55's / Gates Adjustment for Wind

[twhisper]

This is a 36/35' pass where I have already started moving on to the left edge a few frames before...

[101driver]

On 3/27/2024 at 5:08 PM, ColeGiacopuzzi said:

To answer the original question of this thread I just move the spot where I pull out depending on the wind, I don't try to adjust the duration of my pullout. 

Building off what @twhisper is saying, I definitely am looking at the gates once my pullout has started. This isn't for everyone, but I stand in the same spot and use the left 55 and one ball and use that intersection of them to start my pullout.  (I always felt this was extremely consistent)  Once my eyes leave there I'm looking at the gates for timing and adjustments like Terry said.

@ColeGiacopuzzi Your technique above intrigued me, so yesterday as it was my first ski of the season and I was just shaking me and boat down I tried your technique. I really like it it removes rope length variability and the trigonometry fixes the start point. I normally pull out with 55's 1/2 boat length in front of boat. Tail wind more head wind less.  Yesterday @15off wind was 26-28mph straight down course so that is 55's a full boat length before bow with, at bow against.  

Presumably you just observe the green and 1buoy moving into alignment and go a certain distance before alinment for tail wind and a fraction after (time or distance) for head wind, is that correct?

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

@101driver Great to hear! Yeah it’s definitely different and I realize it’s not for everyone, but glad to hear it worked. It is for sure more consistent, the only time I’ve had trouble with it is with glare, but that hasn’t happened often.

Yes that is correct, and I go out a tad later as the line gets shorter as well. 

[Rednucleus]

Tried the left 55-one ball recommendation today. Best gates in a long time for this 15 off oldguy skier - thanks!

[101driver]

@Rednucleus Glad it worked for you too.😀

@ColeGiacopuzzi Thank you for clarification and additional advice on line length. I am going to go with this technique I like it.

I need to fit the new ski buoys (at least on No 1, the ones I leave on during winter are nearly white, with the white caps on the rollers and the spray and icey wind it was challenging spotting alignment but I guess my brain will auto program in to do this with practice. Really looking forward to seeing how this compares to my normal pull out point on a non windy day so I can then start to dial in. It seems pretty close.

[Horton]

For what it is worth

• The green balls are 55 meters / 180ish feet from the red balls
• At 55k the boat is going roughly 50 feet per second
• From my first move left until my first move right is about 4 seconds - what I see on video
• My perception is that I move left when the boat is about 20 feet before the green balls

It makes sense to me that the green balls are at least 25 feet behind the boat when I stand up to glide. Need some different camera angles to prove me right or wrong.

 

[ETskier]

Guys, Steve Schnitzer was teaching that 55-1ball technique 30 years ago.  (It began with using the gates and 5 ball before we had 55s.)The sight line never changes for line length. Also works for your turn in for the gates. Example, for me, the 1 ball needs to be about the gate's width past the left gate bouy. In both cases the angles are aways the same. Oddly, I got away from this in 2016 and struggled for several years and just went back to it the last week with promising results.  As for the wind, my above post works right in.  For me it's all about eliminating the variables. Hopefully I'll get back to where I used to be.

[Rednucleus]

Today's the 1st time I tried it, and it's the 1st time I felt like I wasn't guessing where to start the pull. Excited to ski tomorrow! 

[101driver]

@ETskier I will definitely try the #1  buoy line up with a gate width wide of gate buoy. I struggle with this more than the pull out point. I know my width position relative to buoy line, I just know I need to wait longer before rolling in and sometimes I do but it is a mental battle like putting a chocoholic in a chocolate factory, I should resist but sometimes I can't, having a tangible measure will at least give me a different focus. Thank you for posting. Looking forward to trying.

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

@ETskier Yeah its definitely been around for a while I was taught by Ian Trapp I think back in 2007 and it just stuck. 

[101driver]

Ok so I am giving you the credit for this @ColeGiacopuzzi even though not a new technique you introduced it to me.  First day back on the water since your update. Worked well after missing the first 6 passes due to ski operator error.........lined up with a duck instead of a buoy1.......... Got it dialled in works great so volume set for rest 4,5,6,6,6,6. Definitely works for me.