Tight rope skiing

[Chris Rossi]

mwetskier

 

"i seem to remember in one of your articles you wrote that you never want to be 'free of the boat'. can you expand on that thought?"

 

In an ideal world, you are either applying force to the rope (apex to centerline) or you're the weight at the end of the line (plumb bob concept) from centerline out to apex. This statement does not mean that you are heavy on the line from centerline out, but that you are a weight that keeps the rope in a straight line. If the rope is loose, you have come too far to the inside and are inside your optimal ski path. Most skiers come to the inside because they pull too long and are trying to ski too early in the course. The handle has a set optimal path for each line length. Our goal as skiers should be to understand that path and work to get as close to optimal as possible.

 

[Klundell]

Great explanation of a difficult concept. This is something I feel like I have to get better at in order to take my skiing to the next level.

[rq0013]

Can we expand on this? I know I lose a ton of ground after the second wake at -32 and -35 because I unload everything and fall to the inside, heading downcourse fast and narrow at the buoy. How do you keep a tight line off the second wake? Where is the pressures, what do you feel? what do you want to feel?

[skibug]

DITTO!! on @rq0013 comments

[Garn]

Double ditto on @rq0013 comments (at 28 off for me).

[Skoot1123]

@rq0013 - I like your thinking and see that others have the same question. I know that when this happens to me it is because I have LOADED the rope too much and the tension release pulls me inside the rope line/trajectory after the second wake because I haven't maintained my leverage position (among other things I'm sure). It only takes a "split second" longer in the leverage position to keep moving outbound. I haven't mastered this - so this is only my opinion.