Nestled atop a hill overlooking the Carnation Valley region of Washington state, Radar Lake was one of the first private, man-made ski lakes in the world. The land was ­originally bought and developed by Herb O’Brien in 1972, and since then, the legend (and envy) has only grown exponentially. Because Radar Lake is most often described as indescribable, we figured it would be best to hear about it from the lucky guys who have been able to visit it over the years. Oh, and if you’d like to ride there one day, you’re probably going to have to keep dreaming …

“There is this special feeling when you’re at Radar that’s unlike anywhere else I’ve been in the world. Once you go through those gates and you’re on the grounds, it’s like time stops and nothing else matters. Whatever you had going on in the real world doesn’t become a concern anymore; you’re just at this magical lake, taking advantage of everything it has to offer. Of course, you can’t say enough about everything that’s gone down there: the video sections, the photos, the progression. But for me, Radar is about that feeling.” — Parks Bonifay

“Radar Lake is a magical place with a lot of nostalgia. It has had a profound impact on all of towed watersports, not just wakeboarding. I consider myself really lucky to have been able to go there as much as I have over the years. My favorite memories are usually just the vibes that come with being there with the boys, but one that really stands out is when I won Trick of the Year in 2011 with the step-up gap we built. Herb was there watching all of us ride, and he was really in tune with what was going on. After any of us hit it, he would talk to us about how it felt and what we were thinking. That was really special to me.” — Erik Ruck

“When I first went to Radar Lake, it was nothing like I expected. Photos don’t even do it justice because of how unique it is. The trees, the views … it’s unreal. ­Radar Lake is really Herb’s dream lake that he created out of nothing. Its story is really almost unbelievable. Knowing the history of Radar and what it has done for watersports over the years, it’s really special for me to have been a small part of that. We’ve done a lot there to push wakeboarding — all the crazy rails, gaps, stunts and stuff — that is really cool to look back on.” — Danny Harf

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I’ve ridden for Nautique Boats for more than 15 years. I first fell in love with the boats when I rode behind the first-ever wakeboard-specific boat in 1997: the Air Nautique. Fast forward 20 years, and I’ve been on a lot of boats. It’s amazing how far these wakeboard and wakesurf boats have come, especially my boat of choice, the Nautique G23. What I love the most is how versatile the boat is. Being able to wakeboard, surfing both sides of the boat without moving weight, and comfortably cruising the lake have never been so easy.

How I Ride It

Speed: 23.2 mph
Rope length: 75 feet
Custom settings: When I ride, I have the ballast tanks full with the NCRS set at 5, but I can easily change the wake to accommodate beginner riders too. The NCRS allows the boat to efficiently create a big wake without plowing its way on plane, and the boat can also ride at slower speeds with a clean wake.
Ballast: I ride with internal ballast full across the board. If it’s just myself and one or two other riders, I’ll add extra weight with Ronix Eight.3 ballast bags in the rear lockers and lead bags in the bow to mimic the weight setup at a contest.

How I Surf It

Speed: 11.2 mph
Custom settings: NCRS set to 5 and the NSS at zero. The wave is incredible just like that!
Ballast: Same as when I wakeboard. For a younger/smaller surfer, I’ll actually drain some.

How I Hang Out

The boat has everything you need for enjoying your time on the water. I like the in-floor cooler and open seating. The driver’s seat is also newly designed, making sitting sideways and looking back at the rider and hanging with friends in the boat much easier. The JL Audio sound system and LED cup holders are enough to entertain anyone not willing to get wet. My wife and I, and our dog, Buddy, regularly take the boat out on the lake to just chill with our friends.

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The first and most obvious step is learning how to get wrapped in the first place. The goal is to get the main handle into your back hand before you grab the small handle. Danny Harf says: “I just pull in to advance myself toward the wrap handle, and then grab the main handle behind my back. The key is to grab the wrap handle quickly before the line tension ­catches back up and pulls on the main handle, which would try to unwrap you.”

Riding in this wrapped position might take some getting used to, since the line tension and body position will feel very different at first. Get wrapped in all directions and on all of your edges, and then take some time to just ride around to get comfortable.

Once you’re ready to start trying some wrapped tricks, Danny says: “I would start with a toeside backside 180 and a heelside frontside 360. Slow the boat down to around 16 to 18 mph and try a short, easy cut that will allow you to pop straight up into the middle of the wakes. Don’t just let go of the wrap handle! You want to give a solid tug to advance yourself in toward the boat. Don’t let go of the wrap handle until you’ve popped off the wake and pulled in to reduce the tension on the main handle.”

Now that you know how to wrap up ­correctly, get out there and give it a try!

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Parks’ travel tips:
• Always try to snag a pillow or blanket from first class on international flights when you walk by. It is frowned upon, so make sure to hide it if you get one.
• I always pat the plane on the way out for good luck. It works — I’ve never crashed!
• Be nice and help ladies and old people lift their bags on the plane. I’ve been ­consciously trying to do it at least once or twice every flight. It’s like Delta CrossFit.
• I always try to keep my clothing bag the same size as a large carry-on bag. That way if you miss the cutoff time to check your bags, you can still bring your clothing bag as a carry-on.

Worst person to travel with:
Rusty [Malinoski], the notorious line skipper. I can’t even deal.

Most memorable road trip:
My dad and I drove six hours in the wrong direction one time. Just so you know, Greenville, South Carolina, and Greenville, North Carolina, are two totally different cities, and are really far apart from each other!

Grubb’s travel tips:
• Don’t always go for the cheapest fare. Stick to one airline and build your SkyMiles status.
• Keep your pockets empty except for your phone. Makes security quick.
• Take off your hat when you step up to the window of any customs official.
• When sleeping on long flights, wear a hat and pull the blanket over your head. It blocks all the light and distractions, and the bill of your hat keeps the blanket away from your face so you don’t get hot.
• Put your shoes on the conveyor first, before your bags, so you can put them on quickly, then grab your bags and go.

Miles you’ve flown:
1.5 million

Airport floor you’ve slept on:
Portland

Bucket-list destination:
Maldives

Danny’s travel tips:
• If you can’t get the first-class upgrade, try to grab a seat in the last exit row over the wing — otherwise known as poor man’s first class. The first exit row won’t recline, but the last row rivals first class for legroom.
• Get TSA Pre-Checked. You go through a shorter line and you don’t take off your shoes or remove your laptop. The Pre-Check line is usually about five to 10 minutes instead of 30 to 45 minutes.

Memorable travel story:
I was running super late and needed to catch what was the last flight of the day out of Orlando. After deciding I wouldn’t have time to park, I left my truck on the ticketing curb with the keys in it and ran inside. I checked in and checked my bags just before the cutoff time. When I went outside to park the truck, it was hooked up to a tow truck. The driver told me it was $50 to get the truck back and I could pick it up at the tow yard. I picked it up three days later and discovered a new form of airport valet that was almost the same price as airport parking!

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For the 2016 Ronix One Collection >>

For the entire 2016 Ronix Product Lineup >>

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Bob Thank You’s: Taylor Hanley, Trevor Bashir, Dylan Miller, Sean Kilgus, Nick Dorsey, Danny Harf, Kevin Henshaw, Parks Bonifay, Jake Snider, Aaron Rathy, Dean Smith, Amber Wing, Billy Park, Family, The Wakeboard Camp, Humanoid, and Sooruz.

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