dchristman

I really didn't have any idea. I just read this after being out having several good IPA's (Stone Unapologetic? Un-something, not on their website) and went down to my ski handle hanging under the deck. I did 16, could probably do a few more. I can't see how it helps with the stack, but whatever helps! I"ll do more!

My skiing is only interrupted when I can't find two other skiers... or at least a driver and a rider... or my wife says "NO".

@ScarletArrow‌ I just looked at your reference links. Those aren't "old school" in my opinion. They are only old school in the sense that two tricks is old school. They are representative of modern, too wide, trick pairs. Thinking that you could use one of these as you advance would be a mistake.

My vote is go with one from the start, but if you really want to try a pair I would get an old school pair that's narrow like this: ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Obrien-Trick-Jumping-Water-Skis-Fiberglass-40-Adult/201133233488?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23845%26meid%3D8749270668846793747%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D10180%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D151367037289 I hate to divulge that link but I haven't had enough beer yet to hit the "buy it now!" :-) Early '70's first generation fiberglass tricks with binders that match that old O'brien Mach 1 I bought over the long hard winter. Better yet would be an old pair of narrow, rubber edge EP's or Saucier's. ebay.com/itm/EP-Honeycomb-Epoxy-44-Banana-Trick-or-Jump-Water-Skis-X-Large-Boot-/371113683585?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5668196a81 ebay.com/itm/EP-Honeycomb-Epoxy-42-Jump-or-Trick-Banana-Water-Skis-Med-Small-Boot-/371113684186?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5668196cda I think "modern" trick ski pairs are just too wide to be used used effectively. They are unwieldy ankle bangers. They are also going to come with adjustable bindings that provide little support or control.

The old Monza works better than ever with a few enhancements:

@MS that makes me feel pretty good. Back in men 1 my tournament PB was 6 at 36 LL + a couple at 15off. Maybe 70's skis were designed for 75 feet of rope. I probably couldn't run it now because of the new ski technology :-J

@ScarletArrow‌ Anything is possible. Many years ago my back foot came out of the RTP and I ran over it somehow putting a deep gash in my heel with the fin. How that could even happen is still hard for me to comprehend.

@OB you'll be happy to know I added water to the balls today. Here's the same 3 ball were the fall occurred. Much better:

@OB thanks for the nudge to get the balls down. We were just talking about it two days ago - we really need to get it done.

Here's a tg-830 sample using our new camera-mount-on-the-cheap, ala http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/comment/165498 :

They have a newer TG-850, but it looks like the 120fps is only 640x480 and it has a wider angle lense.

I have an Olympus TG-830. It does 120fps at 720p, although only 20 seconds at a shot. But that's just about perfect for 34 and 36. You press the separate video record button to start it and it will stop itself at 20 seconds. It's one of their rugged water-proof, freeze-proof, crush proof cameras. 5x optical zoom. The one complaint some have had about it is noise from auto-focus in videos... that doesn't apply to the 120fps mode because there is no sound in that mode. It's about $200.

@jhughes try it outside the wake, if RFF on the drivers side, LFF the passenger side. You can lean against the rope on edge and then gradually start to flatten the ski out as you find the position that works for you.

I think I voted "this is stupid..." but I changed my mind. I need to progress before... well, I get really old and can't! I never really had a plan, or put serious thought into slalom for the past 30 some years as I considered tricks to be my thing. I just slalomed because "everybody else is doing it". I have become seriously addicted to slalom due to this forum and a long winter of reading. I felt stuck at 15, 22, very occasional 28 and a then a shot at 32 yeah, I'll try it, phew! I'm finished. It can't possibly get better doing it like that. I am now committed to making major improvements this year, and it starts with the tips I've found here and just shortening the line. I started keeping a log and making performance notes and what I want to work on. Spurred on by this thread, I decided to do is to go out at 32mph 25off (yes, 25). I first run two passes out of sync with the course concentrating on the fundamentals, and then attempt to run the course. If I make the pass, I'll go to 22 at 34, and then try 28. Skiing out of sync with the course, I find my skiing is much smoother, the rhythm is right and feels good, and I can tell I'm wide of the the ball line because I'm looking down course. The third pass I go for course. Those damn orange balls are just too distracting, causing all those impatient thoughts to enter my head leading to trouble. I vow to vanquish those thoughts!

I just woke up this morning thinking about crushing OTFs (what's wrong with me !?). I don't recall this being discussed before - @gator1‌ I'm wondering how much you think the release at the human/handle link contributes to the perfect storm scenario. Does the super-human grip provided by the extra leverage of clincher style gloves and accompanying potential delayed release greatly increase the chances of this type of fall? What about a power-vest? It seems to me if you don't try to hang on to something your hands can't handle, your risk of this type of fall is greatly reduced. Unfortunately, perhaps also your performance. How much of the pure momentum of the body rather than compression from pulling on the rope can be attributed? The Goode April Fool's video struck a chord ... has anyone ever suffered a COTF (new abbreviation) with a flat wooden ski and old CG style rubber bindings? probably not. In the quest for performance, new mechanical advantages move the weak link to a new point in the body. Will we not be happy until we have an Ironman Slalom suit?

I'll second the IPA.

I skied at Englishtown once back in the 80's with the Kelly's. The water burned my eyes, pretty distracting. Maybe it's different now, but I'd take some goggles.

@oldjeep Those are the skis my daughter learned on when she was 5. I have two sets, one tied together with ropes and another set are separated. I think we got her up the single of those when she was 6. As soon she learned to stand I would drag her around on the kitchen floor standing on one of those cat scratching boards you hang on a doorknob. I don't remember anymore why it took three more years to get her behind the boat (probably an objection from... someone :-) . She's 22 now and just moved down to Baton Rouge after graduation. She never got too serious about skiing, only skiing a couple times a year through the years. She brought some friends out to the lake to ski a few days before she headed south - I'm hoping she makes some skiing connections while she's down there. Certainly a trip to Bennett's will be in order when we go down to visit!

Thanks all. I will pass on your comments today and stop nagging them. I think the key is to test the release in the water as @zman and @ab said - you should be able to get out without too much effort or pain. How you get out when you're done doesn't have to be the way it would happen in an actual emergency release situation... take all the time you want taking off your gloves and futzing with the strings and velcro to save on wear and tear, but not because that's the only way you can get out. For you guys that just undo the top lace when finished, does the liner come out with your foot?

Over the last year several folks I ski with have gotten Strada bindings. At the end of their set, they seem to have great difficulty getting out of the bindings, and fumble around in the water for a while trying to get out. Is this a typical experience, or do they have the top lace too tight? I got a pair of the similar O'brien Prodigy bindings... when I'm finished I grab the tip of the ski and pull and my feet with the liners pop right out.

@DefectiveDave‌ any updates on your project?

Line tricks aren't dead yet. I saw a few runs beginning with WL5F at the Masters. The juniors are keeping them alive. I think they're worth leaning and fun. Try everything you can! That's what makes it fun.

For those who like to read, Russell also has a nice article on flips and a few on toes here: usawaterski.org/pages/instruction.html

@elr the Joel Wing video advocates the same way of learning the trick as Russell article, albeit in video form. I've watched the Wing SLB section repeatedly, in slow(er) motion before I found the article. I like the textual description. If the line is in the water, it's no credit.

@chef23 here's a blog that Russell apparently started a couple years ago and never really got it going. it has one article - ski line back: waterskilife.com/