Trick ski options

I keep a 72 WTC just like that one around for teaching people to slalom on.

It was that O'Brien WTC

Nice haul. Was the WTC one of these?



If so, I would have been disappointed that I didnt get to you first. I wouldnt mind having one, just for my nostalgia collection. (I know, I know, everything I own is in the nostalgia collection. Hardee har har) I had two back in the early 80s, one got stolen and the other I stupidly left on a public dock.    So, If ever any one sees an inexpensive one around, let me know. There is one on ebay right now for very reasonable, but it doesnt say anything about willing to ship.

Morfoot wrote: Netdewt wrote:     I'm teaching my girlfriend how to drive ( who has ZERO experience pulling a skier) the 88' and the 72 Mustang and I slalom behind both and she's doing a great job.

Tim,

I am glad to hear that Kim is progressing very well with her boat driving.

Donald

Netdewt wrote: I haven't had the back strength, driver with necessary skills, or course access to really have a chance to get into slalom. I wish I did. my boat is not made for wakeboarding and slalom needs course and driver access. My boat works perfectly fine for my abilities in wakeboarding but I am using it for something it was not meant to do.

Huh What??????
What kind of excuse is that man?

You DON'T need a course to slalom ski,
You can teach ANYONE to drive the boat who wants to learn. I'm teaching my girlfriend how to drive ( who has ZERO experience pulling a skier) the 88' and the 72 Mustang and I slalom behind both and she's doing a great job.
The 2001 hull empty throws a nice wake for boarding and you don't need a huge wake to throw inverts. I've wakeboarded behind a loaded 2001 hull that had a better wake than some Air Nautiques. Heck Shaun Murray was throwing inverts behind Marty's Skylark.

Hollywood wrote: Any ski with rails will track straight. Any ski with a hard edge will cut. Ankle support will yield the most improvement in control. I don't think anyone is saying buying a competition trick ski is a bad idea where as in slalom it will hinder you. 180s and 360s aren't even scratching the surface of real trick ski potential. A crappy ski with a good binding will get you pretty far.

Completely agree....I just can't get myself to replace those super sweet adjustable bindings.

storm34 wrote: The whole "new vs old" conversation is really interesting but it's really up to the personal goals of the skier. I really struggled to progress in the course for the last 4-5 years. After getting some coaching from Chris Parrish and changing my technique things started to take-off. My theory was to straighten out the guy riding the ski first, then add a new ski if I decided to stick with it.   Last year I purchased my first new tournament ski and have made huge strides. Point is - my goal was to be competitive in local tournaments so the investment is worth it for me. It's certainly helped me get to my max speed and shorten the rope. If someone wants to free-ski or ride a lap around a cove/lake one a week then buy something used for a lot less $$$....more money for beer and gas.

Well put. My theory with slalom skis these days is that as soon as you start to get serious in the course you need to get on the best new or used ski you can afford. Slalom ski price structure is more about cost to build at small quantities vs. "skill level" these days. E.g. it costs a grand to make a new Goode. They sell for two grand. They take 2 weeks to make by hand. You will see them under ALL levels of course skiers. D3 has 7 employees. Each ski is made by hand in the US. They are expensive. They don't make cheap skis, they make GREAT skis for all levels. And so on. It's like buying a nice guitar or a nice trap gun or a nice car. There is no downside. If my kid got into guitar I'd give them a nice guitar ASAP. They wouldn't be banging around on some Sears Harmony guitar very long.

My wife struggled in the course on several "mid level" skis until she got a used 2015 Lithium Vapor (~350 bucks maybe but 1400 new) and saw immediate improvement. Runs the course like crazy now and loves every minute of it. I see this repeatedly.

We live in AMAZING time to be a course skier equipment-wise. Anything within the last 5-7 years is going to be much easier to ride and learn the course on for ALL skill levels. Ditch the CDX, the Phantom, the Truth, and the Monza, etc. as well as any other crap from that era. These were finnicky old fiber+carbon with aluminum top skis that maybe did require an expert to ride (?) but won't help anyone at any level these days. Make them into a dock chair and be done with it. You won't see ANY kids at tournaments with garage sale-level equipment or fiberglass skis even if they are skiing 15 of at 24.9mph. They will be on something graphite and probably have a hardshell binding (gasp).

There really is no valid argument that old outdated equipment is fine at any level approaching serious-about-the-sport these days. The new-ish stuff is just too good.

75 Tique wrote:    I am kind of amused at a lot of gatherings, everyone gets all excited about multi man "trick ski" runs, that amount to nothing more than forward combo runs. I have yet to see anyone turn around. (tho I know a few folks here that can and do). .

No offense larry you don't come to many gatherings, and when you do you typically stay the one day mid day when the water is blown out and people are wasting time.   Ive seen multiple runs at gatherings where everyone was backards at least a time or two and more than one people deep started that way - judging other peoples skill levels or interest by a mid day multiple run where everyone had a beer stuffed in their vest would be a classic case of undersampling.

75 Tique wrote: I know Natalie is working on her slalom skiing, but I dont think she is starting out on a $1500 ski 34 mph and 38 off. Larry, Natalie is skiing 25 mph and 15 off and getting all six balls (not mini course). We got a smoking deal on a 2016 women's new HO CX, 65", new bindings with help from Eddie with HO at the Nautique Swerving Weekends. Better than any other deal then I could find elsewhere. Donald .

Well that sounds good. Maybe it is getting close to time to move on. Feel free to ignore my rant.

That's where I am heading with this. Not to dispute Joel, he is a lot better at this than I am, I am just putting my position out there for discussion purposes. If Natalie is not doing all her surface turns on two, I dont think she needs to be worrying about 1 ski or the quality of the ski - YET. Lots of people talk about "trick skiing" and get up and go straight on a pair of trick skis. I am kind of amused at a lot of gatherings, everyone gets all excited about multi man "trick ski" runs, that amount to nothing more than forward combo runs. I have yet to see anyone turn around. (tho I know a few folks here that can and do). Riding forward on trick skis (or ski) is not trick skiing....it is skiing,,,just on a kind of slippery ski. I know Natalie is working on her slalom skiing, but I dont think she is starting out on a $1500 ski 34 mph and 38 off. I think she is probably working toward that goal. Trick skiing is no different. It is a process, might as well go in order.

Donald, where is Natalie in her trick ski progression?   Is she completing her 2 ski surface turns yet? Both 180s and both 360s? Just curious.

M3Fan,

My 16 year old has been working on her trick skiing this summer with a $80.00 pair of Craig's List Combo / Slalom Trick Skis, EP's by Connelly. She is already able to get up on one and she is very early in her development of Trick Skiing. I agree with the points you have been making on this post. I am looking for a used D3, or Quantum in a 42" for her to move up to.

I feel that you have brought up some great points and it is what I have been seeing this summer play out with her. She kind of sort of got bored with Combo Trick Skiing and has moved to one trick ski (using the combo set). She also has been hanging out with some college skiers and this is the next step in progression.   

What I am trying to say, is I agree with your comments.

Donald

I was recently shopping a set myself and found the same... 2 of my kids (10 and 11) were at a 2 week camp in middle of PA where waterskiing is an activity... mind you their gear is that of the 80s lol... daughter said Dad... I did a 180 on these weird looking skis and son said we were riding this boogieboard thing you can jump while kneeling on... like the thing in pappy's shed... It dawned on me they never lived in the 80s-90s... I toyed with idea of buying a set but like Joel feels... after two rides on some combos we would be looking for a decent trick or throw them in the garage next to the kneeboard from 1986.

I rode tricks twice and a single trick maybe 4 or 5 times cause we needed people to score points in tournaments. Just couldn't get into it. Unless you are taking to the next level, just not as appealing as footing or slalom to me. Wakeboarding or wake skating I can do now and again. That being said, it would be cool as hell if one of my kids picked it up and master it... just don't see that happening not living on a lake.

I like it. I appreciate the pep talk.

Kids still like tubing... :) but they are becoming more and more interested in ski/board sports. It took about a year and a half of encouragement and coaching to give them confidence and skills, but I now have an 8 and 9 year old skiing, wakeboarding, and kneeboarding. They are asking me to do it rather than pushing them!

M3Fan, or others, anyone know about this O'Brien? https://www.ebay.com/itm/272793876028