adkh2oskier

@cruznski Been DFC since you left and the water is back up to 75 but since I have no driver I pulled the course. Hope to get a few more ski rides in October.

@Canuck44 I was on a 67" F1 for many years and skied my pb on it. Switched to a 2014 Prophecy and find it much easier and less tiring to ski on but have only come close to matching my PB. Just wondering how old the F1 is you were using and what kind of front binding was on it and what size. Reason for asking is that my old Connelly Vision front has finally ripped and I need a replacement. My old F1 was a 2005 or so, not sure exact age. If it works out I would be interested in buying the binding if its the right one and in decent shape. Can't seem to locate that old of binding anywhere online.

@brettmag Sorry I am not the best person to ask about bindings, I put the binding from my F1 right on to the Prophecy, an old Connelly Vision and a Connelly RTP. It is still usable but I know it won't last forever and I am leaning toward the Reflex. Everyone on it seems to like it and they all seem to think it would be a plus over the rubber. I am old school and my philosophy is "if it ain't broke don't fix it" . Although at some point I will be forced to, just not looking forward to the transition after rubber for 30+ yrs.

@brettmag You should be very happy on the Prophecy. I went from an 08 F1 to a 2014 Prophecy and the transition was easy. Prophecy was much faster across the wake but very similar to the F1 in the turns.

On my 89 SN 2001 I oiled the top every year for 23 years and it held up very good, never slippery. Always did the 3 step process. One thing to watch for on older teaks is that over the years the screws start popping up through the teak and can scratch up the bottom of your ski. I had to actually remove several screws and file them down to keep that from happening.

Started w a kicker a half century ago, went to double boots and then back to a kicker. Kicker I find is easier on my lower back getting up. Also at my course I can sort of Beach Start since the water is between 3.5' and 4.5' deep, and a couple of the man made tournament ponds also. Makes for a bit more time to get the back foot kicked in on the short set ups.

First ski last night. Air and water at 57 with 2-4" chop, great to be out again.

Hasn't snowed here in almost 2 weeks so I got the boat in Sunday, too windy to ski open water. Only a few days in the last few weeks that I would have taken a ride anyway, lots of wind and cold. Maybe today I'll get my first ski in but the wind was kicking first thing this am, may calm down before dark, water temp maybe up to 59 so comfortable for this time of year. Water level still about a foot above summer, course might get in by Fathers Day or by July 4th, about average. 10 day forecast even has us getting up to 70 for a day or 2, short summer as usual.

@lpskier I'm looking forward to it, just don't tell me.

If I ski 5 tourneys a season its a lot, but in the past 20 yrs I can only remember 2 times that someone had the wrong rope length on. One on an opening pass was really strange, 15 off that I was expecting 22. Dropped and asked if the speed was 32 instead of 34 it felt so weird.

I thought he went to a RTP at one point but this looks like he is back to a full back boot?

I think if he was RFF he would have made it.

My course is on open water about 150' from shore on one side and open to the main lake on the other side. Water is 3.5' to 5' so very shallow but very clean and clear. I find it seems faster than any of the manmade ponds I ski in tournaments because I always seem to score higher in the tournaments than I do in practice. The small ponds always seem easier and slower but some are downright claustrophobic with the shoreline so close.

Hasn't snowed here in northern NY for almost a week, ice finally cleared the lake 2 days ago, had to scrape frost off the windshield this am. Water level is up about 2 feet so maybe in a week or so I'll be able to get the docks in and get some free skiing in. Looks like this weekend could be the last snow ski day at Whiteface.

Still looking at ice in front of the house but should be off the lake in less than a week.

Seeing a truck in the middle of the lake on 3/24 means it will be a while before I can get started, probably right around the end of snow ski season. Good timing.

FWIW I bought a 2005 196 a couple years ago and it came with an 07 Eagle trailer, seems to sit just fine on it.

I'll bet that smells nice skiing behind it.

@swaterkd , Also Tupper Lake.

@socalskier I looked into High Sierra Water Ski out of the Sunnyside and you can rent a Nautique but they don't allow the renter to pull a waterskier. So if you just want to ride around it's $140/hr. If you want to ski you have to have someone from the company pull you, probably at a higher cost. But I'm sure someone could figure out a way to get a ski ride in if you get my drift. The Sunnyside is a beautiful spot for lunch or dinner and the food is good, typical resort prices. Beautiful view of the lake and Mountains.

Definitely not for shortline only, and falls happen so fast there is no way to "throw" the handle away from you. I only had my arm go through the triangle once many yrs ago on a -32 fall and it happened so fast I didn't realize what happened until swimming to shore. I was lucky, just a badly bruised forearm and wrist, but it makes you realize how quickly things could have gone much worse. Always ski w a guard now, even open water free skiing.

That's too bad, Cartilage is slow to heal. With ribs etc it is especially uncomfortable as it only hurts when you breathe. It really hurts when coughing or sneezing. Looks like you are still skiing at 36 so your youth will help it heal faster.

Just my personal observation, being LFF if I'm late coming into 5 ball I'm glad I'm LFF, if I'm late into 6 then I'm wishing I was RFF. I am right handed, Golf righty, Bat Lefty. Wakeboard and Skateboard LFF. But hold the handle In the Goofy grip, right palm down. And use a RTP w an old rubber Connelly Vision front.

I free ski more than I ski in the course, usually due to wind, boat traffic or time constraints. Early season start free ski at 22, go for a mile or so then drop/rest, shorten to 28, go another mile or so, drop rest shorten to 32, then go back to dock for a total of 4 miles or so. Great workout. Later season start at 28 shorten to 32, then35. 38 is my pb pass but it feels to strange trying to free ski at that length. The first 2-3 weeks and last 2-3 weeks of each season is all free skiing. If I had to choose between course and free skiing I would likely choose free skiing.

First real injuries in many years made this my toughest season. Rotator cuff issues meant I didn't get the boat in until late May, course in the water by late June. Shoulder finally good after PT only, no surgery, but that was late July. Promptly injures ankle in a weird fall(first time ever ankle injury). First tournament wasn't until late August, promptly reinjured ankle in a second round fall. Only got to 2 more tournaments, reinjured ankle again in last tournament. Out of 8 tournament rounds I only got to the purple line 2 times, so all in all not a terrible season. I was able to ski past Colombus Day but ankle is still painful, doctors next. Hoping to get back to good health for snow ski season and next yr waterski season. Last yr in M5, finding out things don't seen to heal very quickly at this age.