Fastest speed you have run the course.

[danspence]

Was curious to know how fast people have ran all 6 bouys. I remember boy wonder saying that he ran 38 off at 38mph while Diablo Shores was on and was curious to know if anyone else has done this or even gone any faster than 38mph. The split time for 38mph was 15.23 so I can imagine anything faster than that would be pretty quick.

 

Any crazy stories out there ballers?

 

 

[ozski]

I'm heading in the other direction.

[SkiJay]

How about how fast have you made it around one ball because Zero Off was turned off or a newbie stabbed full throttle on Perfect Pass?

[tbrenchley]

we turned off perfect pass about 5 years ago and I tried the course at 28 off full speed which showed as 42mph. I turned 2 ball but it wasn't worth trying again.

[Edbrazil]

Best as I can recall, back in the 1960's, the IWSF had the top SL speed at 60kph, vs. the 58 that it is now. That would have applied to events such as the 1961 Worlds, won by Jimmy Jackson, and the 1963 Worlds, won by Billy Spencer. Also back when, the AWSA at one time had 34mph as the top speed for Men, which would have been in the 1950's. If I was in FL instead of NH, I could visit the AWSEF library to research old Rule Books and get more accurate statistics.

 

Other olde tyme historians may also remember that at one time, the IWSF used to keep upping the speed until the boat couldn't make it, before shortening the line. There may have been buoys run at around 40 or 42 mph in tournaments. Or, perhaps a close approximation well before the days of speed control or automatic boat timing.

 

On the other hand, when the AWSA raised their top speed from 34 to 36, I remember an editorial in the Water Skier by Larry Brown strongly opposing it. Larry was an AWSA President at one time, and a key producer for the 1954 and 1959 Nationals, plus owned Cove Craft, which manufactured Aqua Sport water skis. And some other wood products, such as crutches!!

 

Clarifications and corrections welcomed.

[BG1]

Back in the early 80’s and hand driving I was the first one off the dock at a tournament with a driver that had never driven that boat and he did not make a test run. 36 mph 15off with a 10 mph tail wind and the time was 15.3 (about 38 mph). Back into the wind was a 16.4 so I had to run it again with a 16.2. The next pass was a tail wind and it felt like we were going fast. I only made it to 4 ball but did not get the boat time. Most tournaments were 1 round back then so my weekend was done. Cruise control is great!

[danspence]

@tbrenchley pretty awesome, we took our boat to 42.6mph yesterday and I must admit it was pretty fast, can't imagine skiing behind it! Pretty glad that zero off is out there now and we don't have to worry about getting slow or fast times.

[wtrski6]

I pulled Corey Vaughn through a 32 off @ 40mph in practice mode. Granted the boat was probably still accelerating by 3 ball. Not the smartest idea we've had.

[ForrestGump]

I pulled Charles Mueller at 28 off 42.6mph. There was a girl in the boat and I was talking to her. About 4 ball I realized, oh crap the zo isn't on and we're wide open throttle. Oopsie. But he was running it so I just kept in it. lol. He said he'd never felt the ski edge change like that before. Or after. lol

[The_MS]

@Shane If your eyes were not on the speedo, they were someplace else.

I was just talking to her, ya right.

[Jody_Seal]

Ran my flat through the course at over 80 mph! Does that count?

[MattP]

@shaneh for some reason that story does not surprise me.

[Edbrazil]

At one time years back, there was a proposal for "Giant Slalom". With an elongated course and much higher speeds. May have been Carl Roberge's idea. Best as I know, it never took off in the form of an actual tournament. Could even have been a prank idea. Certainly would have been entertaining with Giant Crashes. Back the ambulance up to the water's edge.

[teammalibu]

About 5 years back we skied the course at Okeeheele with lights at night for fun. The locals said you might want to slow the boat down a bit beacuse it feels fast at nite. That was the spring when Stargazer came out and i was having issues with it. Since my opener was 22 off i left the speed at 34 and after my first pass i said wow that did feel fast. The driver says no %#@$ it was 38mph!!

[MrJones]

I remember reading something by Joel McClintock about a few of the open skiers back in the early 1980's experimenting with using 38 MPH as the official speed for "Open Division". He said it didn't get very far.

 

I used to ski some 28 off passes at very high speed as practice when I was skiing open. 15.40s was what I was shooting for, but I have no idea how fast that is.