Mwa ha ha ha! I sent my parents and brother to Marine Products and then asked for their feedback. For the record: they were shopping for a surf board and no one in my family had every tried wake surfing before so they were true neophytes.

The store was busy (a good sign). The sales guy who was helping them (I didn’t get a name, sorry) was helping several different people at the same time, but my family still felt taken care of. It’s an admirable salesman who can juggle multiple customers without making them feel unimportant. The guy helping them suggested a board he felt beginners could use but that we wouldn’t outgrow too quickly.

[Ha! We'll never outgrow this board seeing as how my dad was the only one who managed to get up on it. But I'll get to that in a bit.]

There is a possibility that perhaps the guy steered my family away from the dirt-cheapest option. Perhaps to increase his commission, perhaps because dirt-cheap is never the highest quality. We really don’t know and we really don’t care. Bottom line: we felt like we got good advice and a good product at a good price.

*To those of you considering making a how-to DVD: it is not helpful to watch a professional get up effortlessly. Inspiring, yes. But not helpful. What would be helpful would be watching a professional teach a beginner. A brand-spanking new beginner. I would like to see a more realistic version of what learning entails. Also, there are probably some details to getting up that you seasoned athletes are forgetting. Showing a beginner would help cover those.

[Remember how I said my dad was the only one who got up? Yeah, wake surfing is harder than the 3-minute DVD made it look. And I think my dad got up because he's an athlete. They guy did 3 triathlons last summer. As a regular gal, I struggled.]

Also, I would appreciate a section in how-to DVDs where the seasoned professional coaches a driver who is new to driving for the sport with and without someone behind the boat. That would be a helpful detail that would put your instructional DVD above and beyond the competition.

If you need a beginner for your DVD I hereby volunteer myself. And I may have family (spies) interested as well.

Our family’s traditional week-long boating trip is imminent and we’re busy making preparations. There are two main things that I’ll drive all the way back to get if I forget them. First is my wakeboard. I’ve got a Hyperlite board, which I love, but Marine Products has great deals on so many more kinds. If skiing is your deal (and that’s how it is with most of my family), there are great deals on skis as well.

The second thing I’d drive back for is my swimsuit. Without those two things, I wouldn’t have any of the fun we’re going to have.

What would you drive back from a big boating trip to get if you forgot it? Let us know in the comments!

Also, we’ll be sure to bring back some pictures for you.

The Hyperlite Wakeboarding Company has been around since the sport was first invented and has certainly come a long way to achieve its renowned status in the sport. Hyperlite has various athletes that they sponsor including the legendary Shaun Murray and Erik Ruck. Hyperlite Wakeboards are known for its attractive appearance and the great performance that they are able to provide. The boards are known for their thin and subtle profile in addition to the sharp edges.

I have only three words to describe my skiing condition this year: out of shape. Seriously, it’s pathetic. I didn’t get to ski last year because I was pregnant/just had a baby so it’s been two years since I’ve really done anything. What are your tips for getting back in shape? Skinny jeans, schminny jeans. I don’t care about that, I care about looking respectable on the lake. And remember, I’m looking for something reasonably effective without taking tons of time.

My parents are out of town. This mostly matters because it’s their boat I use. I suppose I could ask to use it without them . . . although what would I do if something happened to it while I was borrowing it? Commit hara kiri? Enter the Witness Protection Program? Sell my kidney(s) to replace it? Besides, they took the truck and my little plastic car can’t tow a boat.

But I am itching to get on the lake! Who wants to take me? I’m not even that picky about boat brand–although a Supra would be great. Moombas are nice too, but they didn’t quite make me drool at this year’s Boat Show.

But what if you’re just thinking about buying a boat? I’d suggest you start in a Supra or Moomba rather than a cheaper, less . . . [fill-in-the-blank-yourself] brand. Why? Because every single boat owner I know has upgraded. I don’t know a single one who was happy with their first purchase for more than three years. So do yourself a favor–buy a boat you can grow into and that will have a nice resale value.

And no, they didn’t pay me to say any of that.

My family will be vacationing at Bear Lake in less than two weeks. I’m so excited! It turns out that the older your kids are, the more fun boating is. That means that my parents are having the time of their lives (as long as I don’t bring along the grandkids). My four-year-old has specific boating duties–namely holding a flag (we have two because sometimes her arms get tired right when someone’s sitting in the water), handing people towels, and shouting “woo hoo!” at the end of each run. How would we have any fun without her? (We’ll be trying out luck with HO Sports Hot Shot Trainer with bar. Wish us luck!)

But my baby . . . he’s too big to sit in a car seat and too small to do much. How do you keep your baby happy on a boat?

Company Wakeboards is a brand that is listening to the people that ride every day to mold it’s direction. A brand that is innovating the prototyping process in order to build tomorrows products. A brand where being able to build a solid video part is mandatory to get on the team. Everyone inside COMPANY has been involved on the ground floor of this industry for over a decade participating, pushing, promoting, marketing, selling, changing, living, filming, editing, stressing, delivering, questioning, growing, imagining, engineering, designing, progressing, innovating, and now doing.

I once had a ballet teacher who’s mantra was “fake it ’till you make it.” As a short, not particularly willowy, dancer I’ve had plenty of chances to practice faking it. Naturally, I take the same approach to skiing. (Don’t ask me how good I am. I don’t really have a lot of perspective. All I know is that my sister is more talented than I am and that bugs me.) Part of faking being a good skier is having the right gear. Gloves really seem to impress the masses. I’ve been sharing gloves with my mom for a while now and I’m thinking of getting my own pair. My question is: what feature will be most important to me? Price? Well, yeah, now that I’m paying for them. Fit? I do have freakishly small hands. Color? That seems like an awfully girly criterion. I don’t think I’ll get picky about that one. Full-fingered? I don’t know. What are the pros and cons on that one?  What do you think?