V3.0 gatormod videos

[gator1]

 

[gator1]

The Velcro setup you see in the videos is @OB's, which he sent me a couple of weeks ago for the upgrade. Unfortunately, he hurt himself again in his standard setup while I was working on the upgrade, so I feel pretty crappy about that. Same fall that got him last time. Seems like not as bad as the first time so hopefully he'll be back on the water in a few weeks.

 

I'm not going to type "IMO" through this whole post, so take it as read that is what I mean.

 

So far, this mod is the only way you can save yourself in a perfect crushing OTF. Well, this mod or being 21 with tendons like grapheme. The PS mod bolts on with 6 screws, adds almost no weight, and does not affect ski flex or binding feel.

 

The perfect crushing OTF is almost always a result of running over the buoy, launching the ski into the air, continuing to rotate in towards the wake, then landing with the ski pointing in to the wake while the body is still traveling downcourse.

 

Or, a subset of this fall is skipping the tail by overdriving it during the turn. In that case, you are pushing your back leg very hard, then when the tail skips your rear leg snaps straight, but the nose of the ski is still carving. Lots of load on the front leg, straight back leg causes the front ankle to overflex, front heel can't lift due to the load.

 

Don't subject yourself to either of those falls and you probably won't need the mod.

 

Also, two feet in with the mod is the only way to remain safe in all theoretical types of falls. By this I mean it is possible to describe at least one realistic type of fall that will defeat every unmodded binding design and cause an injury. If you are in an unmodded design you are just a gambler playing the odds.

 

Probably you'll never have a perfect crushing OTF. But if you do, you are very likely to rip your Achilles or crush your talus bone. Or both.

 

Probably you'll never have a one foot out compressive twisting fall. But if you do, you'll likely experience a torsion fracture.

 

The OB4 has the best chance for the broadest coverage of everything out there, in theory it should cover you in a one footed twister. But it won't save you in a crushing OTF.

 

This is about the end of the line for me and the mod. I'm working on a fin, and on a Velcro-less plate, but I'm done modding. I'll keep the patent up just because too much of my stuff turns into money for somebody else when I get bored. I have talked to Dave Goode about the mod, I doubt that will go anywhere.

 

To all you gamblers out there, I wish you the very best of luck. Let go and take ANY kind of crash rather than hitting the buoy. Never let yourself get past 80 degree bend of the front knee. If you can't fight the crush, roll out over the nose. Don't skip the tail. You're not going to get more than one more ball anyway.

 

Ripping your Achilles is a life changing event, one which affects every sport you participate in. Many victims never get back to 100%, and if you do it'll take at least a year. And the older you are the longer it takes.

 

Both of the most dangerous falls are usually the result of desperation, frustration, or stubbornness. Don't risk either of them unless there is A LOT riding on getting one more ball.

[Stevie Boy]

A ski buddy friend of mine, had surgery on his back three times, on the third occasion the surgeon said to him, go and learn to ski properly or give up, your back cannot take much more, so the guy , took his advice and now runs through 35off most sets.

Should we need gadgets to prevent injury or should we learn to ski in a way that reduces the risk of injury, if I was getting a repeat injury, I would have to ask myself why ?

Change the technique or even the binding system

[jipster43]

I've been trying to change my technique for the past 1200 sets! In the meantime I'll take a GatorMod!

[Than_Bogan]

This is fantastic stuff! Thanks for sharing your design process. I think I've come to general agreement on all of your analysis as well.

 

Let's dramatically reduce these kinds of injuries with a Gatormod or OB4 folks!!

[Than_Bogan]

Best line of video: "That takes a lot of imagination..."

[MattP]

Finally get to see it in action. Great descriptions @gator1‌. You man want to check your fin settings...