Throw back pictures skiing or otherwise

[cragginshred]

Post your throw back pictures that make you smile,skiing or otherwise here. I am the one with the white pants can you guess the era? Think 'Fast times at Ridgmont high'!

Jim Brake prompted this one

[jimbrake]

@cragginshred‌ - love it! I'll try to dig something up.

[dchristman]

I had already posted this in the "Ski Photos that just make you happy" thread, but this certainly seems an apropos location for photos from one of my early ski trips to Okeeheelee in 1983. I found these pictures on the skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com website last week just before leaving to head back to the cold north.

 

http://www.skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1983_okee_0016_okee.jpg

 

 

Here's a link to all the pics:

 

skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com/gallery/1983/

 

More description in the "Ski Photos that just make you happy" thread, bottom of page 9.

[A_B]

I always wanted to get an AS after it was featured on the cover of The Water Skier. I thought they were sharp looking boats. I ended up getting a '77 SN for my first boat because Midwest CC was an hour away and sold promo boats. Still think this vintage AS is sharp!

[dchristman]

@AB The American Skier was the best trick boat ever. It wasn't bad for slalom either, just a bit harder than the others to keep it going straight down the course. It handled kind of like a small sports car compared to the others. I sold that boat to a friend about 15 years ago. He got it running again this year after years of sitting idle. I'm hoping to ski behind it next spring.

[MISkier]

This is 1982. I think I might have overturned this a little. I remember seeing the picture then and thinking how cool the wall of water/spray was. Now, I think how cool it would be to have that hair.

 

Some things that might not be noticeable:

 

1. Awesome nylon-covered vest (about 2" thick) with the very latest feature - a zipper

2. White plastic float on rope near handle - an upgrade from the double-handle version from a few years before

3. The latest innovation in watersports equipment - non-neoprene, paper-like gloves in a stylish chartreuse color

4. Cutoff jean shorts

5. My trusty EP Super 2

 

Not shown in the photo:

 

1. Super cool 1974 Ebbtide Lakemaster 15 foot tri-hull with a 50HP Johnson outboard

2. Rope bridle with pulley and float connecting to the two stern eyes

 

 

Good times.

 

 

 

[Brady]

@MISkier I knew that was an EP the second I saw that picture. That makes me miss my EP Comp 2 Honecomb!!!! Damn, I wish I had that ski still!!!! Great pic btw!

[cragginshred]

This was 1994. A rented boat via the folks visiting Tahoe where I lived at the time. The gear -ski, vest shorty all rented. Tahoe was not a good ski lake. The mullet made this worth posting though

1995.

 

[dchristman]

@MISkier‌ Did you get that Super 2 at Overton's? Only $109 blank :) Mail order or by phone.

Overton's 1978 Catalog 16 pages black & white.

 

 

 

I had the Comp 1 ... and a Tech-1, and a Shortline Hook ... certainly before wedded bliss. I can't imagine buying 3 new skis all in the same year now.

 

 

[fu_man]

I wish competition skis were still at super market prices.

[MISkier]

@dchristman‌,

 

I bought that ski from my cousin for $100 with the adjustable binding, which I later replaced with the plate. He bought a Connelly, though I can't recall which model or if he bought either ski from Overtons. I learned how to slalom on an old 1950s Cypress Gardens jump ski - 72 inches long. No toe piece, just the foot flat on the back. So, that EP was amazing to me.

[6balls]

@brady we had a torque, an EP comp 1, an EP FX-200 (Jim may still have it), and an EP GX3 I still have as a hack guest ski with adjustable front and RTP.

We used to bring the FX and the GX to the Crandon footstock endurance barefoot tourney. There was a step-off zone and two guys behind the boat and it was often terribly rough (full of boat wake) and there you are doing 40 mph. Those skis were way more stable in that crap than a wooden show ski board when a guy is stepping off in the rough.

[Brady]

This thread makes me think about how the pros were back in the day. At tournaments, when you saw a LaPoint, or Grimditch, McCormick, Cindy Todd, a Duvall, among many other, they were so approachable and accessible to the average wanna be, and they made you feel awesome!!!! Back in the 70's and 80's a pro waterskier was the salt of the Earth!!!!

 

Fast forward to today, where the average athlete is all about I and all about the money, and all about the ego. They just don't make athletes like that any more........except in water skiing!!!! I have met numerous pro's from the queen of the water to many incredible God's of the shortline, and they still have one thing in common--they are incredibly humble, decent, awesome human beings. Their egos are in check and they love what they do and are grateful to be there!! They are one of the guys...gals!!!!

 

I love this sport and I love what the elite represent, BUT I still miss my damn EP!!!!!

[ntx]

My guess is that if you had some of the jumpers you could get more than the purchase price back then

[usaski1]

Having some troubles attaching photo in chrome... all I can find is the weblink option? But I have a few good ones from the 90's..

[Brady]

@skibrain, I want MY old EP. Why, do you have one to sell?

[Horton]

 

[Horton]

 

[Horton]

 

[A_B]

@Brady‌ I have another Comp x2 to match the one above, as I think you might need them as a combo set to get out of the water! I know I would.

[bogboy]

1963, typical family christmas card, at topsoil shop, above the peat bog.

 

[MISkier]

@skibrain,

 

The double handle pic with the regular orange life jacket really brings it back for me. I remember skiing just like that. In fact, I even started with just the life belt/ski belt - no jacket or vest. I don't have any pics of that stuff, though. Pretty good skiing in your pics, too.

[usaski1]

 

Wintertime Drysuit Shredding.. year 2000 or so. and hitting the double up. 1999ish. at KeNevA ski pond, Los Banos, CA.

 

[MISkier]

Cool pictures @usaski1. Either someone is using a tremendous camera lens or your rope is only about 10 feet long.

[Horton]

@usaski1‌ where did you get that handle in the first image? I need one

[usaski1]

The handle is called the Tri-Grip... used to be an e-mail address trigrip@aol.com (or tri-grip@aol.com) but I think its not working anymore. I swore by that handle for about 10 years. And it is awesome. I had one re-strung about 5 years ago, and the center rope came undone and I think I trashed it. I decided since I couldn't find any more handles I would have to be normal again.. every time I showed up on the dock I got the "what is that!?! that's funky! That handle prevents roll, and helps tendinitis. Also you can curve it around your hip, it promotes better form. Just never caught on... at one time me and a buddy had 10+ of them.

 

...the rope was not 10 feet long! Taken with a 300mm lens from the boat.

[dchristman]

A search for "tri-grip ski handle" yields an article on ergonomic handles in waterskimag.

 

Funny that @Horton asked where to find one - the second result found is:

 

Tri-grip Water Ski Handles - CLOSED-Bakersfield-CA-93308!

 

[ALPJr]

@skibrain‌ ... love the double handle and EP pic's. We started skiing in the early 70's behind a 13ft Whaler with a 20hp Johnson on Cypress Gardens Bronco Combos. No wake but lots of waves and white caps on Great Egg Harbor Bay. Moved up to a 14' MFG Corvette II with a 60hp Evinrude in '75 and got up on one for the first time on a wooden slalom (can't recall the brand - @edbrazil do you know this ski?) that I purchased at Western Auto Hardware for $35. It was unique - normal thickness (top to bottom) under the black binding with a red overlay and black rear toe strap. The thickness thinned out about 50% in front of the binding and about 75% behind the toe strap. A nice looking piece of wood. In 77 I bought a super shiny wooden Obrien Competitor. By 80 I was on an orange EP Comp X2. Loved that orange ski!

[DmaxJC_ski]

Grew up skiing on a couple of planks then graduated to kidder, and a jobe honeycomb. I remember the first time I used a ski with a tapered bottom! It was life changing! Lol

[Edbrazil]

Here is a real oldie for you. Chuck Sligh jumping in the 1940's. Note the measuring method.

 

[Edbrazil]

Here are some more. Weirs Ski Club ski show on Lake Winnipesaukee in the 1950's, Jimmy

Jackson on the cover of the Water Skier, and the Sunday crowd at the 1964 Nationals in

Webster, MA, probably during Mens Jumping.

 

[Edbrazil]

And finally, a Nautique that a friend still has. One of the early ones, circa 1963.

 

[MISkier]

@Edbrazil,

 

How about this photo from our 1954 Evinrude manual? It was the "Evinrude How to Book of Water Skiing" written by Bruce Parker. In the back, it has an application for AWSA membership that is $50.00 for lifetime membership.

 

 

[Wish]

1963 Glastron Ski boat at the lake cabin in MN. Entire family and friends learned to ski behind this boat. It sold 12yrs ago to a old guy that never titled it. He passed and our family got it back after 5 yrs of being gone. My dad restored it and it's in my possession and used as a river cruiser. It looks new and gets tons of looks. What a treasure. Will let you all guess which one is me.

.

Here she is on the river in FL last year. She's also been in an antique boat show. Been renamed "Second Chance"

.

 

[6balls]

@wish neither one is on jacked up binding set-ups...makes it hard. I'm going with the young man on the right.

@skibrain any more right foot heel in the water on that barefoot pic and your at risk of racking yourself in those trunks! :smiley:

Back in the day @razorskier1 and myself learned to foot by stepping out in a pair of trunks. We didnt' have a wetsuit...my brother Joe thought he could deepwater start barefoot in his trunks if he just pinched his cheeks tight enough!!! Well...we let him try!!

[Wish]

In that same year, they actually made an inboard. Anyone ever seen one of these?.

 

[6balls]

Wow...platform? Ladder? Belly-whop?

[Wish]

I have the original brochure. Will have to look at it. But I do not think it had track fins or a tow pylon either. And it was small. 173 is the length. 17'3". Guessing a 302 in it. They made an IO as well. I do know that the wakes on our outboard were tiny tiny tiny. Would be interesting knowing that is the same hull if it skied the same. @6balls‌ what's a Belly-whop.?

[Wish]

@skibrain‌ That's the site we used to get a lot of info for the restore and the display for the antique boat show. Was a long but a fun project. It sat outside uncovered in FL for years while the buyer had it.

[ALPJr]

Here's a throwback from 1959, "Water Skiing For All" by Walter Prince. Found it in a used book store in Vermont a few years back.

 

 

[Edbrazil]

Since halloween is coming right up, here is an appropriate one:

 

 

This is Alfredo Mendoza. Note what the 'handle' is.

 

 

[ALPJr]

That's a great one @Edbrazil‌ !

[gator1]

So is Ilse sporting a Dromedary or Bactrian?

[Chef23]

I have a few pictures of me as a kid.

 

Me at 5

 

At 7 or 8 on a Northland Bantam which I have in the basement but my Dad painted it yellow so you can't see any of the original decals.

 

At 13 on a 64" EP Comp 1 which I still have in the basement.

 

 

[jimbrake]

great pics @Chef23‌. Love pics of ballers when they were kids tearing it up.

[Rich]

Aquatic Park 1973 Team Hexcel