Ideas & Advice
When it comes to organizing your garage, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if you’re storing bulky gear like kayaks, bikes, and seasonal equipment. Whether you’re short on space or just need to create a more efficient system, having the right setup can make a big difference. In this blog, we’ll share creative ideas and expert advice on how to maximize your garage space, from wall-mounted storage solutions to ceiling racks and freestanding units. Plus, we’ll provide guides for safely storing larger gear like kayaks and bikes. Let’s get your garage in top shape!
Wilder Family: Garage Makeover
The Wilder family, with their busy schedules and a house full of kids, needed a solution to keep their garage under control. Their space was packed with everything from sports equipment to seasonal items, making it difficult to stay organized.
Snow Family: Before & After
We helped the Snow family transform their cluttered garage into a functional space that supports their busy lifestyle. With a few smart upgrades, their garage became a game-changer for their daily routines.
Legacy Articles
Finding the Best Wakeboarding River and Lakes - Spotting Glassy Water
Nothing beats a wakeboarding session on a perfect glassy day. You know when you can see your reflection in the water and landing tricks is effortless, no need to worry about other wakes, no need to worry about wind chop everything is perfect to be riding. Well if you have been wakeboarding for awhile you will know that wakeboarding conditions are not ideal but there are some tricks to find the best sports to wakeboard and the best water. The first thing you need to go is located the possible boating areas around you. It sounds simple but especially when you are looking for un-crowded, glassy conditions you need to search into places more than just the largest lake or river in your area. Often time the smaller bodies of water are more consistently glassy. Also, another thing to look out for is not all water is deep enough or legal to use power boats in. I know in particular there are a few really nice bodies of water around me that are limited to no powered craft or under 20hp rule. Unfortunately, this is not going to work unless you have an extremely strong friend who can row fast enough to pull you! If you are new to an area or just searching for a hidden gem there are a couples places to start looking: 1). Ask other wakeboarders 2). Local wakeboard shop 3). Local Marinas and Boat Shops 4). Google Maps Now that you have found the perfect spot to wakeboard there are a couple things to keep in mind when choosing when to go to ensure a glassy session: 1) Check the weather forecast and pay particular attention to the wind speed and direction. Knowing how this affects your water will help you know when to go. 2) As a rule of thumb the early morning and late evening are usually the best times of day to go. There are less people out on the lakes and the wind is usually calm. 3) Look for sections that are enclosed by trees - Trees act as a great wind block 4) Be prepared with multiple spots on each body of water so you can choose an alternate is the wind changes or some tubers decide to make an ocean. 5) Communicate with and Respect other boaters in the area. If you have a couple different wakeboard crews out working a similar section stop by and work out a plan so everyone gets clean water and has a great ride. Also give you a chance to meet some new people. 6) Drive a proper boat pattern. Make sure to drive a straight single lane and make tear drop turns at the end. When you turn around drive the same line back, this way the center lane is always clear, while the wakes spread out to the sides. Hopefully this helps keeps you find the perfect spot and get the perfect glassy water for your next session. It is well worth the time and planning to pick the right spot.
Learn moreBeginner Boating Tips - How to Launch Your Boat
If you just got a new boat, congratulations, boating is a very rewarding hobby and sport. Nothing beats being out on the water with your friends and family wakeboarding, waterskiing, fishing or just cruising. Well, in order to get out on the water you need to launch your boat from the trailer. This can be a very intimating thing to go for the first time and something that needs to be taken seriously. Once you have done it a few times it becomes routine, but there are certain things that must be done (i.e. PUT IN THE PLUG!) There are a couple things you can do to make your first time a little easier. Ideally you will be able to find a friend who has a boat and is willing to come out with you and guide you through the process. There is nothing better than an experienced boater for teaching you right the first time. They have probably learned the hard way on a few things but hopefully you can learn from them. If you are the first person in your group of friends to make the leap into boating, good for you. I would recommend the best thing you can do is go to the ramp you plan to launch your boat and watch some people do it. Also, if something doesn't make sense, ask one of the boaters. Most boaters are more than happy to talk with you and give you tips, everyone had a "first time" at some point. One thing to note when you are watching boats launch, make sure to look at the type of boat. Really focus on the boats that are similar to yours. If you just bought a nice new fiberglass runabout boat you might not want to follow the lead of the local fisherman with the metal fishing skiff. The fisherman is probably not too concerned about hitting or scrapping rocks and also probably has a small outboard motor, where as you might have an I/O motor which is quite a bit different. Also, you will notice the ramps get very crowded during certain days and times. If this is your first time you want to make every effort to go at a time when it is not busy (i.e. -weekdays). The worst thing is having a whole lineup of boats behind you waiting for the ramp and getting you flustered launching your own boat. So here are some tips and things to remember when launching your boat: Before you put your Boat in the Water: 1). Put the plug in the boat and double check it. You do not want your boat in the water without the plug in. This has caused panic for many boaters. So double and triple check it is in. Everyone in the boat should be checking for this before it is launched. 2). Remove the trailer tie-downs, straps, and any engine supports or straps. It sounds obvious but it is easy to pull up to the ramp and back down before you remove these straps. Trying to get your boat off the trailer with the straps on makes for a good laugh later but is very frustrating while on the ramp. 3). Load you Gear into the Boat. It is usually easier to load up your towels, coolers, bags, etc while the boat is right behind your vehicle. 4). Make sure you have enough life vests/flotation devices. Once again sounds obvious if you are on a boat but it is easy to forget and if guests come along you need to make sure to add extras for them. While your Boat is in the Water: 1). Back your trailer down the ramp to get your boat in the water. Put it in the water so the engine/outdrive is in the water but make sure the boat is not floating off the trailer. You want to make sure the boat is started and everything is properly working before you release the boat from the trailer. 2). Run the Blower - This will evacuate the engine compartment and make sure there an no explosive fuel vapors in there for starting 3). Make sure Kill Switch is set to Run - I think this is something everyone has run into at some point. It is easy for this to get bumped or to pull the attached lanyard. Anyways, if you turn the key and absolutely nothing happens this is the first thing to check. 4). Start the Boat. If needed give it a little gas with the drive mechanism in throttle only. You do not want the propeller to be turning while you are on the trailer. 5). Communicate between Drivers. The boat driver and the vehicle driver need to be on the same page at all times during this procedure. 6). Unhook the Boat. Release the remaining bow hooks that are keeping the boat on the trailer. Do this only after the boat has been started and is running smoothly. Double Check - A nice check I like to use is run the bilge. If there is a lot of water coming out you have a problem. Do NOT launch the boat. Water should not be getting into your boat fast enough to accumulate during the launching process. 7). Vehicle driver gradually back the boat down the ramp until it is floating. At which point the boat driver can gently give it a little reverse throttle to slip the boat off the trailer. Congratulations! You are in the water and ready to go. Have fun out there. Now that you have your board in the water spend some time wakeboarding, water skiing, or fishing. When you call it a day an need a place to store your gear check out StoreYourBoard's vast selection of Wakeboard Storage Racks, Water Ski Racks, and Fishing Storage Racks.
Learn moreHow to Find a 3rd - Wakeboarding-Waterskiing Boat Spotter
So you just got that new sweet wakeboard boat. The wake is great, the pull is consistent, your stereo is rocking but sometimes you want to ride and your buddies are busy. We have all had this happen. Wakeboarding is a decidedly social sport where you need at least 3 people in the boat (Driver, Rider, and Spotter). Even if you have the sickest boat, if you don't have anyone to ride with you are grounded on the shore. So try a couple of these tips to find other riders so you can always have a group to ride, meet some new wakeboarders, and have a great time out on the water. 1) Ask your "non-wakeboarding" friends and relatives if they want to come along. More often than not people are going to want to come out on the lake, even just for a boat ride. 2) Next time you are riding at your local spot make an extra effort to meet some of the other riders on the water. These are the guys who you can pretty much assume also have a passion for the sport, live close to the lake, and want to wakeboard whenever possible. Most wakeboarders are always up to meet other wakeboarders so give it a try the next time you are out. 3) Go online! There are tons of wakeboard related forums and clubs abound online. There are national sites like WakeWorld that have forums to discuss finding a pull and there are also many local clubs that have forums around when and when people are riding. Check online to see if there is anyone near you or post a comment and you are more than likely to get some responses. 4) If you ride at a lake with a larger wakeboarding scene thee are usually specified meetups and certain areas where most wakeboarders hang out. Check at the local pro shop and get the info you need. So give these tips a shot and you will never be stuck on shore when you should be out riding.
Learn moreThe Perfect Wakeboarding Wake - Learn to Adjust and Tweak Your Wake
So you are getting the hang of wakeboarding and you are starting to jump the wake pretty consistently. After a few sessions you will notice that sometimes the wake looks big and crisp, perfect for big air and sometimes it is washed out rolling over itself. Your goal is to consistently get a great wake so it is always the same and you can focus on new tricks, bigger air, and having fun. Here are some things to think about (and maybe adjust) when trying to get the perfect wakeboarding wake: 1). Line Length - Using the proper line length is a big part of getting the perfect wake. You want to be jumping the wake where it is crisp, before it turns to whitewash. Speed plays a big role in how far the wake stays crisp. So, monitor this along with line length. Bring in sections or take off sections until you are at the crisp/firm part of the wake. 2). Adjust Speed / Speed Control - The speed of the boat will make a big difference in the size and distance the wakes travel back. As you speed up, in general, the wake starts to flatten, throw the wake back further away from the boat, and become narrower. This will greatly effect what kind of wake the wakeboarder is seeing. As mentioned, you need to set your speed and line length together. Usually when you lengthen the line you also need to add some speed. That is why when you hear some pros wakeboarding at 80,85, even 90ft, they are also going 23-27mph. Having a consistent speed will greatly enhance the ride and make the wake very stable. 3). Trim Boat - Trim Tabs / Wake Plate - Whatever your boat might have to adjust how it sits in the water will greatly affect the wake. Usually it is best to decide on a speed and line length and then, when the wakeboarder is out there, adjust the trimming on the boat to really make the wake shape crisp and clean. 4). Adjust Seating Arrangement - Moving People - The smaller and lighter your boat is, the larger role the actual people in the boat have in influencing the wake. Before you start your riding, try to make an effort to get the people weight in the boat balanced. This is most important side to side. If you are out riding and notice that the one wake is really washing out while the other wake is pretty crisp, often times this mean the boat is improperly weighted. You will be surprised how much a difference it makes to move one person to the other side of the boat. 5). Add/Adjust Additional Ballast - Additional ballast to pro level wakeboard boats has become essential. They load their boats up with thousands of extra pounds to get the huge wakes. Adding weight in general will make your boat sit lower in the water and therefore displace more water, which throws up a larger wake behind the boat. So adding general ballast should increase your wake size. Having additional ballast also gives you the flexibility to move ballast around the boat to properly balance the weighting side to side and fore to aft to get the ultimate wake behind the boat. These five tips should have your wake bigger and better than ever. Now you can start throwing those big tricks. Get out there and RIDE! Where do you store your wakeboard when you are not riding? You need a Wakeboard Rack. StoreYourBoard.com is the leading supplier of wakeboard racks.
Learn moreUpdgrade Boat for Wakeboarding | StoreYourBoard.com
Not everyone can get their hands on a $70,000 wakeboard boat but if you have a more common i/o bow riders here are a few things you can do to upgrade your boat for wakeboarding: Get a Tower – The single best thing you can do to make your boat better for wakeboarding is adding a tower. There are a lot of aftermarket companies out there making towers to fit a huge variety of boats. I have one from Monster Tower and I am very happy with it. It was relatively easy to install and provides a very stable pull. Trim the Boat – Focus on the shape of the wake being thrown by your boat and adjust your trim on the boat to make the wake form up a nice crisp lip where the wakeboarder crosses. This will work in conjunction with rope length and boat weighting (see below). Weight Sacks – Depending on the size of your boat it is often helpful to add weight to certain part of the boat. This does two things: 1). It makes the boat ride deeper in the water and therefore throw a larger wake. 2). It allows the weight in the boat to be balanced by moving the weight to get equal wakes on both sides. High Quality Wakeboard Rope - Get a wakeboard rope made out of Dyneema or Spectra. These are non-stretch ropes that will make sure all the tension you build in the rope during your cut is transferred to your jump and not lost in rope stretch. Also get a rope with adjustable line lengths. Having adjustable line lengths lets you determine where you cross the boat wake so you can find your sweet spot for your boat and your riding speed. Trained/Educated Driver - I can’t emphasis this enough, the driver plays a HUGE role in your wakeboarding experience. Maintaining a constant speed even through the pull is a real art form and making sure they know to always drive a straight line and proper turning procedures to not chop the line are very important to getting a consistent pull on flat water. Cruise Control/Perfect Pass - A bit of a pricey addition, this makes the drivers job 100 times easier. Having the cruise control maintain speed provides a very precise even pull for the wakeboarder. Large Mirror - This goes along with the importance of the driver. Letting the driver see the wakeboarder in the mirror while keeping his eyes forward so he can also concentrate on the throttle and steering wheel is a big plus in helping the driver deliver a consistent pull. Board Racks - Now that you are making you boat a Wakeboarding machine you need somewhere to put all those wakeboards. Ideally tower racks are the best way to get the board up out of the boat walkways and safely stored when not riding. Stereo - Nothing better to get you up for your set than some of your favorite tunes. More of a luxury item but does get you in the wakeboarding vibe. More of a “pimp your boat” accessory but pretty nice if you get one. These upgrades should turn your boat from plain boring cruiser into a wake-throwing monster. Enjoy the big air! Have a wakeboard? You need a wakeboard wall rack – StoreYourBoard.com is the leading supplier home wakeboard racks.
Learn moreWakeboarding Articles
Wakeboard Racks How to turn your Boat into a Wakeboard Boat Not everyone can get their hands on a $70,000 wakeboard boat but if you have a more common i/o bow riders here are a few things you can do to upgrade your boat for wakeboarding:... more The Perfect Wakeboarding Wake So you are getting the hang of wakeboarding and you are starting to jump the wake pretty consistently. After a few sessions you will notice that sometimes the wake looks big and crisp, perfect for big air and sometimes it is washed out rolling over itself. Your goal is to consistently get a great wake... more How to Find a 3rd - Wakeboarding-Waterskiing Boat Spotter So you just got that new sweet wakeboard boat. The wake is great, the pull is consistent, your stereo is rocking but sometimes you want to ride and your buddies are busy. We have all had this happen. Wakeboarding is a decidedly social sport where you need at least 3 people in the boat (Driver, Rider, and Spotter). Even if you have the sickest boat, if you don't have anyone to ride with you are grounded on the shore. So try a couple of these tips to find other riders so you can always have a group to ride, meet some new wakeboarders, and have a great time out on the water... more Beginner Boating Tips - How to Launch Your Boat If you just got a new boat, congratulations, boating is a very rewarding hobby and sport. Nothing beats being out on the water with your friends and family wakeboarding, waterskiing, fishing or just cruising. Well, in order to get out on the water you need to launch your boat from the trailer. This can be a very intimating thing to go for the first time and something that needs to be taken seriously. Once you have done it a few times it becomes routine, but there are certain things that must be done .. more Finding the Best Wakeboarding River and Lakes - Spotting Glassy Water Nothing beats a wakeboarding session on a perfect glassy day. You know when you can see your reflection in the water and landing tricks is effortless, no need to worry about other wakes, no need to worry about wind chop everything is perfect to be riding. Well if you have been wakeboarding for awhile you will know that wakeboarding conditions are not ideal but there are some tricks to find the best sports to wakeboard and the best water. .. more The Importance of Proper Wakeboard Storage Wakeboarding is a great sport. There is nothing like flying through the air on a glassy lake on a nice summer morning with your friends in your new MasterCraft (well maybe not everyone has one but just getting out there on the water is a blast!). The question we want to address is what do you do with your wakeboard after you aren't riding?. .. more
Learn moreSkateboarding Culture
Quick Skateboarding History Skateboarding definitely has its roots in surfing. Surfers wanted to see if they could do on land what they did in the water “surf on land”. Skaters would simply stick a piece of board on wheels and start skateboarding. In the 60’s, skateboarding became popular when companies started making and selling skateboards – now everyone could tryout skateboarding, not just the surfers who created their own skateboards. The “fad” of skateboarding wore off, but interest renewed once new tricks were created. Fast forward to today and skateboarding is a serious sport. Tournaments and competitions pay out huge prize money; big name sponsors stuff pro skater’s pockets with cash for wearing/promoting their products. Movies, video games and clothing have been created around skateboarding. Skateboarding is more than a sport; it's a way of life, a true culture. Movies About Skateboarding Culture Hundreds of movies and documentaries have been made about skateboarding. The most well known is probably Dogtown and Z-Boys. If you want to really immerse yourself in skateboard culture, we recommend that you add these movies to your Netflix que - or do it the “old way” and go down to your local video store: Lords of Dogtown, Grind, Stoked, Tony Hawk’s Trick Tip Series (for learning), The End, and for a few laughs: Jackass The Movie (Bam Margera), MVP 2 (Most Vertical Primate), and CKY2K. If you don’t feel like renting a movie, look no further than the internet for videos and clips of skateboarding tricks, web documentaries, competition coverage and more. Video Games About Skateboarding Culture Video and computer games about skateboarding are very popular. People who have never been on a skateboard in their life enjoy playing skateboarding games. The most popular game is the Tony Hawk series. To date, there are over ten games that bear the Tony Hawk name. Nearly every modern gaming system: Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, Sony PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC, Mac, Cell Phones – Tony is everywhere. Tony isn’t the only game in town though. Other skateboarding video games like Skate, Backyard Skateboarding, Simpson’s Skateboarding, Skatepark Tycoon, and ESPN X Games Skateboarding are popular too. An emerging trend is online skateboarding games; most are free to play. Favorites are GMax, Downhill Jam by Etnies, Street Sesh (also by Etnies), and Skateboard Jam from Miniclip. Clothing Influenced by Skateboarding Culture You don’t have to be a skateboarder to look like one. Popular clothing styles for skateboarders are hoodies, thick shoes, tight or baggy jeans, hats or “beanies”, chain wallets and tshirts. You’ll likely find stores in the mall that sell these types of clothes, but if you want to shop online, seek out these brands for the most popular selections: Vans, Etnies, Airwalks, Element, Zoo York, DC Shoes, Bilabong, Volcom. Sometimes, paging through one of the many skateboarding magazines can inspire your skater fashion. Checkout mags like Thrasher, Skateboarding Magazine, Transworld, and Skateboarder Magazine. You don’t have to be a professional skateboarder to appreciate skateboarding culture. You don’t even have to be a skater at all! As long as you love the sport, you’re a part of skateboarding culture.
Learn moreSkateboard Maintenance
How to buy, maintain and store your skateboards. If you’ve been skating for years, chances are you own more than one skateboard. You might even own two, three, or over five skateboards. Whether you buy skateboards to ride, or to add to a growing collection, you need to know how to: find the hottest skateboards for sale online, maintain and repair your skateboards after extensive use, and how to store your skateboards properly to keep yourself and others from tripping over the boards you’re probably keeping on the floor. How to find skateboards for sale online. Finding skateboards to buy online is easy. You can use a search engine like Google or Yahoo to search for specific brands such as Birdhouse, Element, Flip, Gravity, Powell, Bullet, Speed Demons, Sector 9, Toy Machine and more. You can also specifically search for different types of skateboards like longboards or special shorter skateboards made for tricks. You can usually buy skateboards directly from the manufacturer’s website, but do shop around since prices are likely lower at a “mom and pop” online shop. Don’t forget to check auction sites like eBay and classifieds sites like Craigslist for used and hard to find skateboards. If you’re wondering what the “in” skateboard is, search for forums and blogs where people gather online to discuss skateboarding. You could always ask your skating buddies about the latest skateboards too. How to maintain and repair your skateboards. The most important part of your skateboard is the wheels. Without the wheels, you would be stuck with nothing more than a fancy piece of wood! When your wheels start to slow you down, it’s usually a ball-bearing problem. To make sure you keep your wheels in top rolling order, keep your bearings lubricated. You can use regular cooking oil (vegetable, corn, etc) every time you skate. Use oil sparingly though because excess oil will attract a lot of dirt. You should only use cooking oil if the bearings make any kind of noise when you spin them. If the bearings are quiet, you’ll need to lubricate them with bicycle grease instead of cooking oil. If you happen to lose any of your bearings, you’ll have to buy replacements at your local or online skate shop. Never mix old bearings with new. If you have to replace one, it’s probably a good idea to replace them all (usually 16 bearings for each wheel). Bearings for your skateboard or not too expensive, so don’t hesitate to replace all of them. How to store your skateboards. Sure. You could toss your skateboards in your closet or leave them out on the floor, but why? A much better idea would be to buy a skateboard rack. Skateboard racks can easily be mounted on your wall, and can hold all of your boards safely. Skateboard racks are perfect for simple storage, or to display some of the more expensive, limited edition, or collectable skateboards you may have. What better way to show off your hobby than to put it on your walls?
Learn moreFamous Skateboarders
You’ve probably heard every one of their names before. Their the reason you first picked up a skateboard. Pro skateboarders, famous skateboarders - Skateboard icons. If you’re an avid skateboarder, or you plan to be one someday, you should get familiar with these guys: Tony Hawk. Pro Skater Tony Hawk (born May 12, 1968) is most famous for being the first skateboarder to land a 900 and the second skater to land a McTwist. Tony has his own skateboard company, a TV production company, clothing and shoe line and over 10 video games published by Activision. Tony no longer competes, but he still performs occasionally. He’s married and has four kids. Shaun White. Better known in the snowboarding world, Shaun White AKA The Flying Tomato (born September 3, 1986) is famous for bringing home medals in every Winter X Games since 2002. When snowboarding season is over, he swaps his snowboard for a skateboard and dominates the competition. Shaun has tons of sponsors and is featured in two video games. Ryan Sheckler. Sheckler (born September 30, 1989) has been skateboarding since before he was two years old! By the time he was six, he was practicing tricks 22 hours a week in his back yard. Ryan Sheckler turned pro in 2003 after winning many prestigious competitions such as the X Games and the Vans Triple Crown. He’s stared in several movies, has his own reality TV show on MTV, and is sponsored by top companies like Oakley, Red Bull and Etnies Shoes. Bob Burnquist. Burnquist (born October 10, 1976) turned pro at just 15 years old. He’s probably most known for winning the vert competition at the 2001 X Games. He received a score of 98 – the highest score given at the games for the skateboarding events, beating out skateboard icon Bucky Lasek. Burnquist is quite the trickster, pulling off incredible tricks and winning trick competitions. Steve Caballero. Caballero (born November 8, 1964) is known for creating a trick called the Caballerial. He’s been on the cover of Thrasher magazine, appeared as a playable character in four Tony Hawk video games, and has been a member of several punk bands. He enjoys painting, collecting toys, and riding motocross. Bucky Lasek. Bucky (born December 3, 1972) began his skateboarding journey at 12 years old, all because someone stole his bike! He turned pro in 1990 and became one of the most consistent skateboarders in competitions. He’s known for pulling off incredible tricks that other skaters only dream about. Bucky has collected ten medals from the X Games, and several titles from popular tournaments like the Vans Triple Crown and Gravity Games. Bucky has appeared in a few movies, been a playable character in the Tony Hawk video game series, and is sponsored by companies like T-mobile, Element, Wendy’s, and Rock Star Energy Drinks. Now that you know about some of the many skateboarding Icons; get inspired, go out and master the basics, learn all the tricks. You may become a skateboarding icon yourself someday. Got a board? Check out our large selection of Skateboard Racks
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