The art of the pullout

[Guest]

Hi All,

As a relatively new course skier, I am fairly consistent at -15/34 and working into -22. I have found the pullout/gate turn a challenge. My questions are

at -15 can one be pulling out too far?

is there an ideal width for the pullout?

Is the width the same for all line lengths and speeds

 

I find it so different going into -22 that I’m considering starting there instead of-15 but that is not likely to help, or would it?

Feedback much appreciated

[skihacker]

My opinion, the width should stay the same, just outside the 2-4-6 bouy line, the timing changes as you go up the rope, takes practice.

[skier2788]

@lefty the width will essentially be the same from length to length until -35. I think the thing people struggle with is that the visual on where you pull out has to change. As the line shortens you get closer to the boat and thus need to adjust the visual of where you pull out. Note I say the visual as I don't think geographically it changes much if any. So in your scenario you go from -15 to -22 that is 7 feet. So you need to wait 7 feet after you normally would pull out. This way the boat is actually in the same position it would be in if the rope was still at -15 and you were 7 feet behind yourself. Same geographical location but your visual will change. Sorry its easy to conceptualize but hard to explain.

So for me an as example. I use the 55's to know when to pull out. They get closer and closer to the boat as I shorten and once at 35 the right hand ball disappears behind the bow. But from shore it looks extremely similar.

[lefty]

That makes sense. Being left foot forward on the pullout I find easier to advance on the boat which is why sometimes at 15 off I’m way wider than I could ever get on 22off, which causes timing issues on the gate turn. Over thinking the pullout also causes problems which is kinda where I’m at

[ScottScott]

I have been taught that width for 15 off should be about 12 ft beyond the 2-4-6 buoy line, 22 off about 9 ft, 28 off still about 6 ft beyond. I believe 32 is still a little outside, then 35 off you'll be about even with the 2-4-6 buoy line (I'm not there yet so I can't remember.)

 

Consistency of pullout intensity and how you stand on the ski in your glide (as proper balanced position will glide more) will all effect when you need to pull out. Take your best guess on where to pull out, then turn in for the gates when you have the correct speed (don't wait and slow down too much,) if you miss the gates then adjust your pullout on the next pass. I'm guessing that the goal once you get to 35 off and beyond would be more along the line of getting even with a certain point on the boat. For me going from 15 off to 22 and 28off, I pull out a good bit earlier for 15 off than 22 and 28. It will likely change with many line lengths.

 

For different speeds, the width should stay consistent per line length, but the glide won't be as long for slower speeds so the pullout happens later.

 

Being LFF the tendency is to be turned in to center in your pullout and glide. Make sure to rotate left to keep hips square to ski, facing forward (possibly even thinking over rotating slightly...like 11 oclock) so you're flat and level on the ski (this will also prevent loosing width before turn in,) then stay consistent so you get the same glide each time.

[ESPNSkier]

@ScottScott gives some great advice here! I would add that a pro coach told me a few years ago to drop -15 off as soon as possible as -15 off has different geometry than -22 off and beyond. I followed that advice and it helped me progress. Only downside is that you may be dealing with a rooster tail on your opener depending on your boat. Now I need to spend enough time on the water to drop -22 off….

[lefty]

Thanks for the comments, seems like there’s a couple schools of thought. Opened at 22 the last few times and seems to help a lot for now

[igkya]

We're talking about skiing, right?

[jayski]

 

[Chris Rossi]

Check out the SprayMakers podcast. We’ve done a few episodes on gates that will help.

[jjackkrash]

The 3 junior skiers I tow regularly all quit skiing at 15 off early on and are progressing nicely. With ZBS scoring I don't see a good reason to focus on mastering 15 off. When the boys could run 24 mph / 15 off we cut out 15 off and started them at 23 mph / 22 off (which was in late spring or early this summer).

 

This weekend at a 4-round slalom tourney my boy ran 26 mph, 28 mph, 30 mph, and tied a tourney pb at 3 at 32 mph / 22 off, then next round pb'd at 4 at 32 mph, then the next round got a pb at 3 at 34 / 22 off, and last round got 1 at 34 mph / 22 off. We are going to dump 26 and start him at 28 mph / 22 off now. I suspect he'll be cutting to 28 off at 34 mph some and skiing some 36/22 off in the next week or two in practice. I think the transition to shorter line lengths and 36 mph is going to be easier than if he had been focused on 15 off.

[lefty]

@Chris Rossi that is an awesome episode and clarified much of my confusion ?moment!