The summer months are ideal for getting out on the water, but sometimes it helps when there’s more to do than just take the boat out. Getting the family involved in watersports is a great way to be active and have fun while you’re cruising the Bay.
To get a read on the most popular forms of watersports, we went directly to Jennifer Pratt and her team at Annapolis Watersports. Pratt and her husband are MasterCraft dealers, boats ideal for surfing, skating, and boarding due to the fact that they kick up more wake behind them. The fact that they’re sleek and sexy on the water is only an added bonus.
Waterskiing
If the simplicity of waterskiing is what gets you on the board, it’s the excitement and thrill that keeps you coming back for more. As easy as strapping one (or two) skis on your feet and hanging on to a tow rope while your boat pulls you along, waterskiing is a great way to keep the whole family entertained while you’re out on the water, with little kids and grownups alike getting out there and having fun.
A slalom course will appeal to those skiers who are interested in cutting through the water on thin, longer skis. A complete slalom waterski course consists of 25 buoys, guiding both the boat’s driver and sending the skier on a zigzag course. As the skier cuts through the water around the turn buoys, he levels himself to almost parallel to the water’s surface. Around the buoys, the skier will almost seem to stop entirely before being yanked by the boat; their top speeds can be more than double the boat’s speed. And they have the dramatic rooster tails to prove it.
Wakeboarding
The lovechild of waterskiing and surfing has been popular around the world since the 1990s, and it’s still one of the favorite ways to get pulled behind a boat on the Bay. With feet secured in bindings on the shorter, lightweight boards, riders are pulled behind boats in a method similar to snowboarding.
Wakeboarding tow ropes are different from waterskiing towropes, so boat owners should come prepared. Waterski towropes have give to them, but wakeboarding ropes need to be taut since the rider will be jumping in and out of wake. In addition, towlines should be placed higher up on the tower to help the boarder jump higher in the air. Typical towers will extend up to seven feet above the surface of the water. Boats will typically be moving at a speed of about 18-23 mph.
Wakesurfing
Want to bring the ocean waves to your backyard creek? It’s easy! Well, not really. Our surfer made it look easy, that we can say.
To wakesurf, a rider begins by floating in the water with the wakesurf board and a tow rope, feet on the board roughly shoulder width apart. As the boat moves forward and takes the slack out of the line, the surfer pushes his or her feet down on the board and comes to a standing position, perpendicular behind the boat. The surfer starts out with a tow rope, surfing along behind in the boat’s wake until he or she is capable of ditching the rope and riding the steep face, reminiscent of ocean surfing. Wakesurf boards are generally shorter than ocean surfboards, so don’t think you can double up on gear: they’re only about five feet in length.
When we were out testing the technique on the South River, surfer Jen Pratt managed to hop up on her board and surf along, unassisted, for about a quarter of a mile at a speed of about 10 mph.
Tubing
For some, getting dragged behind a boat at high speeds simply isn’t that appealing. For those folks, tubing can be a great pastime. Tubes are the most affordable options out there, and as for other equipment, all you really need is a PFD and sunglasses. No boat? No problem: river tubing is popping up as a great way to get out on the water and relax without the use of a boat.
Kayak Fishing
We love nothing more than to hear “Sorry, he’s gone fishing” during the summer. But the cost of owning and maintaining a boat for fishing can be a lot for anyone to bear. It’s no wonder, then, that kayak fishing has taken on as a legitimate way to get out on the water and catch the big guys.
The biggest benefit of kayak fishing is the accessibility. “You can launch from virtually any public water access point,” says Zach Ditmars, our in-house kayak fishing specialist, “and access shallow areas that larger boats can’t. And it’s so easy to transport your boat on a roof rack.” Fishing editor and pro kayak fishing guide Chris Dollar agrees. “You can fish in less-pressured, hard-to-find waters,” he says.
Kayaks are also affordable options. The boats themselves run anywhere between $500 and $3000, with paddles ranging from $50 to $400. You can stock yourself up with $50 worth of rod and tackle, or you can spend limitless amounts of money on your gear. And protecting your car can be as easy as throwing $20 foam blocks on the roof or installing a $500 roof rack: your choice.
If you want to enjoy fishing without the constant hassle of a big boat, then kayak fishing is the way to go. An added bonus is that your biceps start to look good toward the middle of the season from all the paddling.
What’s SUP?
The stand-up paddleboard (SUP) craze that took over Chesapeake country a few years back grows strong. The staff at PropTalk has caught the bug. Among our crew, there are SUP racers, teachers, and bird-watchers who just like to paddle around anchorages and relax.
You’ll want to visit a SUP shop with several options and try a few boards before you make a purchase. There’s great variety from cruising boards to racing boards, and especially great for boaters, inflatable boards.
The Chesapeake Challenge SUP Race July 12
The event in Annapolis was such a huge success two years in a row that East of Maui Boardshop is bringing back the fun. Last summer, 73 competitors in a wide age range showed up to paddle a three-and-a-half-mile short course or a six-and-a-half-mile long course. SUP racers started at 9:30 a.m., some finishing around 11 a.m., and enjoyed a party with awards, live music, and a keg at the Eastport YC. Beginners of all ages are welcome (a friend did it with his grandkids); but it is a Mid-Atlantic SUP Racing Association-sanctioned event, so experienced racers will be there, too. East of Maui will host mini-clinics and demos in the early afternoon. Registration costs $50. Save the date stay tuned to PropTalk for more.
eastofmauiboardshop.com
Oh My Dog!
Ultimate Watersports on Dundee Creek off Middle River offers SUP lessons and tours with your dog, available even to those who have not tried the sport. A $50 fee includes board, lifejackets for you and your dog (small, medium, or large), a lesson and tour.
For some, getting dragged behind a boat at high speeds simply isn’t that appealing. For those folks, tubing can be a great pastime. Tubes are the most affordable options out there, and as for other equipment, all you really need is a PFD and sunglasses. No boat? No problem: river tubing is popping up as a great way to get out on the water and relax without the use of a boat.