Old Guy Learning To Ski

I concur, my girl when 7 was much more alert and on-task then most adults, who usually looking around blabbing away and talking about someones new fence/shed/landscaping and trying to remember who lived where.

but 12 to be legal.

Sh|t at 12 I was driving skiers.

spiralhelix wrote: Poorhouse wrote: We've been debating about our 6 year old acting as spotter. He understands the job and has been doing great at it. We are concerned about safety but are beginning to think that he is up for the job if just the 3 of us can go out. Any thoughts on that? Personally, I'd be fine with a 6 year old being a spotter. When I drive, I am constantly keeping an eye on the skier in the mirror. I have the throttle pulled back before my spotter even mentions the skier is down. If you have to hold up a flag when skier is down, I might think twice. I'm surprised no one has mentioned it, but we always boost the speed a few mph once the ski is dropped, or at least start boosting the speed before the drop. When I drop a ski, if i go straight for the boot, my foot tends to find the ski wake and not the boot. I started bringing my foot to my calf, then sliding down and inching back to find the rear toe plate. All in all, you guys are doing a fantastic job, and I would be in heaven to ski in that setting. so beautiful.

I keep my eye on the skier when I'm driving as does my wife so I think it would work. The 6 year old is really into it and keeps a close watch, so is a good helper.

We are borrowing an easy ski for him next weekend, he is beyond excited to try it.

I like the idea of using the attached let to help the free let find it's position. Will keep that in mind.

Good point on speed. We will keep that in mind. We upped our speed this weekend from 18-20 to 20-22 and up to 24. Getting comfortable going faster. The choppy conditions make going faster harder.

IAughtNaut wrote: This may seem counter-intuitive, but the middle of the wake is the absolute worst place to learn to drop a ski, especially if you have good water. If you have glass outside the wake, use it. Its hard to get caught in prop wash or a rooster tail outside the wake. Its not impossible, but its hard. It looked like she dropped her right ski and was going to have her left foot forward, no? (If I saw that wrong, reverse everything that comes next) She should go outside the wake to the left. Or port side of the boat, whatever makes sense to you. The reason is, cutting that direction will give her something to pull against. She'll be leaning out and away from the boat and that will give her additional pull for balance. In the dead center of the wake she will have to stay perfectly balanced straight up and down on her own, which is a difficult transition for a new skier used to being on two. You're going from 3 points of balance two two (ski, ski, handle to ski, handle), so use the rope tension, it will help. Last thing, nothing needs to happen quickly. She popped that foot out of the ski and fired it at the back of the slalom. Relax. This is also easier outside the wake. Go outside, pull all the way out, and just take a little pressure off her right foot. Then a little more. When she gets comfortable, she'll be able to lift that right ski up off the water. Ankle height, this isn't a contortionist show. But if she can do that, its real easy to slowly slide out of it, then SLOWLY place the back foot on the ski, and it doesn't have to go immediately into the footpiece. We tell beginners to just set it down somewhere. On the ski, on top of the footpiece, in it, wherever it lands. If she is too focused on getting that foot in the hole she will lose concentration, start leaning over to look, and take a drink. None of that applies only to the misses. Now that you are going back and forth across the wake, do the same thing. Go left, pressure on the left, lift the right. You don't have to kick off immediately, but get used to feeling the skis independently. Keep up the good work. And the pics/vids.

This makes a lot of sense. Both the slow pacing when transferring to one ski, and to start lifting outside the wake (we are both left foot forward).

The videos have been fun and I think are helping us learn as well.
A friendly rivalry is taking shape about who will get up on 1 ski first.

MrMcD wrote: You guys are doing exactly what you should be doing! Using the boat while having old times with friends!   The rest will come along soon. When you drop a ski never rush, take your sweet time getting your back foot in and it will work. Mark

Thanks! We are having a great time.

dwouncmd wrote: All of the above is good advice, especially slow moves when dropping, don't worry about finding the rear binding. Make sure the dropped ski binding is loose enough to get out of without too much difficulty. For Mrs. Poorhouse, I definitely think it is worth rediscovering the sense of balance on one ski by dropping a ski (or boom if/when you have it) before trying deep water starts. Some time on the water after the drop will help train/strengthen muscles, which should make the deep water starts easier to achieve. Thinking about the advice your friends were giving, one of the hardest things for me to "get" for my deep water starts was not "pushing" the ski against the pull of the boat, or said another way, trying to straighten my legs too soon. The skier has to let the boat pull them up, not try to pull the boat back to them. For me that means really focusing on keeping my knees bent/arms straight until the ski is beginning to plane, then standing up. Because I start with both feet in, and that is how I have taught me kids, the way I try to get it across to them is to tell them to keep their back foot as close to there backside as possible. A few other things that could help, if the skier is sitting low in the water, some extra flotation might help (a few examples, I find it easier to get up with a wet suit plus a life vest because I am sitting higher in the water, my non coast guard approved competition vest sits lower than my CG approved vest, and make sure the weight rating for the CG approved vest is adequate). Make sure to keep plenty of ski out of the water (don't start the pull with the tip under water or close to underwater) so the tip doesn't submarine; for this I tell my kids to roll on their back just a little (but keep the back foot close to their backside so the ski can go horizontal when it needs to). If the ski falls to one side or the other, the skier ends up pushing a wall of water, which is difficult to overcome. As the driver, I make sure to take up the slack in the rope before starting the pull; one way to teach this to the skier is have them ask the driver to go "in gear", get settled with just a little drag, then "hit it". Finally, for me, a pull straight behind the boat instead of slightly off to one side is much easier; as a driver, I always try to center the skier, especially learners.

Good stuff. It seems like forcing that back leg straight to early is the crux of her problem at this point.
Good advise on centering the skier. We usually do that. Our friend was driving who is used to being out with better skiers. She was giving us driving pointers while either I or Mrs. Poorhouse was spotter.

We've been debating about our 6 year old acting as spotter. He understands the job and has been doing great at it. We are concerned about safety but are beginning to think that he is up for the job if just the 3 of us can go out. Any thoughts on that?

75 Tique wrote: I also support the Mrs. Getting comfortable on one by dropping a ski, but when it's time to resume efforts getting up on one. She and you reported too much weight on her back leg. That does make it tough to get up. Most instructors , books and guides suggest getting up on one ski with rear foot out - two benefits: less weight on back of ski letting it plane quicker/easier. The out leg, stretched out behind you serves to balance the skier and give you more surface area to push you to the surface. Body position is also important. Keep your in the ski knee right up into your chest till ski starts to plane off. Much less strain on the body and promotes you letting the boat do the work.

This make complete sense to me.

Mrs. Poorhouse will be reading this later today. Will report back with her thoughts.

I don't think we will be able to get back on the water until the weekend. It's going to be tough to wait.

63 Skier wrote: All good advice, and congrats on working hard on progressing so quickly! You really looked comfortable on the 2 skis for your 2nd time out. I've gotten up on one ski for more than 40 years and I still fall at times when I try. When I teach people I tell them the first 4 or 5 tries are just to get the feel of it. In other words, no shame in taking a bunch of tries on multiple times out to get the hang of deep water starts.

Thank you! It feels great.

I think you can see Mrs. Poorhouse's balance and posture are better than mine. A product of her experience. I'm thinking about body position for her it's natural.

63 Skier wrote: I forgot to mention, the boat sounds great too.

I agree, it is intoxicating and not to loud.

Our friend's boat, also 351 powered has a different muffler set up and doesn't have the rumble ours does. I believe they had some exhaust envy this weekend.   

All good advice, and congrats on working hard on progressing so quickly! You really looked comfortable on the 2 skis for your 2nd time out.

I've gotten up on one ski for more than 40 years and I still fall at times when I try. When I teach people I tell them the first 4 or 5 tries are just to get the feel of it. In other words, no shame in taking a bunch of tries on multiple times out to get the hang of deep water starts.

MrMcD wrote: You guys are doing exactly what you should be doing! Using the boat while having old times with friends!   The rest will come along soon. Mark

I had the same thought

All of the above is good advice, especially slow moves when dropping, don't worry about finding the rear binding. Make sure the dropped ski binding is loose enough to get out of without too much difficulty.

For Mrs. Poorhouse, I definitely think it is worth rediscovering the sense of balance on one ski by dropping a ski (or boom if/when you have it) before trying deep water starts. Some time on the water after the drop will help train/strengthen muscles, which should make the deep water starts easier to achieve.

Thinking about the advice your friends were giving, one of the hardest things for me to "get" for my deep water starts was not "pushing" the ski against the pull of the boat, or said another way, trying to straighten my legs too soon. The skier has to let the boat pull them up, not try to pull the boat back to them. For me that means really focusing on keeping my knees bent/arms straight until the ski is beginning to plane, then standing up. Because I start with both feet in, and that is how I have taught me kids, the way I try to get it across to them is to tell them to keep their back foot as close to there backside as possible.

A few other things that could help, if the skier is sitting low in the water, some extra flotation might help (a few examples, I find it easier to get up with a wet suit plus a life vest because I am sitting higher in the water, my non coast guard approved competition vest sits lower than my CG approved vest, and make sure the weight rating for the CG approved vest is adequate). Make sure to keep plenty of ski out of the water (don't start the pull with the tip under water or close to underwater) so the tip doesn't submarine; for this I tell my kids to roll on their back just a little (but keep the back foot close to their backside so the ski can go horizontal when it needs to). If the ski falls to one side or the other, the skier ends up pushing a wall of water, which is difficult to overcome. As the driver, I make sure to take up the slack in the rope before starting the pull; one way to teach this to the skier is have them ask the driver to go "in gear", get settled with just a little drag, then "hit it". Finally, for me, a pull straight behind the boat instead of slightly off to one side is much easier; as a driver, I always try to center the skier, especially learners.

This may seem counter-intuitive, but the middle of the wake is the absolute worst place to learn to drop a ski, especially if you have good water. If you have glass outside the wake, use it. Its hard to get caught in prop wash or a rooster tail outside the wake. Its not impossible, but its hard.

It looked like she dropped her right ski and was going to have her left foot forward, no? (If I saw that wrong, reverse everything that comes next) She should go outside the wake to the left. Or port side of the boat, whatever makes sense to you. The reason is, cutting that direction will give her something to pull against. She'll be leaning out and away from the boat and that will give her additional pull for balance. In the dead center of the wake she will have to stay perfectly balanced straight up and down on her own, which is a difficult transition for a new skier used to being on two. You're going from 3 points of balance two two (ski, ski, handle to ski, handle), so use the rope tension, it will help.

Last thing, nothing needs to happen quickly. She popped that foot out of the ski and fired it at the back of the slalom. Relax. This is also easier outside the wake. Go outside, pull all the way out, and just take a little pressure off her right foot. Then a little more. When she gets comfortable, she'll be able to lift that right ski up off the water. Ankle height, this isn't a contortionist show. But if she can do that, its real easy to slowly slide out of it, then SLOWLY place the back foot on the ski, and it doesn't have to go immediately into the footpiece. We tell beginners to just set it down somewhere. On the ski, on top of the footpiece, in it, wherever it lands. If she is too focused on getting that foot in the hole she will lose concentration, start leaning over to look, and take a drink.

None of that applies only to the misses. Now that you are going back and forth across the wake, do the same thing. Go left, pressure on the left, lift the right. You don't have to kick off immediately, but get used to feeling the skis independently.

Keep up the good work. And the pics/vids.

I got my kids a v handle pretty cheap on Amazon (Jobe, about $35). Ordered and had it in two day (the local Overton's did not have one in stock). Has been a god-send for all 4 kids (the 7 and 8 year old are about to move to the standard rope).

Pics, or it did not happen.

BKH

td_in_nc wrote: +1 on the v rope to make getting up on a slalom easier. Even April Cobble suggest them for learning.

Bought a nice Slalolm V-handle from her at the Atlanta Boat show last Jan. Got my 17 year old Daughter up with it on the second try. +2 on the training handle.

+1 on the v rope to make getting up on a slalom easier. Even April Cobble suggest them for learning.

She is on 2 skis as well? 20 is pretty slow. I've pulled kids slow, high teens to low 20's to learn, but for you guys mid 20's will let the skis ride high, respond well when you turn. It also depends on the skis, the newer wide combo skis let you get up easier and ride slower. Even so I think you'll quickly adjust to the higher speed and enjoy the feel.

Faster and slower signals from the skier will let you play around with speed during a run and get it to a place that feels good.

As you go a few more times bring the speed up to mid 20's, you'll find it easier to control the skis and cross the wakes.

Poorhouse wrote: I was happy that it didn't hurt to hit the water at 20 mph.

Just wait, it will hurt at some point!

What speed did she pull you at?

Looked good to me. I don't have much to add to what has been said above (lots of great skiers/teachers, several of whom have taught me as a learner in my 40's). Keep it up. It is loads of fun, gets you outside, involves developing a real skill, is a workout, and best of all, does not involve looking at a back-lighted screen attached to a CPU. My biggest issue has been getting enough time on the water; not much left after pulling everyone else

The whole gearhead/boat thing is just a bonus

haha... nice... Sounds like you guys are having a ball getting into this! Best part is, you realized you could drop a ton more money on equipment but wouldn't make much difference.

On our lake... between DC in Pgh, it is common to see beginners out on a new $150k wakeboard boat they just bought with all new expensive gear, yet have trouble just getting across the monster wake or in some cases, even get out of the water.

Have fun!