That’s what Epic Wakeboat’s founder, Chris Anthony, started wondering just over a decade ago. Considering he was asking the question about wakeboarding while riding behind a small I/O with a horrible wake and even worse holding speed, the answer was an obvious yes.
Despite the sessions behind second-rate equipment, his passion for wakeboarding grew each time.
Chris got a glimpse of how much better things could be while being towed behind a wakeboard-style boat at a Canyon Lake Wakeboard Club Tournament. Huge difference, he thought, but there was definitely room for improvement.
The more Chris questioned the functionality of existing wakeboats, the more people questioned his sanity. Chris ignored the many skeptics, both from within his circle of friends and from the industry he was trying to help, and took it upon himself to make those improvements.
He tried to modify the hulls of existing boats, but with limited and unsatisfying success. Then it hit him like a face plant at 20 mph. Every “wake boat” on the market basically just has a modified ski-boat hull.
Modifications weren’t good enough. He knew he had to start from scratch. The hull, the ballast, the steering, the construction methods and materials, everything had to be rethought. Everything.
After countless hours of researching, questioning and calculating, Chris had the data he needed. That data was transformed into the beginnings of world’s first wakeboat in his driveway in Mira Mesa, California.
When the 23V prototype was first put in the water in 2005, she ran like a champ. It did exactly what Chris designed it to do—create a huge wake.
Since then, the critics have slowly but surely been converted into Epic believers. And even though the questions have turned into compliments from pros, regular riders and industry insiders, everyone at Epic Wakeboats continues to ask the same question: Can it get any better?
The answer is always yes, but right now it’s as good as it’s ever been.
