Submersible slalom course

[Golfguy]

I am in the process of designing a water ski, wakeboard, wake surf, lake and we are at the stage were we are doing research. We would like to install a submersible slalom course that would be + - 4 feet under the surface when not in use. The course will be installed before the lake is filled so many options are possible. The total depth will be 14 feet. I would love to hear any feed back.

 

Thank you

 

[lcarnes]

Wally Sinker is designed exactly for those specs. Go to http://www.wallyskier.com/

 

[Texas6]

We looked to do that here but with an 8' depth in the middle, it wasn't really an option - If it works as advertised, this would really come in handy in avoiding course repair due to tubers and wakeboarders in our lakes

[Edbrazil]

The only commercial design that I know of now is the Wallysinker.

See: http://www.wallyskier.com/ Nice ideas, but still lots of setup work and maintenance, especially if it's a public site.

 

14 feet of depth is a good number, since it leaves plenty of room to sink things.

 

If you want a record-capable bottom-anchored course, the Wallysinker design may be

able to be modified. Many years ago, at the Shreveport site, I supervised putting in a

course where PVC pipes were jetted into the bottom mud, and had counterweights inside

the pipes. EZ to just drop the course by unclicking at each buoy, but re-connecting it

meant visiting all buoy locations, and jumping in the water. Worked great when they

had a big flood a while later.

 

I did another course in the Worcester, Massachusetts area for a client named Tony

Falcetti. It had large subbuoys with counterweights running through them. Unclick

buoys to drop them, and then later on return with a boathook to snag the loop to click

the buoy into. Needs good clear water to 5-6 feet depth.

 

There is also the crossline course. At Miami, we worked on an improved design, where

the crosslines were mostly stainless cable, under plenty of tension. Buoys are individually

counter-weighted. I have a cross-section diagram, plus notes. Once again, you can

unclip buoys as needed, and then fish the cable up with a grapple hook to re-connect.

You only get your hands wet. Records have been set there.

 

On a smaller scale, such as at Phil Hughes' site, which is a so-called 8-buoy overlapping

design, he has a shore-based system to pull down the "Zero Buoys", so they move out

of the way temporarily. On the return pass, these become the # 5 buoys. Some ideas

that might be applied to a full course, but it will be lots of work and maintenance.

[rodltg2]

Sounds like you should have Ed design it !

[thager]

A permanently anchored course using the wally system would work just fine without any pvc arms. Hold the airlines in place with brick anchors and just enough tubing to reach the submarines at each location. Would work well even in 8 feet of water. No pvc arms to worry about!

[MISkier]

@Skoot1123, did you ever get your retractable course working?

 

There is another thread showing the design and dry installation of his retractable course.

[Edbrazil]

Maybe Wally himself has a design for what @thager suggests. Just need to be sure that

the gear doesn't snag when it drops down. Maybe some other counterweights than the

sand bags? Wally's contact: wally@wallyskier.com

[MISkier]

Here is the retractable course thread I mentioned: link

 

 

 

[PT Mike]

What kind of boat and how much ballast will you run to surf? Those monster surf boats can draw quite a bit of water when they're slammed

[lpskier]

Wakeboard and wake surf wakes may wreak havoc on your shoreline and slope.

 

 

[Golfguy]

Thank you everyone for the input. I am reaching out to Wally for a custom design. We are planing to use large boats and have been told that 14 feet is deep enough. Does that sound correct? We will also amor the shoreline well and realize that shoreline protection is a top priority. Our intention is to create a true multi, water recreation, Wake surf, wake board, slalom, jump, site. We are in design phase.

[DPhelan7]

I am looking to put in a submersible course on a small residential lake in Michigan. The average depth across the area where we would like to put the course is 20-25ft. Would that work?

 

[thager]

@DPhelan7 Mine is in 15-20 ft. and has worked fine for 20 years.

[KRoundy]

Yes. Give Wally a call and he can talk you though it, but it will work for the setup you describe.

[Andre]

@thager How does it work for you? You keep a compressor in the boat ? How long to float the course when you get to your spot?

Loosing bouys to PWC at an amazing rate this year...

[Keith_Menard]

I just want to know where in Worcester there is a site!

[thager]

@Andre I run mine off a 120V small pancake compressor from my dock. Have used a rechargeable 12V compressor I bought at Walmart combined with a 9 gallon compressed air tank I would fill from my compressor in the garage. Empty tank into airline followed by compressor to finish. Floating the course takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on capacity of compressor.

[BraceMaker]

@DPhelan7 - the wally design works OK in variable depth water but you will extend the weight bags below the course arms so that the course settles relatively evenly and not all the way to the bottom. For example if part of your course is 10 feet of water and part of the course is 25 feet of water during the installation you would set the booms below the course balls by say 4-5' (more is better to avoid being snagged) in the area with 10 feet of water you would have the weight bags essentially right on the booms to bring the course all the way to the bottom and keep the balls down. But in parts of the course that were 25 feet you'd have 15' of rope between the course arms and the sand bags this submerges the course arms to the same depth as it would be in the 10' area. This is important so that the course raises/lowers evenly at the same time,

 

You managed to get a public water course permit?

[PatM]

@"Keith Menard" That is South Pond in Brookfield. Ski it about a half dozen times a year. Great site for a public lake. If the wind is not blowing and it is quiet out there it is a fantastic set up. The main reason Ed set it up like that is the water level there can fluctuate almost 3' feet. This way the buoy would always float at the correct level without having to dive in and adjust it by hand.

The funny thing is Tony paid Ed a pretty penny to install it, but I have skied it more than Tony ever did.