Slalom Ski

Get a cheater rope, it has a wide bridle to help keep your ski straight as you are getting up. I feel that this is much easier and safer than dropping a ski. My wife learned to slalom on her first try. She had only double skied one time before she tried the slalom. I always use a gradual start (so I don't jerk the handle out of the skiers hands) but apply plenty of power once the skier is moving so they don't drink to much water.

Johnny wrote: phatsat67 wrote: My dad is about 190 and on a connley concept his 285 horse mastercraft has a hard time pulling him up. There's your problem right there

I wasn't gonna go there but I'm glad somebody else did.

scottb wrote: My wife goes full throttle when I am skiing and she is po'd because of something I said. You would think I would have learned my lesson the first couple of times.

Get a Perfect Pass - saves lots of marital arguments. BKH

My daughter weighs 115 and I don't even go quarter throttle for her slalom deep waters and she starts with both feet in on a 63" ski. I'm 200 and also start with both feet in on a 67" ski and 3/4 throttle is more than sufficent.

Zach,

It is a matter of technique, not horsepower. Like many of the others, when I grew up it was common to ski behind outboards as small as 35 or 50 horses. If you can get up behind one of those, you can get up behind anything.

As Gottaski suggested, just have to adjust to the preference of the skier. BKH

We had to "hammer" down with the 35 horse Evinrude.

Chuck

GottaSki wrote: phatsat67 wrote: And you cant take off to fast when pulling up a slalom skier Just hammer it. total crap, adjust the launch to suit the skier's preference.

That one really had me puzzled as well. I'm over 230 lbs and don't have to throw the hammer to come up on a slalom ski. BKH

Joe, i couldnt think of the correct word,
Eric

You guys are making me feel great by saying that you mom, fat friend, paralyzed brother in law, mentally hanicapped uncle and favorite pet got up on their 2nd try.


I am still waiting to give it a second chance. We went out this weekend but there were just to many peope around to drop a ski. I think wed. night might be the next try.

eric lavine wrote: Jon, make sure you drop the right ski

That might be better stated...

make sure you drop the correct ski...

depending on your forward foot choice!

Joe

Quinner, good driver and great boat exposed poor form and atrophied muscles of the skiier. The gloves did help keep the handle in my 'Montgomery Burns' like hands.

Once up - felt awesome. Except I missed the 6th ball. 5 for 6 on that run

I have to testify to nice and easy to get out of the water.

I skied a lot when young. Started skiing again this year. Second time skiing in 15 years and I got up deep water slalom behind my Classic on the 2nd try.

Then I skiied behind Quinners boat with same ski. It took at least 6 tries. I swore I was being pulled by a friggin jet! He had to put it in "clapped out, sodden, Bayliner mode" before I could get out of the water. After that, it was awesome. First time behind a real ski boat. Wah-Hoo! Too bad my forearms were too trashed to take a second run.

Learned the lesson again last weekend when using a new wakeboard. Easy does it did it again.

quinner wrote: A wide ski of correct length will make the deep water starts much easier.

So you about ready to ditch that 4'x8' sheet of plywood and get on something that resembles a slalom ski?

Hollywood check your e-mails and let me know if you recieved it, i replied from my shop on my brothers computer and im not sure if it went through   eric

When I teach women to ski I tell them that they should set themselves up in the water as if they are holding onto a branch for dear life while peeing over a cliff. They all seem to get up on the first or second try. Go figure.

I have been getting up on one for years now, but I had to start with 2 and lift the drop ski foot to get used to the balance. When first getting up on 1, I had a spot on my ski that I focused on so that I was not distracted by anything, just keeping a straight line. I still drag my rear leg - use it as a rudder for getting up. Then I get my toes on the rear of the ski and slowly "crab walk" my toes into the rear strap. When making my turns on 1, I focus my sight on where I want to be, not what I need to go through to get there. Seems to make crossing the wake insignificant, I never feel any bumps.

As far as other boat traffic, we used to have the driver stay about 150 feet off shore and have the skier swing out toward shore and "aim" the drop ski toward the dock. Most boats won't go that close to a shoreline with docks and you have a landmark on which to base your search for the drop ski. They almost always come to rest fin up.

When I get a little tired or in an extended boat turn, I will put the handle in the crook of my elbow and grab the opposite shoulder of my vest to rest and regroup until I can start making cuts again.

Mike