All it takes is a lil water diversion technology…
I ain’t gonna lie. When I saw this photo thrown up on Mark Mathews’ IG account I arched my eyebrows and threw my eyes back into my cranium. Barely ten feet away from the hull of a boat, on a lake, and… a barrel of sorts?
How, when, where?
A spurt of industry and I was in the arms of Mr Collin Harrington, a pro wakeboarder, skater and very keen surfer.
BeachGrit: When and where did you snatch this photo?
I shot this in Orlando, FL. Gopro had just sent me the new Hero 4 session camera and this was the first test with it. Needless to say, it worked!
BeachGrit: How the hell y’make something like this happen? Do you need a special hull, a particularly big boat?
All the wakeboard boat companies have been making hulls now that are actually making some really fun wake surf wakes. Some are better than others but there are a few boats around now that will do this. Its pretty wild really. It’s all touch button to make the wave however you want.
I just grew up on board sports. They both have their perks but there is still nothing like getting spat out of a solid tube on a surfboard.
(Editor’s note: It’s called water diversion technology. Click here to investigate!)
BeachGrit: Describe the sensation of swinging inside a tube behind a boat?
I have to be honest and say the camera angle does play a bit of a mind game. You can’t quite get in it but it’s close. You can lay down and get a quick boogie tube but thats about it. The way boat companies are going though, hopefully we will be able to get fresh water tubes in the next few years.
BeachGrit: And you surf as well as wake? What thrills you about each diff sport?
Ya , I grew up living summers in Ocean City, Maryland and Winters in the Florida Keys my whole life. I would surf and skate all summer and then in the Keys there are no waves so I would skate and wakeboard. I just grew up on board sports. They both have their perks but there is still nothing like getting spat out of a solid tube on a surfboard.
BeachGrit: Anything else about you, I should know?
I’m 5’8”, blondish hair, enjoy short walks on the beach… ha. I’m video producer as well. I’m actually in Oahu right now for the winter shooting for O’Neill. That’s been fun so far. Been getting some good waves out here. And my family has a surf and dive charter boat we in the Virgin Islands. They weren’t able to bring the boat down there this season but we will be back next winter. Its one of my favorite places in the world. (See the charter biz here.)