Originally posted by USA_Eli_A
| Quote: | Originally posted by BeamerBob
| Quote: | Originally posted by USA_Eli_A
Well. Boats cost too much, gas and polluting is not good. So as wakeboarding is dying because of the negative impact wake boarding has on the
environment, the pricing will become less to entice people to stay in the sport. Imagine how far you could travel around the world for $50k, as much
as a good boats runs with all the bells and whistles.
Wakeboards aren't designed for kiting. Too much rocker, slower, and won't go upwind well.
I know dozens of converts, I teach lots of wakeboarder that have given up boats for kites.
Not to mention cable parks and the grinch winching and banshee bungee waking. |
Eli, I didn't see a smiley face on your post so I must assume you were not being tongue-in-cheek. I participate in both sports so have a balanced
perspective I think. Yes there might be a decline in water skiing but that is balanced with a growth in wakeboarding since the early 90's. Yes I'm
sure it was flat last year but so were most activities that cost money (kiting for example). Yes, new boats are expensive but even more so than you
state. But my annual expenditure on kiting has been WAY more than the average of my lifetime of expenses in boating (boats included) I keep my boats
nice and keep them long with a total lifetime value loss of around 10,000 so far. If I count travel to kite events (burns gas) I've spent close to
that in only 2 years of kiting. My boat can give my family an afternoon of fun and exercise for about $10-12. We can't eat at McDonalds for that.
Since it uses such little fuel, I'm not sure all those boats running at wakeboard speeds (17-23 mph) are really causing the glaciers to melt. Not to
mention the advances in technology such as fuel injection and electronic ignition that make my current boat about 40% more fuel efficient than the one
it replaced along with 70 more horsepower.
And the real whopper of your post is the one about wakeboarding dying because of its impact on the environment! You can't be serious. Even if it was
dying, the bulk of the population does not make many life decisions on that factor alone. Economics maybe but not because of the environment. I
guess concern for the environment is why NASCAR can't seem to sell many of their tickets anymore.  |
 here ya go. Nah, dont get me wrong. I'm a convert also, I see the
family fun, and it's a little easier than having kids body dragging with kites. But up in our neck of the woods it's nasty. A good day at the lake
and it only smells like fuel, a busy day, it feels like we are swimming in it. And recently a good friend sold his boat, for like 40k and bought some
kites. He said one day he might want another boat, but that most of his friends in the seattle area are offing them due to gas, insurance, repair
bills, and life changes.
For the sake of environmental awareness ' I pass on the gas ' whenever I can.
I know I'm only one speaking from a large group trying to make a difference. The ultimate cop-out, "boats in lakes don't make the icecaps melt" you
keep telling yourself that. HAHA! While I eat less buy less and recycle more. NOt to mention I've worn out 3 skateboards and my bike saving gas! 1
Person can do anything to save.
Wakeboarding isn't dying, but if it did. Manufacturing would be reduced to recycling.
I'd love to have a new personal water craft for rescue, tow in and lessons, but a 12k, the 2-speed turbo charged Honda ski I want, is going to wait.
Wakeboarding is the next Windsurfing. Well so is kiting, but don't tell anyone, it a secret.
BB
I've been surfing and paddling more, although I'm driving a ton compared to last year, must be all this time off.
WOW, IT'S GOING TO BE 80 DEGREES TODAY, A NEW RECORD FOR US TODAY! |
