Simon Wong, an instructor licensed by the World Wakeboard Association, is holding a five-day wakeboarding - like waterskiing but on a single board - camp in Marina Cove, Sai Kung, 8am-6pm for $5,000 ($7,200 including accommodation). He is looking for people with talent to train for the forthcoming world wakeboarding competition series in 2002. Private lessons are also available for $800 an hour on weekdays and $1,000 at weekends. Call 9033-3222. Those who want to go it alone and decide to buy their own ski-boat need a pleasure vessel Master's certificate and engineer's (diesel and petrol) licence issued by the Marine Department (Seafarers Certification Section, 4/F 38 Pier Road, Harbour Building, Central). To get these you must sit an exam for each (fee: $515). There is a one- to two-month waiting list for the exams. Call 2852-3054 for details. Pick up wakeboarding gear at A3 (130-132 Stanley Market Road, tel: 2813-8999), which stocks both secondhand and new wakeboards and wetsuits and has ski-boats for purchase or rental. Boats licenced for four or five people cost about $700 an hour. Check out its Web site at www.wakeboard.com.hk , which gives tips for tricks and places to board locally as well as an online store and details of courses ($600 an hour). Call 2813-5120 two days in advance for weekend classes, or book through KGBee.com for slightly discounted rates.
