the ole 6x14 spotter.

03Belmont · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 4656

yeah im spotterless alot of the time. Just me and the driver... then switch

Dip_Krew · Posted: Mar 22, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject:

spotter? my dogs in the boat sometimes...

Liquidmx · Addict Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 755 City: San Jose

I am with most here, spotters are great when you have them, but if johnny law isnt around and its not packed, why not take a set if you are light on people? Aside from a horrific injury I dont think its that bad, I am almost always keeping an eye on the rider, unless super traffic areas like some spots on the delta where I rely on the spotter (and the rider to stay behind the boat). I could see someone who experienced a real bad injury feeling otherwise, but we all wear jackets and I wouldnt hesitate to leave my boat floating for a min. to pull someone in if need be.

logan · Posted: Mar 22, 2006 8:47 pm Post subject:

dog will never touch our boat! haha but as far as an actual spotter goes, i think like 4 or 5 is how old my little brother was... We don't really worry about the flag all that much unless it's a weekend, when I really could care less about riding because the lake is show, we just go drop anchor out at the cliffs and jump off them, hang out and have a good time, come in around 7:30 or 8:00 is when I'll ride, the water is awesome, and barely any boats so the flag isn't needed...

Dip_Krew · Posted: Mar 22, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject:

my dog wears booties lol

savage3221 · Posted: Mar 22, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject:

I try to have a crew when I ride, but not for spotter reasons, just more fun. My typical crew size is about three, so there's a spotter or two, but I ride with just me n the driver a lot too. It's not required by law here to have a spotter though

logan · Posted: Mar 22, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject:

savage3221, this is true, it is funner with more people, plus the wake is that much bigger!

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

i thought i was a genious when i started thinking i could take all the little kids i know out on the boat for thirds.

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

We'll go without a spotter early in the day before county's show up. Fortunately they keep their boat at our club's dock so we know when he's out-and-about. A good friend of mine actually used a manikin as his spotter for quite awhile before he was bagged. Had it all dressed up, hat and glasses. The sheriff happens to be a friend of ours but he didn't think it was too funny. Sometimes you just gotta go when the water is smooth!

Darin · Guest

No flag required in PA.

NightAngel · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 219 City: Union Grove

Moto XXX · Newbie Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 21 City: Wis. Rapids

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13539&Ntt=dog%20boots&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2001&Nty=1

There called "mutt-lucks"...... shear genius on the name. I use them with my Danes.

NightAngel · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 219 City: Union Grove

sweet thanks!~~

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

Maybe 6-7....I cannot remember when we first started having the Little Man spot.

As far as dogs, my dog is in the boat frequently. Though as you can see, he is not much of a spotter.... Wink

NightAngel · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 219 City: Union Grove

AWWW TOO CUTE!!! I am afraid instead of just watching our girls would try to join us Shocked

Guess we will have to teach them how to wakeboard with us. LOL

AOliver · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 8:39 am Post subject:

Dog+Tube+Nautique= Shocked

NightAngel · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 219 City: Union Grove

Hmm well I have the dogs, the nautique....now to get the tube. LOL

JV · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 9:04 am Post subject:

don't be too hard on tubers. i know it may be difficult for some of you to comprehend, but some people actually don't like wakeboarding and others have no desire to try it. i have no problem pulling a tube behind my boat if a couple of my friends or relatives aren't the wakeboarding type...i usually have my hoodie up and sunglasses on though. i'd rather be known as the unibomber than a tuber apologist.

as far as spotting, that's the great thing about texas...there are very few laws. i usually take an early morning and sunset run everyday with only a driver.

bradmo42 · Criminal Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 50 City: Houston

i almost always go out with just me and my dad as the driver. texas doesnt require anyone else, its great.

only bad thing is the wave isnt as big but we just give it a little more ballast

Foote · Outlaw Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 190 City: Richmond

yeah i'm not too big on the tube either but if you have one of the bigger ones and only one person on it you can make it fly just make sure if you get about 15ft the driver doesn't slow down fast or turn lol and besides the chicks love tubin too gotta have somthin to please them

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

The Little Man loves the tube....so do his little cronies. Same with my nephew....and surprisingly enough, some of the funniest times towing have been friends(30+ y/o) on the tube.

I have absolutly no apologies having a tube stuffed in storage to break out anytime the Little Man or anyone else wants to go for a run. We are all about having fun....doesn't matter if that is with a board, skate, surfing, tube or just hanging in the wakeless with a beer.....(another place the tube comes in handy).

So in conclusion, people that are too "core" to either admit to using a tube or just outright won't take one out....well....'um kay... Rolling Eyes

JV · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 9:34 am Post subject:

i used to love tubes, but i'm man enough to admit i'm terrified of those things now. all it takes is one bad boat driver and a couple broken ribs to change your whole outlook. i don't think i've been on anything that i have no control over since. now i'm just the wussy driver

JV · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 9:50 am Post subject:

and i'm the least "core" guy out there. last weekend i was out with my parents listening to yanni between sets while my mom read chicken soup books. but i got to ride and have fun, so it's all good. we were the only boat out there (so there was no one to pose to even if i wanted to), and i was shivering the whole time, but it was worth every minute. i'll be the first to admit i suck, but i love the sport and being on the water in general as much as anyone.

if i didn't live in texas, i'd be screwed. it's hard enough to convince one person to get up @ 6, much less two or three

Willy · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 159 City: Montreal

Once I was riding, there was a driver and a spotter in my boat . There was another boat crew riding on the lake with driver and spotter too at the same time.

Believe it or not, both boats almost collided into each other. I (the rider) actually was the one to whistle to the drivers to turn away!!!!! Everyone in both boats were not paying attention, just chating and looking at the riders!

Had to share that one.

Willy

logan · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 10:48 am Post subject:

I have one desire for a tube this season, filming... Other than that, I could care less about having a tube... People that take tubing over wakeboarding, skiing, or even kneeboarding, are lazy and don't want to put forth effort into anything, so they do something they can sit down on. Or they are 5 years old and their parents only let them tube, my little brother was 5 when we started him on a wakeboard, he didn't really sack up and try until he was 6.

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

That is because you are so core logan.....and apparently we are lazy...... Laughing

logan · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 11:04 am Post subject:

E.J., I just really hate tubing unless it's blown out, but you know they are always in the way, if tubers would just stay out of the good water and where the people doing something that takes talent are at, there'd be no problem. I'm going to keep my paintball gun on the boat this year...

joedirt00 · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 11:04 am Post subject:

Darin, My son was spottin me right after he turned, 4 years old. If you read the PA law on this all it states is that you have to have a "Competent spotter"
This is really a wide open general requirement, so I figured I was legal. Had the wife pulling with the mirror as well so it was all good.

fmf · Criminal Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 62 City: Olympia

Daughter was 4 and she could raise a flag so we used her. Even had the sheriff watching us once and he didn't say a word. great thing about little kids is that they love it when you wreck so they jump up and down anyways we just tell them to hold a flag while they are doing it. Laughing

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

JV · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 11:50 am Post subject:

J_DOGG · Posted: Mar 23, 2006 12:51 pm Post subject:

We go spot-less most of the time... I live on the lake, can see the launch and can tell from my dock if boaty is in or not...we are usually early morning or later at night....

On Sat mornings, we are done by 10 or 11 way before boaty ever hits us.
On Sunday we have more guys than we know what to do with....