I Take Speed (into the turn)

 "I had way too much speed into the buoy."

This is a common complaint form skiers, and while it is not totally incorrect, I stress, you can not have too much speed. You can however have the perception of too much speed.

A loss of direction as you leave the second wake will put you on a direct track to the buoy. This poor line into the buoy will give you the feeling of too much speed, even though your actual water speed is not excessive. Maintaining your direction as you leave the second wake will allow you to swing wider, and therefore higher on the boat. The faster you are going as you leave the wakes, the higher up on the boat you can potentially swing. This path, while requiring greater speed, will give you more time and space at the buoy and afford you the feeling of less speed. In turn, maintaining your speed will allow you to return to the handle with less pressure on the rope. The larger the disparity between your speed the boat's speed at the finish of the turn, the quicker and harder the rope will load. It may be a matter of simple semantics, but it is important to differentiate between speed, and the perception of speed. It's a matter of accurately addressing your goals, and ensuring you are correctly assessing your sensations.

Merry Christmas Ballers.

Peace.

To set up personalized instruction with Trent, contact him through RadaRskis.com.