N1 help?

[ktm300]

I took this ski out of the box and ran 35 first day on it (my top full pass). However, I was having to pull long out of 1,3 and, although wide for 2,4, I was down course with slack. Was taking hits at 2,4 that had no longevity in them. Started monkeying with the fin and have not helped myself and have made 35 seem remote. Front Reflex at 28.75. Starting to think the front boot needs to go forward. Much more on the tail at 1,3 than I thought. Video doesn't lie. All passes that I run feel like they are off the turns not white water to white water. Pulling but not going anywhere....on the tail.

Thanks for your help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qei9dMKZRcA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YUeKunwScA

[SkiJay]

@ktm300 That's not a fin issue, it a "more tail rocker than you are accustomed to" issue. There just isn't as much support in the tail of an N1 as most other skis, and it’s full-figured forebody doesn't help. Bindings forward may help a bit, but what the ski wants is for you to stay more centered to forward on it. Getting up on the front of this ski unleashes the Ferrari within.

[The_MS]

You look like you are on the tail the whole pass. What ski were you on? The one thing I can say about the N1 is that you have to be aggressive on the ski and not just take it for a ride.

If anything I would concentrate on centering up on the ski and put a bit of front foot pressure on the ball of your foot.

[ktm300]

on the 35 one ball, that is about as far forward as I get...lol tip still pointed at the sky. with the fin further back than I have it now, it sure feels slower, more in control. looking at that video, it is about the fastest 32 i have seen...not good. i only moved it forward because, well, an observer suggested it... when i turn it for the gate, there ain't nothing progressive about it. it takes off. will try to get up on the boat better and focus on forward at the apex. Thanks

[ktm300]

To the extent that anyone thinks I should make a change to the ski, the current settings are:

 

6.850 tips

2.491

.710 ish head

.705 with a slot caliper which I know for certain does not match up with any other slot caliper

Front Reflex 28.75

Rear Wiley 17 1/32

[SkiJay]

@ktm300 Your settings are fine. From the settings you've listed, I'm assuming you are on a 65.25" N1. If that's the case, your fin may be a tad shallow. A lot of people ride that ski at around 2.500" and even the stock setting has been moved deeper on the Goode website from its original 2.491 to 2.494. The change should help reduce the tendency to fall back at the ball, but will also require you to ski more on the front of the ski to allow it to turn the way it is designed to turn.

[Than_Bogan]

I had some trouble with harsh turns on 2/4/6 (rff) at some settings.

 

Can you move your back boot forward? This can help "deradicalize" 2/4 with little impact on 1/3/5.

 

If not, maybe both boots forward.

 

Also, more wing somehow leads to easier width on the N1. If you're at 9 or less, you may consider trying a little more wing.

[ktm300]

Thank you for the input.

@Than At present, I can only move my back boot in 5/16 increments and that would require me to move the front some too. Can move the front anywhere as it is on slots. Will ski again tomorrow and hopefully get one step closer.

[Rich]

I use stock settings. I have and I'm currently using the larger wing at 10 degrees. This ski is sensitive to rocking back. You are rocking back a little. My greatest success is coming from staying with my ski, over my ski. It is much easier to lean back and away, than leaning away while moving with the ski. ( i believe it takes more strength to stay with the ski because you will ski with more angle) The person who does this best is Nate Smith. I haven't heard anyone really discribe this technique completly. However I know that I want to stay over my front foot, lean away, and make sure my body is moving in the direction the ski is going in, I DO NOT want to lean back at all. (That is ineffienct as the body will be going in the opposite direction of travel) I have found that if I'm on my front foot at the apex, if I have enough angle through and off the wake as I travel out bound it is much easier to have my body stay with the ski, keep my outside shoulder away from boat as I move out, stay over front foot at apex, reach and allow my self to ski into the handle, bend ankles/knees as 2nd hand comes back on to the handle, lean away and again stay with the ski as acceleration starts. This ski doesn't work as well when you push on your back foot even a little/ which you do in a subtle way. I do like stock set up 10 degrees of wing seems to pull the ski under me, which I do like. I do like how you come up over the ski coming into 1 3 5 You do push on your back foot as you gate in and 2 4. You push at the completion of 1 3 5 This ski will shoot out in front of you like it did on video 2 as you came around 1. I hope this helps, I hope I'm describing what I feel, it is a very subtle change of where your body is that will help you, I don't think its a fin blade set up issue.

[Rich]

Matt doesn't ski on a N1 but its the technique Im talking about

 

[ktm300]

Thanks Rich. Sometimes what I feel and what is real are different. I read the entire thread about setup on this ski. I am amazed at how small a move can make the ski feel so different. Was bummed when I watched the video. I am going to try to video every set I ski from this point forward. One of the biggest issues I have had with the ski is keeping the handle with me out of 2,4. That is why I moved the fin forward and it did help a lot with that issue. With the fin further back I could run 35 but was coming off the second wake into 1,3 with the handle out in front no matter what. With the fin back setting, I took out 5 length and it definitely helped with keeping the ski with me out of 2,4. However, it ruined my offside. So, I was thinking that front boot forward a bit with less length with the fin back setting.

 

I have taken to heart the suggestions to work on me and I will. However, when I watch the video, I see the ski level and gaining out of 2,4 even with my back footing whereas out of 1,3 it just seems like I am on the tail and pulling but not going anywhere. That is what I am feeling too. I am glad to have you disagree if you do.

 

Thanks so much for your input

[Rich]

here is what I see. You need to stand up more on front foot at gate. You go to hard too soon at gate. Be easy in at the gate. Push your hands down more from white water to white water. More ankle & knee bend at white water to white water. As you approash 1 3 5 you get rotated in towards the boat, this cause loss of out bound angle = loss of speed. (This causes you to travel less distance to apex) If you want to be a 38 off skier set the ski up stock and fix those problems. If you move the fin blade you will still have all those problems about your mechanics and it might feel better but running 38 isn't about fin set up. Good idea to use video, be your own coach.

[ForrestGump]

@ktm300 To expand on what @Rich said above...... freeze frame your first video 6ft outside the white water going to 1 and then freeze frame Matt Browns video at the same point. Matt's shoulders are level and his anchor point(which is his left elbow) is midway between his shoulders and waist. You can draw a line from the pylon, through the rope and through both of his shoulders. In yours, your left shoulder is down(and your right shoulder is starting to lead your hips) because your anchor point is your left shoulder. Even 6 feet outside the white water you have let the boat take the handle away and move that anchor point up 12 inches, which then moves you over the ski as opposed to the ski moving under you.

 

I'm quite familiar with this because I do the exact same thing. As I've learned to ski higher on the boat and break free at 32/35/38, what you and I do kills me. When I was skiing farther back on the same line lengths, it wasn't such a big deal. I'm having to learn to keep that anchor point low so the upper body remains static as the ski traverses under me.