How to Escape an Approaching Monsoon!!

[Glassman]

Most people don't ever have to try and outrun a storm, no less a full blown monsoon !

Typically you just head for the closest safe harbor or run to the beach and secure the boat.

My crew? Nah, just another way to have a blast out on the river.

So, while half of California was up in flames and the other half was getting hit by the storm coming up from Mexico, we decide to go water skiing!!

Yep, the SeaTow guy was running around signalling boaters to head for the docks, boats were lined up along the river bank, beached and staked, bracing for the worst which was yet to come and my buddy throws a vest on and jumps into the water with his huge Maharaja ski. His son couldn't get him up behind their Spectra - it was just starting to get choppy and there was a bit of traffic in that spot. So he yells over asking if I'll pull him back to the marina..... (miles up river) ...I scratch my head and yell over for him to throw the line to me.

I hook him up and off we go....as fast as possible!

He keeps signalling for more speed and I'm flat out full throttle, bouncing between 45 and 48 as I listen to the engines scream as we take leave of the water. I'm more concerned about my boat than my skier at this point...I've towed him up to 70 behind his Schiada before.

I look over at the shore and see people fist pumping and hollering as we blast on by in the middle of the downpour.

So totally irresponsible to be doing this I'm thinking to myself, but then again there are no boats or anyone in my way or on the water for as far as I can see for that matter...he has a vest on, my wife has the flag and is my required observer...I guess this is OK.

So, from now on, when a monsoon approaches I suggest you try water skiing. You get back to the dock real fast and I truly believe that the added drag helped to settle the boat some.


Just to the right of this shot the ski was dark and the rain was coming down. We made it to the marina just in time to play bumper boats with the rest of the knuckleheads.

What a great day!

 

[rkluck]

What a story!

 

[waterboy]

Maharaja ski

Is that one of those skis designed for high speed? I have heard of those high speed long distance skiers . That stuff is crazy...

 

[justason]

That is awesome! I couldnt imagine skiing at that speed nevermind 70?!?! Did i understand that right?

My (loving)daughter bucked me off the waverunner the other night doing 34........that was more than 'nuff for my old bones

Ya'lls be clazy!

 

[itsdgm]

That's awesome. Do you guys do the Catalina ski race too?

 

[Glassman]

Yes, the Maharaja ski is huge...my buddy loves them and collects them: http://maherajah.com/

The part about me towing him at 70 mph is the truth, but it was purely by accident. You see, the boat I was driving had no speedo, only a tachometer. And when I tow him driving his Malibu I run at between 4000 and 4500 rpm, which is the equivalent of 40 -45 mph- the speed he likes. Well let's just say that 4000 rpms in a GN boat with a huge monster motor isn't nearly the same as the Malibu! Of course my buddy wasn't in a position to let me know that until we stopped. (the river was like glass that morning so he was actually stoked to go like that)

No, no Catalina race for us. That is brutal. I have another friend who used to do it on a jet ski. What an ordeal, he had to cover himself in Vaseline before putting on the wetsuit to avoid becoming one big rash....even though they do it early in the morning he told me it was so bad he had a hard time moving the next day. Another friend does the stand-up paddle board thing...but now he just drives a chase / support boat. gettin' too old for some of the stuff we used to do. Like the Barstow to Vegas race coming up....I'm delivering fuel and watching, no more racing for me!