New BOS member/ first year learning the course

[svxwilson]

Hello All,

 

Thank you for having me.

 

I have skied my whole life and have been a boat owner for the last 4 years (1991 Ski Brendella Super Comp). I love slalom skiing and have been self teaching myself to get better. The last few years I had felt like I had hit a wall on my progression in my open water skiing. I began to look for help and private lakes to ski on.

 

I am new to the course was introduced to it at Bow Lake in Washington May 2015. I have since found a Private lake in Wyoming that is significantly closer to home in Montana. I have been making it down for roughly 1 day a week this summer and it's awesome. Been getting taught by the lake owner and it's just about all I think about anymore in my free thought time.

 

Been skiing on a 2014 69" HO Superlight TX and I am 6' and 190-200lbs. It was a great step up from a 2007 HO Freeride which was the ski I learned to deep water start with behind a old 2 stroke Bayliner :).

 

My goal by the end of this season is 15off and 36mph. Been training at 25mph and full length to learn the timing and get all 6 buoys. I have a lot to learn and understand that. Love it. Can't wait to learn from the input here.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[svxwilson]

Billings

[Sprazzle]

conrgrats brother, i wish i could ski at least 1 day a week, More like a few sets every 2 weeks here in the desert. But any time on the water is a good time!

[paco]

I just joined here as well. Been lurking a long time. Finally got a good start on the course this year as well, and also on a private lake!

 

Only two suggestion s I have for you is as you speed up to 30-32mph, you're probably gonna want to find a shorter ski. I also weigh 200 lbs and was talked into a 69" ski. Worked great at 30mph, but I quickly made it to 32 and it gets hard to turn the faster you go. Or at least to me it is. Go ahead and jump up to 28mph and turn inside the bouys for correct timing. Biggest thing to concentrate on for now is getting stacked and having proper form. This is my biggest problem. When I get it all together, the pull is easy and I am way early. As it should be at slower speeds :smile:

 

Second suggestion is a good speed control. I ski mostly behind zero off and recently installed pp with zbox upgrade to my older boat to give the same feel. It got to the point of me backsliding when skiing behind my boat without speed control.

 

Hope you make it to 36! I'm just hoping to make it to 34 this year!!!

[LeonL]

@svxwilson 36@15 is a lofty goal for the first season, but without goals you'd be nowhere. Good luck!

[gt2003]

Just stay committed and you'll get it! I've been in the course just about a year now but don't get to ski it quite as regularly as you. I just rounded 5 ball on the mini course at 15 off/30 mph last weekend (Yes, I'm a remedial skier :0 ). My goal is to run the mini course successfully by the end of the year and hopefully start adding in some regular buoys. Stay committed to your form and keep after it. It's a learning game for sure. Best of luck.

 

[skinut]

You must be skiing with Tom in Cody. He's a great guy with a great lake. Have fun and try and not take it to seriously, it's all about having fun.

[wilecoyote]

Don't get discouraged, but... I've been in the course for basically 2 years and I ran my first 15 off pass at 28MPH mid 2014 season. Yesterday was my first full pass at 34mph, and got outside 2 ball at 22. (I'm an old guy so not even considering 36 mph) I ski pretty much 7 or 8 sets/week, so two sets/week (I'm assuming if you're driving out once a week you're skiing 2 sets) doesn't give you a lot of time to get to the higher speeds. If you run 15off at 32 by the end of the season, consider that an excellent result. Best of Luck, and please prove me wrong!

[svxwilson]

Thanks everyone for the input, I am one who does not get discouraged easily. I understand my goal is a lofty one and chances are slim to hit it. I would be happy with a 15off at 32 as well. I typically get 3-4 full sets in every trip up. Which leaves me sore but I have been noticing the skiing slow has made me a lot stronger as it is significantly more tiring than the faster speeds.

 

My trainers rule of thumb is that if I can't ski it slow I won't do any better fast. So I have been waiting for his approval to speed it up at the private lake.

 

@skinut Nail on the head Tom is my coach and Gordons is my venue and yes I think he is awesome!

 

@paco, when I am at the private lake I have the good fortune of skiing behind a 2016 Nautique. How much does a the PP with zbox cost as a upgrade for me 91 Brendella that would be really cool to have for open lake skiing. And how involved it the install of said throttle control?

 

 

[paco]

@svxwilson costs $1600 if you start from nothing like I did. Very easy to install, worst part for me was fishing the cable from motor box to dash. I've not been around speed control much, so all the options and settings are a little intimidating. After 4-5 uses, you start getting the hang of it though. By far the best upgrade I've done to my old boat!