To glide or not to glide?

[Deep11]

Hi,

I have been using the one handed gate with good success. I reckon I can get wider though, which should be a big help at 12m and below.

I have been looking at Ski Dawg's video as well as TW as they get really wide before the turn, their approach seems to involve a "glide" before the turn in. (As opposed to Rossi or Jason Mc)

Does anyone have any tips or opinions on this as the timing seems really critical. What I have been finding is that once on the glide (flat ski) it's really difficult to control the "turn in" and also really hard to maintain a tight line

Note: I'm still working on the idea that with the one handed gate I am turning in with speed rather than dropping back on the line (like a two handed gate) - I'm taking hits that I really don't want this early in the season!

Alternatively I may move back to switching edge immediately and avoiding a flat ski glide. In which case any tips to getting wider? Is it necessary ?

 

To glide or not to glide?

 

Thanks

[BRY]

@Deep11 Good question. Man, no one responded so I will take a stab.

Short answer: Yes, glide.

Someone you should listen to more than me:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=terry+winter+gate&qpvt=terry+winter+gate&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=B4F43DE3D2412310E83EB4F43DE3D2412310E83E

You sound like you are doing a hybrid gate so Terry's video here is directly on point.

I think you have a couple misconceptions. First is that the glide is a flat ski. When you go to glide you want to stand tall with your hip joints over your ankle bone with slight pressure on your outside edge. That slight pressure will keep you out and up on the boat. Do not give up that edge until you commit to a nice slow turn in.

Second misconception is a two handed gate incorporates dropping back on the boat. Dropping back from your highest point is death in any gate. You are then going slower than the boat and will have load as soon as you turn in no matter how high you are. Regardless of type of gate turn in at about boat speed or a little more. Too much speed can be managed, just turn in slower and be more patient (really, really hard to be patient here). If you do you will be shocked at the mad angle you will have through the gates and space at one. Slide back on the boat though and you will have load from width, death.

Think about tension on the line a little too. Tension is not the same as load. You want to feel tension, a connection to the boat, a tight line. Lots ways to call it. Tension is pressure you put on the line here. Load is pressure the boat puts on you and you better be in your leverage position or the handle is gone.

Third misconception is the pro's are getting crazy wide, they are getting way up on the boat with control. Getting wide on the gate is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. Wide gives you more time and room to make a slow progressive turn in where you gain angle all the way to the wake. If in getting wide you put yourself in a position where you slide back on the boat and/or get a dead line, it hurt you.

If you can maintain your height (how far up on the boat), your connection to the boat and are getting a little outside the buoy line you should be golden all the way through 35. Pretty hard to get outside the buoy line at 38 on up :wink:

 

[RichardDoane]

@Deep11 - are you LFF or RFF ?

[Deep11]

@bry thank you so much for such a comprehensive answer!

Makes perfect sense - I was thinking about the ski edge and that the flat ski was the problem. Looked back at TW video and yes he does keep the outside edge engaged (watching the spray) until just before the slow turn in.

I have a couple of sets in about an hour so will work on this.

Thanks again :)

 

Right foot forward

[mwetskier]

chris parrish has an interesting way of fine tuning his speed right before turn in. not all the time but often enough to notice.

[The_MS]

WARNING, do not try to imitate @skidawgs gate. I tried to do so for 3 years and could not get it right so I went to a 2 handed gate and had better success.

Only @skidawg skis like @skidawg.

[Horton]

what is important is that you are wide, with as much speed as is practical and that you're able to arc in on your front foot.

[RichardDoane]

why a RFF skier uses a one handed gate seems silly to me

[mwetskier]

@richarddoane -but if he does i'm sure you would agree it should be his right hand - yeah?

[Deep11]

Thanks for the advice people. I know it's early in the season but as there isn't much theory discussion going on I'm happy to post my gate efforts from today.

Went for "glide with an edge" approach - feels a bit like an "s" turn in.

Frankly it still feels alien to last year. Important part is that I was wide and early at 1 and managed a few easy 32's which makes me happy.

Comparing these gates to previous I can see that the rope is still touching the wake tower when I am starting to accelerate. Previously this was not the case, so clearly wider and better angle which is good.

Critiquing myself I would say that whilst I managed to keep the line tight and the timing was definitely better (making the gates and no hits) there is much room for improvement - re: horton - I need to be turning in on the front foot (thought i was but clearly not - that's why I video everything). My stack is also not what it should be making for a lazy edge change.

Anyone else see anything I should be working on.

Still damn cold here - but that's no excuse for poor technique. :)

 

 

 

[mwetskier]

@Deep11 -as far as i know men have been using cold water as an excuse for coming up short for a long time -might even date back to cave man days.

[ski6jones]

From the video it looks like the tower is in the way of you getting to the width you want. I would want to get at least perpendicular to the transom of the boat if not further before my turn in. I think the tower will prevent that.

[Luzz]

@Deep11 try to focus more on your balance before you pull out. It's really hard to control your balance once out there, so it would help to be more on your front foot before pulling out.

[Deep11]

@Ski6jones - thanks, I hope it's the camera angle, but will check width next time.

@luzz - great idea, the more I can get on automatic before everything starts to happen the better. Will work on it.

[sunvalleylaw]

Marking this thread to read more. Has some stuff in it I want to look at more.