buoy line surge, geeks, angular velocity and Rossi

[gator1]

Never thought about this until Rossi's note on being inside the buoy line when on a short rope. That comment linked with AM's raised perspective video of gates.

 

Seen from partially above, Andy seemed to ski almost a straight line from edge change to buoy. As do the other gods and goddesses, once I went back and looked. Straight line indicated from normal perspective video as: they are standing almost straight up, looking relaxed and studly, instead of banked in looking frantic and late. A bank would indicate a curved path.

 

We have to get ourselves close to parallel to the water to maximize our reach around the ball, but we can't approach that full tipover AND avoid falling in the water without some angular velocity to create centripetal force to counteract gravity. You can't drive around the top of a NASCAR bank at 5 mph. (maybe you can, but you get my point).

 

The tighter the curve, and the farther the curve arcs around the compass, the more centripetal force we can generate.

 

If we do a gentle curve from edge change to buoy, then toss the ski out around the ball, we have "wasted" that centripetal force, using it to support our lean from edge to ball. Then, when we really need it to support our extension lean around the ball, it is gone.

 

So, when we toss the ski out around the ball, we end up falling towards the water. The only way to survive is to crank an abrupt turn, with a sharper radius than we need to establish the pull, in order to create enough centripetal force to arrest our decent towards the water. Then, the ski stops and things go to hell.

 

Stud mode is to conserve potential angular velocity until they need it. Ski straight until the last possible instant, then surge the CG and ski out around the ball, and start to turn back immediately. The centripetal force is thus concentrated, supporting a higher angle lean during the turn and longer extension, allowing a more consistent radius turn, a less violent change in ski attitude, and less speed lost.

 

I did that once. It felt weird. I couldn't hammer the boat and get a good hole shot towards the wake (ex-jumper). So, I quit.

 

Maybe I'll try it again. Gonna be hard to stand there and relax for all that time though. Probably get boring.

 

 

 

 

[6balls]

Like it. The higher speed maintained allows for more violence even when necessary without digging in at the turn. Unfortunately I'm that other guy; inside shoulder too low, too soon, bleeding speed, big turn and hang on like a pit bull. Change is hard!