A3 2013

[dave2ball]

I have a 66" A3 blank for sale. It has about 6 sets on it. the ski is just not for me need to sell.

$900.00 Send me a PM if interested.

[ForrestGump]

Terry Winter just sent me an A3 with 6.870, 2.505, and .790 and told me to run it. I'll report back.

[ForrestGump]

Hard to gauge on the first set in a 15 mph wind. Think I want less length. Would like it to come under me and out in front a bit more through the gate. Ski is way more stable underfoot than the A2 and creates a ton more space on both sides if you let it. Just ran 22, 28 and 32. 2 or 3 sets and it'll feel pretty comfortable, I think.

[ktm300]

@ShaneH When I saw the Winter numbers you posted, I expected you to report back that it turned 110* on the onside.

 

 

[Dirt]

@ktm300 I would move your bindings in small increments to make the ski more symmetrical and then adjust your fin if needed.

[ForrestGump]

@ktm300 No the onside was nice and tame with those numbers, unlike the bull in a china cabinet A2.

[Ham_Wallace]

2.505, 6.855 it over turns on off side. No tip rise at end of turn. I hear shorter will fix that. Weather sux here. No plans yet for next outing.

[ForrestGump]

I went to 6.854, 2.504, .778 8 degrees and it felt pretty good. Came under me better as I moved in for the gates. Still figuring out how and where to turn in, though. In the course it feels great. Just that gate movement is different than I'm used to.

 

 

 

[gmut]

@Ham Wallace Hey Ham, try taking out a little length 6.850 maybe or move your front binding back a little, which ever is easier for you. See if that is better. If it gets better repeat the process until it isn't then add back .001 at a time until optimized.

[webbdawg99]

I'm 6'4", 195. I have a 67" and 68" coming next week to try. I'm a 36 mph skier. Tourney PB is 4@38. Anyone have any numbers for 36 mph....or know where to get them?

[ForrestGump]

Couple of my thoughts on the A3.......

 

1. ski keeps moving back in behind the buoy better than the A2.

2. offside carves a very tight arc if I move out with the handle and let the ski roll over

3. Very symmetrical space and width on both sides

4. low effort needed

 

Some things are different about it, though. When I ski it correctly, I feel like I'm back on the ski although video and the people watching from the boat disagree. I guess it's just the fact that the tail rides deeper and tip is higher than the A2. Also, I'm creating so much space in front of the buoy that it's imperative that I keep my core with the handle and not reach too soon. Otherwise, the boat runs away from my position and I feel stretched out.

[jaredH20]

@ShaneH

 

I agree with all your points, I also get the feeling of being back on the ski, took me a while to get used to it but I find the rope stays nice and tight when I do so and the turns are effortless.

 

Running my fin at stock.

[ForrestGump]

The A3 is a BIG ski for it's size. The 67 dwarfs my 66.5 A2 and is as big or bigger than the 67.5 A1 and A2 I also have. Terry Winter shipped me a 66 to try now. I don't have the 67 here but my thought is that they measured chord length and not across the running surface like on the A1 and A2.

 

Fwiw, service from Terry has been impeccable. I emailed him at 7:30 and by 10:30 he'd shipped a new ski.

[webbdawg99]

Interesting. I'm coming off a 67.5 A1 and couldn't decide if I should go 67 or 68 on the A3. Based on what you just said, it sounds like 67.....but I'm going to try both.

[ForrestGump]

@webbdawg99 I would guess you'll want to go for the 67. In addition to it's length, it's about .100 wider than the 67.5 A1 in the forebody.

[webbdawg99]

Out with the old and in with the new! Special thanks to @OB for helping me get it set up! I'm going to try it out this afternoon.

 

Here are the numbers I'll be at for the first couple of sets: (67")

 

2.503

6.872 (tips)

.775

9 degrees

 

 

 

[ForrestGump]

As I suspected. The 66 showed up today. They've gone to a chord measurement now. The 66 has a chord measurement of 66.25" and a running surface measurement of 67". The 66.5 A2 has a chord measurement of 65.5" and a running surface measurement of 66.25". So in essence, the smaller 66 A3 is larger than the 66.5 A2.

[webbdawg99]

Took the A3 out for its maiden voyage today. Very windy and rough conditions....but planned on just staying at my opener (28 off)

 

I scraped through the first 2 28's and thought to myself, "ok, not bad. You just need to get used to it". Well....I didn't run another pass the rest of the day.

 

I felt like the ski wasn't finishing the onside turn at all. When I was getting in a pulling position, the ski wasn't between me and the boat, so I ended going off the back of the ski. I fell around 3 ball (my onside) 3 times in a row.

 

Also, noticed that I had a very hard time building angle....it was especially noticeable through the gates.

 

On the positive, it did seem to get out and up on the boat with much less effort on the gate pull out than I was used to with my A1.

 

Ultimately, I need the ski to finish the turn and keep moving seamlessly across the wakes with strong angle. I never felt like it finished and kept moving. It was like the turn and the pull were 2 separate actions.

 

Anyway, I'm pretty frustrated right now. I was on the same ski for 3 full seasons and I know I got very used to it. This is something completely different. I just need to figure out how to make different=better!

 

Any suggestions on adjustments would be appreciated.

[ktm300]

@Webbdawg99. I have been from .790 to .730 DFT. I ski at 55k. All of the settings I was getting from others were with a forward DFT so the .730 was the last thing I tried. Somebody at HO liked 2.510, .730, 6.845 cause those are the "stock" settings they publish for the A3. That person is now in the witness protection program. I have only one set with .730 and it is too far back BUT felt pretty good and at least as good as most of the forward settings. I'm going to go forward 10 at a time from there and see. At .730 don't get enough angle out of onside and a little forward through the wakes offside. Bottom line is that I was on the tail of the ski too much with the forward DFT.

[estrom]

@webbdawg99, you're initial impression is correct - the ski really does suck. I would go back to your trusty A1 and send me the A3 for proper disposal. I'll even do it for you free of charge. Just trying to help a fellow baller out!

[ForrestGump]

First set on mine, I was having an issue rolling in for the gate and getting angle. 2nd and 3rd set got better. By the 4th set I was getting stupid angle on my offside. It's a new ski and it reacts differently than you're A1. Go ride it a few more times. 6.872 is pretty long, though. I liked it better around 6.855.

[webbdawg99]

@estrom I think you misread my initial impression! I know what this ski is capable of, I just need some help figuring it out!

 

@ShaneH Yea, its hard to make a judgement off of one day, especially in such crappy conditions. Also, it probably didn't help that @MattP was driving! (just kidding Matt)

 

I'll give it a few sets in calm water before making any big changes. But glad to hear that you were experiencing difficulty getting angle through the gate and that it improved with repetition.

[MattP]

Some tough conditions today @webbdawg99 Just keep at it with an open mind.

Just let me know next time and Ill give you a bit of a weave down the course.

http://distilleryimage6.s3.amazonaws.com/dabae5ecb35f11e280ba22000a9f1893_7.jpg

[ForrestGump]

It's always the drivers fault!

[webbdawg99]

@MattP That pic looks nothing like today! That looks pretty calm compared to what I remember!

[MattP]

@ShaneH I agree with that statement, but it does not apply when myself or @Webbdawg99 is behind the wheel.

@Webbdawg99 I know it calmed down at the dock end of the lake when we were leaving. I should have gone down to the hotel to get the full effect of the 25mph wind gusts.

[ForrestGump]

The 66" is the ski for me. In the last two weeks I've come off the A2, ridden 6 sets on 67 A3, 4 sets on Goode Nano Twist, and 1st pass on the 66 today, I said "this is the ski I'll ride." At 175lbs, it fits me WAY better than the 67 did. Terry sent me the ski he had been riding in the HO video announcing him to the team. Rode it with the fin settings he'd been running. 6.872, .760, 2.472, 8 degrees with the thicker black fin.

[Dirt]

@ShaneH I saw Terry on the dock today. He indicated that the 66 he sent you was the one he accidentally ran over with his truck (on the grass). He kept it in the entry way to his house and Willis Whisper (his dog) kept pissing on it, so it had to go.

He prob does not like you. He usually only sells top end skis that he has set up and ridden himself.

[ForrestGump]

@Dirt I knew there had to be a reason that Jeff Greathouse's dog was sniffing it this afternoon.

[Dirt]

By "He indicated" I mean he didnt say it but I could tell he was thinking it.

He is a man of few words.

[DavidP]

Shane, I would be interested in trying out the 67 A3 if possible.

[ForrestGump]

@matthewbrown I put your numbers above on the "2nd best ski". Which means I took away .020 length and added .040 depth. And I honestly couldn't tell the difference, which was surprising with that big of a move. Maybe that's the sign of the right shape, flex, and rocker for the given rider.

 

@DavidP DWest put two sets on the 67 yesterday and was running 35's with a big grin on his face.

 

 

[webbdawg99]

Finally starting to get the A3 dialed in. I had @OB watch me yesterday and he confirmed what I was feelin....ski wasn't finishing the onside turn. Mid-set, OB went to work on the fin and the next pass was my best of the season. Still some fine tuning that needs to be done, but here's where I'm at right now.

 

6.832 .793 2.498

 

The added DFT has made the biggest improvement for me so far

[ForrestGump]

I've noticed that the ski feels the same whether the fin is at a 2.472, 2.496, or 2.505 depth. I would have thought I'd feel some tail slide at 2.472 or too hard of an edge change. But no. In talking with Terry W, he indicated binding position and fin DFT has the most effect on the ski.

[webbdawg99]

From what I've experienced, I agree 100% with that statement. 2 best adjustments so far: move the boots forward and increased dft

[Linnea]

Hi,

Can someone that has a 66" A3 please be very kind and measure the distance between one of the insert on the front binding to the end of ski.

I have one and I'm worried that the insert is in the wrong place, cause I can't get the right distance from binding to tail.

Thanks!

[ForrestGump]

@Linnea Front binding rear screw to tail is 30 1/4". What binding are you using?

[Linnea]

@ShaneH

Thanks!

Mine is 31" from the rear insert on front binding to tail.

I'm using reflex binding. And to get 29,5 from the back of the binding to tail is impossible :(

[ForrestGump]

You want 29 1/16 to the tail on a 66. 29 1/2 is where you want it with a 67. With the Reflex plate I'm using, I did have to put my horsehoe in the 3rd hole back on the plate(which moved release blocks back a corresponding amount). There are a few different plates, though, so yours may not need that.

[Linnea]

Sorry, I meant 29,25...

But now I think I realize I've done a huge mistake! We measure in cm, and has convert it to the wrong unit. Hopefully that's the problem, need to check the ski when I come home. Thanks for your help!

[ForrestGump]

739 mm will be very close.

[Ham_Wallace]

My 67 started to liven up yesterday. 2.510 deep, 6.700 long, .760 dft, wing at 6. Hmmm on the wing, that's a far cry from the 13 I ran on A-1

[webbdawg99]

My 67 is for sale. Approximately 10 sets on it. Message me if interested

[ForrestGump]

I've started moving back with the fin and the ski keeps getting better and better. The ski would come under me too quickly at 1/3/5(onside) and give me a line into 2 that left me with too much load and speed . The farther I've gone back, the more it's toned down that onside and helped the offside. Right now I'm at 6.860/2.496/.745 with the front binding at 29.25. I'm going to go back to .730 and see if I can find where the turn radius gets too large or slow then move back forward. Right now I think the setup is getting close to how I want it.

[Ham_Wallace]

Went from 6 degrees to 8 degrees and it bit too hard. 7 may be the ticket. Shane, what speed and rope length are you running?

[ForrestGump]

Ham, 28, 32, and 35. Haven't taken any hits at 38 yet.

[Ham_Wallace]

Ditto. Been around a few at 38. Wind and water holding back.

Next week after the Wallys go home from Memorial Day.

 

[Ham_Wallace]

Public Lakes Rock! (most of the time). This weekend may just be, get a cooler and a video camera and possibly get a shot at America's Funniest Home Video by filming first timers at the boat ramp.

 

[estrom]

Boat ramps make for some great entertainment!! Especially if there's a husband & wife involved.

[JackSunsetLakes]

@ThePantsManCan we have 67" lemon lime and red and black in stock. Contact if you're interested. We can set you up with a good ski and anything else you need. We're always running specials.