Freestyle Test ride ettiquette(and common sense!)

[Tommygunz]

I have read and heard so many stories of guys taking $30 k boats out for a test ride and beating the piss out of it like it was their own ski! I own a $30 k ski and have let people ride it but only those i trust and those that can pay for it of they break it! I know some things will break no matter who is on it but those go unsaid.

Heres my common idea and sense thoughts on demo rides:

Like they do at rental places- make a rider put a credit card down before they can ride.
If the rider is in the market for a ski of that nature he/she should have the funds to buy one.

If you cant or have never tried to backflip before, dont go trying it on someone elses ski unless they are telling you to.

Offer to pay for fuel when you ride. At 9+ a gallon for race gas which most of us run, a test ride costs at least $15.

I could probably go on and on but my hand is hurting from typing on my phone in a cast.

Moral of the story, use common sense! We spend a lot of our hard earned cash to build awesome skis, dont hop on them and beat them like they are your own. Please respect the fact that guys are kind enough to let you ride their skis......they can always say no

 

[trebsdub]

Welll Said Tom!

 

[Brian_216]

Ill be there with 2 skis myself. My red one will be available for demo and I dont think it could have been said better. Use common sense and hang on tight! Its currently in the hands of my tuner and from what Im told the tpe 1100 and 155 pump combo is scarry. The other I will have is a customers 735 powered carbon hull on a stock pump. (He will be there with me) Hopefully he will be cool with letting a few people demo it. Cant wait to see everyone there.

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[Tommygunz]

Thanks guys I just feel like something should be said about this topic. I just know how I feel when I let someone take my ski out and I don't really know them that well. I hope all demos go good this year and hope to see some of you at upcoming events

 

[Tommygunz]

I guess another thought is if you are going to test ride a ski,you should either have the funds(credit card for test ride) or have a a/m ski that could be used as collateral.

I'm sure most of the guys won't be this demanding at a freeride but please have some courtesy and respect!

Its one thing if it is Xscream or Thrust or whoever that has a company demo ski. I understand they are in a different boat than most of us. When its a guy who does this as his hobby and lets you take his ski out that's a whole different thing.

All comes down to respect of people and their property!

 

[chadman154]

i think the main thing is RESPECT.

 

[myusername2013]

Good thread! This is my first year attending Daytona. Looking forward to demo a couple b1s (rockered, 1100/1200 swaps) but by all means they will be in good hands with me.
Like what's been said, its all about having respect for people's poop. But some people just have that mentality "if it breaks, oh well, it aint mine"!!!


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[McDog]

Dont attempt flips without asking.

Dont ride without first asking if there are any special instructions.

If the water depth is unknown, dont do anything.

Ask what they want you to do if it capsizes (ie turn it on its left side before
restarting.)

Dont stay on it forever.

Dont leave owners sight.

 

[Tommygunz]

Thanks for input guys!

 

[stagesrt4]

 

[Philip Clemmons]

I've had a few bad experiences letting others ride my skis. It's all cool until something gets broken, then the rules change. "Must have been broken", "you've pancaked it too", etc. heard em all.

A test ride should be to feel how a hull or motor works.....not to try flips and other aerial maneuvers that your equipment won't do! Make some figure 8s, hit it a few times, and take it back unless you've got other instructions from the owner. Work your way into the power. If you're coming off a 701 SJ, don't pin it balls to the wall first time on someone's KDX 1400. It's going to do something you're not expecting, and likely wont end well for you or the ski.

Be aware of time.....I've had people run the gas out and never cover any fuel or oil. They intentionally rode far out so I couldn't get their attention.

Be respectful and careful. It's a test ride, not a bash session.

 

[Byeai]

Lol I want to do figure 8 on a kdx cause I want one lol for real tho

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[ProSouth]

Don't be a dick.

 

[IS0LD0UT]

I've had a few bad experiences letting others ride my skis. It's all cool until something gets broken, then the rules change. "Must have been broken", "you've pancaked it too", etc. heard em all.

Well there are two sides to this, you are assuming the person that has the demo the ski is trustworthy and the riders are only shady ones.
How are you sure the guy before you didn't break it, bend it, beat on it?
I have had the bars and poles break on my skis I was letting others use. I didn't demand a cent because I figured it probably was already abused over the years and was bound to break sometime.

I can see your point and agree, ride within your ability and respect the other person's ski.

 

[Philip Clemmons]

Well there are two sides to this, you are assuming the person that has the demo the ski is trustworthy and the riders are only shady ones.
How are you sure the guy before you didn't break it, bend it, beat on it?
I have had the bars and poles break on my skis I was letting others use. I didn't demand a cent because I figured it probably was already abused over the years and was bound to break sometime.

I can see your point and agree, ride within your ability and respect the other person's ski.

Considering its my ski and ill be determining if anyone rides it, my side is the only one that matters.
Comments like these are what makes me want to say sorry, build your own. That's exactly what I was saying about rules changing. It goes out fine, comes back broken, and the demo rider had nothing to do with it, even though he was on it when it broke. It's always my fault or my equipments fault, even though whatever part in question has never failed during my riding.

I've watched people try flips that have never flipped before, on other peoples boats, just because the ski was capable, without permission and without regard for the safety of the boat. I tried a freak a few years back, and wouldn't flip it, because it wasn't mine and I did not feel comfortable. I watched others try (and hydrolock) the same ski/motor.

If you're nailing the gas in a straight line and it blows, it was prolly inevitable. If you're bouncing out the water WFO on the limiter and it pops, you're responsible. It goes back to testing and being respectful, not trying to land your first flip on someone else's expensive ski.

I've had three aftermarket skis ridden by others go out fine and come back damaged........all doing tricks that they don't do on their own boats, or in a different way, "just to try it". Never had any help getting anything repaired (one guy offered in all fairness, but his incident was the most innocent of all of them).

I swamped Trickys 1200 Circus last year. Swam it in, helped him get it running, test rode it to dry it out, and asked him to please let me know there were any issues, because I'd cover them.

Jeremy Parr was on a boat when a flywheel/ring gear failed. He helped repair and offered money, even though his riding had nothing to do with the flywheel. It's common courtesy and respect.

If you have the attitude that the guy before you probably broke it, you'll be the same guy that brings it in broken, says tough poo, have a nice day. You're the same guy that shouldn't be asking for test rides.

I'm not directing this at you personally, but just responding to your post.

Out of curiosity, (I dont know you), Do you have a flat water boat with a 1000+ cc motor you'll be letting people demo?

See you guys soon!

 

[Tommygunz]

Philip that was a perfect addition to the thread! I know you and Zack got to meet and swap skis too. He said you were a cool guy and by reading this post I see you are cool and also respectful and smart! Thanks again for bringing to light some of the common courtesy things that should go unsaid but apparently need to be pointed out. Hope to meet ya someday!

 

[Lumpy]

Whatever happened to "you break it you buy it"?

 

[IS0LD0UT]

I'm not directing this at you personally, but just responding to your post.

Out of curiosity, (I dont know you), Do you have a flat water boat with a 1000+ cc motor you'll be letting people demo?

See you guys soon!

No problem, I was just pushing your buttons a bit. I probably have not experienced the kind of demo riders from hell you guys are referring to. Hopefully I have not been put on the demo ski black list.

I am bringing my 100+ CC superjet that you are welcome to ride. Though, given your history sinking other people skis I am not so sure.

See ya in Daytona!

 

[Sanoman]

Went to a freeride a couple years ago and watched a guy take a borrowed ski out into the break.Basically gone for 45 min before coming back.Then comes over and asks me to ride my ski "FOC REALLY!"

This is the same kind of crap that Phillip and others have experienced.As a lot of you guys know,l mostly build my own skis from the ground up.Lots of care and love go into these skis that get real involved over a period of a few months.End up with a bunch of money and time in them.So l'm always real sensitive for a total stranger to come up to me and ask.


Great job of explaining Phil Clemens!!! That should pretty much sum it all up..........thanks

 

[Philip Clemmons]

Whatever happened to "you break it you buy it"?

In this day and age, it's always the other guys fault. Noone ever breaks it, "it just broke". Lol

I teach for the public school system. Society has become very good at placing the blame everywhere but itself.