Since Everyone Has Missed Me So

[CBFryman 2]

As none of you probably remember, right before I left SSA I had decided that I would go to the University of South Florida for my schooling in chemistry. I absolutely love it there. I love Tampa. Gasparilla, Ray-Jay stadium, Red Bull sponsored events, wakeboarding at OWC, St. Pete, and Clearwater, etc... It consumed the majority of my time and since I decided not to work my first year in college I had minimal funds to work with. Thus I am still running the same equipment, only I sold one of my USA-100's and went to head unit power. Two of those suckers plus my SAZ-1500 did not agree with my electrical system. Now my RE RE's driver side tweeter has died, likely because of the crossover giving the tweeter full range.

When I got to USF I decided to become active in the wakeboard club and have had an absolute blast and met some really great people. The tailgates were amazing. We are extremely prepared for this tailgate season (yes, tailgating is a sport). We had an upholstery company donate a brand new interior to our flagship wakeboard boat so we no longer wanted to bring it out to tailgates as it would likely become extremely filthy. Because it was lacking an engine we went looking for a donor boat. We found one, but sadly the school's insurance wont let us have a working boat owned by the school without extensive paperwork and appeals to student government and the school's administration. However, we couldnt let that old fishing boat go to waste so we decided to make it our new tailgating machine. Here are some pictures.

Wake USF

Wake II

Posted up at the Intramural Sports soccer games in support of our team

Beneath the carpet covering on the left there are 2 12's in a massive sealed box, a Kicker KS6.5 in each side, two 10" mids and 1.5" tweeters in the stern, two PA horns in the blower vents facing outward, a head unit in the cabin that we can attach MP3 players and laptops to for virtually endless music selection. Even with ambient noise it can be heard clearly for a good 400m. Of course, the keg tap on the right side. That is me trying to get up while we were testing its tailgate ability for a basketball game.

What it started as

Though we have over 300 members, the majority of the work was done by 5-6 of us. Myself and 3-4 others did the Wake II decal on the outside. It was a lot of masking and work with a razor blade.

[tezin87 0]

Good stuff. Sounds like you're lovin the college life, I know I am. Sadly I only have 1 year left (if everything goes right).

[mrray13 30]

so how do you wakeboard if the school won't allow a running boat? or did i miss something, lol?

glad you're having a blast chris, sounds like fun.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[CBFryman 2]

so how do you wakeboard if the school won't allow a running boat? or did i miss something, lol?

glad you're having a blast chris, sounds like fun.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Various members have their own boats and we pay Orlando Watersports Complex to rent the whole facility out to us for 2hrs 1-2 times per month. My personal favorite is our president's boat.He has the first diesel Mastercraft X-Star. The 315hp turbo Yahnmar diesel gives more GPH, can run in salt water, and all that torque allows for a steeper prop so the hole shot doesnt suffer all that much even with full OEM ballast, extra ballast, and the boat filled with people. He keeps this beast of a boat on the intercoastal in St. Pete which is a 30-40min drive from campus.

If anyone doesnt know, Mastercraft makes nothing but fantastic ski/wakeboard boats and the X-Star is their top of the line wakeboard boat.

Of coruse, we dont get nearly enough riding in to be remotely competitive with schools like UCF and UF but the majority of us are all about fun. We do have a few pro-am members and others that are just all around good. Personally, I'm in the grom class and everyone I compete with is half my age most of the time. lmao

Here are the videos they made after they got the X-Star

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=62...h&plindex=0

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=91...20usf&hl=en

and thanks Kent.

[CBFryman 2]

BTW, we got rid of the cabin cruiser and the bayliner and got a hurricane deck boat.

The first time I got to wakeboard behind it I had a broken hand so I couldnt do wake jumps, but my GF at the time brought her SLR and got a couple good pics.

The best single thing I got to do thanks to the wakeboard club was go to Redbull's wakeboard event. I got to ride in the boat with Dallas Friday and brian grubb.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fxCkaL6EE18

[Godsmack 361]

Dude looks like u been living it up!!!!!

I gotta say good job on the boat, and on the progress you and your friends did with your sport!!!!!

J

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Thank God you're not pissing your life away getting hammered every night and partying non-stop. Good for you - I'm glad you found something you enjoy and have stuck with it through promoting/funding/etc.

[CBFryman 2]

Dude looks like u been living it up!!!!!

I gotta say good job on the boat, and on the progress you and your friends did with your sport!!!!!

J

Yeah man.

The boat is going to be a constant work in progress. We are using a bicycle pump and a PVC air tank to run the keg tap right now. We have to empty it when we use it or the beer will spoil in a few days. It works pretty well but the air pump is loud and the input on the tap leaks (cheap $25 domestic tap). So you can pressurize it enough to empty the keg, but if it isnt empty in 30min or so you only get a trickle.

Eventually we'd like a CO2 system, nitrogen if I have anything to say about it. Guiness anyone?

Of course this boat could be completely trashed by the end of the 2009 basketball season. It's our (the group that built it) baby but it's the club's boat. Hopefully they'll respect our work.

Thank God you're not pissing your life away getting hammered every night and partying non-stop. Good for you - I'm glad you found something you enjoy and have stuck with it through promoting/funding/etc.

Thanks. However, I'm not going to lie, I do my fair share of partying. This was especially spring semester after my GF of 2 years broke up with me. We aren't a dry campus so we'd often drink while working on the boat. Of course, always in moderation except on certain occasions and schoolwork always comes first. Though it is easy to procrastinate and cram, it is far better to get it out of the way and have fun worry free.