Training Skis...What size?

Well with everyone talking about teaching their kids to ski, I think mine are ready too.
My youngest daughter is 7 and oldest is 11, oddly enough they hate to tube but love to boat. Rose, my youngest is much more athletic than here older sister Jasmine. Soooo I'm going to buy a pair of skis but I only Slalom and have not skied on double skis since I was about 8. I need help with size, Rose is about 40 pounds and Jazz is about 80ish not sure exactly?? Or do you guys think they should go right to a Wakeboard? I don’t Wakeboard for crap "OLDSKOOL" so I don’t know what kind of teacher I would be.

Found this pair on ebay. Any good?
training skis

I'm sure lots of opinions. We have taught lots of people to ski. The biggest problem for newbies, I think, is ski managment (getting the skis on, then keeping them straight in the water).    I simply tell people to keep their skis between themselves and the boat and they will ski, let them feel the pressure in their legs. The driver to keep the right amount of tension on the line, too little and the skis float out of position, too much and they can't get them into position.
Once I've started pulling, if I see the skier tracking straight, I then get them out of the water, up on a plane, as quickly as possible without yanking them out of the skis. Some people get the hang of it immediately, others require the patience of Job. But your girls being light will help alot. (Easier on the arms, they will not wear out as fast.)
I think the skis you're looking at are fine, if they are in the 50-55" range, but I don't like the bar attaching them together. It may help them manage the skis in the water, but I think they are too limiting once they plane.
Of course, using a boom is probably the easiest method, if you have one.
Now, that I have chimed in, I hope others will, I'm sure there is better advice.
Oh, by the way, I'm old school too--I leave the wakeboarding for my kids. But, they all learned to ski first. In fact our youngest learned to ski slalom first, never has used two skis.
Chuck

Ski first. Too many mediocre wakeboarders out there already.

Yes, I concur, you may be looking at two pairs of skis. Don't try to put the youngest in the medium skis and don't let the youngest see the older struggle with skis too small. You are in a joust with attitudes and confidence, not just athleticism.

In contrast, I like the bar across the smallest trainers, I saw it build confidence last year, I'm weaning her off the tether and bar this year.

I added about 12-14 oz lead weight on the back of the ski so the skis orient themselves easier, it really helps.

Melted lead down in a a tuna can and painted them to match.

When they aim to cross the wake, its best to take the bar and tether off first, the skis need to move independantly to cross the wake well.

The Dude is photo challenged...trying again...

I have experience with those skis you linked, just different HNG. Aside from correcting the extra boyancy, they serve us well. I think thats about as small as they get, and are suited for the smaller child, 5 to 8 yo or so.

I never connected the connector bar to the rope-handle, we used a boom for early training, it doesn't get any better. I would drag alongside her, one hand on the rear of the skis on the tether, correcting ski direction and keeping them under her the first few pulls. Letting go and being beside her eased anxiety when she falls and the boat pulls away, even if its only 15-25 feet.

Some transition runs to the 5' handle made her first behind-the-boat a snap.

At 40# you will find she can ski around 10-12 mph.

If you train behind the boat, use 22 off or so. 75' looks like a mile to a young one.

jholton, I've got a 6 and 8 year old and both have been skiing since last year. One is now on a slalom. What worked for us is to have them sit on a noodle with the traing ski's that have the bar attached. I think ours are made by Connely. I know everyone doesn't want to hear this, but I started them out behind the jet ski. The wake was smaller, versatility better and at 3 bucks a gallon it really helped out. Also, they had a goal: Get up, learn to cross the wake and you get to go behind the Nautique. That was the carrot.. We've taught about 10 kids this summer, some as young as five! Good luck and have fun with it, there's NOTHING like the expression when they get up the first time!