Wow, just read the recent activity on this thread...
1st - LMFAO
2nd - I usually refrain from taking part in these sorts of things... however...
3rd - There are only two guys that ride sit down that I feel safe riding with (DrewProductions and Russ) - because I've been riding with them for almost 15 years now. I know how they ride, and never have to worry about them.
As for as all the other couch riders I've met over the years, most only care about going fast, turning unpredictably, cutting people off, and going where they are looking instead of looking where they are going. The ones that do not fit this description are usually old people out cruising around 10 yards off the beach making swimmers have to be on high alert.
Where we ride all summer there are a handful of us on standups, and usually about 30 - 40 sit down riders any given weekend. Most of the couchers are ignorant azzholes who come ripping into shore between boaters and do nothing but spinouts over the boaters anchor lines.
Most couchers cannot even respect other couchers. Back in the day when I had a Yamaha sit down I was out in the bay doing a headstand (nobody around) and out of the blue some jackass on a seadoo come flyin up to me and does a spin out, blasting me with his jetwash... needless to say I got blown right off and thought I broke my neck on that one. Then he takes off.
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Anyway, the rules put in place are for a reason, no couches allowed at the Daytona Freeride. Whether a permit says so or the organizer/promoter says so. If you don't like it, then start your own couch freeride.
Besides, there are way more couch riders out there than stand up riders... so you're really not alone in the world... you just need to find your kind and join their herd.
:rant:
rant over...