Frozen Lake

Where Are All the Ski Boats?

In the dead of winter, when most of the water is frozen in the Midwest, what is a skier to do? Featured above is a shot of what my lake tends to look like in the winter; what a drag.

2017 Chicago Boat ShowLast weekend, to get my fill of water-related activities, I headed to the Chicago Boat, RV, and Strictly Sail show at McCormick Place (and somehow got away with free parking!).  water toysFor those of you that don’t know me, I love the boat show. However, this year, I was slightly disappointed.  I counted two ski boats at the entire show: a MasterCraft Pro Star and the Malibu Response TXI.

I remember seeing several ski boats when I went as a kid! Being a Nautique girl, I was surprised to see that Nautique MasterCraft at the 2017 Chicago Boat Showonly had their wakeboard boats at the show.  Now, I understand that the Chicago show is likely geared towards larger boats that can handle our largest body of water: Lake Michigan, but what about the rest of us? There are lots of lakes within driving distance of Chicago, and some are tiny 3-event lakes. I know there are plenty in the area – the photo of my lake is proof!Malibu Response at the 2017 Chicago Boat Show

I overheard two things at the show that particularly caught my attention:

  • “Malibu…I’ve never even heard of that boat.”
  • Walking past the HO Sports equipment – “I’ve never been a fan of water sports.” (P.S. – I think you’re at the wrong show)

This all got me thinking about collegiate skiers. How do collegiate skiers stay involved with the sport after college? I personally haven’t competed in a tournament since my senior year of college. I would love to, but I don’t have the opportunity to practice as much as I would like. My lake is a 1.5 – 3 hour drive from where I live (thanks Chicago traffic!), but I digress. I am lucky, because I can ski most weekends in the summer, and on a lake with both a slalom course and a ramp.  Let’s face it, 3-event skiing is an expensive sport with several barriers to access, including boats, equipment, and vicinity to a ski-able body of water.

Ideas to “just keep skiing”

  • Join a ski club. Check out USA Water Ski for affiliated club listings.  This eliminates the cost of owning a boat, and you can choose a club near where you live
  • Hang out with family. Does your family ski? Time to start spending some quality time with them.
  • Sign up for the Alumni Regional tournaments. They are like collegiate tournaments, but for old balls!
  • Sign up for summer tournaments. Potentially meet new ski buddies and bring old ski buddies with you!
  • Mooch off of your friends with boats. Bring a can of gas or a case of beer, most people will give you a pull.

Call to Action

Skiers and alumni: Have you continued skiing after graduation? Send me an email at alumni@ncwsa.com and share your experience!

Did you attend the Chicago boat show?  Leave us your thoughts in this article’s comments section on our Facebook page.

Latest posts by Kathleen Nolan (see all)

Kathleen Nolan

I graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2012. From the fall of 2016 through spring 2018 I was the primary alumni correspondent for NCWSA.com. I currently work in Chicago, IL.