By Andrew Clarke
Summer/Winter Sports Sales Manager
Schools are out and we can now say summer is truly here. Congratulations to all of the graduating classes of 2014! Now is the time when everyone
has the chance to join their own Redneck Yacht Club for some fishing, sand bar
relaxation, and a little behind boat towing.
There are a number of great options to get out on the water for a bit of
recreation while the summer is here.
Waterskiing has its roots dating
back to Minnesota’s own Lake Pepin in 1922 when Ralph Samuelson fashioned the
first water skis using wood planks. Now
and days we've moved from wood to fiberglass, carbon fiber and polymers to keep
you moving and grooving on the water.
The two types of skiing out there are combo skiing (more basic and
easier to start with) and slalom skiing (more advanced single ski). Combo skis offer bindings that fit a wide
range of foot sizes and are built to get any skier up on the water no matter
the skill level. Combo skis also have a rear
binding on one of the skis to help the skier learn to drop a ski as well as learn
deep water slalom skiing starts. By
contrast, slalom skis are sold as a singular ski and are a more robust to
handle faster boat speeds and more aggressive turning. Speeds for skiing vary on skier
preference. The general range is
22-28 mph for combo skis and 26-36 mph for slalom. The last thing you’ll need to get set up for
a day on the water is a stretch line tow rope for skiing. The standard tow ropes have high degree of
bound and rebound to aid the skier turning and absorb the shock from the boat
bouncing on the water. 
Wakeboarding started sometime in
the 1980’s as its winter counterpart snowboarding was gaining popularity. Wakeboards have various designs from simple
curved shapes for cruising behind a boat to aggressive shapes that will launch
the boarder high in the air giving them time any combo of spins, grabs, or
flips. The three build types are known
as rocker come as a continuous rocker for ease of use and forgiveness on the
water, 3-stage rocker for aggressive turning and pop for spins and grabs, and
finally, hybrid boards that blend continuous and 3-stage for better pop with
some forgiveness. Board bindings can
vary from an aggressively supportive boot a 2 shoe size range to a softer sided recreational boot that has a
range of 5 sizes or more. Like waterskiing, wakeboarding speeds are
based on user preference and are generally between 18-24 mph. The towropes you’ll want to use are a low to
no-stretch line with a wider handle then ski ropes. The more a wakeboard rope is able to stretch,
the more off center the boarder will be in the air making landings tough when
you are going head first into the lake. 
Finally, if neither of the first two sports sounds like your cup of tea, strap
a Towable to your boat and hit the
water for a leisurely cruise or more likely, a game of ditch the rider. Towables come in a variety of shapes and
sizes for 1-4 riders. The most common are deck tubes which are both comfortable to lie on and can be
sized for you as well as a friend or two to join in on the fun. From the classic deck style tube, you can get
as creative as you want from tubes the throw a big rooster tail to tubes that
with throw you all directions while the boat is going straight. Tubes are built to be tough but will
eventually succumb to the abuse it will likely go through. Personally, I average 2 years before I
puncture a bladder and need to replace my towable.
This is the time of year cabin fever no longer exists and everyone can get out for the weekend or holiday to enjoy the warm weather and Joe’s
Sporting Goods has the tools to help you make the most of the warm weather
while it’s here. If you want to learn
more, stop by the shop and ask us questions.
We've been there before and want to make sure you have as much fun as we
do.
And until next time, GET OUTDOORS!
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