Silly Thread About Putting Up Walls

[GZ22]

Hey all,

Not a great skier here. Been freeskiing for fun for 20 years but only ran the course a couple times when taking lessons on vacation.

 

Upgraded to a Connelly Aspect a couple years ago and my skiing has been feeling quite good ever since. Really proud of my turns lately, and my wake crossings have gotten very consistent and strong since I got a "proper" slalom ski. 15-22 off,. 30-32 mph. Supra Comp.

 

BUT, the folks in the boat say I barely put up a wall anymore. Do the modern skis just ride higher in the water and spray less? Or am I just riding more smooth than I used to? Should I be just absolutely dropping into the turn? Slow the boat down to ride lower?

I wish I could run the course more. We don't have any ski clubs or anything here in Northern Alberta.

 

I've converted a couple ppl to slalom recently, and having big spray is definitely a cool factor that helps ppl want to learn the sport. Slalom just doesn't "Instagram" as well as wakeboarding for the kids hahaha. The pic in my profile is legit just an Obrien Performer combo ski we had, and that throws a solid wall.

 

Anyways just a fun freeski thread to try and help get new ppl into this sport. If you can't turn balls, may as well throw up walls haha

 

 

[UWSkier]

Walls are impressive, but throwing water consumes energy that you'd really rather have propelling you along. It's throwaway energy. New skis are designed to move more efficiently so one might expect them to bleed less energy by throwing massive walls.

[Clydesdale]

As your skiing improves (as yours has) you’ll tend to ride more balanced on the ski. This may affect your spray. But… IMO correct form and fast crossings are much more impressive than putting up a wall by standing on the back of your ski!

[RichardDoane]

Where’s the photographic evidence of the so called walls ?

[skimtb]

Can you put up walls around the lake to stop the wind? Oops, wrong walls….

[Vernon Reeve]

Another possibility is that some of the older and/or recreational skis had a flat spot next to the edge instead of the edge to edge concave our skis have now. That flat edge would allow the ski to skid more, creating a bigger wall. The edge to edge concave is like having sharp snow skis, and feels like riding a rail, so it doesn't throw up as much spray.

[sgregg]

 

 

 

[GZ22]

@sgregg gets it, HO Sports gets it, Wade Cox probably gets it but is preoccupied at 41 off.

 

I'm aware it's a silly thing to care about. It's just hard enough getting people to try skiing without looking as impressive as possible. This dying sport takes talent, fitness, and tenacity to learn and progress; And any lazy person can wakesurf and look cool in 30 seconds. That just bothers me a little because I find skiing quite rewarding and most people won't try it.

 

I did invest in a deep V handle last year. My buddy (mid 30s, never skiied before) got up first try with it and on the second day didn't need it at all. So tools like that help ease things along.

[S1Pitts]

@GZ22 Just keep working on increasing the speed and shortening the line and the walls will return with much more pizzazz. Then things start to get really cool.

[Mastercrafter]

I started a few years back on an EP Comp 1 and that thing made some spray. A friend still skis one, and yeah, the walls he puts up are pretty impressive.

 

I’m still learning ski design but my guess is that older skis moved more water instead of generating speed. Less efficient.

 

Water walls don’t do much for me, as a skier I’m more interested in my posture at almost every other moment of the pass.

 

I guess if you’re “doing it for the grams”, big spray wins. In real life, whipping back and fourth at -35 is much more fun.

[Onside135]

You guys have all lost your perspective. It has always been and will always be about big spray!

[Cooper_Trelawney]

Chicks dig big spray!

[GZ22]

UPDATE:

 

@S1Pitts coincidentally I shortened up to 22 off 32mph today. My friends and the kids said I had some solid walls up today. So I guess problem solved, just push myself harder. No more 15 off freeski sessions for me.

[jepski]

When I look at pics of my spray, the biggest "walls" are when I'm on the tail of the ski and being pulled through the end of the turn. Which is poor technique and leads to elbow pain. The tail ride is evident in the picture and looking at the ski wake...there isn't much spray until I've passed the apex of the turn. OTOH a really good turn might not have as much spray, but you can see the spray beginning at the entry and the largest "wall" is at the apex and not at the end of the turn. And the water is breaking over my front foot and most of the ski edge is engaged.

So, I'm all about a better turn (and linking them) and not so much about the "wall". When you can combine both - then you're on to something:)

[ALPJr]

 

[Tom351]

I also think that the way people have adapted to skiing with ZeroOff & higher horsepower engines has contributed to less spray. Every bit of energy that you divert into displacing water gets replaced by the boat engine almost immediately and you and your muscles have to handle it. In the old days you could spray a bunch of water and slow the boat down a bit and then maybe the engine would not "hit you back" until you needed it to reel in some slack in the rope anyway. Now it is a much better strategy to not fight the boat so much.

[Vernon Reeve]

Example of tail of ski being pulled through turn like @jepski said. This is me at 15off 30mph.

 

[aupatking]

@ALPJr you beat me to it. That’s Joe Cash on a WOODEN SKI! That’s insane to me. If that guy had been on today’s technology, can you imagine the big spray : :D