Our "Religious" Boating Experience

In the middle of July 2008 Joe and Kristy Bond went to Lake Powell where, in a joking way, Joe says he had a "religious boating experience."  Two days after returning, on July 22, 2008, they purchased a beautiful MasterCraft X15 family boat.  From the end of July to the beginning of September last summer they put more than 80 hours on their boat.  To put that in to perspective an average boater in Utah will put somewhere between 50-75 hours per year on their boat.  

Living in Heber, with three recreation reservoirs between 5-20 minutes away, Joe and Kristy put that many hours on their boat in only 45 days.  Joe said it was the only mid-major to major purchase with which he hasn't had even a minute of buyer's remorse.  In a short year the Bond's have become what I affectionately refer to as professional "Boating Nazi's" (in addition to being the best salespeople MasterCraft could ever hire).  Look at the picture below: this is how Joe looks the entire time he is on the boat.  He should become the MasterCraft poster child.   

On Friday July 17, 2009 the Bond's invited our family to go to Deer Creek with their family. The pictures will speak for themselves, but it was more than clear that the kids had a great time. We kneeboarded, wakeboarded, surfed, tubed, swam, danced, and ate.  As the Wasatch Wave used to conclude nearly every article 40+ years ago "fun was had by all." Here are some pictures of the families swimming on some secluded portion of the lake.

Here's a picture of Tanner on the kneeboard.  We couldn't get him off (we finally just turned the boat off after nearly 10 minutes).  

Bryson wakeboarding.  This was his first ever attempt.  He got up on his second try.  With a few more days he'd be jumping the wake - what a stud! Check out the video of Bryson wakeboarding on the link below his picture.  If you look and listen closely, you can even see and hear the Heber Creeper in the background.  

Paul Surfing.  These new boats have ballists that add more than 1,000 pounds of additional weight to the boat which throws up an enormous wake when you want it.  The wakes are such that someone can surf just feet off of the back of the boat in front of the wake and when you figure it out you can even throw the rope back in the boat and surf, theoretically perpetually, on the wake.  Very fun! 

Tubing: Trevor B., Bryson, Garrett, Nick B. and Tanner (from left to right)

Nick and Tanner (hands free)

Trevor, Bryson, Garrett

Paul, Mckay, Logan, and Angela

I think it's safe to say that at least a few of our family members have now had their own "religious boating experience" and are now constantly looking for justification as to how a boat will bring the family together, etc.  In fact we've even been boat "tire kicking" - we'll see where that takes us.  Thanks again to the Bond's - you are the greatest!