HO Shreducation Q&A Sessions

[Horton]

Attention Ballers:
Write in your questions for VP of HO Skis/Syndicate Dave Wingerter to have them answered in an upcoming podcast posted directly to BallOfSpray.

Don’t miss your opportunity to pick the brain of one of the leading minds in our sport. Ask him questions about ski design, slalom tech theory, production and more! Enter your question in the thread below. We will select a number of great questions to be answered and posted to the BallOfSpray newsfeed.

Background on Dave Wingerter:
Wingerter is the Mastermind behind HO Skis and the Syndicate Program. A life-long competitive skier, Dave worked formerly as an aerospace design engineer in the defense industry, contributing to projects like the Atlas III and V rockets. In 2006, after years of combining aerospace technology with waterski theory in his free time, Dave decided to give waterski development a try. His first passion project, the Syndicate A1, burst onto the scene and changed waterskiing design forever. Over a decade later, Dave continues to pioneer the cutting edge of watersport innovation. You can find him skiing tournaments on the professional and national waterski scene where he theorizes, prototypes, designs, builds and rides his creations.

[Horton]

Bumping this back to the top of the page because I posted it in the wrong category. I'm working on some questions for Dave. What questions can you guys think of for the top dog at HO Syndicate?

[Jaypro]

There seems to be a lot of back and forth with the Ballers about binding design. People have discussed toe height, release mechanism design, cuff height, buckle tension...etc. What are your thoughts on these things and the future of binding design at HO?

[bogboy]

Is the performance curve flattening a bit from model to model, or is still lots of room for future improvement?

[Horton]

Are modern skis better better specifically because they weigh less or do they weigh less as a result of better materials?

[bkreis]

as bindings, hardshells, improve and are more comfortable/warm, how far off in time are releases and shells more like the snow industry?

[NorthIdahoLPO]

Can you talk "sweet spot"? I have read a lot about it but but would love to hear from a ski engineer. Each ski is different so how does one find the exact center to utilize all of it.

 

Also, I am 6'6" 215 lbs with XXL bindings on a 69"... does a skier's size diminish, maximize, or change the sweet spot?

Thank you!

[theliquidskier]

In choosing a new ski for my Dad, who spends all of his time in the slalom course (three sets a week), consistantly running 22' off 34mph, but struggling with a consistent 28' off, should I look at getting him the Carbon Omni or Syndicate Omni? I'm finally getting him to try something other than his trusty Connelly F1 hahaha but I haven't ski'd the Omni shape, I'm also worried it'll be way too different.

[303Skier]

Is there something to be said about a heavier ski? Is lighter always better?

The A1 had very large pontoon like bevels on both sides. Can you comment why those bevels used on the A1 went away? Seems like I picked up a really old 80's learning ski and it also had those same wide flat spot bevels on both sides. Maybe that's why the A1 was so stable?

 

 

[BraceMaker]

What do ski companies wish we as skiers would do to grow the sport.

[Horton]

Bob LaPoint is a 5 time world champion from another era and you are an engineer with an aerospace background. When started to work together were there any unexpected revolutions. Can you share some the ideas that he brought that you did not expect or vice versa?

[lakeho26]

Been told by many, that ski companies will design the mid weight ski such as 66'' and 67'' skis and the 65'' and 68'' don't have the design time, instead just scale the ski to size. And due to that its better to go with one of the mid weight ski. Any truth to that?

[Wish]

How do release dates play into the design process? Do you feel pressure to get something new out "in time"? What if the design is not ready? Would you consider skipping a model year to prefect a design you're confident in?

 

[ToddA]

Like any other athlete, when skiers have a small "slump" in their performance, what is your recommendation for moving forward? Ski/train more or less, change equipment, or see their Physical Therapist more often? ;)

[Garn]

I have the Syndicate Hardshell front and the HO choptop on the rear which I really like. But apparently HO has done away with the choptop (its not on your website any longer). So what good options does HO provide for the rear foot if somebody has the hardshell in the front? I am not a toe-loop guy.

[BraceMaker]

@lakeho26 I'd also wonder if part of that comes from the level of talent that exists who ski on the 66/67" ski classes - do the ski companies have testers in that height/weight category to test these long skis?

[JAS]

-What happened to the step bottom used on S2, seems like you guys spent a bunch of time working on that innovation. P.S. I really like that ski.

 

-Understand that a great amount of testing done to establish Stock Fin Settings. Why not provide a Fin Jig for those settings. Would do several things. For non-caliper gurus would provide a home base, for those that are into measuring would be a means to calibrate their measurements. Most quality digital calipers are +/- .001 accuracy. The user =/- ?

[skihart]

I agree with @JAS Personally the S2 was my favourite ski. I gained 5 buoys on it. Well loved by many many people including a glowing review by @Horton. I loved the fact that it was a 34mph ski. What made that ski so successful and is the Omni a more modern version?

 

[Jordan]

Material science has had a big impact on ski development over the last number of years, both on the laminating schedule and in the cores. What changes do you see coming ? Any promising advancements that you think will make it into waterski building/design?

[BWHITE]

How Much of a skis performance is determined by flex? How do plate bindings limit the performance? Snow ski binding and ski manufacturers have been designing floating systems that allow the ski to flex beneath the boot for some time. Is there anything like that on the waterski horizon? I tnought HO was on the right track with the now discontinued EXO system. Any new innovations in releasable bindings coming along?

[BraceMaker]

@BWHITE funny I thought the opposite. Radar has more of an isolated plate the exos is largely the same deal as fogman plates..

 

[JAS]

As I read equipment reviews it seems that many skis have un-balanced on-side, off-side turn characteristics. How much of this is skier related? How much can it be used help

individual skier skier style. Can you discuss.

[Horton]

HO has used "Speedskin" texture on all of your Syndicate skis since A3. Was the development of Speedskin inspired by NASA Riblets or Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes America's Cup boat?

 

How does it work? What does it do?

[DavidP]

When was the A1 first released and could HO produce an anniversary production run?

[JAS]

Will clean edge technology show up in other skis in HO syndicate line

[Horton]

Is computational fluid dynamics software the next step for ski design?

[Jordan]

"computational fluid dynamics" .... you better pump the brakes @Horton, @Than_Bogan just got a bulge in his pants ;-)

[Than_Bogan]

CFD is fun stuff, but I doubt there's much useful to do with it in the waterski world. At least not quite yet...