Wakeboarding - June 01, 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1
EDITORIAL By Kevin Falvey

12 | BOATINGMAG.COM | JUNE 2018

W


e’re boasting two innovations in presenting this month’s content to you,
both centered on our cover.
We normally photograph cover boats from a helicopter, but the Malibu
M235 gracing this issue’s cover was shot utilizing a drone. These days, using
a drone for photography might appear to be a no-brainer, but the fact is the situation needs
to be just right for a drone to make sense. The boat needs to be going slow enough so the
drone can match speed with the boat so a blur-free still image can be shot. Still images are
much more demanding in this regard than video.
Moreover, most new boats don’t look right until they are up and running at 30 or more
miles per hour. Such speed delivers a bow-up attitude, ensures the stern isn’t dragging,
and shows some of the boat’s bottom. It also adds energy and excitement to the image that
one can feel, especially if the viewer is a boater to begin with. But higher speeds can outrun
many drones and, at the least, cut down on the amount of time they can remain airborne.
Then there’s the drone pilot. How do we get the shot without
including the pilot in the shot? Answer: We need another boat
to chase the cover boat, which is not that big of a deal — the
expense is similar to that of hiring a helicopter. But we often
shoot on the ocean, and even on a calm day, the motion at
the speed required makes it difficult to control the drone
with precision. If any group can understand the challenge of
manipulating a mini-joystick while watching a cellphone screen
at planing speed in ocean swells, it’s you, Boating readers.
But for this issue we bring you the stunning Malibu M235. A
watersports boat, it shows best doing what it was designed to
do: make great wakes and waves for its crew to ride. Wakesurfing happens at a very drone-
friendly 11-or-so mph. The photo shoot took place on a lake, the boat’s natural element.
And because of the specifics of wakesurfing, we were able to incorporate innovation
number two on this cover: showing watersports in action. Unlike tubing, water skiing or
wakeboarding, wakesurfing occurs close to the boat’s transom. That allowed us to frame a
shot to include both boat and rider at a size where the boat can still be seen in some detail
(that’s why we use aerial photography for you in the first place).
I’d like to thank Garrett Cortese for spearheading this exciting cover as well as other
content in this Watersports Issue. Though Cortese is the editorial director of our parent
company’s Watersports Group, he is also now a newly minted member of Boating’s editorial
team. He joins Pete McDonald, Jim Hendricks, Randy Vance and a host of other experienced
professionals who are privileged to bring you the best boating content on the planet.
Enjoy the issue.

Kevin Falvey, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]

DRONING ON
Not content to rest on our laurels

These days, using a drone


for photography might


appear to be a no-brainer,


but the fact is the situation


needs to be just right for a


drone to make sense.


TUBE TIME
Whether you own a tow
boat, a center console
or a cruiser, chances
are good that you treat
your crew to the thrills
and fun of riding a tube
in your boat’s wake. To
help you decide which
infl atable to buy, we
took to the water behind
a Supreme S238 and
tested fi ve new tubes
in our annual tow-toy
roundup. Check them
out on page 78.

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