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‘Skating’ and ‘Surfing’ on Lake Allatoona
By Shari Rathman

Ty Towriss has won 18 Regional Emmys while working for Fox and Turner television as a producer. He now has his own business, NLX Broadcast Design.  Towriss also spends weekends doing high definition productions of wake skaters using numerous cameras and boats. He says of these wake skaters, “They are really talented ... local talent.” He’s helping the wake skaters grow awareness for that sport along with wake surfing. He and Steve Carr, owner of Props N’ Hops, are there to “support the sport” as they both say.

These wake skaters are Ryan Dahlem and Brandt Asay, originally from California, but now both reside in Canton. Michael Pope is from Acworth. Phillip Kennedy is also from Canton and has a sponsor, Anenberg, a clothing line out of CA.

Wake “skating” is like skate boarding except on water. The feet are not attached to the board.  So there are no boots to anchor the wake skater and the rope is 65 feet long. They stand on the board with modified shoes and sometimes modified boards. The “skaters” say that there are more maneuvers and flip tricks that can be done without boots. 

These wake skaters can also do wake surfing. Wake surfing involves a 10-foot rope that pulls the wake surfer out of the water while the boat passengers all lean to one side to get the wake started and then the wake surfer releases the rope and rides the wave right behind the boat. In fact, the board usually touches the boat so the wake surfer can walk the board, step onto the boat, and then return to the wakeboard. Wake surfing is only possible with an inboard boat. 

However, to do wake skating or wakeboarding, one does not even need a boat or a jet ski. There is a motorized winch that is also available. It is like a motorized fishing pole with 800 feet of ski rope that pulls the wake skater around. It can be used in ponds or spillways or other areas where boats can’t go. These wake skaters are working on providing a low cost winch. They are currently working on getting a patent. “Winch Works is a company still in the works” said Asay. 

Although wake skating is already a professional sport, Towriss and Carr are helping people become more knowledgeable about the sport. Carr is hoping to have a Wake Jam on Allatoona this summer near Props N’ Hops, a bar & grill located at Victoria Harbour Marina. Props N’ Hops often shows a professional production done by Towriss that highlights, in a musical montage, the talent of these wake skaters in action. Autographed pictures can be seen on the walls as well. And sometimes the wake skaters can be found there after spending time out on the lake. Props N’ Hops is located at 1001 Victoria Landing Drive, Woodstock. Phone: 678-919-7802.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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