Pontoon & Deck Boat

As I mentioned previously, I have had a number of things planned for the 'toon and I just keep getting sidetracked. The worst diversion is this thing they call "work." I work in the "wings, wheels and water" industry and basically, I'm not sure there can be a better job. I attend air shows, car shows and boat shows. I talk about airplanes, cars, boats and motorcycles every day. And if I am not talking or writing about them, I'm actually out using cars, bikes, boats or planes. Having been in sales most of my life I think of myself as a "wings, wheels and water evangelist" of sorts. In fact, sometimes I am just a "raconteur" sharing my passion in a way to hopefully connect with the reader. And I always like the line from an old television show, "no brag, just fact." Sometimes I have to pinch myself; it really is a fun job. But being involved with numerous industries does make it difficult to find time to do it all. Every now and then I realize that I am missing out on a few things that I used to do. This time it is waterskiing. Last year I pulled a wakeboarder with our pontoon just to see if we could. You know, 20-foot boat, 60 horsepower Mercury Big Foot outboard, not a super- fast combination, but worked well for a wakeboard. What it didn't provide was the great wake behind the boat for the wakeboard aerobatics. That was okay. I didn't have a wakeboard and really didn't have a desire to buy one. Most of my water "sport" activities were eating, smoking a cigar and maybe fishing a bit when I was bored. But this year in one of my garage cleaning sessions I discovered and decided to dig out my old slalom ski, a Cypress Gardens Diamondback. This is a concave bottom, inlaid wood slalom water ski. I had combo skis and this slalom. Years ago I sold the Cypress Gardens Dick Pope Jr combo water ski set on Craigslist, along with all the ski ropes, etc. I was pretty much out of the water sports business, until I took the Diamondback out of its old carry case. Lately I have been hearing the Don Henley song, "Boys of Summer," and in the song is a line that says "Don't look back, you can never look back," and through the years I have been trying to live my life in sort of that way. Live "in the now" and don't worry about the past. The past is over and the future isn't here yet, etc. etc. Guess it was some sort of sentimental feeling but I removed the ski from the ugly protective bag it was in and realized what a cool looking ski it was. And right then and there I decided that I needed to get back into a few of my favorite water sports. I haven't used a wakeboard and I never was really good at trick skis, but slalom, that was my favorite. Now for the fun part. Not only do I have a low-powered boat, but I also needed to find a person to act as an observer (required in my state) and test out the slalom ski. Of course, my wife kind of thinks I'm crazy. I haven't skied for somewhere around 20 years, but I told her that was not going to stop me. As of now, I have bought a ski rope, already had a flotation vest and I'm doing yoga once a week. Next will be the attempt to do a deep water start (can't start from shore or a dock in my state either) on slalom behind my boat. I know what you are thinking: 60hp, an-out-of-practice skier on a slalom ski and deep water start…well, that's my plan. Actually I am using skiing as part of my health plan. Since I have high priced, high deductible, low coverage health insurance, what better way to motivate me to do more kettle bell squats and planks than wanting to slalom ski?! Living In The Now By Sky Smith Staying In 'Toon Boating tips and observations with Sky Smith www.pdbmagazine.com Pontoon & Deck Boat August 2017 54

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