dchristman

@AB The American Skier was the best trick boat ever. It wasn't bad for slalom either, just a bit harder than the others to keep it going straight down the course. It handled kind of like a small sports car compared to the others. I sold that boat to a friend about 15 years ago. He got it running again this year after years of sitting idle. I'm hoping to ski behind it next spring.

I had already posted this in the "Ski Photos that just make you happy" thread, but this certainly seems an apropos location for photos from one of my early ski trips to Okeeheelee in 1983. I found these pictures on the skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com website last week just before leaving to head back to the cold north. http://www.skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1983_okee_0016_okee.jpg Here's a link to all the pics: skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com/gallery/1983/ More description in the "Ski Photos that just make you happy" thread, bottom of page 9.

http://www.skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1983_okee_0016_okee.jpg What I thought was going to be a sad day heading back north after the past week at Okeeheelee turned into a happy one due to some old pictures. I was checking out the ski club's web site this morning before heading out for the last set. On the photos page I see.... A picture of MY old American Skier! After reminiscing for the past week with my old friend Jim Mandolos about the good old days, these pictures appear from out of history from one of our first trips to Okee! This made my whole trip. Al Luck was the photographer since he's not in any pictures. There's Ken Mead, Bud Raley (probably about 10 years younger than Chet is now), and Schnitz. That's me with the trick ski and the half a slalom ball on my head - Al would have to get a picture of that for posterity. Here's a link to all the pics: skiclubofthepalmbeaches.com/gallery-category/photos/ edit: just looking over the photos again. I believe that's the McClintocks in a couple of those pictures... Joel, Jeff, and Judy. ... and I think that's Mike Ferraro with the green visor. Charlie Scalamandre is in the yellow t-shirt with the knee-high tube socks.

I skied the last 6 days at Okeeheelee :D , only 2 more days and then heading home :'( I'm not looking forward to the cold, but I still plan to ski a couple more weeks before we drop the course.

I know Lewis Fields had hip replacement and he skis into 35 off in men 6.

@horton I was going to send you one of these hats with the BD version embroidered on it as a bribe: http://www.amazon.com/Panther-Vision-4-LED-Structured-PowerCap/dp/B00A4HPKJU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1412607973&sr=8-2&keywords=Panther+Vision Would that have helped sway you? :-)

I sense @gator1 comment coming.

It's over when I can no longer find a driver and observer or the lake freezes. I'm hoping for at least another month.

I think @MarcusBrown‌ described it well. We ski to reach the FlowPoint!

BOS - "Bored Old Skiers", "Battered Old Skiers", ...no, too negative. "Brotherhood Of Skiers" ... maybe sexist ... Unfortunately I think all are a pretty good fit ;)

"Stack ain't whack!"

... let's not forget Russell Gay. I found this thread: ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/5713/video-coaching

"It's all about the Balls!" - or - "More Balls!" -or just plain "Balls!"

Chet was a open level tricker in the 80's... It was his event above slalom. He definitely knows something about it. Mike Ferraro is one of the best trick coaches I know of - I don't know how active he is coaching these days, but if he is I would highly recommend him.

@skibrain‌ I like it - the "stacked" version. It reminds me of a QR code. Maybe add a real QR code for the website below it. :)

As the self proclaimed ballofspray, @horton has to like this one:

mnwaterski.com/hall-of-fame/1992/19-dave-saucier says the original Saucier article was written in 1974.

There's a "troubleshooting chart" for edge changes in the Ben Favret "Complete Guide to Water Skiing" based on the Saucier article from a Water Skier in 1982 - it doesn't say which issue. I know it's not November '82 issue, I kept that one because it had the Nationals results of the one and only I ever skied. I wish I would have kept them all.

@Than_Bogan‌ I kind of like the extreme perspective although it's certainly not realistic - the skier ball width is a bit Dr. Jim'ish. I sat at the end of the course last night and it is certainly not as dramatic a view as what I came up with. I'll try moving the gate ball lines in a bit with the same ball size and see how it looks, but I don't think we should have @Edbrazil‌ measure it ;)

Unwritten rules, hmmmm.... Here's the Big Dawg Special Edition (design only - shirt excluded):

@AB‌ have you tried a tech shirt? they're not like cheap 50/50 cotton/poly blends. They're 100% polyester microfiber - very breathable and comfortable. I always insisted on 100% cotton too until I got a few tech running shirts at races. I have one from our local 5k that has a big screened area on the front and it's not like a big, overly inked, sweat inducing blotch on the front of a cotton shirt - it's not even noticeable.

I was thinking about maybe sticking the bow of a boat in there from driver's perspective, but I kind of like the course alone ... sort of Zen. If I put a boat bow in, which brand? Open or closed bow? It would distract from my contemplation of the course.

Make them tech shirts instead of cotton, and maybe have the cost subsidized by the sponsors. You can put logos/website/phone on the back. Long sleeve shirts would be nice, too.

I have to ask, why are so many compelled to attach their cameras to a ski? Most all of the videos I've seen from the perspective of the ski are somewhat lacking in entertainment value and don't seem to be too educational either ... why even risk losing it? Put it on your head or chest. One of the best videos I have seen is this one by Terry Winter: youtu.be/wHng0LBIVwE