WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT!?!

[Keith_Menard]

Things are finally starting to click for me and I am making my 34mph pass relatively consistently ( have I mentioned I love the new Vapor?)

 

I tried to shorten the rope to 22 off and it was like I had never skied the course before. Not wide enough on the pull out, felt like I was hitting a brick wall crossing the wake and of course narrow to 1.

 

I am going to take my friends advice and try 32mph to get the feeling, but how did you make the transition to shortening the rope?

[MDB1056]

Not trying to be a wise a**, but same way you learned 15. Learn the adjusted timing, etc. Easier to generate speed as the rope shortens . It all still starts with the essential good gate . When learning next line length if you blow the gate, just pass and start over . Good timing on 1 is essential

[dbutcher]

In my experience on many boats the rooster tail and maybe the wake are more challenging at 22 off than at 15 off. When you feel like you are hitting a brick wall, you may be losing some of your aggressiveness and going flat. That's when you have to be more aggressive and attack the wake on a good strong edge. Getting wide (high on boat) on your pullout at the right time becomes more important as the line gets shorter. Just my opinion. Others may have different ideas.

[ToddL]

Two things: 1) Each rope shortening benefits from reaching a pre-gate glide point higher up on the boat. And yes, the timing to achieve this will take some getting used to. 2) Don't over ski it. We all end to amp up too much. Lean the same amount and for the same duration as the prior pass. Edge change at the same point relative to the wake/whitewater/buoy. And so on.

[ski6jones]

When I start working on a new line length I think about doing the things that got me through the last line BETTER.

Good suggestions above, and probably things that you've already been working on; gate width/timing, being aggressive and staying on edge behind the boat, stack, etc.

Keep improving those things, rather than adding intensity to the things that don't work. The boat gives you more as the rope gets shorter. Do better, not harder.

[Dacon62]

Get a progressor rope with 18.5 and 25 off sections braided into it.

It will help you get to the next official line length quicker.

15-18.5-22-25-28 vs 15-22-28.

[Mrs_MS]

@Keith_Menard

I hate 22 off….hate it! ?

[Dacon62]

@Keith_Menard @Mrs_MS

If you get a chance try 22 off behind a 14 or newer Prostar. Tough to beat. Used to hate 22 off as well...not anymore since I got a Prostar.

[jjackkrash]

Throw away 15 off and ski 22 off at slower boat speeds. Start at 30 mph, then 32, then 34, for example. 2 of my crew start at 22 off 23 mph and the other starts and 24.9 mph / 22 off and they just increase speed 2 mph until they hit max. They have progressed nicely this summer using only 22 off.

[jipster43]

Don’t worry about chopping rope until you get your hips up! Your back and your rate of progression will thank you.

[ScottScott]

That 22off bump is going to expose a position of too much weight on the back foot. If I have good weight balance between my 2 feet I don't feel the bump as much, and the ski stays level as it gets air off the wakes. Too much rear foot weight and the front comes up and I get bend over from the impact. At any line shortening, you'll need to be better on the gates. Make sure you can turn in from width and speed (if you pull out too soon don't wait for the gates and slow down too much, go ahead and go before you slow down too much then adjust pullout next pass) and you'll want to be a little more aggressive on the turn in so you can start working on a little earlier edge change to eliminate slack at 1 ball.

[jeidmann]

3 of things:

1. a wider start will allow you to complete your pull on your turn in earlier (centerline-2nd wake) which will allow you to be wide and early for 1 ball (as opposed to a narrow start that will cause you to pull longer/later).

2. As you turn out of 1 ball don't reach for the handle, ski back to the handle then lean.

3. Turn your head to help turn your hips on your offside. Ideally your feet/knees/hips should lead but turning your head will help.

[Laz]

I vividly remember the first time I ran 55k and 18.25m. I was so excited, I immediatly shorted to 16m (22' off), for my first time ever. I felt like a real skier.

 

Man, did 22' off seem impossible then. I remember laughing as I got massive slack at 1 ball. How could anyone run this? Now 16m is my opener. @Keith_Menard and will soon be yours too.

 

All it takes is convicing your brain that you really don't have to pull that long. 90% of slalom is getting a good pull right behind the boat. Good luck and enjoy.

 

@Dacon62 I don't recall thinking I should get a '14 or later Mastercraft. Maybe because this was around 2010.