
DAN ALDERMAN, Adventure guy, Austin, Texas
Leave the driving to them
When I got the opportunity to go wakesurfing with ATX Wake Adventures https://austintxwake.com in Austin, I was stoked to hang out with a great group of people that truly love being on the lake. And after talking with owner Colton Longdon about their company, I knew these guys had really perfected the “day on the lake concept”.
If you don’t own a boat or been on a lakeside vacation, there’s a high probability you’ve searched out “boat rentals” and have been underwhelmed by the quality of boats & equipment provided. Undersized, underpowered, ripped seats, Bluetooth not working and you are left to figure out the ins & outs of these well used boats.
Why Am I the DD
Not only that, but you need to safely navigate unfamiliar/high-traffic waterways, figure out how to anchor in crowded coves and be the responsible one while everyone in the boat is cracking beers. All this adds up to an expensive, sober and stressed out day in a crappy boat. YAY YOU – good choice!
ATX Wake Adventures is not a “boat rental” but an actual boat charter company. What’s the difference? The biggest difference is they provide you with a driver who knows the lake, caters to your requests and is basically an Ambassador of Fun. And because they are on these boats every day, each boat is in great shape and equipped with everything you need whether it’s wakesurfing, tubing, cruising or boozing. But the thing I found most awesome was their boats are actually designed to do what you want them do.
Don’t BS me Brother
Before I reached out to Colton at ATX Wake Adventures, I researched other “boat rental” companies in the area and felt a little mislead. Buyer beware but a wakeboat isn’t an 18’ runabout with a tower. If you want to spend an afternoon surfing a solid wake, you need a weighted down inboard with a trim system and ATX Wake was the only company I found that actually specialized in wakesurf charters. Plus, since they provide a driver that knows how to set up the boat and can give you pointers. It’s like having a private instructor and getting to use professional equipment.
I meet Colton at Mansfield Dam Park in one of their eight luxury party barges and we drove to a protected cove where we hooked up with their rigged Centurion Enzo wakeboat for a 4-hour sunset surf session. With tunes cranking, cooler full of adult beverages and boat load of friends, we had a blast surfing up and down the cove with hardly another boat around. Even though some were experts and some were beginners, our captain was super fun and patient which really added to our trip. And it didn’t matter whether you were left foot forward (regular) or right foot forward (goofy) like me, they would gladly reset up the ballast system to give you the best wake possible.
Leg Burn and a Cold One
Speaking of the wake, this thing was legit! The Centurion Enzo put out a solid stomach-high wave that was long enough that you could drift back and charge the lip – I guarantee you aren’t going to get that behind an 18” Searay. All of us got some super long rides, had a blast and left with our legs exhausted. As a final nugget, after our 4-hour charter, were treated to an unreal Hill Country sunset.
ATX Wake Adventures has been operating on Lake Travis and Lake Austin for the past few years and continues to grow. Whether you are looking for an adrenaline filled day behind one of their wakeboats, a booze cruise/cove party in a 25’ Harris Super Sunliner Tritoons (which come with a 17’ floating Lily Pad) or Sunday Funday Charter with mimosa’s and breakfast tacos, Colton and the boys can help you plan an awesome day on the water. https://austintxwake.com/reviews
Here’s What You Get
All included
• Full Tank of Gas
• Captain
• Men’s and Women’s Wakeboards
• Water Skis & Tubes
• SurfBoards
• Noodles
• Built-in Coolers w/ice
• All USCG Safety Equipment
The Boats*
• 24’ Supra Launch SSV
• 24’ Centurion Enzo
• All of Our Wakeboard Boats Come with Upgraded Ballast Systems – up to 6,000lbs!
• Bluetooth Premium Stereo Systems
• Men’s and Women’s Wakeboards
• Wakesurf Boards (Skim Style and Surf Style)
• Upgraded Props and Surf Systems
• Built-in Coolers (Ice Included!)
• Gps Speed Control Systems
• Seating for Groups up to 12 People*