Using a drop ski in tournaments

[bojans]

I know the title alone probably deserves a panda, but hear me out...

 

I am a used to be tournament skier who has been out of the sport for many years. I started skiing again 2 years ago and with that have introduced my kids to the sport. My 8 year old son is doing great and asking to go to a tournament or 2 this year. Here is my issue, after having a few back surgeries deep water starts are the bane of my waterskiing existence, using a drop ski allows me to ski and not be crippled the next day. I only need the drop ski to get my out of the water, between me kicking the ski backwards and the wash of the prop, the skis ends up in about the same place as I started after each up.

 

If it were not for my son, I would not even be considering skiing tournaments again, between the need for a drop skis and a realistic performance for me would be to run 32, 34 and mabye a few at -22, I am not qualifying for nationals. Our lake is a very relaxed club, when we used to host tournaments we would have had no problem dealing with drop skis, but i know we are not a "normal" private site and our members are not interested in doing tournaments anymore.

 

Am I out of line to ask a club to let me use drop skis? I know this creates issues with having to retreive the skis, is this too much to ask? The answer will not keep my son out of tournaments, we will still go with me as a spectator, but it would be nice to ski with him.

 

Thanks

Scott

[Horton]

I think they should accommodate you. Not at a Class R maybe but at a local class C I do not see why not.

[Drago]

@bojans I'm not sure there is A rule specifically addressing this. I would guess you could drop, then request a spin at the end. Can't picture dropping skis at each end. Maybe in a small class c carrying skis in the boat, but the skier following you would be dodging solid objects

[elr]

I have seen a drop ski used at Nationals

[oldjeep]

Pretty sure that one of the older guys I occasionally ski with uses a drop ski at Nationals. He uses one when we ski the course but typically does a down/back/drop. Not sure how that works with a drop at each end (2 drop skis?)

[elr]

Yep - 2 drop skis at Nationals

[Jordan]

sounds like you should try the powervest

[A_B]

I skied with an old timer maybe ten years ago in Ft Myers over winter break and he dropped a ski. The site was big enough where he just pulled over by the ski and started from there each time as he was shortening the rope, and he was a serious short line skier. I forget the precise medical issue he had. I believe he skied in Nationals or at least Regionals with the drop ski. He had two drop skis, one for each end.

[Than_Bogan]

I would expect most tournaments could accommodate it. But there might be some that couldn't for some reason or another, so I'd check with each tournament director beforehand.

[Chef23]

We have a woman in the east who uses a drop ski to trick. She has two drop skis so she can drop for each pass. For slalom it might be tough if the lake doesn't have room to spin. Most of the tournament sites we ski don't have room to spin so you need to drop at each end.

[bojans]

Thanks guys, I feel better making the request. I just didn't want to ask for something unrealistic.

[LeonL]

Not unrealistic. As @elr stated its been done at Nationals. I forget his name, but a good "senior" skier in Ohio used to drop one. The boat would set him down right by his dropped ski from the previous get up on that end.

[OldGuysRule]

I witnessed this last summer at the Midwest regionals. The skier had 2 drop skis...one at each end. We "mature" skiers need every advantage we can qualify for! Go For It!!!

[Marco]

@A_B are you referring to Roger W? If so, he he is still skiing in Fort Meyers. My ski partners have a winter getaway there as well. Roger won Nationals for Mens 10 last year. He's 82 now.

[oldjeep]

@Marco - oddly enough that was who I was referring to ;) My father in-law lives on that same lake in Ft Meyers during the winter and I occasionally have gotten to ski with him up here at the course on Prior.

[The_MS]

I have been trying to get Roger off of his old Connolly for like 10 years and he wont change. He is worried that if he skis better he will have to carry more drop skis in the boat. He usually loads the tow boat up with 2 drop skis.

 

[klindy]

Happens frequently. Ive seen it at every Nationals for many years. Typically everyone is as accommodating as possible including the site folks, boat drivers and other skiers.

[A_B]

@Marco yes it was RW. He was a pleasure to ski with. I have a couple friends that still ski there.

[Edbrazil]

Saw it done at an Okeeheelee Nationals, maybe 2004. The skier had a couple of friends

in the water, who would fetch the dropped ski and swim it back to the setdown area.

Of course, everyone needed to cooperate, especially the boat driver. Shows what a special

sport that we have.

[mwetskier]

I have seen older skiers use a belt like device with a loose end that can be draped over the handle and then gripped to hold in place. its not wrapped 360 * around the handle -just' hooked ' over and pinched under one of the skiers hands. i saw hortons dad using a similar thing in a trick ski video a few years ago so horton should be able to provide more info about it.

[harddock]

you can ski the course on two skis. I've seen an older guy at Eastern Regionals do it!

[aupatking]

I'm good with any skier good enough to make all 6, any line length, at their group speed using any method to get up. I'm hoping there are specific exceptions in the rules.