I'm also a water skier/wakeboarder/barefooter and found this fantastic video. I think you guys will enjoy it even if you didn't know this existed. These guys are using what is called a training boom. It is a bar that comes right off the side of the boat. A new school thing they are doing with it is to really elevate it to give lift and support. We've always had the boom chest high and they have it a few feet overhead it looks like. Judging by the spray from their feet, these guys are going about 45 mph or maybe a few mph faster. Hope you enjoy.

http://www.eaglewetsuits.com/videos/Its_My_Life_Final.wmv

Sweet BB,
I used to barefoot about 15 years ago with a couple pros from them days... Mike Sipel and another cat out in Alameda Estuary here in Cali... This is a lot more advanced then back in them days, and we had the boom down like you mentioned and we'd also deep water start on a long line out the back...
This brings back memories...
Thanx that was fun...

Now its all wakeboard days, and I haven't even done that this year...:flaming:

Wow, you skied with Seipel? He's the man. My boom is made by his company, Barefoot Intl. He was world champion and considered 1 or 2 in the world for many years.

Boom?! We used to step off the ski at the end of the line. Yep... things have changed.

Yeah, but after more thought I realized its been 21 years... it was back when I was 18 in 1987/88, damn you just made me realize I'm gett'n old...:ticking:

Seipel (stocky lil #@%$#!er) and the other cat was William Farrell (I remember now) and it was around the time Seipel got big but before he started doing all the barefoot jumping (remember that)... Ferrell was bad a$$ he could ski on anything, I seen him one day grab a 2x4 apx 3 foot long that was floating around and put under his feet and got up on it and was ripping back and forth behind the boat (an old barefoot warrior) sick days... I think Farrell was the one that started that side sliding on the hip, hand and foot... First time I ever seen it was hanging with him...

I only road with Seipel half a dozen times and Ferrell a couple dozen times...

Riding with these guys was the fattest learning curve ever... It was me and my best bud... he went on to compete in amateur competitions... me, well... just for fun... Bing Sieto was my best buds coach and Bing knew Seiple and Farrell well, and they would come and hang out with him (& us) and ride all the time... what a nice treat eeeah?

Quote:

Originally posted by SCREWYFITS[/i Riding with these guys was the fattest learning curve ever... It was me and my best bud... he went on to compete in amateur competitions... me, well... just for fun... Bing Sieto was my best buds coach and Bing knew Seiple and Farrell well, and they would come and hang out with him (& us) and ride all the time... what a nice treat eeeah?

Priceless. Seipel was the one that started the inverted (superman) barefoot jump. Pretty gutsy to think that up and then go give it a try.

I have a buddy here that bought a nice wakeboard boat and got me into going out and playing with him. It is quite a bit of fun for sure. I don't know if you guys have seen this, but this is something he taught me and it is quite fun. We fill all of his ballast tanks completely full so the boat is producing the biggest wake it can make. Next we get the surfboard out. Do a rope pull up to get you going and once you get up into the wake you let go of the rope and surf the wake of the boat a lot of fun for sure, but don't let the lake police catch you as the will not b to happy about it. We had three heli's and 5 boats come get us one day. Let us go with no ticket, but we have not gone back to that lake since. Found another lake closer and better for wake surfing. He has several vids up on youtube of us, but like I said if we figured this out I am sure that others have as well.

Big John
JoJo1

What was their gripe with you wake surfing? That is a growing sport that has it's own equipment and specifically made boats to maximize the sport. 3 Heli's and 5 boats? I'm glad that was the most grievous thing going on to the detriment of society that day.

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Originally posted by BeamerBob What was their gripe with you wake surfing? That is a growing sport that has it's own equipment and specifically made boats to maximize the sport. 3 Heli's and 5 boats? I'm glad that was the most grievous thing going on to the detriment of society that day.

That was kinda what I was thinking to in all of my years going to the lake I have sure seen stuff that was way more dangerous than what we were doing. I really don't know what they had their panties all up in a bunch about, but nonetheless they let us off after they said their peace. Like I said though we found a closer lake that is better for that and have had no problems with the lake police since.

Big John

Hey JoJo,

That's great fun also, lil tip if you guys aren't already doing it is to only ballast one side of the boat to boost the wake on one side only and it makes it larger than weighting the whole boat... also a safety tip, be very careful of carbon monoxide poisoning, this is the largest concern with wakesurfing...

Another great connection I have is I filmed for DPC Films (good buddy of my brother-n-law Dave C.) so I've got to hang with a lot of pro's ("wake"boarding, skating and surfing) when I film with them... his latest flick "The Chick Flick" has one of my vans in it they used it too travel around the Tahoe area and film... so I've played with the wakesurfing a lil also and it is a total blast and your lucky to get to do this wonderful sport...

Good luck and be safe...