Please help before I throw my Elite away...

[kpickett]

So, here's the story.  Last year I was riding a Prophesy.  By last fall I was running several 32s each set and knocking on the door of 35.  I liked the ski - it had a great onside turn (LFF) and it was fast, but I didn't feel like I could ever get quite consistent with my offside (2,4) turn.  I tended to get tip rise at the end of the turn.

I bought an Elite this spring, and I immediately loved it.  It was fast, and the turns felt totally symmetrical.  BUT, I've been struggling with 32 all year.  I run it occasionally, but it's always a rodeo ride.  If there were a prize for ugliest 32, I'd probably win it.  

Here are my problems -

#1 - I can't get the gate worked out.  I just can't get this thing to turn in unless I fall back on my back foot.  It just glides too far.  I do the Seth Stisher modified one-hand LFF gate.  I'm getting slack at one ball and it's just a mess from there on.

Big problem #2 - after watching video I can see I just can't get width.  It seems fast, but I'm really narrow at 32 with no chance at 35.

Big problem #3 - I often end up on my back foot on my off side turn.  Then, to compensate, I stomp on the front and the ski just stops.

I went back to my Prophesy this weekend and boom - gate and 1 are fixed instantly, but there's still the offside turn problem.  I want back to the Elite tonight, and ran an awful 32.

Any suggestions?

Here are my settings:

LFF 34 mph

D 2.49

DFT .785

length (tips) 6.85

wing 8 degrees

bindings at stock

Thanks in advance,

Kyle

[kpickett]

Here's one of the recent ugly 32s on the Elite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at7KnvSD0gM

[skibug]

IMO, I think it is a technique thing.  It looks like you are reaching down at the ball on your offside causing your to break at the waist.  I use to have that problem (and sometimes still do); but, to break the habit you have to really over emphasize reaching up and straight down the line and towards the pylon (i.e. shooting the pylon).  To help, your visual reference should be looking straight down your arm, down the rope to the back of the boat.  This keeps your head up.  When I start slipping back into this bad habit, I concentrate on seeing my hand in front of my face and looking down the rope.  

[ForrestGump]

To start with, you pull in as you turn in which stops the skis rotation underneath the rope. This sets you on a bad angle to 1.  Also, once I got to 32 on the Elite, I found that I needed to move the front binding back, which really helped the ski go outbound.  

[skidawg]

What size ski are u on? I like a little less length (6.835-6.840). The dft (depending on u ski size can affect glide on gate). As Shane said, always leave the handle Out and move ski and hips n to turn. The elite likes low effort carve and big edge change

[tsixam]

 

I like a

little less DFT, about 0778-.780 flat. As Dawg mentioned it will slow down the

glide before the gate and keep the skitip down at the end of the turn.  For me it is also important to stand tall on

the ski in the glide, when I turn in and in the preturn to have my center of

mass in the right place. (Some skier do that by bending their knees, I just can´t

do that.) I also think that a little more patience in the turn before you hook

up will be a winner. Good Luck!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

 

 

Tsixam

 

[jwr]

As others have said I run the length at 6.841 and dft at. 778. You might changing the wing to 9 degrees. It might give you better feel on your pull out for your gates. The glide on the gates was the hardest thing I had trouble with when I switched to the elite. Going to 9 degrees helped.

[Wish]

IMHO. Lose some tip in the fin. I see the ski biting in the off side and some tip rise, and station wagony turn for the on the on side.

From Googe and D3 web sites:

Breaking at the waist on off-side turn Decrease front fin depth (Diagonal Adjustment)

Too much ski tip out of the water during on-side turns Move fin backward (Horizontal Adjustment)

 

I'd go with less fin tip first. Fix the off side first and your on side will be better for it.

 

[kpickett]

Thanks so much, guys. I appreciate the advice. I certainly know that most of my problems are technique related, but I haven't felt like the ski is helping me much. I'll definitely try your fin suggestions.

 

I am on a 65.5" - forgot to mention that.

 

I'm skiing tomorrow or Thursday, and I'll report back after that.

[eleeski]

If you're hating the ski, replace the fin before you give up on the ski. Find an old Carbon fin. Try a Schnitz fin. My favorite fin is the old HO pacman fin (note that you can do that to any fin with a Dremel tool). HO also made the Ultra Mini fin for a while. These radical fin changes might solve the frustrating little problems with a fundamentally sound ski.

 

At worst, the experimentation will improve your style as you will need to learn new skills to handle the different feel.

 

Eric

[ForrestGump]

On a 65.5 the fin settings are a bit different. Stock should be 2.496, 6.837, and dft of .770. Putting it there should slow down the gate glide.

[MattP]

@kpickett How much do you weigh?

[kpickett]

Matt - I weigh 150.