future of our sport

[kfennell]

What does skiing really cost in other places? I guess I only know what it is here, but I pay a very very fair price, barely more then double what I would spend on say a year of playing hockey and this includes my wife skiing, and I don't really remember anyone saying that Hockey is too expensive. Maybe if cost is the main issue you guys should be getting into clubs/co-op type arrangements with shared boats. BTW I am 27 and my wife 25. We're not rich don't have rich parents, and just have regular jobs.

[ral]

In Chile, a set costs around US$ 30 if you do not own part of a private ski lake. It might be tricky to get water time on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays if you are not an owner. However, and although the price is larger in proportion to the average income than in Europe or USA, we have more and more skiers every year. Small country and small skiing community, but with a healthy and steady growth. One factor is probably that the economy here has been booming over the last 20 years, probably putting a larger portion of the population over the "skiing limit line".

[drew]

For sure, significant disparity exists between access to skiing and access to training to excel at the competitive level.

 Access to training for the sport at the competitive level can best be enhanced by enabling site creation.  I am convinced that the greatest barrier to improvement in this respect is the fact that each time an individual endeavors to create a site, he more or less needs to reinvent the wheel from a permitting/approval standpoint. 

 USGA has streamlined the permitting process for golf course creation.  Materials are available for this that demonstrate the benefits of open space, net environmental gain, and other benefits (economic, health, etc) that come with golf course creation. 

 Perhaps a focus of USAWaterSki needs to be to streamline/facilitate the educational/permitting/approval process of site creation.  I believe that if individuals are confident that such an endeavor can be accomplished, the investment and effort will be made.  This will certainly result in more facilities that will ultimately become ski clubs or ski neighborhoods.  Though skiing will always remain expensive, improving access via improving the site creation process will increase accessibility.