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At Mapple Skis this morning....first impression...


JohnCox
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First off, Andy is awesome. I mean awesome. Incredibly helpful, and so eager to make you a better skier - even if you aren't on his ski. If you EVER have an opportunity to ski with Andy, take it.

 

As for the skiing, I will lay out the excuses: have only skied a dozen sets since November, have not skied at all in 3 weeks, was up 20 hours yesterday, including almost 10 hours of driving, and I arrived on site and it is WINDY. So, expectations were low.opening pass in the tail wind was horrible, due to the stuff coming out of my bindings. Kept the line the same, and ran a head wind. Much better, so kept it there again for the tail. Sweet. Shortened the line and came in for a head wind. Wow. More aggressive is better....missed the same line coming back at the tail due to a mental lapse at 1, but then ran it 3 more times. Tired. Andy suggested I shorten it to 35 to see how it felt. Bagged my 1st 35 of the year...

 

So, the initial review is.....holy mackerel!

 

I've got a Nano One (65.25") with about 20 sets...message me if you are interested.

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I guess it's the 66.75". The middle one. My second set was not quite as good, but I suspect it has to do with being exhausted.

 

@dave2baller - yes, I left with it. Several more sets this weekend will give me confirmation...

 

At the resort, getting ready to hit the hot tub. And crash.

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6 sets in the bag on the Mapple 6.0 over the weekend, including 3 with @Mapple. If you guys EVER get the opportunity to ski with Andy, do it. I spent a good bit of time there on Friday, skiing myself, of course, but just watching, listening, and learning. When I went back over there Saturday afternoon, I only skied one set, but hung around taking it all in again. Andy was helping another skier that wasn't even on a Mapple, but helping him set up his ski, and coaching him (and used some techniques I have NEVER considered doing - but were awesome).

 

Anyway, back to the ski...absolutely has the cross-course speed that I seem to crave, but is also incredibly stable through the turns. Every set got better. And better. I spent almost the entire weekend at 28 and 32 (including one set with Andy just running 28s over and over, which REALLY allowed me to work on what he wanted me to focus on). Only put the rope on 35 twice, and ran both of them. Needless to say, I am loving the ski...

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I am 1.75m and 73kg (guess it is about 5´9 and 172 lb) and I have been skiing pretty well the last couple of weeks with my 66.75 M6. Last saturday I decided to give my Nano 1 another try and found that I am skiing a little easier with it. I guess the M6 is a bit big for me, I am doing about the same buoy count (deep to full 38) with both skis, but with less effort with the Nano 1 as it is easier to turn. Wish I have the chance to try the 65 M6...
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I had an unexpected chance to ride the new Mapple 6.0 yesterday and i was very impressed.

It was the 68.5 inch ski and I weigh 190. I expected it to feel big after riding the 65.25 nano but it felt great from the first pullout. It felt very fast and turned great on both sides. It was a short set in very cold water so i am looking forward to getting a few more sets on it. IMO this ski is way more user friendly than the Mapple 33

 

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Turned up in Orlando cold and windy still struggling with the N1 went Andys he kindly let me take a ski so that i could grab a couple of sets at jason seels before i went back and skied with andy

The ski so much better than the N1 straight away super fast and turned well .

Went back to ski with Andy the following day WoW what an experience after 2 passes Andy says give me the ski steve.

Some adjustments were made and we back in the water.

Awsome adjustment the ski was even better i parted with my money as soon as i got back to the dock.

Andy is such a great guy the whole experience was a delight even parting with my cash Mapple Skis is not jist about buying a new ski its a complete package and unrivalled support from some very helpfull and nice people.

Get yourself the Mapple Package today you will not regret it.

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@OB -- you make things so complicated ;-). For me it is because handle control, load and angle all go together and I can't think about all three at the same time. So what I think about is load and angle management. In the old days I tried to maximize angle and load, thinking that getting early was most important. Now I don't. I think more about being in the right place, which isn't early or late, but right (for me).

 

For example -- too much angle and too much load tend to go together for me. The consequence -- I can't control the handle because my angle and load off the second wake cause a rebound to the inside edge as the handle is pulled away from me too soon, causing a narrower than optimal path (along with all sorts of speed, direction and rope management issues). If I take less angle with less load, then I can keep the handle in both hands much more easily, maintain direction outbound better, and let the edge change come later (when I already have my width and the boat is slowly pulling the handle away from me).

 

While I appreciate the complexity, I have to simplify to make progress. That means thinking about less angle and less load than I historically applied, allowing me to generate width by staying connected to the boat longer after the second wake. Now if I can just execute it consistently, that would be another story!

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@OB less is more for me....Jim and I keep saying lighter for longer. I also tend to overturn 2 and 4 so when it occurs have to think "get off of it" right away so I don't apply big load at unsustainable angle. Stunk that last season came to a close when it did as it seemed we were both getting the hang of it and near break-through.

Razor and I are chasing the same theory here...and that helps too as we try to refine it. Got around 3 at 39 in practice and tourney last year, both PB's. Hope it's still in there somewhere! Hmm, maybe if I were on a Mapple...

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That's an interesting question?

 

I have to be "Light and Tight" at the apex...Slide to the handle for hookup looking down course...Then "Hard and Short" in the white water, with the cast-out off the centerline for the Reverse C.

 

The days of loading to the second wake went away for me with Perfect Pass....That would make me way to fast and down course with ZO.

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My two cents is gotta be careful where that aggressive turn finishes...has to be at the proper angle to run...which for me is less than I think. Ideally I don't then go for more "load". Working with the boat at the proper angle (when I do it right) is less load for sure.

OB, I still have the sense that of the two of us you are consistently the better skier, or certainly have been better for longer. Just feel like I made a jump last year on this less angle out of the turn, block instead of load, stay lighter longer and repeat.

Once I screw up I tend to load harder...but for the first time last year even in a tourney I nearly got out of 38 after a really crappy 1 ball. Made up serious time and early to 5 only to blow it...at least I was loading on the proper cross course line.

Lots of ways to skin this cat...i don't have all the answers.

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@OB -- how these guys make 39 look easy is a totally different question! :-). Talked with Scoke about this last year. I'm working on less variation in my speed. Without using perfect math, in theory I'm looking to have my speed vary by say, 4mph around the 34.1mph boat speed rather than by 10mph. This more "constant speed" skiing for me keeps me moving all the time, keeps the line tight, creates space, and means the ski runs better out of the turn because I maintain more of my speed through the turn (than I did in the old days when I sprinted across the course as fast as the ski would go, then tried to peel off enough to keep the line tight and be able to turn).

 

Keep in mind that my perspective is colored by my starting point. I used to turn really hard, load really hard, and generate tremendous amounts of speed. My "lighter for longer" is vis a vis that starting point. For another skier who is coming from a less agressive point it could very well feel like "turn and burn". It would be fun to ski together this year -- I'd bet that our actual skiing on video looks a lot more similar than our conversation today would imply!

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I had a chance to sneak in a couple of sets yesterday....learned (confirmed, reminded myself, etc) a few things:

- When I think too much, it's almost as if I've never skied at all.....

- After skiing in Florida in almost 70 degree water, I found it not worth skiing in 54 degree water...

- After skiing in Florida in either a top, or nothing, there is almost no reason to put a drysuit on and ride a ski here....and I apparently really need to stretch the neck out on the drysuit. After a couple of passes, I'm pretty sure there wasn't much blood in my brain...

- After skiing in almost 90 degree air, 54 degree air feels like 34....

 

But, at least I did ride, and did manage to run a few decent passes. I will probably do it again Sunday, and confirm those things again before I go to West Palm next weekend.

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