by JAM

If you have been to Clearwater Florida the chances are high that you have driven right passed this gap and didn’t even know it. I am talking about M Gap. It’s possible that the name might have something to do with the locals that inhabit the area, but really it comes from its shape. This is another gap that seems the designers must of had winching and wakeskating in mind when coming up with its design. It is like no other gap. The gap is somewhat artistic, only adding to how rad a trick looks when done out of the point where the walls come together. Setting up the winch is nice and easy. Just wheel or carry it to the other side of the canal and you can stake it down or tie it to a near by tree or fence and you will get good straight pulls. Walking the rope back is done so quickly you will find yourself almost not getting the camera ready in time to catch the next trick. The top pool is formed by brackish water that flows under US 19 and forms a big pool up top. It is pretty deep and there is no real current so it’s always smooth. If you’re lucky it will even come with a shopping cart start platform.

Once you start you need to cut out a little or you wont be lined up to come out right where the point in the M meets. If you don’t want to do it that way you could always swim out and deep water start to make it easier, however this shortens the distance between you and the gap. The water comes right up to the top of the wall right now making it easy to clear as you ollie out. You land in a canal that is deep and wide giving you plenty of room to ride out any trick you can pull off here. There aren’t really any obstacles in the way. The usual rock off to the side and trash debris are the only things to worry about. The canal narrows and gets shallow as you get further away from the gap, but this isn’t a problem unless you feel like riding for an extra 70 yards or so down the canal. I’d give the kicked out factor a 3 out of 10. It all depends on what day you go and if the old folks home across the street is letting their residents walk around outside or not. The past three times we have hit it we haven’t had any problems, just the occasional local kid getting in the way of the rope and a couple winch creepsters who want to know “how that contraption works.” Keep an eye on the local kids, they can be tricksters.

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