What do you bring to the table

[jimski]

One of the new pod cast, has me thinking Of a bunch of different things.

what do you bring to the table for your ski buddies. Are you a good driver for the level of skiers your group is. Who’s boat are you using. Do you have some sort of deal worked out with the person who owns the boat. What are you paying your buddy for a ski set or are you sharing boats equally. Are you using your own equipment like ropes and handles or is the boat owner providing these. I always seem to have a group at our club that wants to ski with me, and I totally love it and appreciate it . Butt... I think I’m getting the short end of the stick.

I rarely seem to get any more than $10 for a ski ride if any thing at all. The driving could be better with the exception of one or two people. I can’t seem to find any one as serious about skiing as my self, Locally. But I rely on these skiers so I can ski, without them I wouldn’t get half the sets I do. Good or bad

Just curios what other people are dealing with.

 

[keithh2oskier]

I belong to a ski club. No club boat. I primarily ski behind mine or a buddies who is identical. Don't even bother exchanging gas money at this point. Usually just coordinate a ride here or there. Occasionally I will buy or sell a ride from someone else.

 

Everyone brings their own equipment. Driving is okay but it could be better. Its not necessarily a lack of desire, but more a lack of understanding 9n what is a good pull for the skier. We have a lot of 15-22 off skiers and most have been skiing for 25 to 30 years so if I go up to them and say their driving sucks, its gonna piss some people off. Nobody runs deep shoreline. I have experience pulling into 38 but its been 10 years since I did so consistently. I ski with a buddy who will run into 38 but it accounts for 10% of my overall driving.

 

@jimski perhaps you can find someone in the club who is interested in learning to improve. One of the best drivers i has in college was 115 lb skinny blonde who ran 26 mph long line but could drive 35 off skiers well and was a rated driver, regular i think. She just took it super serious and was more interested in driving better than skiing better. Not saying your gonna luck out that way but it can happen.

 

We don't have the ability for end course video and often don't have a spotter. So as a driver, its really hard to improve. Like skiing without any coaching bad habits get harder to break.

 

@TFIN @Chris Rossi The podcast was excellent along with all the others. That 40 min is a great time that you can get into the details but not so long that I forget what you said earlier.

 

I took away some great nuggets of info. Will probably listen to it a handful of times. And work to improve my driving.

 

[jimski]

@keithh2oskier ok maybe sucks is a little harsh. I do have a couple of great drivers at home who help me. Its more of the whole picture.

[markn]

Majority of my skiing is on my site with my wife or at Swiss. However, when I go ski at someones site, I take my own rope/handle, gas or $20 cash and having been a senior driver, think I bring respectable skills for the skier. Actually drive like it is a tournament....even at the ends. Always be on time, polite and respectful...never step on seats, help wipe down the boat when finished and try to add some levity....

[2Valve]

Zero complaints with our club. Everyone's a good driver and we regularly rotate between seven boats with the oldest a '96 Prostar (still has incredible wakes). Everyone's courteous, respectful and appreciative of whomever's boat we're using that day. I couldn't ask for a better group AND we're all best friends.

[rockdog]

@jimski you might find the ‘group’ always want to go out with you because they don’t have to provide anything. If you were ok with that then great, but barely paying for gas is just plain bad manners in my book. Regular skiers should also have all their own gear to lessen your burden, it seems maybe they aren’t aware of common etiquette here?

Providing the boat all the time is tough work with maintenance costs and upkeep also, you’d at least want to be appreciated and have plenty of offers to wipe down after use?

[Deanoski]

At the Risk club me or my main ski partner switch back in forth with who brings the boat. Im lucky all the guys I ski with can drive short line great maybe because we all ski into -35 or better. I don't care if I buy gas if I get a great pull what is a great pull worth? we all bring are own ropes handles ect.

[jhughes]

The saddest thing in this sport would be somebody with a nice boat, water, a course, and nobody to drive the boat. You take the good with the bad and be generally appreciative of anyone who shows up to pull you.

[Deanoski]

@jhughes a bad pull is worthless and a waist of time IMO

[foxriverat]

@Deanoski you're fortunate to have a good group. When I worked nights. I could ski daytime during the week when hardly anyone was on the water. Problem was @jhughes said it was very hard to get anyone else to ski with. I had people pull me that never drove a ski boat. I wouldn't ask them to drive the course. I would free ski. But I was desperate.

[Keith_Menard]

My sparking personality, quick with a compliment, respect for cultures that use the metric system, and a willingness to use my boat on the bumper seasons :)

 

Ok...it's probably just the last one....and that I put heated seats in the boat.

[cougfan]

The Wednesday night crew rotates between my Sunsetter LXI and Doug’s Sportster. @Rednucleus and Ken pay for gas. We share ropes and everyone helps wipe down the boat after use. As far as driving goes we all take turns trying not to drive right after or before a set. When it comes to dinner after we usually pick a menu the week before and everyone helps out to fill it except for the homemade ice cream that’s mine!?? We too are best friends and couldn’t imagine skiing with anyone else regularly ? For us Wednesday night is the best night of the week and can’t come too soon. We also take a ski week vacation together to lake Curlew for lots of free skiing and fellowship. Yes we take a portable course to set up and also bring along our wives (who else is going to do the dishes?)?????? this is the second best week of the year for me right after my family week on lake Entiat. The Wednesday night crew is like family to me

[pregom]

I bring cappuccino!

[Chef23]

Our club is bring your own boat and we mostly rotate except one of my buddies bought a Prostar a couple of years ago and only likes to ski behind his boat. I bring good driving skills, some coaching, a sense of humor and gas. I used to bring my boat every third set but now we mostly ski behind his boat.

[Orlando76]

When I skied there was 3 of us. Partner 1 owned the waterfront home and housed the boat. By default he essentially was given the boat by partner number 2 because he didn’t live on the water. I was the 3rd wheel. I’m not a good driver but my experience driving has been super minimal. I supplied 80 to 100% of the fuel on days I skied and about half the repair/maintenance items which was minimal, and a couple hundred bucks once or twice a year left in the glove box. I always felt bad that I was the worst driver and by far worst skier Of the 3 and I couldn’t bring the private lake nor the better boat to the plate. Well that relationship eventually fell apart.

 

I own a clean and reliable 93 SN with PP and live 4 doors down from a public ramp. I have two courses on the public lake which gets minimal traffic and a spare new portable in garage but no driver. I’d take a shit driver as long as my boat isn’t wrecked and don’t run me over.

[6balls]

Good driving, dirty humor, lots of knowledge, and my skiing is sometimes entertaining--it's all about getting 6.

[thager]

Boat, course, decent driving, and dry not stirred sarcastic humor.

[BraceMaker]

I'm the wrench - I'm the guy who has all the fun tools and can use a multimeter for when your circuit breaker keeps tripping or a light goes out or you need someone to repair the wiring harness that melted when you put the battery in backwards.

[Tom351]

DON'T SHOW UP LATE...and especially don't show up late while carrying Starbucks (I don't call that guy to ski anymore)

"sorry I am 30 minutes late (but I had time to stop for coffee while you wait)"

[Horton]

private lake, 2020 ProStar, decent driving, decent coaching, cute 6 yr old and a nanny.

[Rednucleus]

As a veterinarian, my 1st aid skills occasionally come in handy. If it's a big fail, Doug in our Wed night group is a funeral director ...

btw @cougfan brought a little tear to my eye with his comments!

[vtmecheng]

@Horton I thought you were the nanny

[vtmecheng]

We all use the owner's boat and pay a reasonable yearly amount to help maintenance of the boat and site. Also, everyone is on the hook for gas every certain number of sets. Gear isn't shared much, unless someone forgot their rope, since we all have our preferences and gear needs to be maintained by the user for safety. We help set the course buoys each spring and do some general maintenance at the site.

 

I'm super lucky, it's a good group and 20 minutes from both work and home. I'm still learning to drive well so don't really bring awesome skills in that department yet. I do bring some comic relief and sarcastic comments.

[DaveD]

I keep beer in the boat house fridge, provide average driving, and make everyone around me feel good about their own skiing when they see me ski.

[vtmecheng]

Oh @DaveD you make a good point. I too make everyone else feel like rockstar skiers.

[6balls]

I should add extreme calm when encountering injurious situations.

[bishop8950]

@jhughes makes an interesting point. The answer depends on your situation. Yes, if you don’t have anyone to ski with and want a ride, you may not be picky at all. But like others are saying, with a regular crew it’s ok to have expectations.

 

For me, mainly be fun to ski with. The social part is so important and should be fun!

 

No matter what level driver you are, at least show me you care and are trying to give a good ride.

 

Otherwise add value however you can and pay your way and we will be good.

[Luzz]

Jokes, slightly below average coaching… basically, lowering the quality of Jolly Ski since I moved back three days ago. Luckily, the quality is high enough that I can't screw it up too much

[MISkier]

@DaveD driving is well above average. He should be a rated driver, if he would take the time to pursue it. I know at least one top 20 Open Men's skier that would concur.

[DaveD]

@MISkier Isn't that considered "average driving"?

[DSP]

Now...two private lakes with 11 other owners, my personal 2016 SN200, a club 2019 Prostar, trying to remember which boat I’m in when approaching the dock. That’s a great problem.

 

The game changer for our crew....a club change after twenty years. Now to be surrounded by people who are both less experienced all the way to Rossi, we are learning a ton, helping folks learn and working through the stuff you are talking about all the time.

 

Some common denominators...respect for each other, passion for the sport, being around people who understand the expenses who are not presumptuous.

 

One other great invention I think Mark Roske first built in the 80’s..a meter with individual keys for each owner on the club boat. If we get out of balance from pulling someone too much on our SN, we can even things up on their key behind the club Prostar.

[pregom]

@Luzz - off topic, but is Jolly Ski open? I see the Pro Am is postponed to 2021. Ciao da un connazionale.

[Luzz]

@pregom yes we are open. However, the regional restrictions are still in place, so we can only have people from Lombardy coming to ski at the moment

[Horton]

@vtmecheng I am way to smart for that.