FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 • 1C

■ ALAN SLOANasloan@farragutpress.com

Surfing in East Tennessee,actually riding a boat’s wake onarea lakes, is catching on withwatersports enthusiasts includingelementary age children and sen-ior citizens.

Inland wakesurfing “is proba-bly the most new, popular, trend-ing thing,” Scott Mieloch, co-owner of Premier Watersports,13137 El Camino Lane in Knox-ville, said. “It’s been that way fora year or two.”

Wakesurfing “behind a boat hasbeen around for four or five years,but it’s only really taken off in thepast two years or so,” Mielochadded.

To achieve maximum effect forwakesurfing, “You put a whole lotof weight on a boat and make it

make the biggest wave possibleand you surf the wave behind theboat just like you’d surf a wave inthe ocean,” Mieloch, who co-ownsPremier with wife, VanessaMieloch, said.

While wakesurfing is one of themore popular boating sportsamong Premier customers acc-ording to Mieloch, he added,“Now it’s a professional sport andthere is a pro surf wake tour.”

Wakeboard boats are ideal forwakesurfing, Mieloch said.

Though he has an extensiveline from which to choose if seek-ing a boat for wakesurfing,Mieloch said his Supra SE “isarguably one of the best surfingboats out there. … I’ve had a lotof customers actually tell me it’sthe best thing they’ve surfedbehind. And a lot of the pro ridershave said the same thing. … The

Swell Surf System that they haveis a very big function of its abilityfor surfing.”

Among the most popular arealakes for wakesurfing, “I’d say it’ssplit between Norris and FortLoudoun,” Mieloch said. “They’renot the best lakes [for surfing]but they’re the most popularlakes. People like Norris becauseit’s big and the water’s clean andpretty.

“Fort Loudoun is the most con-venient lake, and there’s a lot ofrestaurants, a lot of bars, a lot ofstuff along that lake,” he added.

One lake that’s better suited forinland surfing, Mieloch said, alsois close to the Farragut area.“Tellico Lake is connected to FortLoudoun Lake but it’s typicallyless busy, which makes it better,”he said.

Though small “and shallow in a

lot of places,” Melton Hill Lakealso is good for wakesurfingaccording to Mieloch. However,“A lot of people don’t like it.There’s really nothing [along] it.It’s very lightly populated.

“But because it’s lightly popu-lated that makes it a good lake.”

Among “eight or nine” ofMieloch’s most popular wake-surfing boards, “All the boardsthat I sell, they’re Hyperlite man-ufactured,” he said. “Differentboards do different things for dif-ferent people.”

For beginners, “The Landlockis a long board [5-foot-9] that’sreally good for boats that don’thave a really big wake, and it’sreally good for beginners,”Mieloch said. “The Broadcast [5-foot-4 in length] is probably themost popular board. It’s kind ofan intermediate board. You can

do some beginning tricks, it’s alittle faster movement, but stillbig enough that you can ride itpretty easily.”

Boards “are usually between$350 and $500,” Mieloch said.

All boards feature “a soft rub-bery pad” so bare feet can get agood grip, Mieloch said. “Some of[the surfaces] are foam.”

To begin the fun, you grab arope that’s either held orattached to the boat “to pull youuntil the boat forms the wake thatyou can then catch and ride likeyou would at the beach,” Mielochsaid. “You’ve got one hand on theboard to hold it in position andone on the rope” prior to the boattaking off. “You put the boat ingear and just that little forwardmotion, the water pressure holds

Surfing in East Tennessee?

See PREMIER on Page 4C

Premier Watersports on top of the wakesurfing surge

2C • FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT

Cherokee Lake MarinasCherokee Lake marinas offer

amenities such as restaurants,campgrounds, restrooms, boatlaunching, pump-out services,snacks, coin laundry and storage.

• Black Oak Marina865-475-3063blackoakmarina.com2511 Black Oak Road, Jefferson City 37760

• Card’nal Cove865-828-5300cardnalcove.com1025 Card’Nal Cove, Rutledge 37861

• Greenlee Campground and Marina865-828-8501greenleecampground.com345 Vacation Way, Rutledge 37861

• Greenlee of Fall Creek866-583-8866greenleecampandmarine.com5601 Fall Creek Dock Road,Russellville 37860

• Hamblen County Dock 423-586-29393050 Hamblen Dock RoadMorristown 37816

Douglas Lake Marinas Many marinas off Douglas Lake

offer amenities such as a ship storewith fuel and pump-out services,outdoor cafés, covered slips withpower and water services, dry stor-age, pontoon boat rentals, servicedepartment and outdoor pavilions.

• Dandridge Point Marina865-484-0484thepointresorttn.com122 Boat Dock Dr., Dandridge 37725

• Indian Creek Boat Dock 865-397-72862321 Norman Way, Dandridge 37725

• Mountain Cove Marina 865-453-3506mountaincovemarina.com1590 Dyke Road, Sevierville 37876

• Swann’s Marina 865-397-2182swannsmarina.com2515 Swann’s Marina Road, Dandridge 37725

Fontana Lake Marinas• Alarka Boat Dock

Offers boat rentals, storage slips, supply store, gas and oil.

alarkadock.com7230 Grassy Branch Road, Bryson City N.C.

• Fontana Village ResortOffers watercraft rentals, shuttle

services and ship store828-498-2129fontanavillage.com300 Woods Rd., Fontana Dam, N.C. 28733

Watauga Lake MarinasAll Watauga Lake marinas offer

marine gas, boat launch ramp andother amenities.

• Cove Ridge Marina 423-768-3741e-mail: info@coveridgemarina.com947 Piercetown Road, Butler 37640

• Fish Springs Marina423-768-2336fishspringsmarina.com191 Fish Springs Road,Hampton 37658

• Lakeshore Marina 423-725-2223lakeshore-resort.com

2285 Hwy 321, Hampton 37658• Mallard Cove Marina

423-768-3440mallardcovemarina.com200 Mallard Cove Drive, Butler 37640

South Holston Lake Marinas • Friendship Dock

423-878-3128friendshipresortandmarina.com356 Friendship Drive, Bristol 37620

• Lake View Dock 423-878-4331lakeviewdockhome.com992 Lakeview Dock Road, Bristol 37620

• Laurel Marina and Yacht Club, Inc. 423-878-3721laurelmarina.com191 Shady Ford Road, Bristol 37620

• Painter Creek Dock 423-878-5775paintercreekmarina.com766 Painter Creek Road, Bristol 37620

Fort Patrick Henry Lake Marina

Warrior’s Path State ParkMarina, located off Hemlock Roadin Kingsport, offers a service dock,fuel, snack bar, uncovered slips,two public use ramps and camping.

Fort Loudoun Lake MarinasMany Fort Loudoun Lake mari-

nas offer gas, launch ramp, dockshop and restrooms.

• Choto Marina865-966-5472chotomarina.comanchorsouthmanagement.com12214 Choto Marina Way 37922

• Concord Marina 865-966-5831concordmarina.com10915 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville 37922

• Fort Loudoun Marina 865-986-5536fortloudounmarina.com5200 City Park Drive, Lenoir City 37772

• Fox Road Marina 865-966-9422themarinas.net“Like Us” facebook.com/

FoxRoadMarina 1100 Fox Road, Knoxville 37922

• International Harbor of Friendsville865-995-2393internationalharbormarina.com259 Cedar Crest Ln., Friendsville 37737

• Louisville Landing Marina 865-984-9001louisvillelandingmarina.com2932 Boat Dock Road, Louisville 37777

• Willow Point Marina 865-579-0100themarinas.net3725 Maryville Pike, Knoxville 37920

• Volunteer Landing Marina 865-633-5004themarinas.net956 Volunteer Landing Lane, Knoxville 37915

Norris Lake MarinasMany Norris Lake marinas offer

boat rentals, accommodation, fish-ing supplies, marine supplies,houseboat buoy rental, yearly cov-ered slips, weekly covered slips,water board rentals, pump out

service, restrooms, swimmingpool, beer, grocery items, ATM,public phone, restaurant, snacks,bait, fishing license, fishing andmarine supplies, houseboat moor-ing rentals, dry boat and trailerstorage, yearly covered boat slips,daily covered boat slips, gas andoil, launch ramp, tube rentals,kneeboard rental and ski rental.

• Beach Island Marina 865-992-3091beachislandmarina.com170 Beach Island Rd., Maynardville 37807

• Hickory Star Resort & Marina865-992-5241hickorystar.com1360 Hickory Star Rd., Maynardville 37807

• Cedar Grove Marina865-278-3131cedargrovemarina.com255 Dock Lane, New Tazewell 37825

• Flat Hollow Resort423-562-8314flathollowmarina.com185 Flat Hollow Dock Circle,Speedwell 37870

• Indian River Marina& Boat Sales423-562-5290indianrivermarina.net744 Indian River Boat Dock Road 37757

• Lone Mountain Dock 423-626-9437lonemountainmarina.com325 Lone Mountain Boat Dock Lane, Tazewell 37879

• Mountain Lake Marina & RV Park865-630-1221mountainlakemarina.com136 Campground Road, Lake City 37769

• Norris Dam Marina 865-494-8138norrismarina.com1604 Norris Freeway, Norris 37828

• Sequoyah Marina 865-494-7984sequoyahmarina.net336 Lakeview Lane 37705

• Shanghai Resort423-562-7651shanghairesort.com1042 Shanghai Road, La Follette 37766

• Springs Dock Resort 423-562-2405springsdock.com1652 Alder Springs Road, La Follette 37766

• Sugar Hollow Marina 423-562-3466sugarhollowmarina.com610 Marina Lane, La Follette 37766

• Stardust Marina865-494-7641stardustmarina.com149 Stardust Lane, Andersonville 37705

• Twin Cove Resort & Marina423-566-0976twincovemarina.com1835 Ridge Road, Caryville, 37714

• Waterside Marina865-494-9649watersidemarinanorris.com408 Dock Road, Andersonville, 37705

• Whitman Hollow Marina & Campground423-562-9941whitmanhollow.com1203 Whitman Hollow Road, La Follette 37766

Melton Hill Marinas• Melton Hill Marina

Offers a launch ramp and covered slips.

865-927-0071meltonhillmarina.com9133 Solway Ferry Road, Oak Ridge 37830

• Oak Ridge RowingIt offers a rowing venue.

865-482-6538orra.org697 Melton Lake Drive, Oak Ridge

Tellico Lake MarinasSome amenities Tellico Lake

marinas offer includes a docksidegrill, gift shop, supply store, bath-rooms, showers, laundry facilities,security gates for all tenant docks,wet and dry slips, mechanics, reg-ular and diesel fuel, trailer storage,private launch ramp, pump-outand year-round water.

• Rasar Landing423-884-6378tnvacation.com1180 Corntassel Road, Vonore 37885

• Sequoyah Lake Tellico Resort423-884-2770sequoyahmarinaresort.com 721 US Hwy 411, Vonore 37885

• Tellico Marina865-856-6806tellicomarina.com1000 Marina Harbor Drive, Maryville 37801

Watts Bar Lake Marinas

• Arrowhead Marina and Resort 423-365-6484arrowheadresort.com261 Bennett Drive, Spring City 37381

• Bayside Marina & RV Park 865-376-7031134 Bayside DriveTen Mile 37880

• Blue Springs Marina865-376-7298bluespringsmarina.com3952 River Road, Ten Mile 37880

• Caney Creek Marina & RV Resort865-882-4042caneycreekrvresort.com3745 Roane State Hwy., Harriman 37748

• Eden Marina and Campground 423-365-6929“Like Us” facebook.com/

EdenMarinaandCampground653 Scenic Lakeview Drive, Spring City 37381

• Euchee Marina and Campground423-334-1004eucheemarinaresort.com 200 Euchee Lane, Ten Mile 37880

• Sam’s Boat Dock 423-334-5620samsboatdock.com322 Sam's Boat Dock Road, Ten Mile 37880

• Spring City Resort and Marina1-877-365-5150springcitymarina.com2109 New Lake Road, Spring City 37381

• Terrace View Marina Resort423-365-6060info@terraceviewmarina.com3367 Euchee Chapel Road, Spring City 37381

• Rhea Harbor Marina 423-365-6851rheaharbor.com385 Lakeshire Drive, Spring City 37381

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 • 3C

4C • FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT

Boating Season is just getting started...make your plans to visitt

Sundown

Saturdays

Featuring live music

6:00pm – 10:00pm

May 16th: “Dream on Alice”

May 23rd: “Hot Damn Band”

May 30th: “Hardwired”

June 6th: “Chillbillies”

Ski Boat &

Ski Boat & Pontoon Boat

Pontoon Boat Rentals Available!

Stardust is your #1 Norris Lake destination!

149 Stardust Lane • Andersonville, TN

865-494-7641 • StardustMarina.com

a a A

Dine at Harbor Grill • Great Food • Great Music • Weekend Specials

other people on the water aswell. Whether you're out in themiddle of the ocean or relaxingat the pier on your docked boat,respect the other boaters by

keeping the music down andalways discarding of trash in aresponsible way. Far too manyboaters or boat passengers dumptheir garbage over the side of the

boat, so always be sure you andyour passengers are respectful ofMother Nature and otherboaters.

Boating 101Boating tips for beginners

Learning to boat or sail is sim-ilar to learning to drive an auto-mobile. Neither one happens ov-ernight. Learning to get aroundon the water can be exciting, butit can also be intimidating totake over the reins of a boat forthe first time.

Though beginners might beapprehensive when they firststart to boat or sail, there aresome tips that can make it a lit-tle easier for those new to cap-taining their own ship.

• Start small. Much liketeenagers learning to drive areoften more comfortable learningbehind the wheel of a compactcar, boating beginners might bemore comfortable learning tosail on a small boat. Smallerboats are easier to maneuver,making even the most nervousnovice a little more comfortable.

• Choose calm waters in whichto practice. According to theUnited States Coast Guard, in2010 there were more than 4,600recreational boating accidentsthat involved 672 deaths. Acci-dent statistics illustrate just howdangerous it can be even for fullylicensed and experienced sailorsto operate a boat. That said,

beginners should always prac-tice in calm waters that don'tboast big waves or lots of fellowboaters. This gives beginners thechance to learn the feel of theboat without the added pressureof handling choppy waters ortraffic.

• Read the weather reports.Veteran boaters struggle withinclement weather from time totime, so beginners should expectto struggle with adverse condi-tions as well. But don't be caughtoff guard by bad weather. Alwayscheck the weather reportsbefore going out, and be sure tobring along appropriate attireand gear.

• Don't go it alone. Boatingand sailing come with their ownterminology, which beginnersare typically unfamiliar with.Before heading out on the water,learn as much of this terminolo-gy as possible, be it by studyingmanuals or books, or even askingexperienced friends for help.When taking to the water, bringthose friends along.

• Respect other boaters.Boating is a hobby enjoyed bymillions, and boaters shouldalways respect that there are

the board to your feet and youtransfer the hand that was hold-ing the board to the rope.

Top speed for a wakesurfingboat “is about 10 mph … theboat’s got to be moving at 10 mphor so to make the wave bigenough that you can ride it,”Mieloch said.

Similar to wakeboarding, “Yousit in a crouched position with theboard at a 90-degree angle to theboat, and as soon as the boat startsmoving you just stand up,” he said.“... You throw the rope away onceyou’ve caught the wave.”

“You’re much, much closer tothe boat than waterskiing. I’veactually touched the boat with thetip of my board before,” Mielochadded. “You only ride a few feet

away from the boat. Typically Iwould say you’re two or three feetfrom the boat. You’re only allowedto do that behind the wakeboardboats because the propeller is wayunderneath the boat.”

There’s a big age range withwakesurfing. “I’ve got lots of cus-tomers in their 60s that are doingit,” Mieloch said. “And little onescan do it easy. It’s much easierbecause they don’t weigh much ofanything.

“I’ve got a customer who’s got a10-year-old that’s really talented,that can do all sorts of tricks,” he added. “I’m sure there are plenty of 5- and 6-year-olds thatare riding.

“It’s really safe because there’sa very limited risk for injury.”

For more information, callMieloch at Premier Watersports,865-693-9949.

PremierFrom page 1C

Premier Watersports, formerlyShadrack Watersports, has served theKnoxville area since 2004. When Scottand Vanessa Mieloch took over owner-ship in January, 2013 they changed thename to correspond with the reputationof integrity and peerless customer service Scott built while manager of thedealership.

While showcasing Supra Boats,Moomba Boats, Yamaha Sport Boats,along with Premier and Sylvan pon-toons, Premier Watersports offers atremendous inventory of well-sortedused boats. They boast a full pro-shop ofskis, wakeboards, tubes, surfboards,kneeboards, stand-up paddleboards andmore needed for a great weekend onthe lake.

Great lake weekendsbegin here

B USINESS S POTLIGHT

Cindy Doyle, Agent

248 N Peters Rd Ste 4(Conveniently located next

to Puleo’s Grille in West Knoxville)

865-690-6300

cindy@cindydoyle.com

State Farm Fire and Casualty CompanyState Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL

State Farm® boat insurancedoesn’t cost much, but coversa lot – like your boat, motor,and trailer. It also protects youand your passengers.Like a good neighbor,State Farm is there.®

CALL ME TODAY.

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 • 5C

SLIPS AVAILABLE NOW!Dock your boat at West Knoxville’s Premier Marina!• Convenient location...in Farragut’s backyard!

• Security Gates & 24 Hour Monitoring

• Harbor protected on all sides from

rough water and storms

• On site launch ramp

• Full service Dock Shop

• Restaurant On Site

•Clubhouse

We also offer numerous events through out the boating season...check out our website for details.

Concord Marina...BOATING WITH BENEFITS!

865-966-583110903 S. Northshore * Knoxville, TN * 37922

Ethanol Could damage outboard motors

Ethanol, a corn-based fuel that ismixed with traditional gasoline, hasbeen a boon to the fuel industry. Ithelps to keep costs down and provides arenewable, more eco-friendly option tofuel cars and trucks. While ethanol mayperform fine in automobile engines,boat engines may not be so lucky, andsome engine manufacturers haveexpressed concern over the use ofethanol in boat engines.

Gasoline that contains 10 percentethanol, commonly referred to as E10,is not recommended for outboardmotors, particularly older engines. Theonly way to avoid ethanol is to purchasemarine-grade fuel that has none of it.This fuel costs more, but many boatersprefer it because of the risks for costlyengine repairs when ethanol is used.

Unlike car engines that burn througha tank of gas quickly and are used fre-quently, outboard boat motors are oftenleft to sit until the boat is used again.When ethanol fuel is allowed to sit, thecorn alcohol can separate from thegasoline and settle at the bottom of thefuel tank.

Ethanol is also hygroscopic. Thismeans it absorbs water. In high mois-ture conditions such as those on a boat,this can further exacerbate the separa-tion of ethanol and gasoline. The resultis a sludge that forms in the fuel tank.

Most outboard engines have their fueloutlet at the bottom of the tank. Afterbeing left to sit, the engine will draw inpure ethanol and water that has accu-mulated, which can muck up the engineand corrode internal parts.

Ethanol also is a strong solvent, and itcan dissolve substances in the engine,potentially clogging fuel ports. Manyboat owners have noticed clogged car-buretors due to ethanol fuels. Boat serv-ice centers have mentioned an increaseof engines needing cleaning from oxy-genated fuels like ethanol. Buildup inthe engine can restrict gas flow andcause the engine to overheat -- precipi-tating a breakdown.

Although many manufacturers andrepair shops recommend avoidingethanol fuel for boats, if they cannot beavoided it is best to heed these tips.

• Buy as little as possible -- justenough to fuel the trip so leftover fuelwill not remain sitting in the tank.

• Drain the carburetor on the engineafter using ethanol.

• Use a fuel stabilizer that will helpprevent separation.

Ethanol is not recommended for allengines, and it may cause costly engineproblems on outboard motors when thefuel is allowed to sit in the tank forextended periods of time.

6C • FARRAGUTPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT

Premier Watersports is proud to be Knoxville TN’s dealer for Supra Boats,Moomba Boats, Yamaha Sport Boats,as well as Premier and Sylvanpontoons. We also keep a niceinventory of well-sorted used boatsof all types. Premier Watersportsboasts a full pro shop of skis, wakeboards, tubes, surfboards,kneeboards, stand-up paddleboards and just about everything else you could possibly need for a greatweekend on the lake.

We have a complete service center ready to take care of any job you have, from simple oil changes, to complete overhauls. Additionally we specialize in custom stereo and lighting systems. Check out some of the jobs we havedone on our custom stereo and lighting page on the website.

Welcome to Premier Watersports!W e h a v e t h e b o a t s t h a t f i t e v e r y l i f e s t y l e . . . y o u r s !

O w n e r s S c o t t & Va n e s s a M i e l o ch

1 3 1 3 7 E l C a m i n o L a n e K n o x v i l l e , T N 3 7 9 3 28 6 5 . 6 9 3 . 9 9 4 9 • p r e m i e r w a t e r s p o r t s . n e t