most efficient way to finish the turn?

[Ilivetoski]

I got some video over the last 2 days of my skiing and what I notice is that at 32 I'm good coming into the buoy but I just turn 15 feet after the buoy. We don't have any software that works with that camera so I can't upload it. What are the things people think about to make sure that they turn close to the ball?

[Hockdog]

Don't wait for the ball and then turn, you just made yourself late from ball one forward. Get a good pull behind

the boat and make a faster edge change coming into 1 and don't head-hunt it, instead, as you see it coming towards you, lift your view and look at ball 3. By doing this, you will not focus so much on the buoy you are turning at, but rather the buoy line itself and you will turn at ball 1 instead of past it.

[Ed_Johnson]

You have to work on allowing the ski to carry out to the apex to accomplish the turn..The apex is where you make the turn, the ball is where you finish it.

[Stevie Boy]

@Ed_Johnson is right, you need to think about coming back past the bouy not turning close to it.

[A_B]

Is your apex or widest point before, after, or at the buoy? Are you trying to get as wide as 28?

Are you pulling past the second wake?

 

Most skiers make the mistake of not getting off their pull edge soon enough at 32 initially. Trying to get as wide as they were at longer lines.

 

Are you doing any of this?

[bassfooter]

@A_B - I sure am doing a lot of that, at least most of the time. Always looking for any advice on how to initiate that early edge change. Currently working on moving the hip from one side to the other as I come off the centerline, all while keeping my elbows into my vest. Results are sporadic.

[drewski32]

I literally just figured it out a couple weeks ago. Your most powerful part should be through the transition, keeping the handle with you as you ski away from the boat holding your line. Don't pull too long. You should then be looking at a better arc towards the ball that allows you to turn earlier. My guess is that right now you are skiing straight and narrow

[bassfooter]

@drewski32, thanks. That reinforces my thinking, especially not pulling too long and being the most powerful behind the boat going into the transition. It's just that I see the vids online -- Terry, Regina, etc. -- and they essentially come off the wakes and land on their inside edge, and stay there, elbows in, all the way to the reach. I am looking for the mechanism that initiates that transition and gets them on that edge. Is it keeping the handle in while letting up on the pull? Shifting the hips? Both? Bueller? Bueller?

[mwetskier]

maybe a re- reading is in order: ballofspray.com/home-v16/tech-articles-mainmenu/87-what-the-heck-is-handle-control

[Razorskier1]

Proximity of handle to hips is critical in the transition. If you handle is six inches away from your hips during your lean, it should stay six inches away from your hips during the transition phase.

[bassfooter]

@mwetskier @Razorskier1 - Excellent article and advice. Thanks!

[drewski32]

@bassfooter it does NOT happen by "letting up." You should still be engaged against the boat while you shoot the ski out. Check out seth stisher`s article in one of the recent water skier magazines if you can. It's all about not giving up your power and continuing your swing while you're on that inside edge

[aupatking]

Don't overlook proper ski setup. If it's one side, usually the offside, move your boots before monkeying with your fin. Schnitz has some great info on getting your boots in the right place.

There's a ton of technique issues you're sure to need to drill down on, but get the ski setup to help you. It's fast and easy. And don't just move them in tandem, play with front to rear spacing.

After that, stay connected to the handle, @Hockdog gave a piece of advice that helps me too, get your head up. I look down the buoy line. It just helps me keep my shoulders square. From there, really reach, I mean it, really reach, whether you need it or not. It advances your hips and the ski (as Seth says), gets the ski really rolled up on edge and allows the turn to happen. It is not the way Seth explains it, and he is infinitely more qualified than I, but you have got to translate the things you're told into simple thoughts that make sense, to you. It's you that has to make it happen.

I'm leaving a ton out, my offside is a point that I need to stay connected to the handle and get on the front of the ski, and really reach, and do not reach for the handle , but ski back to it. I was doing this because I was stuck, early on the buoy, but blowing by it, waiting for the ski to turn. I started riding the handle a little longer, and stopped riding the tail out to the buoy, found the right place for my front boot, and worked on spacing of front and back and my offside is on fire right now. I'm about to set some pb's.

Do all that, and more before you mess with that fin. That's not a dragon to chase without professional supervision.