pgmoore

@Shane - First off, I can't recommend the Blacktec top enough. It defies logic as to how warm and comfortable that top is. I am a huge fan and you should go buy one immediately.

Putting it on and off - the material is thin and flexible (see logic defying, above), so putting it on and off is way easier than my other, non-Camaro-tops.

Does it ride up - nope, it stays in place.

Longevity - I've been using this top for three seasons now, with no issues. That being said, I live in Edmonton so I'm not skiing 20 sets a week or anything... The material is for sure a bit delicate. You do have to be a bit more careful not to just drop it on the dock or nick it with things. But with a tiny bit of foresight, I haven't found any problems at all.

Seriously... go get one of these. You won't regret it.

@schafer may have some things to add here as well. He's just as much of a fan-boy as I am.

Man, Waskesiu is beautiful. Are you sure you don't want to take the boat? What if you get there and it's just totally flat water for three days in a row?

It's not thhaaaaat far from Edmonton ;)

@Horton - I'm pretty sure we are right :-)

More important, the show was awesome. More of that, please.

@Horton - "Everyone has the same randomness but no one really has the same water as another skier. "

But isn't that the same with every single outdoor sport?

Alpine skiing / Nordic skiing - track conditions change during the race, it could start snowing, the sun could come out/go away, etc.

Golf - a gust of wind could come up just as you hit your drive.

Football - a gust of wind could come up just as your team attempts to kick a field goal.

Baseball - the clouds could briefly part and get in the eyes of an outfielder.

Track and field - wind could gust during your heat but not your competitor's.

Point being... isn't some degree of randomness inherent in ALL outdoor sports. I don't think there is a single sport where everyone has the same conditions.

And as someone involved in World Cup Nordic skiing, certainly the athletes know that some venues are more random than others. It's just part of the deal.

Well this is a cool update! Looking forward to getting behind this boat at my home site!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjfXJU8BcCK/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=8dtmkholdeqe

So. Good.

Loved this video. Awesome topics, awesome conversation.

Probably my favourite video ever posted to Ball of Spray.

Thanks @MarcusBrown and Dave. Very cool.

At the risk of being off topic, but seriously... who lets their dog in the boat?!? :)

I know @Horton is with me on this one.

At the risk of being off topic, but seriously... who lets their dog in the boat?!? :)

I know @Horton is with me on this one.

My favourite is 3M Marine Outdoor Vinyl Cleaner, Conditioner & Protector.

I really like how it goes on thick and doesn't run all over the place. The finish is great, it doesn't discolour anything, and I feel like it has done a great job protecting the upholstery in our boat.

@david_quail I also live in Edmonton... simply can't imagine any circumstance where March skiing would be possible. @schafer will ski in April for sure, maybe with some chunks of ice :-)

I usually like a couple more weeks with the sun a bit higher and get rolling in mid-May.

I had a KD 7000 that whistled loudly on pretty much every ride. Everyone always thought I was crazy when I'd talk about that.

No ski that I've had since then has whistled nearly as much... or almost at all.

Wonder if there was something unique about the fin on that KD?

Hey @aspski , I have a D3 Z7, which I would sell you for way less than $500 and you could add your own boots.

The only thing is it's a 66.

I'm in Edmonton, but through Calgary all the time.

I think the written review is good material for reference down the road. But... the video supplement is an awesome addition.

I vote for both!

@Bulldog Yes, CBC is reporting that is the case:

3 stolen boats worth $600,000 recovered near Cold Lake

Interesting that one of the boats is suspected to have been sold near Edmonton.

Driving to keep the lake calm

This video pops up on Facebook every now and then. It uses a wakeboarder as the example, but everything would equally apply to pulling a skier. Nothing revolutionary here, but it's a good refresher. I wish everyone on our lake could be made to watch this...

I start with the rope on the "wrong" side of my ski... LFF, rope on the left side of the ski.

One weekend, I tried switching to start with the rope on the right. Maybe with a lot of practice I could make it work... But it wasn't happening over the course of a weekend.

I can't even imagine attempting to switch feet. Major kudos to anyone who can pull that off.

@Canuck44 as a fellow Canadian, by far the easiest way to make this happen is call one of:

Ocean Sports (Edmonton) - 780.432.1904; or

Shuswap Ski & Board (Calgary) - (403) 255-0045

Either of those great shops will set you up, direct from Western Canada.

Good stuff. I really like this thread.

I have a D3 Z7 for sale. It's posted on SIA here - D3 Z7 posting

The price is listed in USD ($300)... but for fellow Canucks, I'll sell it to you for that price in CAD. I'll pack it up really nicely, you just pay the shipping (which won't be much).

I'm located in Edmonton.