So we are building a lake...

[kc]

2 hours ago, chrislandy said:

That feels like a lot! Most man made lakes I've skied on have been quite shallow in the course (4-5ft)

As someone else who’s dug a ski lake that’s at least eight feet deep, there’s another advantage besides safety. Your ski sits in deeper. 

[Spencer_Shultz]

10 hours ago, FisherNick13 said:

Just curious, maybe this has already been answered, but what is your budget/projected cost for building your own ski lake?

My parents have that information and have been keeping a record of the receipts. Not sure where we are at currently. If you watched the video, the massive piles of dirt have enough value that they are going to significantly lower the dig cost. 

 

5 hours ago, chrislandy said:

That feels like a lot! Most man made lakes I've skied on have been quite shallow in the course (4-5ft)

It’s definitely overkill but I’ve always been a fan of how deeper lakes ski. 

[Mastercrafter]

1 hour ago, Spencer_Shultz said:

My parents have that information and have been keeping a record of the receipts. Not sure where we are at currently. If you watched the video, the massive piles of dirt have enough value that they are going to significantly lower the dig cost. 

 

It’s definitely overkill but I’ve always been a fan of how deeper lakes ski. 

 

Few extra feet of depth is just another 5,000 yards of dirt to move.. no biggie 🙄

 

@Spencer_Shultz is your family doing a DIY dig or paying to have it done? 

 

Super cool and looks like a great site. 

 

[Spencer_Shultz]

1 hour ago, Mastercrafter said:

 

Few extra feet of depth is just another 5,000 yards of dirt to move.. no biggie 🙄

 

@Spencer_Shultz is your family doing a DIY dig or paying to have it done? 

 

Super cool and looks like a great site. 

 

Total material we are taking out is in the 140,000-150,000 CY range. 
 

We are paying. Cannot say enough good thinks about our team at Kissick Construction. 

[MickeyThompson]

Wow. Looks incredible. Congratulations on a dream about to come true. 

[Mastercrafter]

1 hour ago, Spencer_Shultz said:

Total material we are taking out is in the 140,000-150,000 CY range. 
 

We are paying. Cannot say enough good thinks about our team at Kissick Construction. 

I goofed and did one acre, not 12. Make that 60K more yards of dirt for a few extra feet depth. Anyways.. pointless rambling. 

[skiinxs]

Awesome!  Great wind protection!

[Ali]

What is the location? Those trees will provide great protection.

[Sethro]

So cool!!!!  Is there a concern for that adjacent creek to ever flood the lake?  Does that run north/south?

[Spencer_Shultz]

6 hours ago, Ali said:

What is the location? Those trees will provide great protection.

We are exactly 20 minutes east of where the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals play. Trees have us super excited about the protection! 

 

4 hours ago, Sethro said:

So cool!!!!  Is there a concern for that adjacent creek to ever flood the lake?  Does that run north/south?

We did flood records and are clear of the flood plane. Lake runs NW/SE. 

[Spencer_Shultz]

Pushing towards the finish line. 

[RAWSki]

@Spencer_Shultz congrats you are months away from endless work, "to do lists" AND constant joy!  

[rockdog]

Keep up with the drone footage @Spencer_Shultz.

[LeonL]

@Spencer_Shultz what is going to be your water supply. Surrounding terrain looks flat as a pancake, no apparent watershed.

[Spencer_Shultz]

1 hour ago, LeonL said:

@Spencer_Shultz what is going to be your water supply. Surrounding terrain looks flat as a pancake, no apparent watershed.

We’ve got a freshwater spring that flows in along with 250 acres that runs off into a creek that feeds the lake. 

[Spencer_Shultz]

6 hours ago, LeonL said:

@Spencer_Shultz Surrounding terrain looks flat as a pancake, no apparent watershed.

What “flat as a pancake and no apparent watershed.” Looks like after a night of rain. 

[LeonL]

Yeah, looks like you won't have any problem if one night did that. 

[Mastercrafter]

Are you pumping as you’re digging? Or ready to let er fill up?

 

love the wind protection.  That’s awesome.  

[Spencer_Shultz]

2 hours ago, Mastercrafter said:

Are you pumping as you’re digging? Or ready to let er fill up?

 

love the wind protection.  That’s awesome.  

We’ve been pumping water out. The hose you see running across the lake has been sitting in our creek keeping it dry. Obviously the weather had other plans! So the plan is to build a temporary dam so they can finish up the dig. But in the mean time, the water in the lake is staying. Thank goodness we got the anchors in, surveyed and recessed. 
I really don’t see wind playing much of a factor. Hopefully I’m right! 

[slowlerner]

Will you allow jet skis? Tritoon tubers? Wallys from Winnebago?

[Rednucleus]

Bring on the surf barges!!

[Spencer_Shultz]

Not 2164’ but it will be in time. 

[bojans]

11 hours ago, Spencer_Shultz said:

Not 2164’ but it will be in time. 

That is a beautiful picture! 

[Sethro]

On 4/26/2024 at 8:19 AM, Spencer_Shultz said:

We’ve got a freshwater spring that flows in along with 250 acres that runs off into a creek that feeds the lake. 

I'm curious if you have any sort of silt pond prior to the creek entering the lake?

[Spencer_Shultz]

11 hours ago, Sethro said:

I'm curious if you have any sort of silt pond prior to the creek entering the lake?

Sore subject. Mind you it’s private property, due to environmental agency findings, we could only impact 300ft of the creek since it was deemed a wetland. 
So could we build a silt pond? Yes. Would it cost an absolute fortune in mitigation fees? Yes. 

In time, silt is gonna come in. At some point, probably not in my parents lifetime, the lake will have to be drained and have the silt pulled out. Hopefully I’m wrong, but it’s very possible. 

[Spencer_Shultz]

After pumping out 5ft of water and finishing a section that was underwater, we’ve reached the SE end and the top of the cut. 
If the weather does what we need it to do, this could be the final week of digging JaK’s Ski Ranch at Machete Lake. 

[sunperch]

@Spencer_Shultz  That looks fabulous!!!  Congrats!!  Are you and your family planning on selling memberships to be able to ski at your lake?

[Spencer_Shultz]

 

9 hours ago, sunperch said:

@Spencer_Shultz  That looks fabulous!!!  Congrats!!  Are you and your family planning on selling memberships to be able to ski at your lake?

Thanks! Not at this time. Really the only “commercial” activity is going to be done with my camera and we are planning on doing some clinics. 

[BGrow76]

Sad to hear that no memberships are planned. Ski lakes use a lot of land and water, no way just one family can make use of all of the time available.

[kurt]

@BGrow76Grow76, um ya how about you provide memberships to your backyard for little to no money.

We will all just show up after all the maintenance is done and have a cold one around the grill.

Some owners choose to have memberships others not  , don't bash their choice.

[JimOfTheNorth]

That first set is going to be sweet...I would be wetting my pants in anticipation! 🙂

[Spencer_Shultz]

The boat ramp needs to go in, but I think it’s time to pull the plug on the creek and let this place fill up. 

[Mastercrafter]

So cool. 
  
cliff notes.. how long did the dig take? 

[Spencer_Shultz]

Just now, Mastercrafter said:

So cool. 
  
cliff notes.. how long did the dig take? 

Man, it’s hard to take in. 
We started near the end of September 2023.
Had probably the biggest gut punch in the world about 15 days in when they discovered sand in an area that was deep timber when we did soil samples that we couldn’t get to.
I won’t bore you with details, but we got a letter of recommendation in February that called for 2ft of clay liner on every part of the lake. 
So late February until today. 
If we hadn’t hit sand, they were estimating 45 days start to finish. With the right weather. 

[Mastercrafter]

5 minutes ago, Spencer_Shultz said:

Man, it’s hard to take in. 
We started near the end of September 2023.
Had probably the biggest gut punch in the world about 15 days in when they discovered sand in an area that was deep timber when we did soil samples that we couldn’t get to.
I won’t bore you with details, but we got a letter of recommendation in February that called for 2ft of clay liner on every part of the lake. 
So late February until today. 
If we hadn’t hit sand, they were estimating 45 days start to finish. With the right weather. 

Wow, that’s a gut punch for sure. You went with clay then? Our lake is clay (naturally) and while it is slippery and messy, man does it hold water well. 

 
45 days is wild but even 100-ish is still fast. 

Guesses on fill time? Can we all take a guess and winner gets a free set? Ha. 
 

What a beautiful site. 

[Spencer_Shultz]

7 minutes ago, Mastercrafter said:

Wow, that’s a gut punch for sure. You went with clay then? Our lake is clay (naturally) and while it is slippery and messy, man does it hold water well. 

 
45 days is wild but even 100-ish is still fast. 

Guesses on fill time? Can we all take a guess and winner gets a free set? Ha. 
 

What a beautiful site. 

We had equipment on site flying around and when we got that news, it hit pretty hard. Thankfully, really good clay wasn’t something we were short on. It was just going to add more time to the project. 

Our premature fill up was after about 2.5 inches of rain and that was with a pump trying to keep up with a creek and a breached plug 🤣 So a few inches should fill us up pretty quick! Time will tell though. 
 

You are welcome to guess fill up time! Winner gets a day of skiing and a photoshoot with me. I do alright with the camera 😄

 

[Mastercrafter]

🤦🏻‍♂️ I knew your name looked familiar 

[Andre]

''Pull the plug...pull the plug ...pull the plug!  ''

Congrats looks amazing empty can't imagine how beautiful the lake will be full.

[Spencer_Shultz]

7 hours ago, Andre said:

''Pull the plug...pull the plug ...pull the plug!  ''

Congrats looks amazing empty can't imagine how beautiful the lake will be full.

Say less! Thank you! We’ve done everything that we could! 

[Robbo5252]

Love this!  

What's the plan for dropping @ the skinny end?

Can't wait to see it up and skiable!

[MISkier]

I'm going to guess 240 hours to fill it.  Just picking a number out of the air, er, water.

[Mastercrafter]

Have you put some floaties or subs on your anchors so you can find them jn a couple weeks? 

I’m guessing first ski ride July 16 

[BraceMaker]

On 5/25/2024 at 5:33 PM, BGrow76 said:

Sad to hear that no memberships are planned. Ski lakes use a lot of land and water, no way just one family can make use of all of the time available.

While its true the issue is that once you accommodate for work days, travel sports, school events, family travel, weather, daylight etc. There really isn't that much "free" time in a week for use of a ski lake those members are also going to want peak time.  How much would you pay for a membership that allowed you 1 hour of use on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 130-230 pm - its an hour from your office.

[LeonL]

@BraceMaker I guess I'd pay very little if I were still working.  That would be 4 hours out of your work day, by the time you get the boat in and out.

[BraceMaker]

@LeonL yup.  If we could all go slalom skiing in the middle of the morning on a weekday you could go back to public water the lakes are dead.  I do a 4 day work week and that sucker is glass more often than you'd expect but struggle through the door at 630 on a warm calm summer evening and the lake is a zoo.

If you can swing it no need for a member club. I will continue to state that there should be an "Uber" of waterski lakes but that's a different thing.

[BGrow76]

@BraceMaker That depends on the location, around me there is very little access to a slalom course. If someone can make what ever time slots available work into their schedule it can be very valuable. Private lakes with 10 owners still has down time.

In this case where @Spencer_Shultz family is building a lake for the use by one family there will be a lot of down time, once this is figures out offering memberships during this down time would be an awesome way to grow the sport and spread the love to the 99.99999% of those that can't afford to build their own lake.

[Dano]

I don't see any reason the lake owner should offer memberships if he doesn't want to.  He's got a sweet spot, with a private lake to enjoy for himself, his family, and whoever he chooses to enjoy it with.  Maybe he just wants to enjoy the serenity of his surroundings when the boats aren't running back and forth.  I sure am envious.  Glad to see him realize his dream.

[APB]

Agreed. Some skin in the game…. Grass, yard work etc might get you a few sets and a friendship! 

[Spencer_Shultz]

22 hours ago, Robbo5252 said:

Love this!  

What's the plan for dropping @ the skinny end?

Can't wait to see it up and skiable!

It’s definitely our most narrow section but it’s nothing crazy. If you’ve ever been to the LaPoint Ski Park, our narrow section will be similar in width to what they have in front of their dock. 

For you guys commenting about “you need a club.” You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You know nothing about me, my parents, where I grew up skiing and how a family shared what they had with me and my family, to get me and countless others absolutely hooked on this sport. 
 

We built this lake because WE WANT TO SHARE IT AND ENJOY IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE. 
 

I’ve personally messaged collegiate ski teams telling them, if you have members that are in the area and want to ski this summer, please reach out. 

@BGrow76 We would be happy to take your $2500 “membership”. It’s also $25 a set. 

 

[rockdog]

1 hour ago, Spencer_Shultz said:

For you guys commenting about “you need a club.” You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You know nothing about me, my parents, where I grew up skiing and how a family shared what they had with me and my family, to get me and countless others absolutely hooked on this sport. 

Awesome 🤣

 

5 hours ago, BGrow76 said:

In this case where @Spencer_Shultz family is building a lake for the use by one family there will be a lot of down time, once this is figures out offering memberships during this down time would be an awesome way to grow the sport and spread the love to the 99.99999% of those that can't afford to build their own lake.

@BGrow76 I'm pretty certain Spencer did not put up this thread for dumbass commentary like this. I doubt he's interested in your opinion on what he should or shouldn't do with HIS OWN lake. Appreciate the journey he's had in doing it like the rest of us and move on with your life. FMD.