1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow South Louisiana

[gdenkman]

1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow. Taken June 1 at the mouth of the Tchefuncte River, anchored off the beach area on the East side of the river. Wife skied for the first time today.

[Nautique277]

Nice looking SN! Is that salt water?

[surroundsound64]

Great boat!!! My uncle has one than looks identical!

[gdenkman]

Thank you. You could call it brackish. The main body of water we use it on is Lake Pontchartrain and Madisonville and the Tchefuncte River is in the North West corner of the lake. Check out the Google maps and you'll see where it is. The river is slow moving and while in it or the lake I have never tasted salt in the water. I flush with a fake a lake before and after every use.

[surroundsound64]

I fly over pontchatrain a lot. Can you ever find smooth water anywhere on that big thing?

[gdenkman]

Yes you can. If the wind is below 5mph, the lake is skiable and if there is fog in the am, once it burns off its glass and you can go for miles and miles in a straight line and never see another boat. In addition lake Maurepas is about 1/6th the size and the conditions are usually better there. It's getting there thru Pontchartrain that, if it's windy, is challenging. We will put in the river and head south, see the conditions of the lake and if it's just a ripple we head on out, if not we stay in the river.

[osukellen]

Good looking boat!

[gdenkman]

Pete,
I hope you and your family did not suffer any losses as a result of the tornadoes over the past few weeks. We have been thinking of you and your wife as we watched the news.
We are taking good care of the Nautique and both you and Melissa still have an invitation to come on down to the New Orleans area for some boating and whatever else you can get into.
Kathryn skied for the first time last weekend off a boom I got from a Correct Craft Fan member. I'm bringing my barefoot shorts tomorrow. We'll see how long I last, hopefully injury free.
Greg

[Graeme V]

Cool boat. Looks great

[gdenkman]

Thanks Graeme. Looks like a similar color to yours. The color of the water in your avatar looks like the color of the Tchefuncte River where we boat. Here's a shot of me last weekend. First time on the feet since my avatar pic, about 10 years ago and boy are my feet tender. My wife was able to take this while driving, just me and her on board. Her reaction was funny when I climbed out on the boom at 35 mph. I'll be taking it slow, moving from the boom to a short handle and then to 5ft handle and then onto the long line. The trouble is the river is a tough place to barefoot as there are so many bends that I really need a very calm day on Lake Pontchartrain for some extended footing in a strait line.

[HVL2010]

Nice boat! Sometimes I miss my 92 CB....that was a fun boat to drive.

[Graeme V]

That pic was at Hazelmere dam about 20 kms from home. The boat now stays at Inanda dam in the valley of 1ooo hills (Kwa zulu Natal South Africa) The water there is crystal clear and almost always smooth. Check out our slalom coarse. We have to use Coke bottle as the locals steal the bouys!!!!!!
G

[gdenkman]

G, great looking water, I'm jealous. On the way back to the dock last Saturday, we met one of the local reptiles crossing the river, I did not have my camera ready, as it would have been a great pic to post, but it was just a reminder of who we share the water with here in South Louisiana. Do you have any interesting friends with whom you share the water with there in South Africa? I'll keep the camera at the ready from here on out and see if I can't get one of the handle in the gators mouth.