March 29, 2007
The Top 10 Things that Surprised Us This Year
The last 12 months have been pretty exciting for those of us that follow the wakeboarding industry. A bevy of new boats, new riders and new tricks have hit the scene and we've enjoyed watching this sport in the past year - perhaps a bit more actively and excitedly than ever before. And since top 10 lists are all the rage these days in the blogosphere (yes you may punch me for using that word), we have one of two lists ready to go today. Without further adieu, here are the top 10 things that surprised us at The Wakeboard Report, this year.
10. Shawn Watson is being called a veteran. I just hit the big 3-0 and I have to tell you, Shawn Watson being called a veteran makes me feel like a piece of space rock that is so old, its age can't be calculated with our current Earth science. How old is Shawn Watson, 12? If Watson is a veteran, what does that make Philip Soven? Please excuse me while I go work on my comb-over. Is that a nostril hair? Ugh. Shawn, in the 1 in 400,000,000 chance that you're reading this, I have poorly ridden and enjoyed your pro model since you had one - so no hard feelings. I'm a fan. A really, really old one though. Excuse me, my Lark just finished charging and I am going to the buffet. Watch it Sonny!
9. The moon-shot Malibu has made in their wake boat mindshare. Not that they were down for the count - or even being handed their hat - but it wasn't until recent years that I personally started liking their boats. I had my <explicative> handed to me in a contest behind an awkwardly weighted, early direct drive Wakesetter and from that point forward despised all things Malibu. At least I don't hold a grudge and am not petty and spiteful. Well - we're completely over those past failures behind a Malibu and have been very impressed with what they've done with their Marketing, their large boats, and their workmanship of late.
8. Danny Harf still hasn't gotten very hurt. I cringe every time I see the man wakeboard. He rides with a certain amount of voracity that tends to make me nervous - as someone who compound fractured my right leg wakeboarding. I just want him to be careful. My Mom had this expression on her face the first time she saw me land an invert, after breaking my leg. I have that same face when I watch video segments of Danny Harf. Amazed, but concerned.
7. Parks Bonifay is really hurt this time. Still 5 years my junior, he is about the same age as the Shawn "veteran" Watson, and undoubtedly one of the sport's most important athletes. As one of the faces of Ronix Wakeboards, there has been some question about his return to the sport. Look - I don't care if he ever competes again, but I want him to heal up. He had knee surgery and suffered a few setbacks - including infection. We think Parks is great for the sport and the sport needs him back in it, in whatever capacity he choses (except TV announcer).
6. 1080's are everywhere. 2 from Rusty Malinowski from different directions, one from Danny Harf and a reported cable park 1080 (which we don't count since we think cable wakeboarding is the boom barefooting of wakeboarding; because it is.) have vaulted this elusive trick into prominence and I would not be surprised to see a few brandished on the Pro Tour this year. There is no question that the professionals in this sport are practicing 1080's for double up competitions, at the very least. Some jerk will probably even throw a grab in, just to mock me.
5. Epic Boats aren't everywhere. By this time we'd have expected to see one in real life. Please don't become another Calabria that caters to just one coast. Some of us like big wake boats up here in New England too! Heck I've seen a Tige RZ2 in real life and I've still yet to see an Epic.
4. The warm reception of the Correct Craft 236 Crossover. Initially I wasn't ready to accept that Correct Craft had released yet another large wake boat, but didn't create the elongated version of the Super Sport hull, with simple wraparound seating to go head-to-head with the Malibu 247. You know, the boat that I asked them to name the Correct Craft Jernberg. Alas, Correct Craft innovated, and the boat that Steve Carlton and the team at Correct Craft developed is phenomenal, and is a new source for business development inspiration and lottery prayers for me. In the general Correct Craft community - the boat is more popular than the Super Air Nautique 220 was, after the same period of time had elapsed after its initial announcement and release.
3. The price of the MasterCraft CSX 220. Wow-ka-pow! Not what we expected. Again with the lottery stuff. I hate having to put these amazing boats in the "lottery" category. As an aside, I would much rather fantasize about an invention that takes off or a fantastic business opportunity, but for all intents and purposes, this boat is out of my price range by a mile and I didn't see it coming. So - yeah - lottery. To offset our disappointment, we bought a 1971 Correct Craft Southwind and we're building it up as a quasi-CSX 220 with dive tanks, rod holders and associated accouterments.
2. Dealers are having trouble selling large wake boats. Now this is extremely interesting to me, as there are no fewer than 10 pontoon boats that cruise around on my lake which push 30 feet in length. At several boat shows in several parts of the country this year, dealers informed me that they have been put in a strange position to price their high-end large wake boats, well below MSRP and even then are not garnering as much sales activity as they would like. I don't understand this phenomenon, but nobody can state it with more authority than the dealers can - and thats what they've told me.
1. The removal of the Super Sport Nautique, or Classic 210 hull from the Correct Craft lineup. I still can't get over it - nor can I shut up about it. I've posted several times about this topic and whined about it to just about anyone that would listen. Including Correct Craft themselves, although its was more... careful. And I used my big boy voice. I don't know why it isn't available for 2007, I don't know of plans to bring it back, but this was the most surprising development in the past 12 months, for us. This also shook the resale market for the Super Sport-based 210 and current owners rejoiced. Buyers and seekers, could only weep.
Posted by erik
