As a prank I moved my balls in 6"

[Horton]

As a prank I moved the balls in on my course about 6”. It was a bit of a quick and dirty adjustment so some of the balls were moved less and some more. I was hoping @rico would ski out of his mind on the narrow balls not knowing what I had done. We both skied well on the narrow balls but not abnormally well.

 

My theory is that unless you are a pro level skier – the balls at 6” or 9” narrow is nowhere near as big of a deal as a rope 6” or 9” long.

 

[dabeej20]

I concur, we put a floating course in this fall that we figured was a little narrow. Not sure how much. I’d guess 9”-12”, but we didn’t run any fantastic scores on it.

[BlueSki]

Our course had a bend that made the journey from 4 to 5 too long. Skiing was much easier, smoother, and symmetrical, after we we fixed it. The fix was was more noticeable than the problem.

[thager]

Dr. John should be banned and relocated to Wisconsin!

[jercrane]

On a related note our floating course after lake level drops I find extremely hard to ski unless you pull the anchors taught even with no wind bowing it. Like I can barely run opener. My theory is the lines sag and the buoys move closer down course. So it’s interesting the outboard distance affects only mildly given how much this change effects things.

[Mateo_Vargas]

Now I'm not so bummed that there wasn't time to ski with you yesterday.

[6balls]

I dunno...we used to ski a portable where the arms boughed a bit thus narrowing the course. I felt it was stupid easy. My max score was not tons higher...I got 4 @39 vs 2.5 @39 on an accurate course on ZO. Having said that, I ran on that narrow course 38 every time...easily back to backing it and 35 off was like some sort of joke could have been my opener. On an accurate course a successful 38 for me was a 10-15% possibility.

 

Maybe someone with a physics background could make sense of the differences between narrow buoys vs. slightly longer rope. Both obviously make it easier, the question is which has the larger impact.

[ToddF]

@horton move them 6 inches further away and report back, I don't think you will feel the same way.

[Than_Bogan]

Your result is very surprising to me. I have every reason to believe that moving the buoys in by a given amount is a MUCH bigger deal than lengthening the rope by that same amount. Because of the trigonometry, shortening the distance to the buoy has a larger effect on the rope angle that must be achieved AND it reduces the actual distance that must be traveled.

 

Is it possible that you just need a little time to get used to it and allow yourself to run the narrower path?

 

ToddF's suggestion is probably easier. With the buoys wider, you won't have the possibility of just running your normal path even though you don't actually have to, and I conjecture you'll find it dramatically harder. But I'd sure be intrigued if you don't!!

[Brewski]

Should try 8" wider

 

[MISkier]

Pull them down by 6". You'll be amazed at how easy it is.

[rico]

To be fair I think 4 buoys out of 6 were pretty much at the right spot. I also agree with the fact that while the buoys have moved, I still had the same swing and timing I am used to.

 

Short rope, regardless of the buoys being a few inches inside or not, make the whole rhythm more intense...

[CollinSpradlin]

@Horton You called it your Euro course didn't you??? smh...

[Horton]

:-)

 

[pcmcon729]

I bought a boat lift from a guy years ago. He offered to pull me through his floating type course when I was there. As it turns out, it was 8-12" narrow. It was a total shit show for me. I missed my opener, shortened anyhow, and missed -28 3 times in a row. Hadn't missed that line length in 10 years prior! Funny part was that he always bragged that his kid could run crazy line lengths, but never ran his opener in tournaments.

 

[ozski]

Moving your balls 6 inches in any direction would be more than just a little uncomfortable.

[Horton]

@pcmcon729 and people wonder why I dismiss big practice scores...

[teammalibu]

Had one of my balls on the wrong side of the mtb seat today! Made for a long ride!

[swaterkd]

I have a friend i ski with and he has a floating course. You can drive by the course in a car and see the pipes are bent from current on one side of the course sometimes 10'. It makes distance between bouys wrong and messes me up so bad. He runs great on it. The sad part is he runs just as good in tournaments. fyi he is a pro.

 

[2Valve]

there once was a dentist...........

[Adam Caldwell]

Maybe this is just more proof that this sport is more mental then anything else!?

 

 

[MuskokaKy]

@CollinSpradlin i am quite positive your amazing comment ACTUALLY made @horton smile. I know i did. good one!

[lpskier]

@horton If you were trying to learn a new pass, and assuming it was just as easy to set up either, would you say that it would be better to move in the buoys or to length the rope, say 6 inches whichever choice you make. And once you make that choice, would that choice be better or slowing the boat down say three clicks? Six clicks?

[rico]

I think having a slightly longer rope (between 2 sections). For me (I am heavy at 210lbs wish) slowing the boat makes it harder to swing out and glide...

 

The problem with pulling the buoys in is that we are so formatted to the regular side that we still turn where the normal buoy should be instead of adjusting to the new location...

[Horton]

@rico when I did it last year I was in a hurry and as you know the buoys may not have moved as far as we had hoped. all those buckets are still on the bottom of the lake so when we really get cranking this summer we're going to have to try it again.

[rico]

They have to be moved 5 feet outside the buoy line for Cole's first set back...

[paul]

I built a portable course awhile back and screwed up the length of the triangle due to a bad calc. I think it ended up being 12” short between each section. It was nearly impossible to ski. Your turns had to be so quick. Pretty much everyone could run only one pass or two at the most.

[hammerski]

Back in my men 2 days, I had just gotten a new Schnitz fin. I was vacationing on a houseboat and my buddy and I found a course to ski on. Went down the line ran 38, then ran 39. I praised the heavens that I FINALLY found the secrets sauce. Then my buddy skied, a 2@35 skier, ran 38...

 

Measured the course, almost 2 feet narrow ?

 

I skied better with the fin, just not that good!

[Zman]

Hard to believe 12 inches less between buoys, out of 134 feet, 6 inches makes that big a difference. Maybe at extreme shortline. Not where I am at.

[Horton]

@Zman distance from Ball to Ball is not really nearly as critical as course width. From center line to the ball is 37' 8 3/4". Changing the width of the course makes a huge difference.

 

Remember that the difference between 38 off and 39 1/2 off is about 19 1/2inches or 1/2 meter. For a skier like me that 19" might as well be a million miles.