The flatwater BF is dead.

[Big Kahuna]

We all know backflips are fun and cool and easy to do in the surf (if you have balls) but hard on flat water. Now they are getting easier on flat water with recent innovations. Right now those innovations are expensive. That doesn't mean backflips aren't as much fun as before. They may not be as cool to you but they will still be fun to do and will drop tops at the lakes for years to come. Rant over.

another twist. Back Flips have been done in the surf for years now. a stock SJ could pull a flip. Why, the shape of the wave actually does most of the work for you. Now lets look at flat water, there is nothing there to really help you other than a setup wave. Now these new hull designs are basically mimicking the shape of a wave with their short curled hull designs. You can take a BOB, and XFS with basically a stock motor and pull a flat water back flip. Only downside is these hulls are not as stable as a SJ. Therefore they are not a great all around hull for the average person.

 

[lakeboy183]

i really could care less who can or can't do a fw back flip but the thing that grinds my gears is when you have some rich as guy come on here with his 30k boat and talk down to everyone. just because we don't have the money dosn't give that person any right to talk down at us or think they are better than us.

 

[Matt_E]

i really could care less who can or can't do a fw back flip but the thing that grinds my gears is when you have some rich as guy come on here with his 30k boat and talk down to everyone. just because we don't have the money dosn't give that person any right to talk down at us or think they are better than us.

And who is doing that? :dunno:

 

[FlightPlanDan]

And who is doing that? :dunno:

x2? I don't see any of that going on. I ride with some of the guys who have those killer ski's. Not a bad one in the bunch. Always helpful when my regular old sj isn't right.
They are more than willing to let you take a burn on thier ski, they even insist sometimes! (I try not to do that).

And as far as BF's go......They're GRRRRRRRREAT! Surf or flat, big motor or stock, I always enjoy watching them (and trying them now and then).

It seems more than a bit silly to complain about how much money other riders have. Usually those who don't make enough have only themselves to blame. (myself included....should have stayed in school)

Or you could ask an administrator to create two new sections..... "Rich guy section" "Poor guy section" But, the rich guys have to pay the poor guys registration....it's the American way...LOL. (I kill me)

 

[badvinny]

I reaaally want to learn to BF, not just for the fun but mainly for the 'Top Droppin' that Mcdogg mentioned earlier (see signature below!)

 

[chriselmore_1]

if people are still throwin backies how can they be dead?

 

[D-Roc]

i think demon may have just trying to point out that the trick is now becoming very easy for anyone to do with a strong motor and BF hull. It use to be that us flatwater guys needed to work and work and work at a trick and learn it. now the general public is able to buy the type of setups that eric malone used to do FW flips that dropped a jaw and made gobs drool out. eric invented it and lenzi would always seem to throw lots of money to catch up and repeat what he seen. This was the difference between the two riders IMO. There is nothing wrong with anyone buying a 30k ski and backflipping it in 6 months of riding standups. am i jealous? hell ya, do i hate him for it? maybe just a bit, but i will get over it. haha. all rolls and flips and backwards hood tricks are badass!!! oh what, you surf guys can't do backwards hood tricks? surf is dead! three tricks whopeedo. haha.

oh, my hood is lighter than a xfs lid.

 

[NVJAY775]

I can't wait to br and flip on flat. (not to mention a crap load of other tricks I want to learn) It's fun to watch (no matter what kind of ski does it) skis flipping and rolling. Any and all tricks for that matter. I love flatwater riding. On a side note, flatwater has and is still growing in our area. More standups on the lakes and rivers now than a couple years ago for sure.

To me if you're having fun and there's a smile on your face you're winning.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Honestly, I just pulled my first Back Flips a month ago off a double up, I was surprised just how easy it is. I still have alot of work to do to get all the way around, but the effort and skill is very easy. A flat water barrell roll to me is much harder, people do not think this, but there are so many variables to doing it right and getting all the way around. I still have not mastered them after over 4 years of doing them. Give me $20,000 and a few weeks to find a back flip hull and I bet I would have the flip mastered and still not be any better doing rolls........

 

[tom21]

what I took away from the OP was that now instead of the FW backflip being something that had to be practiced for quite a long time. and took even longer to master. Now you simply have to have enough money and it is within the grasp of nearly anyone. so instead of this move being something to be proud of, a real acheivement that was only thru a lot of hard work and persistence its now simply a matter of money.

For me when anyone can do it its not really a challenge. even though its still difficult to do, now it has lost its luster. the secret is out. this is all you need and you too can fw backie.

I will still respect the effort but I will give way more respect to the guy with a modded stock hull and hopped up 701 with a B-pipe. If thats you- I bow to your greatness.

 

[FlightPlanDan]

Unless you ride in competition, you have only yourself to impress. No matter what equipment you have.

 

[Aircraftsalz]

There's so many variations to backflips & all have different ski levels.... I will agree to teach someone to spin 180 & pull a backflip is not hard as long as the person can keep there feet & hands attached to the ski & has the balls to try it... Most guys can't hold on to a ski making big hp....

It takes so much work to learn a BF off a setup wake, theres a lot going on besides a BF... To me I love to do single BF's from setup wake & go big. Underflips, one hand or one foot keeps the trick cool to me...

 

[Melmack]

It seems the point of this post was to say the FW BF is dead because it's all about the ski now days. Its not impressive anymore. When all they do at competition is BF 15 times in a row on a 30k boat, it becomes a 'who got the bling show' instead. It would be nice to see a combo of rolls, hood tricks and some actual showmanship again. If you look at freestyle sports like skateboarding, and BMX they are forced to mix it up because they only have so much power. For guys like us that watch this stuff all the time, FW backies and rolls are boring now. I like to see a big BF too but not over and over. And if that's all you can do fine. Go BF yourself silly. Have fun. But the point is still valid. It seems the FW BF is less interesting to watch than a good sub.

 

[Big Kahuna]

There's so many variations to backflips & all have different ski levels.... I will agree to teach someone to spin 180 & pull a backflip is not hard as long as the person can keep there feet & hands attached to the ski & has the balls to try it... Most guys can't hold on to a ski making big hp....

It takes so much work to learn a BF off a setup wake, theres a lot going on besides a BF... To me I love to do single BF's from setup wake & go big. Underflips, one hand or one foot keeps the trick cool to me...

I am one of those who is not sure if he can hold on. I do not like the monstor power. But I am not use to it either. The idea go "Rag Dolling" is not something I want to think about, it scares the crap out of me. I have lost skis enough times where I have landed on them and do not relish the thought of doing it again.

 

[swapmeet]

I've said this before and i'll say it again. I'm probably too new to the sport to be posting my opinion.

I see what the OP means.... but theres two things that come to mind that makes the meaning limited. (some of this is my interpetation of the preceeding statements.)

1. The impressiveness of a BF can now be judged on what machine your running. So if you have a basicly unlimited budget ski, than we can all be impressed at what your ski allows you to do. But if you can manage a BF with a much more meager ski than the skills and props belong to the rider, not his bank account.

2. If the OP is talking about competition, then yeah, sure... its a little "meh" because the sport has evolved into purpose built skis that make BF and other tricks easier to pull off. But if a some d-bag like me who will never compete, manages a BF off a double up on a FX-1 with a limited 701... guess what... that chits cool.

I'm like Shanes, I saw a BF and said "I gotta try that."

And to the people who claim the sport is dying, to me that is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Go get your friends into the sport! Pick up a used SJ for a G and let people ride it. 2-3 years ago A friend of mine let me ride his 650 square and I was hooked. Now i'm riding the baddest ski i've ever owned. (Its probably crap compared to most of your skis but don't judge me!) We have two more friends who bought 650 squares last month and one of them already plans on getting a carbon BOB next year. (so he can BF....)

 

[Robin_aftermarket_Hood]

I will still respect the effort but I will give way more respect to the guy with a modded stock hull and hopped up 701 with a B-pipe. If thats you- I bow to your greatness.

I had my 701 with a b-pipe 'hopped up' to a 900 with a PF Dry Pipe; does this qualify?

 

[WFO Speedracer]

The flatwater backflip is only dead to those that have pulled one off and can do it again at will, it is not dead to me, not yet anyway.

 

[D-Roc]

long live the FW backflip, or flop for some of us with POS skis.

 

[NVJAY775]

long live the FW backflip, or flop for some of us with POS skis.

I'm floppin like a mofo shortly.

 

[FlightPlanDan]

Hell, .... I'm still trying (now and then, when the waves are perfect) to ride out of a surf BF. Somehow, a FWBF seems a bit out of grasp at this point. (for me).
But I love to see 'em.
And no matter how you feel about "buying a trick" or working hard to achieve a trick, all must admit that things HAVE actually come a long way since the Kawi JS days.
Such a small market would normally have died years ago, except for the passion of those who have kept it alive in the past and those who keep it alive now.
All sports/hobbies advance because of both....riders AND equipment. To only look to riders to innovate would only lead to innovation in equipment. Can't have one without the other. i.e., "superflip bars".....a rider, (don't know who), said, "hey man, if I had some leverage to get my arse back in the tray......"
So, as I see it, if you think a trick is not a good trick because the equipment was too good, you're standing in the way of innovation and the advancement of the sport.
I'll admit, I only ride flat water from the ramp to the ocean and back. So, I can easily get by without super slammin' equipment.
But, if not for goodness sake, then for the sake of stand-up jet skiing in general, don't choke off innovation by being a "trick-snob"




BTW: It is usually the guys with the killer ski's that try-out new products and let the rest of us know if they would be worth squandering a paycheck on them, or not.