How to Wake Surf

You've seen our sick Tige boats. Have you seen this video of our guys wake surfing behind one?



If you've always wanted to surf but don't have access to great waves, then perhaps wake surfing is for you. How does surfing one endless wave sound? Sounds like a lot more time surfing and a lot less time paddling or waiting to us! Wake surfing is a cool water sport, though not as accessible as water skiing or wake boarding or tubing because you can only wake surf off an inboard boat. But more on that in a bit. If this looks like something you'd like to try, check out these tips.

WARNING: ONLY USE AN INBOARD TO WAKE SURF. Stern drive or outboard engines are not appropriate for wake surfing. If you can see the propeller, do not wake surf off the boat. Exposed props can cause severe injury or even death. Only wake surf off a boat with an inboard engine set up where the propeller is tucked under the hull or rudder.

Get a wake surf board and rope. "Surf style" boards are recommended for beginniners because they are larger and thicker, and therefore stay on the wake a bit better. An old surfboard probably won't get you the results you want. A wake surf rope is a bit different than the ones you are used to - they have knots along them in case you need to pull yourself up or over to a great spot in the wave. It's also thicker than your typical wakeboard rope for this reason. Rest assured - we have all of the eqipment you need, so stop by to check it out.

Prepping the boat. Most boats will need additional weight on the side of the boat the person is surfing off of. This is most often the port (left) side of the boat. Perhaps your spotter can sit in the back and be that weight, but know you might need to play around with it for a bit to see what helps you create a larger and better wake.

Accelerate slowly and stand up slowly. The driver of the boat needs to accelerate and move slowly - 10-11 mph is preferred. The speed will depend on your boat. Find the sweet spot that gives you a crisp wake. When wake surfing, don't stand up too quickly! You'll lose your balance. Instead, stand with knees bent at first to get your balance, and then slowly straighten up.

But how do you get up, you ask? Check out this video:



When will you try wake surfing?

Free Boating Safety Course

Just as a reminder: we are hosting a free boating safety course here at Lighthouse Harbor Marina on Saturday, May 18 from 9-5. A complimentary lunch is included!



Why should you take a boating safety course? Well there are lots of things that these types of courses can teach you to make you a better - and of course safer - boater. Topics often include:

• boat handling
• reading the weather
• right of way on the water
• state boating laws and regulations
• how to set an anchor
• the crucial components of any boat
• what to do in capsizing, swamping or man overboard situations
• best docking and casting off practices
• best practices when overtaking another boat
• knot tying

All boaters, whether they use sailboats, power boats or PWCs (personal watercraft, like jet skis) can benefit from these courses. They generally cover broad issues that apply to all of us. Nearly every boater we know has felt better prepared and qualified to boat after taking one of these courses. In addition, completing a boating safety course can often get you discounts on your boat insurance (sort of like safe driver auto insurance discounts).

Boating safety classes are great for new boaters, but are also great this time of year for any boater looking to brush up their skills before summer begins. Please make your reservations in advance, as we have limited seating and it will fill up quickly. Call to reserve - 570-857-0220.

We hope to see you there!

How to Take Care of Your Pontoon Canvas

Bennington pontoons come with lots of canvas. First, you have the playpen cover, which helps maintain interior cleanliness and prevent damage when your pontoon is not in use. Next, there is the bimini top, which provides some shade for those very hot days out on the lake. These two pieces of material will turn out to be very useful, so you'll want to make sure they live just as long as your pontoon boat does. Here, then, are some tips for taking care of your pontoon canvas (many taken from Bennington themselves):

PROPER STORAGE:
Store your bimini top in the radar position with the boot (bimini cover) zipped into place. This helps prevent wind, sun and bad weather damage over time. Remember: your top is comparable to a large umbrella, so keep it buttoned up when not in use!

When the playpen cover is fully installed, your Bennington will require the proper storage position of the bimini top, as the cover does not have forward strut cut-outs.

Use all tent poles under your playpen cover, and tighten them securely. The cover helps keep your boat dry and clean, but it is not 100% moisture proof and it is NOT a winter weather cover. A playpen cover is not designed to support heavy piles of snow and ice, or any other additional weight. So if you aren't going out on the lake every week or two, do check up on your Bennington every once in awhile to make sure nothing is weighing the canvas down (this is necessary even after a very heavy rain).

PROPER CLEANING:
Cleaning your bimini top and storage cover regularly will help maintain its integrity (and will keep it looking new!). They are pretty easy to clean, too - just brushing off any loose dirt or particles and hose them down with fresh water. If you've let stuff build-up, use a mild detergent (like dish soap) and fresh warm water. Never use solvents to clean the canvas.  

HAULING WITH CANVAS:
When hauling your Bennington, be sure the bimini top is locked in the radar or trailering-strut positions with the boot securely in place.

TOWING:
Bennington does NOT recommend towing with the playpen cover installed. Its purpose is more of a "mooring cover" for when the boat is at the dock or out of water on the trailer. Although you could likely tow your pontoon at low speeds and short distances and not have an issue, snap-whip from a loosened snap, snap-strain from high speed towing and various other situations can cause damage to your cover. In addition, the cover may catch in the wind in particularly windy situations, which may lessen the amount of control you have over the boat.

How often do you use your playpen cover and bimini canvas? 

The Tige MyWake Global Challenge

Have you always wanted to go head-to-head with other wake boarders (or surfers or skaters) and see how you compare? Now's your chance. And you get to compete against others around the world, not just in our area!

Tige Boats started an annual MyWake Global Challenge last summer, and they're bringing it back in 2013. It seems pretty simple: take a few rides on the lake and show off your best tricks while you have a buddy record you. Then submit your videos online to the challenge. You can submit as many videos as you'd like! But you have to do it between June 1 and August 31. Winners will be chosen monthly.

Visit the challenge's Facebook page and watch this video to learn more about the challenge:

Using Your Phone as a Boating Tool

Are you the type of smartphone user that downloads a new app every day? Perhaps you're the opposite and you've only downloaded the few you need to get by. (Though you should make sure to have Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to keep up with us on the go!) But now, turn your attention to your nautical side and consider a few apps that can enhance your favorite hobby: boating.





New and experienced boaters alike can learn from the Boater’s Pocket Reference, an app chock full of information like U.S. and Canadian navigation rules, tips on boat handling, how to tie marine knots and much more. When your boat is out of the water, you can refer to Boater’s Pocket Reference for information on trailering and regular maintenance. Visual learners will appreciate the variety of charts, graphs and illustrations throughout the app that makes the content extremely easy to understand. While the app isn’t free – in fact, it’s $4.99 – it is highly ranked by iPhone users and includes a search function so you can quickly and easily find the information you need, right when you need it.





Keep your finger on the pulse of current weather and tide forecasts with the NOAA Buoy and Tide Data app, which accesses data from NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center. You can search for buoys by name or location and view a range of weather data, including wind speed, gusts and pressure. Tide predictions are also included, as are moon phases. The app is very reasonably priced at $1.99.







If, heaven forbid, something goes wrong on your next voyage, the free Sea Tow app can come to your rescue. You can contact their 24 hour dispatch center through the app, a handy feature if your VHF radio is on the fritz. In addition, the app contains tide and forecast information, and you can save up to seven locations for continued weather monitoring. Finally, the app features a compass and speedometer so you can always pinpoint your location on a map.







But before you can use any of these apps, you need to get your boat into the water. That’s where Boat Ramps comes in. This (free!) app allows you to search for ramps near your location, by zip code or by city. Once you’ve chosen a ramp, the app will provide you with directions. Reviews for the app, however, lament that it doesn’t provide more information about ramps, like fees (or lack thereof), restroom facilities or bait shops.





What are your favorite boating apps? How has your smart phone enhanced your boating experience, on and/or off the water?