The Nautique Network

Dockside Chats: Joey Harris

Nautique Boats: Welcome to Team Nautique! You just had an incredible season with wins at the Nautique Wakesurf Masters and the Nautique European Wakesurf Championships, and you were crowned the 2024 Nautique Wakesurf Series Overall Champion in Pro Men’s Surf. Can you describe your most memorable moments from the 2024 Nautique Wakesurf Series?

Joey Harris: What’s up! Thank you so much! My most memorable moments from the Nautique Wakesurf Series would have to be traveling with my family and hanging with everyone at the different events. Another thing that comes to mind is when I ended up surfing my 2^nd pass in the semi-finals at the 2024 Masters with only one fin! On the last trick of my first pass, I fell and hit my leg on my left fin, which must’ve popped it out of the fin box! It hurt pretty good, but I didn’t think to check to see if my fin was still there as 99% of the time it is, lol. So, that sweet Paragon pulled me up for my second pass and immediately I felt something wasn’t right with my board. I just figured my fin was loose or something, so I tried to block it out and just focus on surfing. I ended up getting through most of my run and when I checked my board after falling, my fin was gone! I couldn’t believe it and I started laughing to myself. So, I hopped on the jet ski and as I passed by the boat, held up my board and yelled ONE FIN!! The look on some of the judges’ faces was priceless haha. I ended up advancing to finals which was the cherry on top!

NB: What are you most looking forward to as the newest member of Team Nautique?

JH: Being able to meet everyone behind this awesome company and having the opportunity to represent the best wakesurf boats in the world! 

NB: What motivated you to pursue a career in wakesurfing?

JH: Honestly, I didn’t know it was possible to have a career in wakesurfing up until a few years ago haha. I really was just wakesurfing for fun and trying different tricks that I thought were cool. The fact that I can make this my career is pretty awesome, and I’m very grateful to have this opportunity.

NB: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped you as the athlete you are today?

JH: Yeah, for sure. It was actually just last year at Nationals after I had the worst comp run during the finals. I was walking back from the dock with tears in my eyes and feeling pretty defeated when a girl with special needs that was sitting on a bench with her mom asked me how I did. I really didn’t feel like talking about it, but I just said I really didn’t do too well. She was so positive and had a smile on her face when she said, “That’s okay, you’ll do better next time.” I couldn’t help but think - wow, here I am feeling down and negative, complaining about how I rode, and here is this girl who has special needs that has probably never been on a boat, let alone been wakesurfing. Her huge smile and contagious positive attitude towards life got to me. It was like God showed me how much I have to be thankful for in this life, and to not focus so much on the negative. Gods always got a plan.

I’ll never forget that day as it put things into perspective for me. So, thank you to the girl on the bench who reminded me to keep my head up, know there’s good in every situation, and be grateful in every moment.

NB: Wakesurfing has taken you all over the world. Can you share some of your favorite destinations?

JH: Japan for sure! I love the culture out there and everyone is so nice and respectful. Also, I love SUSHI!

I also liked Switzerland. The architecture was impressive, and the people I stayed with were extremely hospitable. London was alright, but I’m not much of a city boy haha. I am also really looking forward to going to Spain with my family this year!

NB: What does a day in your life consist of when training for events?

JH: I do my best to surf as much as I can between teaching lessons, but my goal is to surf at least once a day during the season. I also include a yoga/stretching session in the morning and maybe a skate sesh or Jiu Jitsu in the evening. Eating clean is really important to me too.

NB: What was the hardest trick for you to learn? What tricks are your favorite?

JH: The hardest trick I’ve landed would have to be the Backside 540 Big-Spin. I don’t have it consistent YET, but it’s a pretty rad feeling to stomp that trick.

My favorite tricks on the daily are constantly changing, but I always love a solid Backside Full Rotation, classic Madonna, and lofty Back Big.

NB: What are your favorite activities off the water?

JH: My favorite activities off the water are Jiu Jitsu, skateboarding, yoga, riding my Harley, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, and going to church with my family on Sundays. Recently I’ve gotten into learning about Crypto and how to day trade, which has been fun.

NB: What do you consider your greatest achievements outside of wakesurfing?

JH: Getting baptized is one of my greatest achievements that I will never forget. Also, not letting fear dictate which path to follow and trusting in Him in all the ups and downs of life.

NB: How would you define success in wakesurfing?

JH: I feel success could be defined and perceived in many ways. In my opinion, success in wakesurfing involves spreading the joy of it to others and cheering everyone on.

NB: What career would you pursue if you weren’t a professional wakesurfer?

JH: Gosh, that’s a tough one. My parents used to say if you can help it, try to be your own boss, so I’d probably be an entrepreneur of some sort. I would probably dabble in some real estate too.

NB: Who inspires you and what advice would you give to aspiring wakesurfers? 

JH: I took some time to really think about this question as I didn’t have an answer right away. There are actually multiple people who inspire me for different reasons. For instance, my parents inspire me to work hard and always be kind to others, my sister inspires me to be a better brother and friend, my grandparents inspire me to believe in myself and always stay true to who I am, the Bible inspires me to share the Good News to everyone and always give glory to God, I could keep going as there are many people who inspire me and I’m grateful for every single one of them.

As for the aspiring wakesurfers, my advice would be to focus less on the end results and instead just enjoy the journey. You’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some but having a positive attitude and knowing that it’s all part of the process will make the journey much more fun. It’s a constant mindset that I still struggle with but do my best to remember every day. Oh, and most importantly HAVE FUN!!

NB: What does Nautique mean to you?

JH: Being a part of Nautique means being on the Dream Team! Even though I haven’t been in this industry long, it’s no secret that they are the best, and I’m extremely grateful to have this opportunity!

NB: What are your favorite features on the Super Air Nautique G23?

JH: First and foremost, that dreamy, never-ending (as long as you have gas lol) wave! The Nautique wave has a unique shape that allows me to get more pop, which equals bigger tricks and the ability to create new ones. Plus, what I’ve really come to appreciate with my G23 is the fit and finish. It truly is a beautiful boat, and you can tell Nautique takes pride in their work.

NB: What’s on your playlist when you ride behind your Super Air Nautique G23?

JH: That all depends on the day. If I’m going out for a morning session, I love to listen to Gospel music as it helps to keep me in a joyful and grateful mood. Here are some of my favorite Gospel songs: Holy Forever by Chris Tomlin, Living Hope by Bethel Music, and Miracle Child by Brandon Lake.

Other times, I’m mostly listening to reggae, which I think is one of the best boat music genres. Reggae Songs: Way of Life by Stick Figure, Smooth Sailin by Stylie, Hold Firm by Collie Buddz.

NB: What are your goals for 2025?

JH: My goals for 2025 include growing my Wakesurf School here on Table Rock Lake (if you’re interested, here’s my website: jh3surf.com), creating more unique and fun content, doing at least one NBD, staying positive no matter the circumstances, and most importantly growing in my Faith.

NB: Where do you see yourself in five years?

JH: Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t want to know - and I mean that in a good way! A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines His steps. Proverbs 16:9

Whatever the Lord has in store for me, I’m here for it. I pray that in those 5 years, I have gained wisdom and understanding, I have grown closer in my relationship with God, and have hopefully turned others to Him as well.

Dockside Chats: Neilly Ross

Nautique Boats: Congratulations on setting the Women’s Trick World Record! Tell us what being a World Record Holder feels like and what it means to you?

Neilly Ross: Holding the World Record feels almost like a relief. I have had my eyes set on achieving this goal since I was 14 when I tricked over 10,000 points for the first time. It has been a long road, but to end this season with setting 3 pending World Records (1 approved thus far) has been worth all of the work and sacrifice and I will keep working to trick more points.

NB: What did you do on and off the water to prepare to break the Women’s Trick World Record?

NR: I’ve grinded as hard as I can, year-round, for 15 years straight. I have cut no corners and have sacrificed everything; it is 100% worth the effort I have put in! I wouldn’t have it any other way - I absolutely love skiing (and slalom just as much as tricks). To put into perspective how tough it gets at the top, it took me nearly 7 years from the time I put on a trick ski to trick 10,000 points, but it took me more than 7 years to go from 10,000 points to 11,000 points.

NB: What new sequences and tricks did you put together in your World Record run?

NR: To put together my World Record run, I knew that it was going to take testing out creative sequences and putting together two innovative passes. I needed to fit 6 flips and 4 wake tricks in time, but I also needed several low point scoring (“filler”) tricks. Because of this, we designed my run in a 3 flip, 4 spin, 3 flip configuration. On top of that, I needed all 10 tricks to be very high scoring tricks. As for toes, I cut out some surface turns and added the toe wake line 540. This added a few hundred points to my toe pass.

NB: Bring us back to the beginning - tell us about your waterskiing journey and what inspired you to pursue a professional waterskiing career?

NR: I started skiing before I can even remember. Slalom was what brought me into the sport. I grew up at my family’s ski school in Orlando, Florida and every day of my life has been spent at the lake. Then, when I was 7, I rode a trick ski for the first time and was immediately hooked. From that point forward, both of my parents showed their full support by devoting 3-4 hours every single day to drive and coach me tricks — they couldn’t get me off the water (it became my dad’s new full-time job lol).

NB: What does an average day in the life of Neilly Ross look like when training for a tournament?

NR: While training for tournaments, I start my day by heading over to the lake at around 7:30. I always do a 20-30 minute warm up consisting of rolling, stretching, and activating my muscles before I do 1-2 slalom sets. After slaloming, I usually like to separate my slalom and trick sets by a few hours, so I’ll go home for a quick breakfast and then go back to the lake for 1-2 trick sets. After my skiing in done for the day, I enjoy doing pilates or going for a run.

NB: Can you describe your most memorable waterskiing experience?

NR: When I was 12, I got a call from Steve Bush (former Team Canada Coach) asking me if I had been training through the winter to which I replied “of course.” I was needed last minute to compete in Santiago, Chile in just a week at the World Championships. Up to this point, I had only competed in junior competitions. My dad and I hopped on a plane to Santiago, Chile and I got to ski with and against my heroes (12-year-old me was absolutely floored that I was on the same team as Whitney McClintock, Breanne Dodd, Ryan Dodd, and Jason McClintock; plus many more of my heroes that I got to compete against including Clementine Lucine and Natalia Berdnikava). It was at this tournament that, to my surprise, I became the youngest skier to ever make a finals at a World Championships and I ended up placing 7th. Competing at this high-level competition alongside the athletes that I looked up to so much changed my life and it was there that I decided that I wanted to pursue skiing with all of my energy - and to one day be the best in the world.

NB: What are your favorite things to do off the water and in the off-season?

NR: Off the water and in the off season I love to wake surf, foil, snow ski, and run. Since I started skiing heavily when I was around 7, I really have never taken an “off-season.” It wasn’t until last year that I started to give myself several weeks without skiing to rest and focus on other aspects of my life.

NB: What does Nautique mean to you?

NR: Nautique to me means reaching for perfection. In the water sports industry, Nautique is the trailblazer in innovation. At the end of the day, there is no boat that feels the way a Nautique does and still, Nautique continues to strive to find ways to improve and reach beyond what is thought of as the “perfect” ski boat.

NB: What features of the Ski Nautique helped you to break the World Record?

NR: The crisp and supportive wakes of the Ski Nautique most definitely helped me to break the World Record. The wake shape and table behind the Ski Nautique are on a completely different level. The clean definition optimizes transitions and improves skier efficiency. The ballast system allows for an immediate and accurate customization of balance and size.

NB: Who has been your biggest influence or role model and why?

NR: Hmmm.. tough one. I have had many role models throughout my career including Clementine Lucine and Whitney McClintock. Especially in the past few years, my brother, Charlie, has done such an amazing job developing a positive mindset and extreme work ethic so I definitely look up to him a lot.

NB: Do you have any advice for aspiring junior waterskiers?

NR: I have always told myself that the best mentality is one that goes full force in working as hard as you can and then at competitions, to roll the dice and let them fall where they fall. Another thing that I tell myself is when I’m nervous for a competition, I ask myself if this is the last tournament that I will ever ski in. If the answer is no, then this prompt helps me to remove my fear and channel my nervous energy into having full confidence in my runs.

NB: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future?

NR: For the future, I want to continue to push the boundaries in women’s trick skiing. I believe it is possible for women to trick over the 12,000-point barrier so… that’s the goal.

Dockside Chats: Jack Travers Waterski School

Nautique Boats: Nautique has been proud partners of the Jack Travers Waterski School for over 50 years! We’d love to share your journey to becoming a world renown waterski destination. Tell us how it all started!

Jack Travers: Throughout my life, I have harbored a deep passion for waterskiing. During my summers, I resided in Alton Bay, New Hampshire, where I was a member of the Alton Bay Ski Club. I actively engaged in waterskiing whenever possible. My aspiration was to establish a training center for waterskiing. After gaining valuable experience at two esteemed ski schools in Florida, I made the decision to embark on my own entrepreneurial journey in the autumn of 1973.

In Florida, I acquired a mobile home situated on a small lake that connected to three other lakes within Lake County. My father, recognizing the potential of this opportunity, generously donated the family Correct Craft V-drive inboard boat to support my endeavors. After undergoing a valve repair, installation of a new starter, propeller, and tune-up, the boat was restored to its former glory, enabling me to commence coaching my students.

In the spring of 1974, Walt Meloon presented me with an exceptional trade-in offer for a reconditioned 1973 Ski Nautique. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Walt for his invaluable contributions to my dream. From that moment forward, Walt Meloon and Mr. Ralph treated us as members of their extended family, consistently providing encouragement and support as we pursued our aspirations and dreams.

NB: What is your mission at the Jack Travers Waterski School?

JT: Regardless of their experience, whether as a beginner or a professional athlete, our primary goal is to provide skiers with exceptional coaching and guidance to help them achieve their goals both on and off the water. We strive to create an environment conducive to success by promoting healthy living habits.

NB: Can you share some of your favorite client success stories?

JT: Back in the day, before cell phones, we always told our staff and students to give us a call whenever they wanted. But let me tell you, those middle-of-the-night calls weren’t always the best. One such night, our group was at the Nautique Moomba Masters, and guess who rang the phone at 2:45 AM? It was none other than Mike Hazelwood! Can you believe it? He had just jumped 200 feet to win Moomba! Talk about an adrenaline rush!

At the World Championships in London, England, the last skier of the day, Sammy Duvall, put on his jump skis and took to the water. He won both the jump and overall titles! And guess what? A relatively unknown skier named Kim Laskoff also made history by winning slalom at the same event.

In 2011, my son, Jon Travers, participated in the last-chance qualifier for the Nautique Masters Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament. He ran a remarkable 4 @ 41 off securing a victory and a ticket to compete in the Nautique Masters event. One week later, he continued his impressive performance by winning the event. At the same event, our future daughter-in-law emerged victorious in the jump event. These experiences were deeply emotional and filled me with immense pride.

NB: You have run a family operated business for 51 years. Can you share some of your family values that have contributed to your continued success?

JT: We marked 50 years of business at the 2023 World Championships, which we hosted. Choosing the right people to represent our ski school is one of the toughest tasks for any service business.

Our mission has always been to hire staff who will treat our customers the way we want to be treated. Our team has always gone above and beyond to make sure our clients get more than they expected. My wife and I have always believed in respect and responsibility, and we’ve been lucky enough to have our sons, Christopher, Jonathan, and daughter-in-law Natallia join the business. We’re excited to continue providing respectful and responsible water ski services for many years to come!

NB: The Jack Travers Waterski School has hosted numerous waterski events over the years. Which events were your favorites and why?

JT: We’ve hosted some pretty big events here at Sunset Lakes, like the U.S. Team Trials, Florida State Championships, Southern Regionals, and even the IWWF Disabled Worlds, 35 Plus Worlds, Junior Worlds, and the IWWF 2021 and 2023 Open Worlds Championship. We’ve also been the home of the first Masters Last Change Qualifier and have hosted the event every year since 2001. And let’s not forget about all the world records and PB’s that have been set here! It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make these events happen, and we’re so grateful for everyone who supports us.

We’re not just about big tournaments; We also love hosting a simple Wednesday night class C for kids and beginners. It’s a great way for them to get involved in our sport, have a fun meal with our ski club, officials, and homeowners, and make some new friends.

NB: Can you give us some insight as to how your students prepare for the Nautique Masters Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament presented by GM Marine?

JT: Robin Lake, the venue for the U.S. Masters, presents a challenge for competitors due to its depth, exceeding that of most tournament sites. Additionally, a long stone wall casts rollers randomly across the lake. In tricks, we employ a substantial amount of ballast to mimic the high wakes generated by the lake’s deep waters. To enhance slalom performance, we minimize the time interval between passes, creating a state of nervousness in the water. We consistently strive to replicate the boat path utilized at Callaway Gardens during the Nautique Masters, particularly in the jump event. Given the fact there are two different paths of jumping, it presents a significant challenge.

NB: What does Nautique mean to you?

JT: Nautique is the benchmark that all other ski boats aspire to reach. Whenever I hear about a new boat design, I can’t help but wonder, “How can they possibly make it better? They’ve always done it so well.” To me, Nautique embodies quality, comfort, and durability. If you want to be the best at what you do, you need the best equipment. It’s been an honor to assist their engineers over the years in testing boats and new equipment, contributing to the advancement of the sport.

On a personal note, Mr. Ralph was a wonderful mentor to Lelani and me as young adults. He was always thrilled to hear about our family and shared his deep love and passion for Christ with us. Walt Meloon and Larry Medock took both Lelani and I under their wings and guided us in developing a comprehensive business plan for our future. Throughout the years, we’ve made some changes, but this foundation has been the cornerstone of our success.

NB: What are your favorite features on the Ski Nautique?

JT: My primary passion has always been three events. The overall skier is the triathlon of our sport. The Nautique is meticulously designed to cater to each of the traditional events. The slalom wake is equipped with MicroTuners® providing skiers with the optimal platform behind the boat. Ballast tanks and the automated HydroGate® enable skiers to customize the wake height to suit their preferences during tricks. The HydroGate also serves as the launch platform for the jump event. For young skiers at slalom speeds, the boat can be adjusted to ride flatter, creating a smaller wake. Conversely, for faster speeds and skiers seeking increased speed, the HydroGate can be adjusted to provide faster acceleration. This versatile boat can accommodate all three events, showcasing remarkable engineering prowess.

NB: What are your goals as you look to what the future holds for the Jack Travers Waterski School?

JT: We had two amazing attorneys, good old country boys. They told us to grab a yellow pad and dream big. Write down anything we might want to do or achieve in our lifetime, and don’t hold back. We never imagined we could make so many dreams come true.

We still have that yellow pad and keep working on it. Here are a few things we’re planning for the next few years:

• Adding Phase 3, which will be the last 4-5 lots on the property south of Lake Grace.
• Building a new clubhouse to serve our growing community. It’ll be a place for small meetings, weddings, and even a pool for the community.
• Creating a paved running and bicycle path with its own pavilion that can be used for special events and weddings.

Our real idea is that anything is possible if we work hard and stay determined. We just keep dreaming and growing.