BobH

@SkiJay is there any change to your post above to add .060" to the Goode jaw measurement in order to use tips? Thanks.

I checked with Rodger Logan (TC for the tournament) and Jerry Jackson, who approved the record application and sent it to IWWF. The video that's attached at the beginning of this thread is missing quite a few frames and appears to show that she only got 4. Both Roger and Jerry affirmed (from original video with no missing frames) that Regina did get outside the buoy for the 4 1/2 score. World records are reviewed by the TC for the tournament, then by Jerry, prior to being submitted. Then an IWWF panel of multiple judges review the records before approval. Boat path, skier video from the boat, along with rope measurements and all the other data have to meet record specs. Regina earned the new record. She got around the buoy and boat path was in spec. I'll try to get a good copy of the video from Bob Corson. If he sends, I'll forward to Horton for re-posting. Congrats to Regina!!!

Wow!! "the boy who cried wolf" certainly has a response to that. Thanks for the invitation to provide some more info. First, I'm assisting a tournament organizer setup a tournament that will be held in exactly 5 weeks - from today. The last I checked, a week is 7 days. So 7x5=35. That's for anyone who can't do basic math and claims that tournaments are approved 40-60 days in advance. Also, since you haven't approved any tournaments for 2018, you didn't make the effort to see that the sanction was changed to meet requirements that are not required by the rules. That change was made prior to you making your post. Is it true that the evp receives notification whenever a sanction application is either originally submitted or changed? Maybe that's just a rumor. Second, although I submitted the sanction applications for our club, I'm not the President, the Treasurer, or otherwise anyone else who is responsible for making payment. But I'll be sure to pass along your wrist slap to others who are responsible. The first one of those tournaments isn't until mid-June, so maybe the Treasurer plans to wait until about mid April to pay since you won't get around to approving it until then anyway. Who knows. Third, what the heck are you talking about that I'm currently a listed official for a tournament and that the sanction is a violation of the rules but is not in our region? I'm the TC at a tournament in MS in June, and TC at a tournament in IN in Sep. Since you've alluded to something that makes no sense, maybe you can provide some details. I suspect that you might be talking about a tournament that's coming up in about 5 weeks. The problem is when someone doesn't know the rules, they make the wrong call. For AWSA tournaments other than the Nationals, the rules require the APPOINTED JUDGES to be either Regular or Senior - that includes even Regional Championships. Class L requires a majority of EVENT JUDGES to be Senior Judges and the others to be Regulars. Class R requires all of the EVENT JUDGES to be Seniors. Maybe you just aren't clear on Appointed Judges vs Event Judge. Take a look at the chart in the back of the Rule Book. That will help you get clear on the rules requirements. Now, I just happen to have the email where you refused to approve a sanction until all of the listed Appointed Judges are Seniors. So does someone else who commented on this post. Would you care to clarify what gives you the authority to make requirements that are more stringent than the AWSA Rules, or for that matter the Southern Region Bylaws? Please, provide the source of your authority for those of us who are less enlightened. I asked in a reply to your email and you didn't provide it then, and I'm fairly certain you can provide nothing that supports you now. Since you've opened the door, please step right on in.

For any 3 event skiers in the Southern Region who are planning to ski tournaments, don't plan too far ahead. There isn't a single (as in NOT ONE, NADA, ZIP, SQUAT) tournament approved for 2018. That's the fact, Jack.

Chad, I don't think anyone is wanting to drive away any of the manufacturers. I certainly don't. Malibu is not the company that's openly headed in the direction of less support, so maybe Malibu can step in and latch onto that share. Fine with me. That's the way the market works with everything else. The original post was to just find out how many tournaments the manufacturers are supporting and how many tournaments are being supported by individuals. The number of credits required to pull regionals and nationals are not very high anyway. It's not likely that the credit issue would cause any of the 3 to not qualify, unless their support dwindles to the point that they aren't really supporting the sport. Let's take the credit term out of the discussion, since it currently has no real impact anyway. Just knowing the answer to how tournaments are being supported doesn't harm the boat companies, does it? It wouldn't take a new program to do that. Dave Allen, who is the programmer for WSTIMS (not for the rankings list - that's a whole different subject) would just need to create one more box in the scoring program that notes if a boat used was (F) Factory or (I) Individual. It already keeps up with the make, model, engine, and propeller for every boat used. I can check with Dave, but keeping the WSTIMS program up to date with the never ending and more complex rules changes has been much more challenging than this. If we change the question just to ask where is the boat support coming from for tournaments. Is there harm in knowing that? That's not the same question as who is financially supporting USAWSWS. That's definitely a whole different topic. Boat tests anyone? Bob

Check with Jerry Jackson on his IP setup for the boat. Gate cameras and end course cameras can be wireless but there can also be problems with interference. I use coax for gates and end course. That's low cost and have very few problems with it. I also just use some high end analog transmitters/receivers for the boat. The cheapies off ebay don't work that well. If you go to the Tech Controller link on USAWS, there is an equipment list that might be beneficial. http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/divisions/3event/TCResources/EquipmentList.pdf

Horton is spot on. The Scorer has no choice whether to put the info on any boat used in a tournament into WSTIMS. That's a mandate. It's also a requirement to put in all the other info, like insurance, events pulled, etc. Otherwise, the Scorer hasn't followed the rules and supposedly that puts the sport at risk with the insurance company. Once that info goes into the scoring program - the manufacturer gets credit. I know this for a fact. Everyone keeps talking the dying sport syndrome, I don't buy that. We have become smaller because of the huge cost. Not everyone can afford to buy $80K boats, property on private ski sites, and $2K slalom skis. Don't equate water skiing to golf and other sports with a few million members. Try Polo. That's also a very expensive sport and has about 5000 members, less than us, but they're doing very well. Let's just be happy with the size we are. If any of the current manufacturers don't want to support us, then let them sell their preferred "wake sport" boats at the higher margin, and forget about who got them to where they are. There will be a manufacturer that will make boats for us. I'll support them.

The Gasoline Gallon Equivalent (GGE) is 1.4 gallons of E85 to 1 gallon of regular unleaded. That comes from industry standard tables. Using that as the metric, E85 should be priced at least 29% lower than regular unleaded. At $2/gallon for regular unleaded, E85 should be priced at $1.42 to get the same efficiency to price ratio. So there is definitely an economic downside to E85 unless you happen to be the farmer selling the corn, or the plants processing the corn into liquid ethanol, or the politician with a finger in the pie. I see zero tractors in the fields used to plant and harvest corn using anything other than diesel. Farmers are smart. On the pollution side of the equation, gallon for gallon, E85 (according to our federal govmint who we should all trust) produces 19% less pollution than regular unleaded. However, look back at the Gasoline Gallon Equivalent that shows you push 40% more E85 through the engine than regular unleaded. If you look at the truth and facts, gasahol is not a good solution, especially that made from corn. A good solution is drill baby drill and stop sending our money to countries who hate us and use the money to fund terrorism.

The boat is located in Paducah, KY. Asking price is $41.5. It has 250 hours as of 9/1 and is in great shape. No gel coat chips, and the interior has no tears. It's in great shape. It's a promo boat, and I'd like to move it so I can order a 2016 Carbon Pro. Send me an email to rbtharris@yahoo.com or give me a call at 270-210-7552.

If anyone still wants a video on using a rope release, let me know and I'll make one. I've used a rope release for at least 15 years and never had any problem using it - no jams or unintentional releases. Trickers up to 200 pounds only one wrap around the pylon.

firkinguy, I believe you have skiboat38 diagnosed correctly. Actually, he's been known to enter bedrooms late at night with very questionable intentions. I enjoy my firkin as much as anyone, but skiboat38 really pushed the limits - especially with my wife in the room with me. Please just give this guy a firkin. I really believe he needs one.

Don't know where else to post it so I'll post it here. This tournament was also a fundraiser for In His Wakes, which is a great Christian Ministry. Donations for IHS wakes from the skiers totaled $1,475. So we have a great story with Jason on integrity and sportsmanship, and also a great story on charity. In addition to really talented athletes who participated in the tournament, we have a lot of really fine people in this sport. Salute!

Hey John - do you know the code needed to post promo boats on SkiItAgain? I sent an email requesting it from SIA, but haven't received the response yet.

Here's the link for the official scorebook for the In His Wakes tournament. http://www.usawaterski.org/rankings/scorebks/14S150CS.HTM There will be a more detailed post regarding the results along with some pictures, but in a quick summary, Regina challenged for yet another record with 2 @41. She won the 34 mph head to head event ($3000), with Chad Scott 2nd ($1500), Kyle Jones 3rd ($500), and Eric Kelley 4th ($250). Half of the skiers ran into 39.5. In the 36 mph head to head event, Tyler Scott and Dane Mechler tied with 3 1/2 @ 39 in the final. Tyler went first so he won the event. Prizes awarded were Tyler Scott ($500), Dane Mechler ($300), Sam Jackson ($200), and Casey Contos ($150). In the qualification rounds, Dane Mechler ran 2 @41, and Tyler Scott ran 1 @41. Four Rivers Harley Davidson awarded $100 each to the top female performance (Regina with 2@41), top 34mph male (Chad Scott with 5@39.5), and Dane Mechler, top 36 mph performance with 2@41. It was a great and fun event, and we greatly appreciate the support from our sponsors - Eagle Sports, Centurion Boats, Malibu Boats, D3 Skis, and Four Rivers Harley Davidson. Plans have already started for next year!

Entries are definitely open. Both lakes are skiing great. If you've heard anything to the contrary, you've been misled. We welcome all skiers. You don't have to have a huge average to join in the fun in this tournament.