learning to barefoot

I agree. It has been an usually LONG winter this year - actually it's probably just been normal. Andy and Seb, if there was an easy cheap way for me to get to your parts of the world, I'd be there in a second to drive for you guys all day long.

Too funny! So he can turn but yet no side slides! Lol

Seb, you do that I will have to figure out how to join you guys!

First time out for the year.

Trying to get proficient with long line deep water and was eager to try out my BFC shoe skis. This was the 5th of 5 runs. Figured I'd try a tumble turn. I'm proficient on the boom with TTs, but it was a different story 90 ft behind the boat.

Video isn't great as 9 year old was filming. Lost my footing partner this year too due to a job transfer so I was "training" Moma to drive. She hates driving with the boom so it's gonna force me to do long line stuff. Probably a good thing.

2014 first run

Speed to me is relative.....try somewhere around 30 to see if you feel comfy...then try a few runs faster and slower to find out where you are most comfortable. Keep in mind while tumble turning those shoes will catch an edge much easier than bare feet and can sometimes lead to a knee tweak. I have a pair of those shoe skis and love em.

i was being pulled 35 but felt like I could've easily slowed it down to 30.

Agree bigtime that tumbles with shoes can blow knees easy...got to be perfect or don't do them with shoes.

Longline you really have to keep the leading hip UP..twist..knees pointed away from pull/boat

Willie does line steps at 33

In general shoe ski as slow as you can...then slow it down some more.

so my way to kill bf withdrawal symtoms was to invcest in some gear....
got my self a new usgear aero carbon front toe hold handle!
matching colours to my boat and personal name "The Kapla"

Way to go Miss Watkins And her dad did well to.

Great job for daughter KR - she is doing awesome. Now that she has a feel for skiing on her feet, time to transition into learning how to get there on the short rope. I think the first thing to do is get that boom lower, right now she is pretty much hanging from the boom, need to start transitioning her arms to more of a traditional out in front position. Not all at once by slowly. The best way to do this is move from off the boom to the swing. Now though instead of skiing on her feet, most of the focus needs to be on the butt glide and 3 point, again in the swing. So the boom will need to be lower, so when you are going 15 to 20 mph her butt is just touching the water. Have her just practice holding her feet up, so her body makes a "V" and pointing her toes, her butt skimming on the water. After she gets bored with this have her go from pointing her toes to flexing the top of her foot (notice I didn't say her toes) to her shins, and then putting her feet by her butt, establishing the 3 point: Point, Flex, feet to her butt.

This is the only video I have uploaded of swing work. This is my youngest Erin from two years ago (she was 9). As you will see the natural tendency is to try and stand. That's okay, but you really want to work on the butt glide and 3 point. You can see when working with little people its hard to get the boom low enough...

Steve - Because of the aforementioned issues with upper body strength, I don't do much work with tumble ups with the little kids. Maybe a little bit where direct from the boom they drag on their tummy to their hips/thighs and then pull their knees to the side to get into the three point, but that is about it. ONCE my daughters were REALLY comfortable in the swing we went to the short rope.

Once on the short rope you start all over again. Butt glide, butt glide, butt glide. To the point where they can do it all the way down the lake and they are bored. Then add in the 3 point, point, flex, feet to the butt - but only for short spurts. Then right back to the but glide. Slowly increasing the amount of time they are in the tree point.

Here is my middle daughter Allie - again from about 2 years ago.



Oh, after looking at the video, don't forget to tell her at the start to put her head way way back and be as stiff and straight as a board. The end is also pretty typical - feet get caught and they have to let go.

nice work guys...too bad with no pics it didn't really happen