Through the gates-Small window?

[ISP6ball]

When you are high on the boat, and at the best possible angle coming into the gates, does the 'window' approaching the gates seem small?

 

Just looking for clues, as I approach the gates, that I'm at the most efficient angle (aside from being early into 1 ball).

 

It might take some replies for me to better articulate what I'm trying to say, ha.

 

On paper, it seems like if my angle into one ball is late, then the gate window probably will look big (or wide). Just the opposite for a great gate. Yes.....No?

[Horton]

@ISP6ball If you are always looking for the perfect path just to the left of the right hand gate ball then yes it can seem like a small window. It is more important to turn in with the right amount of speed and right timing with the boat. So if you are a little bit later but everything is good it is better then right next to the ball but crap everything else.

 

[klindy]

@ISP6ball What line length are you typically skiing at? The sight picture for 15-off is a whole lot different than -38 and shorter. Since you're higher on the boat at shorter line lengths, the angle you approach the gate is 'sharper' too.

 

Several will likely tell you that the best way to learn the right timing is to make the pull for each gate the same (both out away from the wakes to setup and turn into the gate) and adjust the sight picture earlier or later as needed. What you don't want to do is alter your edge thru the wakes just to be sure you get thru them.

[RGilmore]

Three points to consider:

 

1) Your sight picture from wide in your glide makes the gate balls look narrowly spaced - almost impossibly narrow. However, when you arrive at the gate you will find you have a far wider opening to ski through.

 

2) When you turn in aggressively you get the distinct impression you are traveling on a line that is almost 90 degrees to the centerline. You're not, due to the fact that the boat is actively dragging you downcourse at about 50 ft per second. Your actual "angle" of travel (over the earth's surface) at the gate is no more than 45 degrees (relative the centerline).

 

3) The gate balls just naturally spread apart from the wake pressure of the boat passing though, and will most likely still be opened wider than nominal when you get there.

 

[ISP6ball]

@klindy Thanks for the input. Most of my course skiing is -22 to -35 off.

 

@Horton I do a lot of free skiing with friends, so I'm sure my biggest issue, when I get into the course, is lack of timing at different line lengths. That is probably my biggest issue and why I'm inconsistent.

 

@RGilmore your 1st point makes sense to me.

 

Thanks for everybody's insight.

 

 

 

[Than_Bogan]

When last I was working seriously on getting better (about 3 yrs ago), I spent a lot of time with @AdamCord and @adamhcaldwell trying to reinvent my gate. One of the most surprising things about what they were teaching was that the gate ended up looking HUGE, even at -38. I can't do justice in explaining why, but I definitely don't think you should expect/want the gate to seem like a narrow target as you get to shorter lengths.

[RGilmore]

The following photos may give you some insight into why the gate is actually a much bigger target than it appears. Notice how far downcourse the skier has been pulled, versus how far crosscourse he travels in the same few moments. Also, believe it or not, this skier (wearing a head-mounted GoPro camera), easily cleared the right hand gate ball.

 

 

[Adam Caldwell]

The gate should “look” like you could drive a school bus through it.

 

If it looks small, then your turn in for the gate is too far down course.

 

Most people are turning in way later then what is ideal.