Slalom timing: old school way

[Bill22]

I know many of you have zero off and have moved on but....

 

I need to check my boat speed with a stop watch the old fashion way. I found the timing cart at USA waterski.

 

Are the times below from gate to gate? We don't have pre-gates on our portable course.

 

https://www.usawaterski.org/pages/divisions/3event/AllBuoyTimingChart.htm

 

30.4mph = 19.03 sec

32.3mph = 17.93 sec

34.2mph = 16.95 sec

 

The time that looked odd to me was the time for score: 0-0.5

[Horton]

Those are correct

[mbabiash]

@Bill22

Yes. Skier gate to skier gate.

 

[9400]

The 0-0.5 means if the score (per 6 buoys) is 0 or 1/2 a buoy use this time (this is part of all buoy timing) . Assuming you are using the times for practice, maybe you just want 3rd buoy and end course.

That's your time from the entrance gate to the first buoy boat guides.

[DW]

@Bill22: while you are going through the checks, note the engine rpm's as an added reference and tool to recalibrate when needed. The other option if you have access is a cheap hand held GPS or if you phone has it. Make sure your course is accurate before you use it as your calibration tool!

[Bill22]

Thanks guys. I was checking that the times are gate to gate (not pre-gate to pre-gate).

 

@DW we have been using gps on a cell or a Garmin. They help but they don't diplay a decimal point. 34mph could be 34.1 or 34.9? There is no way to know. I'm going to set my PP baseline RPM to get the times correct.

[LeonL]

Whoa, did you say perfect pass? Why use a stop watch? PP will do it for you, all you need is 4 magnets, or one on each end if you have two timer pickups.

[6balls]

..and don't forget 16.08 for 36 mph!

[MrJones]

I was thinking about this recently. Anyone remember being a "back up timer" in the old days?? Not the guy hanging over the side of the the boat, but the guy in the judges tower timing it from 1000' away in case the boat timer "missed" the time. Seems very funny now.

[klindy]

@MrJones I remember that!!

[MrJones]

Yep. It was one of those things on the application for assistant judge form. Right up there with "dock starter".

[Bill22]

@6balls I don't need that one!

[9400]

Did any of you hand time versus the PP magnets? I found out I was not a very good timer because the difference would often be a tenth or 2

[GOODESkier]

If you have a hand actuator for PP you could use that without the magnets......

[Bill22]

@LeonL I know pp will do the timing. I don't have the magnets and don't want one more thing on the portable to mess with.

 

[Bill22]

@GOODESkier I am to cheap to order one from PP and can't find one used.

 

If I progress up the line in the future I will upgrade to magnets or a hand timer.

[gsm_peter]

Fyi

If you use gps note the speed is specified in km/h.

Mph are rounded values.

[Zman]

@Bill22 Just found my PP hand timer, but thought I saw you already found one. Oif anyone else needs one give me a shout.

[Bill22]

@Zman 10-4 I will ask this weekend.

[Bill22]

@Zman yes, he wants it. @Nautibynature PM sent.