Basic Cable

When summer arrives, so does the plight of the boat owner, who finds that distant associates and so-called friends alike have morphed into shameless mongrels seeking a drunken weekend at the lake.

Before you call your cubicle neighbor’s best friend’s sister-in-law to schedule one particular weekend this summer (“We were just wondering if maybe you’ll have the boat out that Saturday and whether you’d enjoy teaching little Amy to water-ski”), know that area lake rats now have completely dignified access to high speeds. KC Watersports, a new wakeboard-and-water-ski facility 20 minutes south of town, includes an 8-acre lake from which 5 towers rise majestically to support an overhead cable system. And the purpose of this cable system is to drag your sorry ass across the water’s unforgiving surface at substantial velocity.

Ryan Kent, a 19-year-old from Lee’s Summit, is a devoted rider at the cable park, which will host the Cable Wakeboard National Championships in late July.

“It’s awesome for the people who don’t have boats,” he says. “You can go out there and get pulled around and have a great time.”

The KC Watersports message board reveals that, to hardcore riders, a “great time” is enhanced by masochism. Board365 reports: “Went to the park the other day for the 2nd time. I broke 2 toes! … already been 2 times since i broke them!” And from Malibuman71: “Chicks and Dudes … I rode the park yesterday and I understand what you mean about turn 2. But ill tell yeah something, when you ollie over the rave, make sure you get back into the buoys otherwise your dead … i got knocked out cause it threw me into a crow … hahahaha.”

Kent, who has competed in wakeboarding tournaments at the intermediate level, digs the physical challenge of the sport. But having grown up near a lake, he finds peace on the water as well.

“Dude, I love it,” he says. “When you’re out there, you’re free.”