Speaking of O'Brien's--

[EFW]

You ever see this- it's almost as much as their ski. 
https://www.obrien.com/products/obrien-gc-titanium-fin-kit?title=default%20title
The Omerta and Seige are practically being given away.

[thager]

I'm sure someone will run with this as "Best fin system ever"! Unless O'Brien jumps back into the actual Competition ski market is nothing but B.S. No longer a need for Mach 3+ and leaky hydraulics parts.....

[The_MS]

Improves stability 

Enables ski to carry speed through the turn

Improved controlled tail slide 

 

[EFW]

Some led lights will turn it on! They had all kinds of cool ideas.  Remember Connelly had a 3 fin deal when the Concept came out? Wasn't it O'brien that had that fin with a feeler gauge setup on it? One way it would open to release fin psi and the other way it would close up? (Not Mike Suyderhoud's  jack knife setup) Man when I was young I wanted one of those pointy tip wooden Obriens so bad.

[Horton]

O'Brien has not made tournament skis in 10 years or so. It was sad to see them go but is what it is.

I am going to go out on a limb and say "Titanium" is only a product name.  That fin system is a boondoggle. 

 

[The_MS]

The Obrien Elite was the GOAT 

 

 

 

 

[Horton]

@The_MS we all thought so for a second 

[swbca]

I wonder what brand skis the Fin Block will match the inserts on the ski.  I found they aren't all the same.

My history is ancient so the wood Mach1 was the best if had as of the 70's.  Like all skis at the time it mostly turned one way and not the other.  LeRoy Burnett set the world record on a Mach1 so I got one.  It was good choice for a few years.  

[The_MS]

@Horton after reading my post, i just realized my elbows hurt
I was ready to never take your advise on skis again after buying that ski and dealing with elbow problems the rest of that summer 

[Horton]

@The_MS My tournament PB was on the Elite for a while. It was not that bad but looking back I am not sure it was that great. I think it was just hard to ride but was good if you were technical. 

 

@swbca those fin blocks will fit any of your wood skis

[kc]

The Elite was capable of producing big scores, and also, at times, near death experiences! 

[markn]

Have to go against the consensus of the Elite.  I loved that ski.  Andy Mapple gave me one of his and that thing was awesome.  Must have had his mojo.

[Horton]

Have to remember that every single Elite that was ever built was handmade by @AdamCord

Whatever might be wrong with that ski it's clearly Adam's fault.

On the other hand Andy was responsible for the Sixam at O'Brien. Clearly one of the best  skis ever built. Fact that Adam was not involved does not mean anything.🤷‍♂️

[EFW]

That O'Brien fin block is almost a dead ringer for  a fin block Paul Jager was selling a few years back. I just don't have a picture of it. I think it was a CNC  plastic deal.   What is that all about with the biggest name in skis for year just sitting by the wayside.  I guess the money is all in wakeboards.  Bob Reich use to be really involved with them. Remember the adjustable flex and sidecut forebody  with piezo lights? If that don't turn on chicks nothing will!

[lakeaustinskier]

Elite = one of the most beautiful skis ever made.   

[mike_mapple]

3 hours ago, EFW said:

That O'Brien fin block is almost a dead ringer for  a fin block Paul Jager was selling a few years back. I just don't have a picture of it. I think it was a CNC  plastic deal.   What is that all about with the biggest name in skis for year just sitting by the wayside.  I guess the money is all in wakeboards.  Bob Reich use to be really involved with them. Remember the adjustable flex and sidecut forebody  with piezo lights? If that don't turn on chicks nothing will!

its not in wakeboards, its in vest / inflatable's that they sell to bass pro shop lol

[RAWSki]

21 hours ago, Horton said:

Have to remember that every single Elite that was ever built was handmade by @AdamCord

Whatever might be wrong with that ski it's clearly Adam's fault.

On the other hand Andy was responsible for the Sixam at O'Brien. Clearly one of the best  skis ever built. Fact that Adam was not involved does not mean anything.🤷‍♂️

And now O'Brien has taken the Sixam 2 molds and created the new Siege line of skis for "intermediate to advanced skiers"    

[03RLXi]

2 minutes ago, RAWSki said:

And now O'Brien has taken the Sixam 2 molds and created the new Siege line of skis for "intermediate to advanced skiers"    

They were good, but are they still considered good when compared to a ski designed more recently? I know couple of people wanting to buy their first slalom ski, competent lake free skiers and almost skiing course. I've been safe and told them buy a Senate or Omni. Is the Siege a viable option? It's quite a lot cheaper  

[Horton]

@03RLXi I would assume the current O'Brien don't suck at that level but I would push you towards the Radar.

[03RLXi]

4 hours ago, Horton said:

@03RLXi I would assume the current O'Brien don't suck at that level but I would push you towards the Radar.

@Horton I agree with you and I've been steering them towards buying more recent Senate and Omni, however they do ask why not these other 'new' lower cost skis 

[Horton]

@03RLXi 

yeah those O'Brien's are going to be made in Asia by a crew that is not performance oriented at all. We can assume we know what molds they are, but Lord knows what the materials are. Those skis might be fine and they might be absolute garbage.

[03RLXi]

I think next time it comes up I'll remind them that apart from a few exceptions a 1980s designed car newly built today, possibly with inferior materials and skills, even if it was a classic, won't perform as well as a 2020s designed car.

[Horton]

It is worse than you are thinking.  A lifetime ago when I was doing ski reviews for WaterSkiMag I once did a mid-level ski review. There were a handful of skis that were just too crappy to be included in the review mostly from O'Brien. It was clear that O'Brien was especially guilty of shipping old molds to a factory in China and making skis with the cheapest materials and without caring how they performed.

Radar, HO, Connelly, and KD all make really good price-point mid-range skis. 

FYI- I am not anti-O'Brien. It is a historic brand that I wish someone would rehabilitate. Herb was one of the real OGs in water skiing and O'Brien was his original baby. 

[EFW]

Here's the one I'm thinking of. But I don't see the Piezo lights on it. I thought that was the one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235339920812?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=0hXks2-PTxi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=j2gKTreoQ5u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[The_MS]

The old fin blocks on the sixams sucked. 

[Horton]

@The_MS

100%

[wettek69]

Bring back the O'brien Competitor.... I grew up on that ski.