beginner slalom

Just looking for some suggestions on a beginner slalom ski. 6'3" 200 lbs. I don't really know where to start. I've been wakeboarding and want to give it a rest for a while. The old wood combos aren't too appealing. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Ryan

I teach most people to drop one behind the boat skiing next to them and get them stable. Once they can ski on one I find the biggest ski in my collection and have them learn how to get up on that. The newer skis with the wide tip are very easy to get up on.

Tim

For your size Connelly make a Big Daddy which will allow easy starts and fun recreational slalom. Other companies are also offering big boy slaloms. INT league has a slalom catagory for wideboards so you can still compete with a big ski. You might get away with a minimum 69" but 70"-72" would be better. If it comes with a wing on the fin take it off for now. Unless you can start off with both feet in you only need a rear toe piece as opposed to a two boot ski.

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I'll check them all out. I did see an Obrien Sequence that looked like it had potential too.

I haven't checked out the HO skis yet so I'll poke around at those too.

Personally would recommend you find a friends/neighbors ski to learn your slalom starts on, the widest biggest one available. After you do a half dozen starts you are ready to move on to a better ski. Assuming you are more coordinated then average and you think slalom is going to be your thing get a more advanced ski that will challenge you as that will help you improve more rapidly. If you are buying new or used get the best boot you can find, comfort and control at your foot is critical. Most ski mfrs will have (1) or (2) top level ski's, something that would be (1) or (2) ski's below that should put you on a ski that will start fairly easily and won't push out once you start really leaning on it. If you are looking at used a good all around ski is the HO Vengeance (69"), easy starts, fast & friendly, holds a good edge even with a little chop and can be found pretty cheap. Check out www.ski-it-again.com for used gear.

Ryan,

Try whatever ski you have available first, be sure your driver does not "over throttle", a steady progressive pull is much easier then WOT for someone learning. If you can get on top of the water a wide ski may not even be necessary, practice a little from there and then you will be ready to move on. If you find a used ski be sure and ask any questions you may have.

I think I crashed hard every time I tried to drop a ski, so I always have started long line.   The hardest part of a long line slalom start for me was staying stable.   I learned on resonably advanced ski, and had good luck with a "Deep v" rope. Put the tip of your ski in the "v" portion, and as the boat pulls, the "V" will tighten and help to stablize your ski.   you will have to get out of your tuck earlier, so you can pull the rope off of the front of the ski :) once you get the feeling of a good start, then try with the ski unrestrained.    If you have a deep v rope, you may be able to start with a more advanced ski if you can find one 2nd hand....

Good luck!!!

Just an update. Second outing was the one. Took me about 5 attempts, but I got up on that crummy, undersized wooden ski. Having the driver roll the throttle a bit more gently helped quite a bit. The hardest part was keeping my back foot in place. It would just slip out when we were taking off and the ski would run off to the right. I found myself pushing really hard with that back foot just to keep it in place. The problem with that was the ski would come way out of the water and I'd be riding on the back two feet of it, just plowing away. My arms are not thanking my right now. Regardless, I got up and then did it again later that evening on the 3 try.

Waldo, thanks for the offer but now that I'm up on the ski I have, I think I'm going to do some shopping for something I can grow into. That's really a nice gesture though and incidentally, I'll be coming through your part of the country next week.

So being that I'm getting up with both feet in, would I be better off with two boots? Are there any disadvantages to a double boot? Seems like it would be better on your legs in a hard crash...

Thanks!
Ryan

Steve,

Thanks for the offer. I might have to give it a try since we are so close. I've been skiing over at Upper Straits. Still trying to learn the lake, but I watched a guy rip it up yesterday and tried to make note of the path they took. There's also a course set up on that lake, not that I'm anywhere near attempting it. What's the usual etiquette on that... find out who owns it and ask or just run it?

Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan

Are you dropping your boat in Upper Straits? I've never been on that lake, but if you happen to see a rather large house (16,000 sq ft) on a hill with a beach house below it, we built the tunnel that connects the the beach house to the elevator that goes up to the main house.
If you want to borrow that ski, let me know. You can bring your boat to White Lake, and run the course in front of my cottage. Or just come out and we'll use my boat, although you don't want to make your first attempt at a course behind a Barefoot Nautique.
In regards to etiquette, I would talk to the skiers using the course. The course on our lake stays up during the week and anyone can use it. There is a group that takes donations for the upkeep. One of the important things to remember is not to damage any balls by turning the boat in the course, and catching a ball with your rope.

tullfooter wrote: Ryan Are you dropping your boat in Upper Straits? I've never been on that lake, but if you happen to see a rather large house (16,000 sq ft) on a hill with a beach house below it, we built the tunnel that connects the the beach house to the elevator that goes up to the main house. If you want to borrow that ski, let me know. You can bring your boat to White Lake, and run the course in front of my cottage. Or just come out and we'll use my boat, although you don't want to make your first attempt at a course behind a Barefoot Nautique. In regards to etiquette, I would talk to the skiers using the course. The course on our lake stays up during the week and anyone can use it. There is a group that takes donations for the upkeep. One of the important things to remember is not to damage any balls by turning the boat in the course, and catching a ball with your rope.

Yep, dropping in. I'm only about 750k shy of getting my place on Upper Straits. I think I know the place you are talking about. Nice work!

I'm not ready for an attempt at a course behind any boat yet. I have a few minor details to work out, like consistently getting up on a single ski. I'll see if I can find out who keeps up the course on Upper.   It would be good to know for the future.

I'd love to borrow that ski for a bit. Can you pm your phone number to me? You around this week?

Some believe double binding are safer in a crash (not as likely to have the ski twist your leg, foot or ankle in a circle, or send your legs into opposite directions). Some believe they have better control in the slalom course with a double boot. Most of the pros use double boots. Andy Mapple, the greatest slalom skier ever, still uses an an open rear toe plate. I'd say it's a pretty good bet to use whatever feels most comfortable to you.

As Hollywood touched upon, many who use an open toe plate, come out of the water with only 1 foot on the ski. They then put their free foot in the open toe plate after up and on top of the water. It actually requires less power from the boat and less strength from the skier than with two feet in the bindings. The free foot acts as sort of a rudder, the ski pushes to plane more easily. It is also a bit easier for those who, shall we say, are less limber and have trouble bending their knees into a ball with both feet in the bindings. Back in the 60s when we commonly skied behind 35 and 40 horse outboards, it was the only way we could get out of the water. It was the only way either of my parents ever skied.

However, you also should have no issue putting both feet in the bindings, even with a rtp, if you elect to do so.

BKH

If you can get up on that kidder, you won't need a wider ski though at 6'3" you'll probably want a longer ski. BKH

Shopping around for a longer ski... Quick question for you guys: Are binding patterns universal or do you need to be careful about matching certain bindings to skis?

Thanks!