Slalom driver help

The driver should be applying a steady increase in throttle, not just slamming it down to WFO. With proper form/technique, you should be able to get up even with a really slow take-off.

Changing props to slow her down is ridiculous IMO. You could tell her what you would like her to change, finish the argument, apologize for critizing her driving, and still get all that done faster than pulling a prop.

She should be rolling into the throttle with a tight line. Are you getting up with both feet in? If you have an open rear toe, a one-legged start will get you out of the water much quicker and with less strain than keeping both feet in because it allows the ski to plane off much sooner. Of course, if you have double-fixed boots, you don't have much choice but to drag a bit.

Hollywood wrote: Arms out.

+1, I left this out. And back arched like a dog taking a $h!t. You should be up in the first 10'.

My form seems to follow this description: howtogetupononeski.com. I'm sure Pete will correct that link

Mistakes I've learned I was making: Standing up too soon. I knew to wait for the boat to pull you up all my life but didn't understand nor feel this until recently. Once I got the feel, no problem. It was so simple to me that I continually overlooked.

Another was I used to worry about the ski pointing at 2:00 so I ended up doing everything I could to move to 12:00 which resulted in expelled energy and getting dragged.

I'm demoing skis and mostly stick with rear toe plate. I always would do 2 ski start then drop but that's just a hassle at this point. When I'm doing deep water starts I keep both feet in the binding/RTP. Keeping one foot out is something I don't understand and seems awkward/harder. I was keeping my arms tucked in, like I was fornicating the handle. Which took arm strength but was ok with me until past 2 weeks. I played with keeping arms out which seemed awkward but hadn't ruled this out. In past 2 weeks I've tried this more bc arm injury but unsuccessful. Do yall keep arms out and locked or slightly bent?

My most successful day was 2 Fridays ago. Weather was awful. Defiinite chop and spitting rain. Wifey was nervous and when she's nervous she goes slower. I was demoing a CX superlite w double bindings. My first time on doubles but I thought to try bc it was free. While demoing I kept climbing up 1 notch on skis until I feel the ski is too advanced for me. I looked like Sammy Freaking Duval this night. I got up every time and skied and felt great and confident. I'd ski 60 seconds, drop then take off again for the practice for my wife and I. Bindings were putting strain in a different spot on my rear leg so I skied easy, didn't want to tire out on a friday. did 3 rounds this way and perfect. But the doubles seemed to help my starts by correcting my form, if that's possible. Went out the following morning.... and all hell as broke out ever since.

Arms totally out, relaxed actually. Anything else is a waste of energy.

All these pointers seem awkward because they are not what you're used to but that's only because your been doin it the hard way all this time. Your bad habits are just exposed by your driver and kick ass Acme prop!

10:1 for mine. I do the trailer backing. She wants to learn but baby steps, Lets perfect towing a skier first. I do get a kick out of how almost every couple gets in a fight at the ramp, 90% of the time its because the trailer is too deep and neither spouse can figure out thats the problem. And then we pass them.

When in the water waiting to take off, what angle is the best angle for the ski? (side view) Perpendicular to the water, 45 degrees, almost parallel to water surface like 160 degrees? I been doing some thinking, I've been putting my ski at a high angle, like almost parallel to the surface if that makes sense. Which puts more strain on my arms, less on legs. I was doing fine when she was taking off slow and uncertain but as the speed and confidence went up, I was just getting my arms ripped off. Gonna try one time tomorrow.

Ive also been putting possibly more ski tip out of the water than I should, inch recommendation?
Thanks guys.

I am no expert, but lots of good advice. Snug rope, a little throttle then more (I like the stoplight analogy), sitting high in the water with a good snug vest.

I am like you, I could never figure the one foot thing out. I have always started with two feet in (since 75 Tique/Larry helped me up). I think the key for me is to stay "set" with hands, arms, body, legs tucked and firm until on plane, letting the boat pull you instead of trying to pull yourself up or pull the boat back. Being high in the water may give you some of the advantage having one foot out would in terms of flatter angle to the water.

Having said all that, after changing the prop back from OJ to ACME after repairing the ACME, I missed 3 or 4 times this past Sunday, and I would swear it was my wife ripping me out of the water harder than she realized...

This makes me smile..... this is like telling you how to ride a bike via the internet. You gotta do it with someone who can teach you while watching your arms leave your body....

It might be you, It might be your wife, it's probably all of the above. Ski WITH someone else who knows how to do it....

It's like sex - you can read about it, or try it alone, but it's much better if you do it with someone who knows what they are doing!

We'll be up for certain last week in June, and the next trip IDK yet. But we won't have our boat most likely because I just don't think my '07 Crapvrolet will make it and I'm not fixing it again. Hopefully it dies soon so I'll have a new Tacoma to take, otherwise we'll be renting a boat which is always cheaper.

LOL! I feel ya. I gained about 15lbs in the off season and I literally couldn't breathe for the first 60 seconds in the water the other day my vest was so tight.

I have a short session Saturday. I've been looking for a school bc I'm sure I'm full of bad habits that I'm unaware of. Unfortunately my wife can't go with me. I hope I can ride and watch other skiers afterwards.

Good tips, a very observant driver makes all the difference when you are trying to learn or not. Each person is completely different in the learning curve. I am not a professional but I have taught a ton of non athletic people to slalom on skis they probably shouldn't have been learning on. Listen to all the pointers the guys are telling you. Poor form will make your life horrible and a driver not paying attention will worsen the effects. Once you master the form properly you should be able to get up behind any type of pull as long as you're strong enough.

My family has always preferred the Hammmmaaa down approach ha. Teaching new skiers is completely different. Like HW said leaning back is bad. You should fold your body out at even rates (ie knees, waist, arms, etc.) as you stand up when getting on top of the water. Personally, I pull my knees in as far as I can and tuck the tail of the ski up as close to my butt as possible to create a ramping effect of the ski. You don't want to hold the ski perpendicular to the water because then you are just pushing it and not climbing it like a hill.

The difference between getting up and not could be in the driver giving you a little more throttle when you are standing up or a little less pending the skier until you have it completely mastered.

I pin my knees against my elbows so that the rope pulls your entire body as one piece instead of just my arms and upper body. I only do this to hold my orientation while still in the water. Ie. at idle like HW said.

Hollywood wrote: Have your driver drag you at idle. You should be able to stay in form ready to go at any second. Once you calm down and aren't tipping and flopping around have her roll it up! I like that stop light approach.

That is how I usually do it, I was never sure if this was something other people do.

Driver form is important as well- make sure that she is resting her arm on the gunwale and only moving thumb/wrist to apply throttle.. Many beginners move their entire arm (pushing from elbow or shoulder) and this makes throttle movement MUCH less precise. One analogy is a computer mouse..try clicking around on your PC by moving elbow or shoulder compared to wrist and thumb movements.