nzcabbage

My 1/118th share in our new club boat revealed this afternoon at Karapiro Water Ski Club, Cambridge, NZ........roll on Summer in the Land Down Under

 

Stunning spring day Down Under in NZ! Warm enough for boardies and Neo top only

Does a 1:120th share of our 2015 club boat count?

 

I count myself lucky as one of the few New Zealand water skiers who were able to meet Andy, even if was for just a few minutes on my way to Orlando airport last January. I am fortunate to know Aiden through his family from our local club in Cambridge NZ and his effort in picking me up and taking me to the airport via the lake to meet The Legend Andy Mapple will never be forgotten by this skier. Andy was busy and on a mission, but he took the time to say Hi. From little old NZ in my circle of water skiing friends Andy Mapple has always been the one we idolised during my 30 years+ on the water. Andys accomplishments never went unnoticed and his recent innovation and success has only contributed to providing more motivation on the water. Like many of you I cant explain the sadness I personally feel for the loss to his family, staff and close friends, but also the wider water skiing community. There are thousands of us from all around the world just shocked, stunned & saddened at what happened last weekend, yet we didn't personally know Andy. How do you explain that, except for the fact Andy Mapple gave so much to the sport we love, you could not help but feel a connection to him.

Summer is nearly here in NZ and this Kiwi will be wearing his Mapple Skis TShirt remembering a true icon of our beloved sport on the water.

I buy new technology to makeup for inability......I've had a few new skis........

Our old club boat a 196 was downloaded at about 1500hrs........49.9% was at idle. We are on to our 2nd SN200 (approx 300hrs a season) and I imagine both boats would read much the same.

 

I have often wondered @ozski about the start stop, but my thoughts are every start is at zero oil pressure, a starter is not too expensive, but how many starts will they do and as our club boat does next to no recreational open water running (yes we might be too fixated on chasing red dots) and how many minutes of running at higher rpm do you need for each start without depleting the battery....

The New G Explorer - taking you places like never before.......Its a Game Changer!

Or they might be moving operations down here to NZ and repowering all 200's with Hamilton Jet units.......suggest you shallow up your fin if these lads offer you a tow...........down here the turn buoys are rock hard.

LFF forward on ski and MTB.

Yes it could be worse...........you live at the bottom of the world so its winter and the rain radar looks like this........a Saturday inside for those of us in the North Island........BUT tomorrow is the 21st ......the Winter Solstice and the days start getting longer!

 

So that will any day be about 98k NZ.........sorry cant help myself.........Its an Ozzy/Kiwi thing

Not sure If you have the space but our club SN200 also sits between the guards and we have some thin carpet covered ply that is fixed inside the guards and protrudes above the guard height so the boat goes between every time.

My last Friday night of the 14/15 ski season in NZ before daylight saving ends......lake level was a bit high due to a rowing regatta in the main lake, but in any conditions the Back Water on Lake Karapiro is a special place.

 

Yesterday air 29.5c (86ish) and water at least 25c (77)......but......it was dark by just after 8pm tonight.......summer is leaving Down Under NZ :-(

@eddie_roberts_jr just got sent this pic today of what I think will be the old outboard boat you mentioned above?...shes a few years old now!

 

 

Loving Summer in NZ.......but it is showing signs of a pending change with the odd cooler morning

 

Wait for my blood alcohol level to dilute and go skiing.......it's 9.25am 1st Jan 2015 down here..........and my 2015 goal is ski and MTB even more than I already do!

The sun just set down here in NZ at 8.40pm, frekin loving summer now it has finally arrived......but yes now every day will be a minute or so shorter.......

27c yesterday and water warming up around 22c..............loving my 2015 Vapor and our club took delivery of our replacement SN200 last week..........at last summer might have arrived in NZ

Would be if the spring storms would sod off! Wind has blowen its #/!*&$ off for over a week.......midday today air temp was only 11c...........we started 1st October and have come to a grinding halt.......bring back summer to Down Under NZ!

@colo_skier‌ the jump you found is at the South end of the lake. Go North West to the Hydro dam and east of the dam is a arm that hooks around to the right. You might make out a line of offset floating drums which defines the slalom course area, and around the corner at the other end of our course the floating dock I took the photo from (looking NW).

Our clubhouse is on the western shore of the main lake next door to a water treatment plant (has pond bedide lake edge)

 

Yes @eddie_roberts_jr‌, The Back Water on Lake Karapiro is a part of the Waikato river that runs from LakeTaupo in the central North Island. It is many many years since our club had an outboard boat. We now have a 2 season old SN200 with 630 hours and are waiting on its replacement to land in NZ any day.

This morning trying out some new toys up The Back Water at Karapiro Water Ski Club, NZ

 

New Zealand is now complete........let the Summer begin!

 

Get some Simple Green. It will break down the fuel and wash out in water