ScarletArrow

Thanks everyone for your response.

Is Skip at the tumac boat covers site @Jody_Seal gave? He's not listed on their website.

What material do you go with (Sur Last, Aqualon, Sunbrella)?

How do you set up a fan / dehumidifier?

If this thread is still active in December, it will be the new Jelly of the Month Club.

"Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year."

1 - Become an catalyst for public ski courses by building a relationship with each states DNR and creating a pathway for permits.

2 - Become an catalyst increased local tournament participation by reducing bureaucracy - officials, speed control, promo boats, etc.

3 - Become an catalyst for the creation of local ski parks similar to Okeeheelee.

4 - Provide incentive for local ski clubs to increase membership especially to college students and young professionals.

5 - Settle on a philosophy regarding nationals - competition or party?

6 - Stop putting time and resources into discount programs (mattresses).

7 - Increase communication to constituents - perhaps 1x / month video.

Idk… Just ideas. I’m only a member because I have to be to ski tournaments. Outside of the registration process and getting an official score - what value is there really? My membership lapsed this year, but I skied a ton. USAWS is going to have to reinvent itself to survive.

This is off topic somewhat… but every skier on the podium in the pic above is on the same ski. Impressive.

Back to our regularly scheduled rant.

I still think @The_MS is on to something... Horton should either ski with or interview Chipman on his drive back. Or maybe both.

Imagine the setting... Desert landscape... Horton gets his makeshift outdoor studio all set up... mic check... camera starts rolling... a man, whom we all believe is Chipman, walks in and sits down... his identity is concealed with silhouette lighting and voice distortion...

Horton goes into [insert name of favorite news anchor / late night comedian] mode and asks, "Are you the real Chipman, or one of his aliases?"

What's the

Ballers -

Seriously looking at purchasing a home in central Florida (or elsewhere) on a lake with a course and would like your advice. Yes, I know it's a sellers market and supply is low - but I'm preparing myself for when the right one appears.

I've had conversations with a realtor (who is a skier) about which lakes have courses (definitely want open water), their activity level and culture. I ask as many people as I am able about other lakes - but my network is only so big. I have managed to ski on a few lakes through the years.

Here's my dilemma - last weekend I looked at a home that appeared to check all the boxes - good part of town, right price, established course, etc. - but my wife and I were hesitant to make an offer. As we reflected on it, we realized two things - 1) the course was way over on the other side of the lake (~1/4 mile) and we could only see a portion of it, and 2) we knew nothing about the lake itself (our realtor didn't know much either), it's activity level and culture.

If I were buying a home on a ski ditch I could probably ski the lake and get more familiar with it. Not so with a conventional lake house (many lakes don't have public access). So after spending an hour onsite I need to make a decision if this is where I want to invest a significant amount of money without being able to investigate one of the primary reasons why I am purchasing.

Here's my question - for those of you who have gone down this road before, how did you know that the lake you chose was the going to be a good fit? Did you manage to find a way to get on the water first? Did you talk to neighbors? Did you just go with it?

Thanks in advance for your comments and insights.

@Horton It might be California's worst ecological disaster, but America's worst ecological disaster would be the Dust Bowl in the '30's. Ken Burns put together a magnificent documentary on its history. I never understood how it could be man made until watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYOmjQO_UMw&list=PLzkQfVIJun2Kl_ZEVTYA-qXlloRYQP3kv

You see a lot of HS American football players wear the padded skullcaps when they participate in summer camps with light contact.

My 10yo son just took a nasty fall yesterday at a tournament. Released from his Reflex and bounced off the water. Got his bell rung. Would this have helped? I don’t know.