SkiPath (Boat Path Monitoring System) Introduction

[Horton]

 

https://skipath.ca/

 

This thread is about SkiPath. If you want to talk about the other system please start a different thread.

[Chad_Scott]

Been using this system as well. It’s just that easy. Set it up and go. The boat bath monitoring systems are definitely the future of skiing. @Horton is right. Makes driving fun as well

[RichardDoane]

What’s the set up cost @Horton ?

[Horton]

@RichardDoane depends on how you can figure your system https://skipath.ca/

[MichaelWiebe]

Does anyone rent out such a system, for the course calibration feature?

We calibrate a shallow water anchor course every few years, with a portable. It's a large pain. This electronic system would be simpler and more accurate.

Thanks.

[PatM]

@Horton Do you map the course similarly to ZO? And is it a permanent record for future survey purposes?

[Horton]

@PatM Eventually I will make a video about mapping the system.

It is pretty simple. You simply place the Rover GPS puck on top each of the 4 entry and exit gates, one at a time, and record the position in the app. With two people it takes 5 minutes +/- and then it is stored in the app until you move the course or move the base station.

 

FYI in the video at the top of this thread you see my quick / temporary install. It should be noted the PCV pipe I used was moving in the wind so that install was only accurate when the wind was near zero. Not really a good solution. Since them I did a permanent install at my lake with a fence post.

 

[Horton]

here is my permanent installation. I will have solar power that battery this week.

 

[keithh2oskier]

I know rain is limited in CA. But do you need to cover it up from the elements?

[StrokerAB]

Using SkiPath at Predator Bay Waterski Club Calgary, we ran it at the end of our season for about a month with no difficulties. Easy to set up, survey of course easy, and great tool for our boat drivers. Great technical assistance from SkiPath, easy guys to get hold of and this is built right here in Canada. Glad to see the system get some more publicity in the USA.

[Horton]

here is a Sure-Path vs SkPath comparison. my guess is that a lot of the Delta between these numbers is in the survey method. I confess that I think the SkiPath survey I did was probably slightly more meticulous than the SurePath survey. I need to just get off my butt and carefully resurvey Sure-Path.

 

 

[LK_skier]

Does ski path allow you to use your own device? As in are you able to download the app to your own tablet or phone? And ski path not needing a cellular connection might attract more people to it.

[RAWSki]

Looks really good. BUT ....(dating myself) Why do I fear another Perfect Pass v AccuSki scenario here.

AWSA seems to have already "hitched their wagon" to SurePath??

[RichardDoane]

$2800 + shipping & tax, and it doesn’t work on an iPhone.

[Jody_Seal]

Man! I would hate that! Not available for i phone. But look! You get a cool fire pad to interact with. Bigger then a i phone....

I think i am more intrigued with the more real time information that the ski path has and how it displays it. I forsee a heads up windscreen display in the real future...

[Horton]

@RichardDoane both of the available BPMS come with Android devices. I don't believe any of them are compatible with Apple but it doesn't matter because a device is included with the package.

[RichardDoane]

I guess if the lake owner is paying, or a club, then I’d be glad to use it. But my personal preference is to have a driver that knows how to be centered without a crutch.

[Jody_Seal]

@RichardDoane finally!!! You are the hero of the day !

[Jody_Seal]

I can hear it now ! I can only practice with a boat path moniter ! Or i can't be competitive with out a boat path monitor..

 

Did yall know that "Rankings List" is mentioned or referred too 15 times of the first 5 pages of the new rule book?

Competition mentioned??? Once maybe!

[skierjp]

Isn’t Sure Path the only approved system by AWSA?

[Horton]

@RichardDoane you use Zero Off? Why don't you just drive by hand, the way God intended.

[Horton]

The naysayers crack me up. If you are a rockstar driver then maybe you do not need a BPMS but I can say for sure it has been an eye opener for everyone who has used it around here. I am sure my driving has improved by leaps and bounds since getting it.

[MichaelWiebe]

The standard keeps going up. That's a fact of life at work..... greater productivity, higher quality, lower thoughput time, greater OTIF (on time in full), an even better value proposition, a lower cost price, a lower sell price, more revenue, more profit. And on and on.

Even in healthcare, we hope for shorter wait times, a greater life expectancy, and lower prices.

It's a fact of life..... the standards keep going up. Continuous improvement. In water skiing too. All good and right. Let's embrace it. It makes us all even better, since that's exactly what we all want too.... a higher buoy count.

 

[RichardDoane]

@Horton I'm not a naysayer, just pointing out that it's an expensive gadget that isn't absolutely necessary. When's the last time you sat at the end of the lake and watched a driver pull up a skier, go around the island, set up for the course, keep the boat straight, and then properly drop the skier for the next pass. There's a lot more to driving than just the median point of center at a bunch of fixed locations.

[LK_skier]

I’d say these systems make the jump from being an ok driver to a good driver 100 times faster and easier. It has for me. Now to go from good to great could take a little longer but still much easier watching it back at each end. I think it will be an eye opener for the part time drivers at amateur comps when this comes in.

[Horton]

@RichardDoane and I agree just like zero off isn't necessary.

 

For driving practice this system certainly is not truly necessary. A decent spotter can center a decent driver in any boat. But I got to tell you having the data on the screen is a hell lot better.

 

For tournaments, the system will soon simply replace video both path and maybe it'll cost a little more but it's so much more simple and so much dramatically better that I don't think anybody's going to notice the cost.

[scoke]

Attended a tournament this weekend (Sunday). It was a class C.

 

Hat's off to them as they voluntarily hustled to buy a Surepath system, survey their course and have their drivers familiarize with it in advance.

 

On Sunday, they completed the process and had it running in WSTIMS scoring program live and in color. It worked, well. Very cool to see it working as well as a compliment to their dedication when they didn't have to by any means.

 

They didn't have to do it but seemed they knew it would make everyone across the board better in some capacity.

 

If someone is not on board with something like this, then there is something not quite right. We should be asking why not?

 

[RAWSki]

As much as I understand how people don't want "added complexity". I also see the other side. Cruise control wasn't immediately embraced. Hopefully now----- gone will be the days when a record takes weeks to be verified by uploaded boat path video reviews.

Ski well -- drive straight, or the other way around.

[RichardDoane]

@horton - ZO is totally necessary, just like PP was when it came onto the scene. Hopefully the boat path monitoring systems will become less expensive over time like big screen tv's did

[aupatking]

Is there a French version?

[Horton]

@aupatking there was but they lost the video tape

[mbabiash]

@aupatking

It’s calibrated different. 1 cm equals .25 cm.

[rico]

@Horton ahahah about the lost tape.

 

If this was not a US audience I would say that the US system is not out yet because the tolerance is set to 2 feet on each side..... oh wait?

[Alberto Soares]

@Horton - How are the 2 systems working side by side, do you still have different readings?

[RAWSki]

So with approved BPMS and of course Zero Off--

Is any AWSA approved approved towboat from the last decade Record Capable??

 

[Horton]

@Alberto Soares I haven't been running the systems in parallel lately but all the deviations seem to be a caused by survey accuracy. in other words I believe both systems to be equally accurate.

[Horton]

@RAWSki

 

[Jody_Seal]

@Horton

Time to replace the panda with a wing nut?

Or is the wing nut like half a panda???

[Horton]

@Jody_Seal it depends on my mood.