Members Unite!! 2016 Fall Florida Ride

[1of500]

I've got my wetsuit upper from the Norman ride so should be good.

I have a full one but I don't want to wear one

 

[Spimothy Leary]

in mid November there is no guarantee that it won't be cold, but as a Florida resident I've never saw a reason to buy or wear any kind of wetsuit.

I'll be content bringing 2-3 different thickness dry tops from thin to heavy and i'll be fine. I also recently picked up a couple pair of waterproof pants that golfers wear after I discovered just how useless (and dangerous) my snowboard pants were in Western Georgia on the recent trip I didn't realize the padding got immediately waterlogged when you stepped into the water. I'll never use them again in cold weather, if I fell in I think i'd sink like I had lead weights on.

for mild to moderate (we call it Cold) weather in Florida a light drytop (or windbreaker) and/or a pair of thin pants are pretty much all you need. Snorkeling is a whole different ball game but I never got into that down on the west coast where I live, the water is too murky for going under, you can't see more than 2 feet.

ps, I received 3 email responses from the group that went to Glen with weekend and said it was one of their favorites and they'd gladly do it again.

 

[MPower]

Suke and I rented full suits from a local dive shop at Normal for $10 for 2 days. I'm sure they have tons of dive shops in Florida.

 

[1of500]

I doubt you need anything more than a shorty. Might not even need that it was in the 90s last year Christmas when I was down there

 

[Coastiejoe]

I agree, shorty at best or a tour coat.. especially those that are coming from traditionally cooler climates. It will still feel like summer to them,,,

 

[snikwad003]

Yeah even from NC I will probably already have antifreeze in the water toys in November, the KX isnt scared of the cold.

 

[Matt Braley]

Yeah I picture being bundled up in ride gear and staying on the ski. If it were a hot summer day I might snorkel but I'm fine to just go exploring and having the place to ourselves.

Spim did they mention where they stayed?

Coastie can you make that Nov 11th weekend?

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Ok, here's the commentary from SOFLA commodore, basically all the info he gathered was from google and google earth, it was the first organized ride there but small groups have done it before so they didn't go in totally blind.

"you ride the river which is terrific, very scenic but when you get to the springs you have to park your ski and wade through thigh high water for about 3 minutes to get to the actual springs themselves, so if you are unwilling to walk through the cold water all you will see is trees and not see the spring"

The spring is supposed to be pretty cool. Not a requirement obviously, just part of the attraction.

here's some copy/paste from the pre-ride report. 30 skis approximately, 2 day event, most arrived friday night.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Titusville Kennedy Space Center - Hotel
4735 Helen Hauser Blvd
Titusville, FL 32780

We will go to the spring on Saturday... 10 am Sharp!! at the Ramp!!
Ed Stone Park and Boat Ramp
2999 State Road 44
DeLand, FL 32724

For Sunday the 46 ramp is about 20minutes away from the hotel and we will be there by (11am )
Bring extra gas 5 to 10 gallons if you want to ride the Econ river after the St, john river ride..

Sunday 11am at the (46 ramp)
C.S. Lee Park - Park
4600 E State Road 46
Geneva, FL 32732
St John River and the
Econlockhatchee River

 

[Ankeneyou]

Am I going to need to buy a floating gas tank for this ride, lol? When they say bring an extra 5-10 gallons I wonder if that's based on big 4 stroke barges. My spx drinks a tank of fuel in under an hour unless I baby it.

 

[snikwad003]

Strap 2 5 gallons to the back and it will help you keep up with the crusty honda

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Am I going to need to buy a floating gas tank for this ride, lol? When they say bring an extra 5-10 gallons I wonder if that's based on big 4 stroke barges. My spx drinks a tank of fuel in under an hour unless I baby it.

I believe that was because they were doing two river rides that day, so a full tank for the first ride, and a spare tank for ride #2 if you wanted to do it.

I really don't get the best mileage out of mine either but it depends on how hard we push it. If i'm riding with other 4 strokes, i'm good for 65-70 miles with some spare fuel for whatever might happen.

If I ride with 2 strokes I can get 10 more miles because i'm usually at half throttle (sorry, its true!)

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Strap 2 5 gallons to the back and it will help you keep up with the crusty honda

We once got just over 110 miles on a single tank on the R12X. Fuel economy is amazing.

 

[Ankeneyou]

Strap 2 5 gallons to the back and it will help you keep up with the crusty honda

I'll just bring a siphon and suck gas out of that Jap ski. Does the fuel cap come off or is it salt corroded in place? [emoji12]

 

[snikwad003]

Well since the wife shot down buying ankeneyou's HX, Im going to try to get the redbastard running for nammer today, then we can haul fuel for you 7 gallon tank guys
I dont want to trade a seadoo in the winter for a new top end in the kx so no hx for me this year

 

[Coastiejoe]

I have rode with Spim,,, his Honda goes get amazing fuel economy.. I have two skis, RXT-X and GTX. My GTX does fantastic, but Spims Honda is unreal. My RXT,,, well thats a different story all together.

 

[1of500]

Us 2 stoke guys aren't worried about fuel yall can tow us back if we can't make it

 

[Coastiejoe]

Us 2 stoke guys aren't worried about fuel yall can tow us back if we can't make it

I'm a 4-tec (RXT-X 255),,, I ALWAYS worry about fuel.. I will have a spare tank with me for sure.

 

[suke]

Please do, I'm in!

I'm 100% in for the Ozarks get together, but will definitely be flying in for that one.

Totally in for smith mtn lake! Do it when it actually gets warm though.....like late june. Hell or early sept before it cools down.

 

[WhiskeyD]

My spx drinks a tank of fuel in under an hour unless I baby it.

Yea that's my main problem with long rides. The big skis hold much more fuel and I'm forced to turn back early for more gas and oil. I can get a little over a hour if I don't run WOT the whole time but where's the fun in that haha

 

[snikwad003]

If we are in fresh water I can bring the boat and haul fuel, or only a couple cans and some oil to stop and make premix at the fuel stop, however the boat gets bad gas mileage too, and is also premix, 40 gallons of it. :facepalm:

 

[1of500]

Ok fellas where we on dates

 

[jhjesse]

Get a DI. The wife and I ride together down the Tennessee river and back to the dam on one tank of fuel for RXT255 (fumes) and the DI will still have 3 bars or just over a quarter tank. Approximately 80 miles round trip.
At 40 to 50mph on the speedo I can run several hours (probably 4) on a tank with some left over.

Just say in'

 

[Matt Braley]

Ok fellas where we on dates

I've got Seinfeld tickets on the 11th. Can we move it up or back a little?

 

[snikwad003]

I'm good either way

 

[number5]

I'm in. I have two 98gtx skis