Minutes of IWWF Waterski Council Meeting

[Horton]

spitballing here cuz I've never even seen one of these things in person. I would think that the longer the yoke is the less difficult it would be to transition from a traditional handle.

[JPeckham]

15 minutes ago, DW said:

@JPeckham - congrats, nice innovation.

As you have navigated the approval process does the yoke dimension have to comply with the 11.5" +/- 1.5" specification?  Have you experimented to find an 'ideal' dimension?  Curious as to how / where the 44 lb. load will be applied?

Once you get closer the questions of diameter, radius, elliptical, replaceable bar etc. will be more pertinent.

@DW Thanks!

In the new rules around handles there will be a secondary drawing that a T-handle has to comply with. These dimensional differences include an overall 1in (2.5cm) reduction in length. This is because this T-handle can tip more than a standard handle and gain up to 1in in the turn. I know this will turn some off, but the boat path is allowed a 20cm deviation in L tournaments. I’m a 39-41off skier, personally I’m not worried about that 2.5cm.

For the ideal dimensions, I tried a few different yoke lengths. I feel the dimensions I landed on are the best balance of limiting the tipping or yaw in the turn while allowing it to tip and move out of the way of something if it’s in the water getting pulled behind the boat.

Prior to this year IWWF changed the width of the block to measure a handle. They went from 3.5in width to 2cm (about .75in) width. I left a space in my yoke to allow a 1/4in thick by 2cm wide bracket to fit into. This is a pretty simple modification to any handle measuring device. To meet the newer IWWF rule these measuring devices are going to need to be modified anyway.

I’m testing out a few different grip designs, constant radius, and varying elliptical radius from inside to outside, along with rubber compounds. 

[JPeckham]

35 minutes ago, Horton said:

spitballing here cuz I've never even seen one of these things in person. I would think that the longer the yoke is the less difficult it would be to transition from a traditional handle.

@Horton You are correct.

However, I don’t believe a slightly more difficult transition is a bad thing. When I switched from semi-hardshell bindings to full hardshells that was a much more difficult transition than the difference in handles. I wouldn’t go away from my hardshells now nor would I go back to a standard handle now. 

[Horton]

I think we're all very excited to see and try what you're cooking.

[lpskier]

One thing we will have to do as tournament organizers is update our handle measuring devices to comply with the IWWF rule for measuring handles, which provides that the handle end of the device is no more than 2 cm wide ( and should fit through the slot in the center of the T Handle “yoke” to measure the length of the handle section). The 3.5” wide end piece allowed under AWSA rules, often a piece of 2x4, won’t work with this handle.

And while a “normal” handle has a +2.5 cm tolerance, the T handle may not measure longer than 150 cm. 

[Horton]

@lpskier

You're not wrong, but on the other hand, it's not like hundreds of skiers are going to show up at tournaments with these handles in the spring 

[lpskier]

@Horton Maybe, but it only takes one to cause a big rule compliance problem if you aren’t prepared. I get to CJ a bunch of record tournaments every year, and one of my primary goals is to avoid unforced errors. For what it is worth, my other big goal is to make sure every skier has a positive experience (within the rules). 

[DW]

@lpskier - I have been involved in misinformed although well meaning scrutineers (different sport but the rules enforcer / checker) that take the fun out of an event or accomplishment so kudo's to anybody that is proactive in heading that off at the pass.

Question- traditional handle maximum length is 152 cm, T or Peckham handle max is 150 cm?  thx.

[Horton]

@lpskier

I think we can agree that if you are a skier who is using the new handle this spring you need to contact the tournament organizer to make sure the handle measuring device complies with the new design.

I think I understand how the measuring device needs to change but I'm not sure. Does anybody have a diagram? How does this affect the use of traditional handles that are bent? We had to tweak the measuring device a few years ago because of bent handles??

 

[JPeckham]

1 hour ago, DW said:

@lpskier - I have been involved in misinformed although well meaning scrutineers (different sport but the rules enforcer / checker) that take the fun out of an event or accomplishment so kudo's to anybody that is proactive in heading that off at the pass.

Question- traditional handle maximum length is 152 cm, T or Peckham handle max is 150 cm?  thx.

@DW

Correct, standard handle is 152.5cm max length and the new T-handle max length is 150cm. 

[MISkier]

@JPeckham, do you have any skier-mounted GoPro video of this handle in use during a pass?  

[JPeckham]

2 minutes ago, MISkier said:

@JPeckham, do you have any skier-mounted GoPro video of this handle in use during a pass?  

@MISkier, not yet. Going to try to get some video to share in the next few weeks.

[Horton]

I think I answered my own question about how to measure. Somebody correct me if I have this wrong. The IWWF spec for a handle measuring device is below. Instead of an old-school wood block that was maybe 4" wide the current IWWF block is 2cm. The hole in the center of the yoke fits over the block. 

 

[Horton]

@lpskier I think you need the latest IWWF measuring device anyway for L/R events for ALL handles so my earlier comment was misguided. 🤷‍♂️

[JPeckham]

The modification to the handle measuring device can be pretty simple. This is one example:

[Horton]

@JPeckham Makes you wonder why we have not done it that way.