Placement of front binding

[bananaron]

I know all ski mfg give a number for putting your front binding on your ski as to where to mount it.Now what happens to the dynamics of the ski if you move it forward or backward from that location.I have done it a few times and did not really notice much however I assume that it changes things on how the ski performs.Can anyone give a general idea what normally will happen....

[skibrain]

I like how Jay talks about it related to tail length and ski smear.  Fin Whispering

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

 The simple phrase that explains a lot is bindings forward locks the tail and bindings back lets the tail slide. That adjustment really depicts the path of the ski and how much tip and tail are in the water from centerline out to buoy. The more the tail is locked the ski will feel like its more on a rail and might feel stuck at the finish of the turn, because the tail of your ski is smearing less. With more tail slide the tail is free and smearing more, but too much the ski can overturn. its finding that happy medium of freedom from centerline out to apex, but also grip at the finish of the turn.. 

Edited July 24, 2023 by ColeGiacopuzzi
added info.

[Dano]

I like to adjust my front boot by how the ski feels/moves thru centreline and out to buoy.  If it feels heavy thru centre and/or doesn’t make space or width before buoy, I move front boot back. I don’t know if that’s good advice but it’s what works for me.

[Horton]

Generally speaking if you are not trying to run balls at short rope lengths I recommend that you keep boots at stock.

@ColeGiacopuzzi makes a great point that is so often misunderstood. Within reasonable limits bindings forward makes a ski turn slower and back makes the tail slide more.

@Dano also makes the point that sometimes skis make more speed leaving the ball with the bindings back.  This is a funny one because the more ski in the water at the first wake the faster you go but if a ski has a deep tunnel too much ski in the water at hookup means less speed.

None of this is cut and dry. 

[Dano]

@Horton interesting observation since I am on the R2  which I think has a deep or larger volume tunnel.  

Edited July 25, 2023 by Dano

[BraceMaker]

@bananaron and then there is also spread or boot spacing.  Did you move both or just front?

 

 

[bananaron]

@BraceMaker My next question is do you put rear binding touching or very close to front binding? I have always put it as close as I can get it.

[Horton]

@BraceMaker

Spread definitely makes a difference but messing with your spread is as finicky as a fine fin adjustment. With few exceptions spread should always be keep kept as close as possible.

[BraceMaker]

@bananaron I run a single plate with a microjust so that I can move everything as a unit and not introduce a variable and have my rear toe basically touching the front boot 11.5 shoes.  Was just asking because if you move just one and increase the spread you're introducing variables.

I've always liked the visual of thinking of the boot position in reference to how much tail you have.  Where as it makes sense intuitively to think that moving the bindings forwards moves your center of balance on the ski forwards and should engage the tip more and turn more you've also just made "more" tail.  100% of that tail is wet.  How much of that new "tip" is actually in the water?

So I tend to think bindings forwards is just more ski not more tip of the ski and if anything its more tail of the ski because you get 100% of that additional ski volume behind your feet and you only get whatever fraction of that change in front.