pgmoore

For those guys ( @Chef23 , @Jody_Seal , and anyone else) not taking the liners out after a set... how do you get your liners to dry? For the first year that I had Strada boots, I did like you and left the liners in as I was worried about damage. But I found that they took forever to dry that way and started to smell really bad. Eventually that overrode any concerns I had about putting them in and taking them out!

@igkya - just re-read what I had written. Apparently, I can't tell my left from right. I for sure ski with right palm up (not left). But will for sure try with both down in the start!

Thanks everyone. A few answers to some questions you had raised: - I could for sure do a better job of stretching in all my athletic endeavors. But that isn't different than before. - Now that you mention it, maybe I'm a bit rushed in standing up and could stay curled up a bit longer. - If I'm sitting down, then my wallet is either in my front pocket or not in my pants. Never in the back. - Vest is Radar Decibel. - Two Strada boots. - @igkya - interesting question about handle grip for the start. Had never thought of that before. I use the same baseball grip as I would during skiing = right palm up. What are you thinking of on that front?

Relative to some of you guys, I haven't skied much so far this year... 7 sets, maybe. But I seem to have developed a new, and unwelcome, phenomenon whereby deep water starts are really starting to bug my lower back. I've been getting a lot of pain and stiffness for the next few days after a session. This is a new situation for me and something I haven't experienced in previous years. I have, however, skied a lot more all at once at the start of the season this year. Maybe that has something to do with it? By way of background: I'm 33, relatively fit (race cross country skiing all winter long), LFF. It's the right side of my lower back that seems to get the most sore. This is starting to bum me out as my sore back is impacting the activities I want to do - skiing and running! As a side note, cycling seems to be no problem. What's up? Is this going to get better? Is there something I can do differently?

As far as I'm concerned, Starbrite Instant Hull Cleaner is the best there is. The wetted surfaces on my boat as nearly all white... just like yours. I've always been very meticulous about keeping the boat clean (or so I thought). Last year, on a whim, I tried this stuff and was astonished as to the difference it makes. It was like night and day. Apply it on a calm day when it won't blow back into your eyes. Also, you're going to want to wear gloves. http://www.starbrite.com/item/instant-hull-cleaner?category_id=566

@Bunger - you can't really look at most skis as being discontinued. Ski companies are always doing R&D and working on the next ski. So the Strada wasn't really discontinued... it's more like it evolved over the course of four years into the Vapor. And the Vapor, by most accounts, is excellent! And eventually the Vapor will evolve into something else.

There was a pretty good thread on this a while back. See if this helps at all: http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/12015/driving-tips-please

A friend of mine has a 2013 Senate-C, size 65. Last summer he removed the wing but now wants to put it back on. Can anyone please confirm for me all the stock settings for that ski? I can't seem to find them anywhere. In particular, what is the stock wing angle? Thanks so much!

Agree with @RAWSki . According to PCM's website: Pleasurecraft fuel injected engines are calibrated to operate on 87 octane fuel and maximum performance is obtained when using this fuel. The ignition timing set by the factory requires the use of a high-quality lead free regular gasoline with an octane specification of (R+M/2). http://www.pcmengines.com/faqs/#ans-1 Then again, I don't own one of these. And an actual owner would be far more qualified to comment on real-world performance.

Agree with @RAWSki . According to PCM's website: Pleasurecraft fuel injected engines are calibrated to operate on 87 octane fuel and maximum performance is obtained when using this fuel. The ignition timing set by the factory requires the use of a high-quality lead free regular gasoline with an octane specification of (R+M/2). http://www.pcmengines.com/faqs/#ans-1 Then again, I don't own one of these. And an actual owner would be far more qualified to comment on performance.

So... 323 days ago this happened after a crash at 4 ball. Broken ankle. Season over. Then, a lot of physio happened. Also, winter in Canada. Then, tonight this happened. One set, six passes. And in terms of sheer joy they were maybe the best six passes of my life. Man, it is awesome to be back!!! It was +21C tonight and it truly felt like summer has arrived. I sure am looking forward to a lot more evenings like this.

@supersonicus - Man... I couldn't agree more. You know what's more important than your brain? Nothing. There is nothing more important than your brain. I'd wear one in a heartbeat too.

Huh... I'm actually shocked by all of this. I suppose it makes sense given that I couldn't find anything online. I was just sure that I must have been missing something. Too bad. Skiing is such a small community already. We need to work together and support each other. Sounds like bad vibes out that way.

@ncskier - depending on where you live, the heater is not a gimmick :p #justsaying #speakingfromexperience

I strongly suspect that years from now we will look back at the idea of skiing without a guard in disbelief. Kind of like how we'd look at riding a bike without a helmet now. Both just might save your life.

Just got word that people were skiing at Shalom Park here in Edmonton today. A cold front rolls through and then we're off to the races next week. I hope... Can't wait for this!!!

Ballers... I am fortunate to have been invited to attend a wedding in Kelowna, BC in mid-August. It seems like a good opportunity to try and tack on an extra day or two for some skiing and coaching. Does anyone know of any ski schools or coaching available in the area? I've searched a bit on Google and am surprised that not much has popped up. Thanks!

@6balls - fair enough. Totally plausible that there is nothing worth doing. Which is great! That makes me happy for sure! In terms of horsepower, to be honest the GT40 has been just fine for our needs. We only slalom (no barefoot) and I've yet to find a person that I can't pop up out of the water. And as for speed control, I will concede that my Stargazer system is not the same (or as good) as the ZO in the club boat. But would recommend it to anyone over nothing. It's a marriage saver for sure!!!

I like this thread a lot. But it has me thinking about the wake on my older boat... As I mentioned above, we use a 1997 MB Sports Boss 190 at the public lake. As I understand it, that boat is built using the '91-'94 Prostar hull. And that's when it got me thinking, I wonder what tweaks can be done to improve the wake? The boat skis well for sure... But what adjustments might make it ski even better? Weighting the front? Anything else? We don't use that boat in the course at all and already try to keep it as light as possible by not carrying extra stuff.

I'm not going to lie... this thread has taken a turn for the confusing. And not in relation to the skis being discussed.

Folks, if I'm not mistaken there are two different characteristics being debated here at the same time. I think that @Horton is referring to the performance characteristics of the ski when he says that the blue Vapor is better. And I think that @goodeski123 is referring to the aesthetics of the ski when he says that the green Vapor is better. But I could be dead wrong and very confused.

@RAWSki - We've been using a '97 MB 190 at the public lake for the past three years. With PP speed control and a GT40, it's perfect for what we need there. The 200 at the club is admittedly better in terms of spray as the line gets short.

This is a great thread as I've been contemplating picking up one of these three skis this summer. The decision becomes even more interesting with the introduction of the Lithium Senate.

@Horton / @PT Mike --> do you have a link to that? I'd be super interested to give it a read.

@MISkier , @lff , @"Steven Haines" , or anyone else with experience.... does this business of inverting the tach apply only to certain engines/boats? It seems to come up a lot. My tug has a GT-40... should I be inverting the tach, too?