Lake length

[Churchy]

Posted this question in another thread but looking for more feedback. Looking at building our own lake but are a bit tight for room. What is the shortest length lake you can comfortably ski on at 36mph? With and without turn islands? Thanks in advance

[boarditup]

I have skied on 1950 and that was tight. 2150-2200 feet is perfect for slalom and trick. Some have been on 1800 and made it work, but the boat is not up to speed until just before the gates.

[MrJones]

My lake is 2150 and straight in. That is not long enough. Yes you can ski it all day and be fine, but there is just not much time to get up, adjust your stuff, and get settled in. Especially at 36. This is not only my opinion. CP was skiing a tourney on a lake the same dimensions and made the comment "It's a little short for 36".

 

If I were doing a straight in lake again I would want a least 2300. Conversely the Ski Ranch is 2150 with islands and you feel like you have forever to set up. I believe Ski Scape in the same area is 1875 with islands and seems fine. I would think 1900 with islands would be great.

[Wish]

Depends. We run a 1780 6 buoy course. But we have lots of width at the ends to make very wide large radios turns. This allows more speed through the turn and plenty of time to get up to speed before the pre-gates. We head into shore and spin in. May not have time to adjust your gear as the skier after being pulled up but it works. Have had several Pros on the lake take a swerve at 36. No complaints.

[bishop8950]

Best data point I have it Ty's place in MI. It's 1,800 with turn islands and quick at 34mph. It's tight for 36mph but it works fine. 6 buoy course

 

Our lake is nearly 2,300 with islands and you have forever to set up. Not too long, but plenty of time.

 

I sked 1,500 straight in with an 8 buoy and 36mph was tight. We needed an Infinity with a full on holeshot to get up to speed.

[A_B]

I ski in 3 lakes all the time. Mine is 2000, the others are 2400 with islands (which are never used), and the other 1780. Have skied 36 in both of the shorter ones over 15 years ago on older boats, straight in. The shorter one is a push for 36, and believe for tournaments they started going away and did hook turns to help.. My lake would hit 36, but old speedos may not have been fully up to speed, so had to watch rpms, so 1900- 2000 is closing in on short for straight in at 36. Also depends on size of skier. Skiing 60 pounds heavier now at the shorter lake at 34 seems like 36 in the old days for time to get up to speed. 2400 seems forever compared to the others.

[Edbrazil]

Plenty of input above on desirable lake lengths. Here is some input about the minimum:

 

--The site at Avon, CT, where they have hosted Regionals, is 1640 feet, per Google Earth,

and I think they may run straight in for SL, at least at 34.

 

--The Autores' site in Wantage, NJ has 6 buoys in about 1270 ft. along the course axis. But,

it has turnouts at each end, plus overlapping courses. Overlapping by 1 1/2 buoys. You gotta

see it to believe it. John's Lake holds tournaments, including a Class L last year.

 

--This past February, I stupor-vised putting in an overlapping "8-buoy" course at Kris LaPoint's

new site in Orlando (near Andy's new site). Length is about 1585 ft. along the courses' axis,

but the lake is L-shaped, so it has extra boat acceleration room at one end.

 

--Maybe the "record" of sorts is the Old Marine World in Redwood City, CA, where they had

4-buoy pro slalom around 1980, in a length of about 1050 ft. Not an exact dimension,

but an estimate, since the site doesn't exist now, and I didn't have distance-measuring survey

gear at that time. The LaPoints ran 39 there. Tournaments started in 1974 with a pro jump.

 

--Heading out to Goode Lake soon to help put in a bottom-anchored course. Also an L-

shaped lake that reportedly has been lengthened a bit. Plan is still for an "8-buoy" course.

On Google Earth in a 2010 picture, length was about 1350 ft. in the main part.

[Chef23]

At the Avon site Ed referred to they both ski straight in and curl in. In either case the boat is just hitting speed at the entrance gates at 36. Not ideal but they have a lot of really good skiers there who ski well at their site and away from home.

 

I skied Lapoint's lake in the spring and it skis great at a shorter length.

 

@Edbrazil how long do you think Oakham is?

[LeonL]

@Churchy, how much room do you have? We have 2050' with islands and due to the necessity of placement because of our jump, it's a little shorter on one end than the other. 36 is difficult on the short end even with the island. I really don't have figures as to length on each end. I need to get an approximation of each end.

[BCM]

I've skied a 1900 foot lake with no turn islands, behind a late 90's Malibu at 36 and it was fine. A little quick, but not bad.

[ForrestGump]

SkiScape, which Jones mentioned, is 1875 with turn islands. It's fine. I will tell you, it's quick. The first time I came around the island I said "Whoah, I needed to pull out there!" as the 55s went by the boat. But after that it was aok. Actually, one of my favorite places to ski.

[JohnCox]

One of ours is 1,540 ft, so we have to start going away and turn. We are all 34mph skiers, but have pulled some 36 guys there.

[A_B]

Leon, does it show on Google Earth?

There is a measuring tool in feet that can be fairly accurate.

[estrom]

The old Marine World site Ed mentions was a trip. Went there several years to watch the pro tour come through. Saw some great skiing because they could get real aggressive knowing they only had to get through 4 bouys.

[klindy]

Buchers site in northern Indiana is 1610' from shore to shore. Turn islands on both ends and a quick set up. No potential to lengthen due to a road on one end and a house on the other. Skied there for years and never really had trouble at 36mph. And jump was a trip too!

 

@bishop8950 the lake in Lawton MI may only be 1800' but it's comfortable to ski there as long as you don't expect coffee before the green buoys! Skied there everyday for 5-6 years mostly at 36.

[MISkier]

We had a site that was about 1750-1775. Getting the boat to 36 and settled in before the 55s was a challenge for the slower boats. If we curved in a little, that helped. I think I like something in the 1900 - 2000 range. We also had a site that was just under 1700 of usable room. We put in a 8-buoy course. I didn't like that as much as a 6-buoy. We had to leave that site due to some issues with some shallow spots, but we are looking at some dredging to correct that. And, when we do, we have some room to dredge out some extra length as well. Should be able to get it somewhere in the 1800-1900 range and go back to the 6 buoy course. I pop up really fast, but the bigger guys need more room.

 

I skied a site this year where I had to pull out for the 55s as I was breaking the surface to plane out. That was a little fast for me.

[ctsmith]

I'm in the process of laying out a course on a big lake and would like to back it into a finger. What's a good approach distance in front of the 55's? 500'?

[bigtallweed]

How does an 8 ball course work. I'm sure it has been covered before so a link would be fine.

[scuppers]

Worlds shortest site has got to be Lonnie's Quick Set in MS. Now that's a challenge!

[Churchy]

Thanks for the feedback guys (and girls?) I think I can stretch it to about 2000 so sounds like it might be ok. If anyone has built a lake and wouldn't mind sharing some tips it would be appreciated.

[ForrestGump]

@scuppers Quickset is the most awesome place to ski ever! I loved it! 1280 ft with a 6 buoy course in the middle.

[Marco]

@Churchy -with 2000', you will be just fine. Our lake is exactly 2000', with turn islands. We drop as soon as the boat clears the 55's, and it leaves you enough room to get up before the island. There is even enough time to adjust your shorts and clear the water off your face before pulling out.

[Edbrazil]

To @ctsmith

At the LaPoint site in Orlando, it is about 119 meters to the 55m pregates from the starting

dock end. Or 390 feet. That's the 8-buoy course, but that would be the pregates for

running a 6-buoy from the starting end. So, 500 feet doesn't sound unreasonable. Just

got to watch for depth, rocks, and boat vs. shore laws.

[kurt]

@churchy ours is 2,000' and we ski it straight in . 36mph locks in with ZO and most promo boats about 30' before the 55m, I love it...... but then again just probably used to it

[Edbrazil]

Here's a not-to-scale diagram of an 8-buoy course with buoy colors.

 

[Edbrazil]

Oops. Didn't put the other set of green gate buoys in the right place.

 

[Edbrazil]

Latest post above should have the correct .pdf. Noticed the first one; tried to delete it.

[eleeski]

Islands just make your lake shorter. You can use @Marco 's driving pattern if you are shortish and high elevation - just simulate the islands. If you are really short but can go wide, a barrier island may allow you to accelerate to the side of the course and turn in (acceptable island). Use @Edbrazil 's 8 buoy course as well and you could be workable on a 40 acre square.

 

@Churchy 2000' is plenty for slalom and if there are no islands it is OK for tricks, wakeboards and barefooting. Mine is 1800' long straight line but 2000' into the doglegs and works great for everything. Except jump - no jump but the course got measured in theoretically.

 

Eric

[bigtallweed]

@OB and @Ebrazil Thanks for the explanation. That is what I thought it would be like but was not sure. It must be really tight to get the skier out of the course and turn the boat.