Table of contents for Aug-12 in WAKEBOARDING

Carving out of the wakes and slaying some fresh butter water is such a unique and amazing feeling that those of us who are passionate about it would overcome almost any challenge in order to experience it. For proof, look no further than the ever-growing numbers of adaptive riders. Ever since C.C. Roberts strapped himself onto a modified setup, riders with physical disabilities have overcome their limitations — be it limb loss, limb difference or other physical disabilities — to enjoy themselves on the water. C.C. didn't just prove that you could wakeboard with a disability; he showed adaptive riders that they could push themselves just like their able-bodied counterparts by persistently challenging himself to do things like hitting the wake and riding the rails. More recently, athletes like C.C.…

You wakeboard, your wife skis and the kids do it all. Buying a G23, a Mapple Icon 200 and a Byerly 210 to park at your dock just doesn't fit into your fiscal plans this year. Nautique has given you the answer with the Sport Nautique 200. This 20-footer gives off an attitude as though it wants to prove something, and it does with all the characteristics of the perfect crossover boat. Nowhere else can you get a World Record-approved slalom wake, a ballast-juiced customizable wakeboard wake and a clean open-face wakesurf wake, all in a 20-foot V-drive boat. With the engine in the back, the space and comfort of the Sport 200 feel like you are getting more than just 20 feet of length. The Nautique Sport 200 doesn't…

When I first saw a glimmer of light in my hopes of becoming a professional wakeboarder, I knew I wouldn't be able to get anywhere doing what had already been done. I think we all knew that, and that's what we've always been about. Lately I've been getting my inspiration from the smallest rails in the park. I used to be all about going huge, but now I'm having the most fun and learning a lot from the little things. It allows you to work on your switch game and lets you focus on technique and style rather than effort. Although this particular feature doesn't fall under the “little things” category, I like to think: less rail, more style … Before we settle on any idea we have to consult…

You could be a thrice-a-year rider or you could drive the boat for the most elite wakeboarders on a weekly basis. Either way there is that moment that burns itself into your memory and stands out as the most amazing thing you've ever seen. For some it is a certain trick, others a tour pass or a video section. We asked some of wake's most qualified to pick out one of those moments to share with us. Keep in mind that just one day in the life of any one of these guys would most likely produce that stand-alone moment for the majority of wakeboarding enthusiasts. I've been lucky enough to be sitting in the boat for the past 13 years of contests. But one of the most amazing things…

Let's just say for a second you are not a Florida resident pro wakeboarder, and having your boat fully weighted, sitting at your dock in your backyard ready to go is not a viable option. You subsequently fit into a large majority of wake enthusiasts who participate in what can be considered a whole separate skill in and of itself: trailering. Life on the road can be hassle-free if you follow a few of these steps. Rear-mounted backup cameras can make lining up your hitch to the trailer tongue infinitely easier. The next best option is to have one of your boating partners line you up. Techniques for lining up can vary from crew to crew, but staying within eyesight of the driver and in constant communication are musts. Hold…

We are heavily influenced and inspired by snowboarding and the creative aspects that snow has tapped into. When we started to get into wakeboarding we noticed how many possibilities there were within the sport, and how so many ideas have not been put into action yet. From the beginning we have always done what we had the most fun doing, and pretty quickly we found building and hitting new creative obstacles was what we enjoyed the most. We put a lot of time and effort into building a lot of the features we hit but there is nothing more rewarding than building something crazy and then taking that first hit on it. Overall, we are constantly looking for new things to be done and more creative obstacles to build —…

How to improve on the best? MasterCraft and its team of designers and athletes tackled this question head-on when creating the fourth-generation X-Star. For more than 15 years the X-Star has been the standard against which all others are measured. With competition come progression and innovation, and MasterCraft decided not to sit on its hands and ride its own coattails. Three years of rider-driven input, testing and approval give the new X-Star the credentials to vie for the top spot. The X-Star has always carried the combination of luxury, technology and performance, so as you can imagine the 2013 release is amped up in all categories. Greater length, more power, new command center and a whole new look give the new X-Star that elite title that its name has always…

When Centurion set out to improve upon the Gladiator Tower, they knew they were giving themselves a challenge. Having a solid four-year run with the success of the Gladiator Tower, Centurion decided to keep that same sleek signature look but create a whole new beast in the Aegis Tower. Appropriately named after the shield of Greek gods and Roman emperors, the Aegis shows just how far towers have come. Graduating from traditional casting technology that limited the evolution of shape and function down the road, Centurion embarked on a new realm of adjustability by utilizing CNC-machined billet-aluminum construction. This allows for enhanced strength while keeping the same tower shape. Never before have we seen a tower with moves like this. Through the collapsing process, the fiberglass top remains completely level…

I think everyone wants to be a little different, set apart from others in some way. This is where creative juices start and outside-the-box thinking comes from. “How could I do this in a way no one has thought of?” or “What will make me stand out?” You need to have something unique to be looked at and acknowledged. Being creative is having fun and fooling around with ideas till something good comes out of it. It can't be taken too seriously. People are always judging what we are doing, and it's “whatever” to us. I love the way we shred and the result at the end of the day. It's not always that we're doing something first and totally new, but we try to add some kind of twist…