The rumors are true. After years of riding the same old Kampus Deck, Clint's got a new board, and he''ll make you one too. I got the chance to check out Clint's operation in Texas earlier this year and his boards are definitely unlike anything you've ever seen or ridden. Now that he's finally got some up for sale, I figured it was time to catch up with him about it. Here's what he was willing to divulge about the new project, Signature Wakeskates. 

Why did you decide to start making boards? 

I started making boards because I was tired of trying to find a company that I liked that I could ride for. Plus nobody in the wakeskate industry really made a wakeskate the way I liked. Even though Kampus didn't work out in the long run, we made and discovered some very cool technology that I took and added some of my own ideas to, to come up with my boards today.

What's different about how they are made than other wakeskates out there?

Everything about my skate is different than what is on the market now. I guess first thing is I make them myself so I see and touch every board to make sure the quality is right. Can't do that in China!  Then obviously my board has a very unique shape with the rounded nose and tail, but i am most stoked on the concave of my top deck.  My goal was to make a board the would last longer than all other wood decks and rival the life span of a fully composite board.

What can you tell me about the construction and why you decided to make the boards that way?

I use a special blend of vertical laminated wood for the core, which lasts longer, flexes better, and has more response than your old school method of just stacking veneers together and then digging the middle out for concave. I use the best materials that I can find like epoxy's instead of glues and special fiber glasses.  It might not be the most cost efficient, but it makes the best end product. The core is completely enclosed in a pbt plastic skin and sealed with top and bottom black ABS side wall. So you get the best of both worlds: the feel and response of wood but the longevity of a composite.

What sort of riding are they best for? Can you descibe how they ride?

This is a good all around board for any one except for maybe the really big guys out there, considering the biggest size it comes in is 41 inches. It has a good weight, so if you're doing tricks wake to wake it's not gonna fly away in the wind and it helps when doing tricks in choppy water. It's very durable, so it's great for hitting rails and good for winching gaps and big drops. It has a very friendly rocker and with the help of the rounded nose and tail it releases very well when doing tricks.

The biggest difference in the way this board rides from other boards  I would have to say is the feel and feedback you get from the board. I just really like the way wood rides, flexes, pops, and with the new core construction I feel you just get more response from the board. Also it's different because of the fact that the top deck is not designed to flex very much by itself. The foam supports the top shape so you get the exaggerated concave of a bi level but it feels and rides more like a solid 3d board.

How can people get one?

It's still in the early stages but I am working fast to get everything where it needs to be as far as Signature Wakeskates goes. I am hoping to get a web site up and running soon where you will be able to buy boards and other products. For now there is info on my blog at WetSignature.blogspot.com and you can email me directly at CMT122682@aol.com for now if you are looking to get a board. For now I'm doing a early bird special where I am selling blank versions for a reduced cost til I finalize graphics for the final product.