Ski club in SE Virginia, Hampton Roads - looking for interest and advice

[tgi100]

HHello all,

 

I'm looking into starting a ski club in SE Virginia in the vicinity of Hampton Roads. There used to be the Colonial Waterski Club, and Gibbs Lake, and Warburton Pond, etc.; but all of these have gone away for various reasons as a club and/or ski spot.

I've been skiing for a long time, but only recently got serious about skiing the course and would like to set one up in my area. I'm currently trying to get a permit for the upper Chickahominy River and/or the Lake Maury at the Mariner's Museum. I would prefer the fresh-water and ideal lake of the Museum, but still need to convince the Museum that this is a good idea for them :smiley:

Either way, I would be happy to link up with other enthusiasts in the area and extend the invite to those who are curious but are not (yet) hardcore skiers or otherwise don't have access to the resources (boats) to do so.

 

Questions for the community:

1.) Any interest in this area?

2.) Any advice about setting up a club?

3.) What about insurance or waterski association memberships etc.?

4.) Have you set one up as an LLC, or a 501c, or what??

5.) I've heard rumors about aquatic clubs at nearby colleges, anyone have contacts?

 

A little about me: I've water skied for years and belonged to a club in college that exposed me to awesome ski boats and people for near-free. This was my first introduction to a ski course at which I failed miserably and resigned to not being able to do it. Fast forward to years later, my wife recently bought me some ski instruction at Bumpass, VA that really unlocked my ability to ski. We now have a 2005 Nautique 216 that is an awesome family boat with a decent wake for my emerging ability (or lack thereof). I want to introduce this sport to more people in the area and establish a course somewhere for regular use.

 

Please let me know if you have interest and/or advice.

 

Tom

 

[Bill22]

@rodb and @Nautibynature

[Nautibynature]

The Chick is way to busy for a course, I have an instaslalom we setup on Chick Lake sometimes. We tried it in the river on a weekday but the tide would keep it going crooked. A private lake such as Gibbs is going to be the best option to setup a course. If you find a lake I will bring my course and know others that would also be interested. Good luck!

[tgi100]

@Nautibynature Thank you kindly for the advice and the offer to bring a course!! Perhaps I will punt on trying to get something setup on the Chick. We have been going every Tuesday evening and launch out of Colonial Harbor Marina. Come meet up with us if you like, I'd be thrilled to give you a pull.

 

Regarding lakes, could you please take this survey of the Mariner's Museum park and indicate that you would like to see water skiing and/or a tournament there? I'm trying to show them the potential interest this could have for the park, and I think they are seriously considering it. Please spread this link along to anyone in the area that you know might be up for a course on Lake Maury. There is already a boat ramp on the lake, and years ago had our boat on it for a one-time members event about boats. The lake is deep, obstruction free~ish, has a 2000' straight away shielded from wind, and has glass water most of the time.

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DEfgoIVK9inSuZnykaH6PjwGjlD84vxH16xSf4YOJKM/viewform?ts=5a737987&edit_requested=true

 

 

[Nautibynature]

I just gone done skiing, We mostly go in tbe mornings during the week. Evenings are good too but I usually work 2nd shift Mon - Thurs. I will check out the survey and pass it to others.

[Kelvin]

@tgi100 I read the survey but didn't complete it since I'm not in your area. I see a lot of questions about kayaking and canoeing. Those activities aren't really compatible with running a tournament ski lake out there. The lagoon lake in Milwaukee where they used to host the Malibu Open has a paddleboat business on it most of the year. One of the biggest expenses of that tournament was buying out the business for the weekend so the tournament could be run.

[ALPJr]

Could a shared use be possible? Similar to Aquatic Park in Berkeley.

[tgi100]

@Kelvin Thanks for your input. Regarding the kayaking and canoeing, the museum used to rent those out, but has since stopped since they didn't get enough interest and were losing money. They are now looking for ways to generate interest in the park and lake, and here is a big chance for us to get a really cool slalom spot and generate revenue for the museum. I am proposing to them the option of allowing upper-level members (like $500 year membership) to use the lake. There is minimal cost and risk to them if they simply allow it, but require lake users to have liability insurance and waivers in place etc... What I hope to provide in the very near future is a show of support from the community in the local area that would interested. If we have excitement and interest now, they are more willing to say yes.

[aerojust]

@tgi100 @Nautibynature Just happened upon this post googling water skiing in Hampton Roads. Very novice skiing who was skiing one week a summer for the last 13 years. Just bought a 2000 ski nautique with plans to use it on the northwest river. Very interested in a club and info on local water. Let me know if this goes anywhere and what I can do to help.

[Dlongwfu]

Any updates on this? Been a 2-4 times a summer skier for my whole life. Took a few lessons when I lived in Florida but would love the possibility of unlocking more potential in my skiing by having the option to ski locally and more frequently.

[lpskier]

Beaver Lake Ski Club in Eure NC is in the general neighborhood, an hour fifteen from Hampton Roads. Great ski club; great place to ski.

[tgi100]

It's ALIVE!

 

We now have a water-skiing chapter of the "Peninsula Ski Club of Virginia." I have been trying all summer to find a closed body of water to establish a course - no dice. Sooo, here is what I do have:

 

- Open water skiing on the Upper Chickahominy River, during weekday evenings/mornings, not bad at all. The idea is we gather enthusiasts to help share experiences and improve our skiing.

 

- In the process of getting Coast Guard and DGIF approval to install a slalom course on Chickahominy Lake (just up-river of Walker's Dam, in that cove on the south side). Process pending.

 

- We have an unofficial approval from the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation folks to use Oak Grove lake for one-time events. Such as – grass roots tournament or ski clinic.

 

- We have established relationships with the nearby VA Beach Adaptive Watersports club.

 

- Due to the nature of club affiliation costs, I plan to affiliate the club in the spring with the American Water Ski Association rather than now.

 

If you are interested, check out the PSC website https://www.peninsulaskiclub.com/. I have a blog that is still in the works but is coming soon!

 

@lpskier @Dlongwfu @aerojust @Nautibynature @rodb

[MillerTime38]

Any updates on this, getting settled into the area and looking for a good place to ski, don’t mind open water either for now