Baller Waternut Posted July 8, 2015 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2015 My public lake has a unique situation regarding slalom courses. Many years ago there was a slalom course setup in a fairly remote section of the lake that was way off the beaten path. This course was surveyed and accurate but has been abandoned for nearly 10-15 years. One of the guys who skied it regularly says the posts should still be in place but would obviously need new lines and sub buoys. Through a bunch of decisions which I was helplessly incapable of changing, there is now a 4 buoy course that's permanently installed using a portable setup but it's absolutely awful to the point where I'd rather ski open water most days. There is no way we'd be allowed to have 2 courses on this fairly small lake now. So has anyone had a situation where they could quickly and easily setup the buoys in a permanent course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Broussard Posted July 8, 2015 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2015 Rig up the old course and get the guys that use the 4 buoy to pull theirs out and use the 6... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted July 8, 2015 Author Baller Share Posted July 8, 2015 Trust me, that was my goal last year. It would've been considerably cheaper and easier to install the old 6 buoy course but they were dead set on the 4 buoy course because supposedly it would be easier for people to watch tournaments they planned to hold. I just don't want to have 2 courses at once and piss off the general public and get both removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Orlando76 Posted July 8, 2015 Baller Share Posted July 8, 2015 I hear ya..... I hate where my partner put ours bc wind easily affects it and would love a second course but I don't want the attention. If the water is clear enough (4'+) I'd put sub buoys in where the old 6 course is then just attach the surface buoys when you ski. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted September 1, 2015 Author Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 Ok new info on this. The 4 buoy course is now woefully inaccurate and not straight from the big anchors sliding....25-30 ft down. So not really something I can fix. Myself and one other guy have started restoring the permanent 6 buoy course. Our plan is to keep it low profile and only leave small/cheap boat guides in place and maybe a small piece of pool noodle on the turn buoys and gates and then attach the actual turn buoys when wet use it. Obviously, we'll do sub buoys and bungee cord but would small surface buoys be a bad idea? Not sure if something small would be more likely to get run over since the boat wouldn't displace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller klindy Posted September 1, 2015 Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 Are the two courses in the same remote area? If so just install 4 of the 6 buoys and some temp end gates to keep the other group happy. Locate and sub the rest of the course and install it when you want to ski. Eventually hopefully they'll see the merits of the whole course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Stevie Boy Posted September 1, 2015 Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 Surely the Guy's with the potable 4 Bouy course, must realise that it is pointless having any competitions if the course is not suitable, or perhaps they are only fit enough to ski 4, throw down the Gauntlet, if you are going to ski a slalom course ski a proper one. I you want to keep it low key, probably a good Idea to fit sub bouys and put bouys on when you ski. Don't put bouys on the surface just plot positions with gps, should be easy enough to find, if you have a good driver you could alternate the right and left boat lane bouys to cut down on time to put bouys in and out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller wtrskior Posted September 1, 2015 Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 do what you suggest for the boat guides but make them green so not to disrupt the landscape as much. green blends in with grass and trees. Also 1 or 2 missing boat guides isn't going to ruin your runs, but missing or inaccurate turn buoys will. put subs on the turns as well as enter/exit gates and remove after every use. Shouldn't take more than 5-10min to install and remove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted September 1, 2015 Author Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 Well the 4 buoy course was originally approved for the adaptive watersports group on this lake. Really cool guys but they were more concerned with viewing potential and convenience than capability and accuracy. They were also more concerned with the mini course than the main course. I helped install the 4 buoy course, helped get supplies, and even put forth a fair amount to help pay for it. We had talked about adding 2 more buoys to the 4 buoy course but honestly it doesn't matter to me whether it's 4 or 6...it's just in a terrible spot. If we do add 2 more buoys it'll extend drop zone right in the path of the lakes natural bottleneck. If you go the other way, the run up is really short. The course is in a good spot for watching....Not for skiing. I can get into 35 off on most days skiing but I can't even run the 4 buoys at 28 off on that course. I've also taken some of the hardest crashes in my life on that course because of the conditions that it normally sees. Are there any good apps for plotting gps locations to get close enough to find sub buoys? I couldn't really find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller wtrskior Posted September 1, 2015 Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 @waternut you will figure it out based on landmarks and doing it over and over. the turn buoys will be easy as they are directly out from the gates. we drag a sinking wide handle, like a barefoot toe handle to find the subs as our lake has zero visability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted September 1, 2015 Author Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 Yeah that's what the previous guys did. They dragged a rope with 2 bricks and said it only took 10-15 min each time to set it up....I figure 20-30 min the first few times. Just thought maybe there was a better way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller klindy Posted September 1, 2015 Baller Share Posted September 1, 2015 What if you offer the adaptive sports folks the opportunity to ski on the 6 ball course in the protected area for practice at their convenience (or work out a mutually agreeable practice schedule). For their tournament days work together to properly install the 4 ball course in the spot they think is best for viewing. After the tournament all help to remove the course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted September 2, 2015 Author Baller Share Posted September 2, 2015 @klindy To my knowledge there has been one adaptive sports skier who used it once and they've never had a tournament in the year it's been installed. I can't see the course from my house but I can see the drop zone on one end and I've seen two people using it since about October last year....even then it was like 2-3 passes and done. You do bring up a good point to offer to help install the 4 buoy course if they ever want to do a tournament though... After the new/old abandoned course is complete, I do plan to contact the other guys and see if they'd rather use it if we agree to install mini course buoys for them. I'd even install the posts and buy new buoys just for them. I'd like to help out but I see no benefit in working on something that can't really be fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Stevie Boy Posted September 3, 2015 Baller Share Posted September 3, 2015 @waternut be careful with that, sometimes you give an inch and some one takes a mile, you have to make your mind up if you are going to go Low Key or Put It Out There. "Hey Guy's Look What I have Done" Only you have an idea what the reaction will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted September 3, 2015 Author Baller Share Posted September 3, 2015 Interesting point. May be a good idea to just keep it low key for a while. If it comes up in conversation or their course starts to fall apart, it could be worth mentioning it at that time. Especially since we are approaching that time of year when only the serious people continue to come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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