learning to barefoot

LakeBoy wrote: Malibu also makes a "Barefooter" built on the Response platform. Faster "Hammerhead" motor and a cavitation plate (Ron Scarpa design) will get you a sweet wake.

Im not sure if this boat is still available anymore... Malibu will still build a Response if you special order it, but it hasnt even been in their brochure since 2006. I skied one this summer at a clinic and I have to say it was the nicest Malibu Ive seen. It had the 400hp 383 motor in it. Id never own a non-CC but the other brands put out some nice skiing boats.

Personally, Id love to see CC come out with a sub-200 model in their lineup for those of us who dont need a 2800+ lb 95" wide tournament boat that only does 42mph with 343hp. Something around the size of a 2001 with a closed bow would be perfect- make the slalom wake 90% as good as a 200 (think TSC1), and tune the barefoot wake in to steal some thunder from Malibu and Sanger. Give it some big hp options that will push it to 55mph... now thats a boat I could get excited about. I bet they could sell enough to hardcore skiers and footers to justify production.

TRB: I agree with all of that. Not sure either if Malibu make the barefooter anymore. Does Sanger? Probably. I could not (would not) buy a new boat anyway. I don't make enough money to justify it; even if I could afford it, a new boat is not good value. Unless you wanted something REAL special, I cannot imagine forking out the dough for something sued so infrequently. (I foot 2-3 times a week, and to me that is still infrequent) considering it sits very idle in winter (yes, it does rain here too in California)

kapla wrote: whatabout o/b? bad words?

Most (all?) comp barefooting has moved back to inboards. I want to say its a power issue, but maybe someone else can enlighten us as to why the switch was made. Surely keeping such a specialty boat (low volume) in the lineup was unjustifiable for most boat manufacturers. I dont think the OB's did anything well besides barefooting- unlike the inboards, which still slalom well, etc.

Andy, I agree- I cant afford a new boat either... at least not yet. I guess Im just disappointed with the 200 in general (too big and slow), and wish CC had made a hull that was better suited for barefooting. Maybe our BFN will surprise me after its weight loss program, but last year I found the wake to be huge. Beautiful table though.

My point is that I think a case could be made for a smaller/lighter/faster boat in CC's lineup below the 200. Closed bow, fairly basic. Something with a good slalom wake that also barefoots well, and can throw a decent wake when weighted. Something in the 18-19' range. It could be marketed as a Ski Tique, Barefoot Nautique, and the entry level Air Nautique- just different option packages (graphics, motors, towers, ballast, etc). I think it would suit people that care more about the skiing performance than the need to bring the entire family out on the lake for the day... maybe Im just crazy though!

The boats they had at the world championships where the Sanger DXII Barefooters (two of them).
Don't know which engine version tho...
But they where driving at 72 KPH (44,74 MPH) for the barefoot jumping...

The Sanger DXII and the Sanger outboard are by far the best barefoot boats out there, the other nice outboard is the Flightcraft that Malibu purchased and produced for a few years. Sangers fit and finish is very very nice. I have been around both CC and Sanger and quality is equal. We had a Barefoot Nauique and many Sangers. I had a sanger DXII with a 377 super scorpion(approx 400hp) that pulled a 250lb barefooter 50+mph at the US Nationals back in 03. A friend has just stroked his Sanger Black scorpion and claims it ran 59mph gps...I haven't seen it yet but he usually tells the truth.

As for the Malibu---almost everybody at a tournament when given the choice will slalom(wakes) behind the Sanger because the wake is way better. Either boat works fine for tricks and jump.

KSO skied my old 2001 Sanger DXII Barefooter and when he got back to Florida he ordered one right away, they run a few Sanger outboards at the school. The outboards have a tiny wake but the big outboard engines cost $20,000! just the engine!

This video shows Keith skiing my Sanger and Willie skiing the Malibu...(and me skiing my Sanger in the middle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE_2tM5aR-4

Seb: to get outside the wake, you need to start edging very early. try to sit up as fasr as possible when you plane out, and lean sideways AND slightly backwards to drive your butt cheek into the water, like an edge. If you get up to the edge of the wake, but stall, IMMEDIATELY egde hard and fat to the other wake, and you should get out. If not, have the driver hammer it, and stand up in the wake. Get used to getting up in the wake. If you have to get up in the wake, try to get out of the dead center where all the churn is. Work all this out with the driver. I tell my driver:

"OK, I am going to egde out at 25-28 MPH, if I don't get out the first try, I will try the other side. If I don't make it bring me up to speed FAST. If you are not sure, and see me take my feet off the rope, you now know I want speed."

Driver communication is important. He won't be able to hear you when you are back there, so you need to work all this out before you get on the water.

Proud of you Seb, footing hard!

Hollywood wrote: 32 pages later, do you think k.o. is footing yet???

I always wonder the same... he did start a great thread though...
He hasn´t been to active lately..and last times he was having engine trans issues...

seb: what are you wearing under the drysuit?

Seb; AWESOME! Now you just need to take a camera!

kapla wrote: yeap I had the camera but no spotter to shoot..lately its me and the driver..need to buy a go pro camera or figure out a way to do a pylon mount for the camera...

Seb, Till you can find a good camara mount I'ne seen several people "zip tie" or wire tie a tripod to the pylon. I use to use something like that till I found a machinist that makes camara mounts for the towers that can rotate and lock into a boom or long line position.

Soooo..Are back starts my next goal? or need more practice?

I mean bacerds!!

Just a side note on your back deep attempts....the boat driver plays a huge role in getting it right (this is particularly true in the beginning). The driver will need at least as much instruction in getting the start down as you will.

Roy, absolutely awesome. I am studying this on your tumble turns to get that handle control movement down. That will be the next (first) trick I try next time out. I can't believe the conditions on that canal/river what ever it might be!

Got it based on the stuff in the background I see where it is on google maps. So is that water brackish, or is it fed by the river to the east? Regardless looks like an awesome place, especially where you were running, nice gentle curve - perfect for footing! I bet the water temp is also not in the 50's like we have here now...

Here is some killer video from Wednesday out at Twin Cites (private ski lake). I finally got some video of the flying dock starts I have been woorking on. Also, later in the video I manage to string together a few nice backward wake crosses. Again, conditions were epic:

Wednesday Footin'

The high boom was helpful on the back one-foots. The boom had so much pull on it, you are really light on your feet! I really want to get that reverse back one foot going. Hungry for the back toe-hold!