Dano

I use a Quicksilver 4/3.  Their suits are flexible, and comfortable.  I've not been cold in mine being used in low 50's water.  This suit does get wet compared to some other suits but it is somehow able to keep me warmer than my old 5/4xcel suit, which was a suit that kept me relatively dry.

@Jody_Seal If only nuclear fusion was so simple.

I’m not much up to speed on all the options to replace fossil fuels, but  I think moving away from oil and gas is good but I’ve yet to see a viable path forward with the current options.   Switching to electric is all the talk but I can’t see how it’s possible without a massive increase to the power grids.  I live in Canada and we recently had -30c or colder temps across BC and Alberta.  This alone caused some areas electric grids to be at there max.  Not ideal to plug in millions of cars in the next few years. While I do support the development of electric vehicles I think our government and industry is too focused on just electric power.  I don’t hear about any other options.  Like others have pointed out already,  Electric energy isn’t clean either. It’s just dirty in different ways.,  especially once you start using batteries.  What ever happened to developing hydrogen ice vehicles? Or what else is out there? 

@ral what happened?  I was thinking of using one this season.  

I like to view the recorded webcasts after the events are over.  That way I can watch at my convenience. Skip the downtime etc… 

My 11 year old was up on the slalom ski and my 8 year old got up on 2 skis for their first times last year.  Tate lake was the spot and the warm water and perfect conditions were the reasons they both had a great weekend,  many thanks to Greg for allowing us to enjoy his place.  Since then I've bought wetsuits for both girls to take the chill out of the local lakes,  and I'm hoping to get one or 2 of their friends out with us.  I think having some friends join in the fun makes the experience that much better for the young ones.  I don't really care if they get better or even take to skiing.  I just want them to have the experience of the lake life.  It's so much more than just skiing, but I mean skiing does make the lake life better.   As long as they have fun is all I care.

@Horton  A 4' rigid pole at the end of 60' of rope sounds terrifying. 

I think most of the pics in the older thread are no longer viewable.  I made this shelf last winter.  It’s just 1/2” plywood and 2  2x2’s screwed to the wall.   Cheap, easy and I think it looks pretty ok. 

I need to stay leveraged longer and improve my movements cl to ball.  I know what it should look like thanks to TWTW.   Who provided  some ideas on how to improve.  Would like to ski in a few more tournaments than I did last year.   It’s gonna be a fun summer. 

@Jmoski thanks,  I didn’t realize the quote was incomplete.  I thought it was new info since PCM’s 2019 advisory.

@dvskier  Ya I know most were using 15w40.  I was pointing out that PCM is now recommending 5w30 for the gt40.    

Interesting that they list the GT40 as requiring 5w30 now.   Didn’t they previously call for 15w40?  

Saw him at Hilltop last summer.  Living legend, at the very top of the sport for so many years. 

I do agree with @aupatking ,  just enforce the existing law “you are responsible for your wake”.  But in saying that it is also the exact reason we are having this conversation.  The question is who is going to set the standard for what constitutes a dangerous wake?   Surf boats in my opinion certainly create a dangerous situation for others.  But perspective is everything.  around here kayakers and SUP'ers will tell you how much they hate those guys in the ski boats the pass by at high speeds and nearly dump them in the lake.  even though the wakes they are experiencing are about as small as you can get. 

Wasn't there at one time a contact list for ski clubs and/or regional ambassadors?  That might be a good place to keep a list like that. 

There are so many issues on public lakes. From what I see in our lakes it’s a lack of knowledge, common sense, common courtesy, and basic driving skills that causes the majority of the problems.  Whether it be a surf boat, jet ski, tuber, skier, swimmer, etc…. It’s the humans that need educating, in how to be safe, and get along with others.  You can blame the boats all you want, but they have people operating them. Boating in my area at least is a free for all. Anybody can buy a boat, throw it in the lake, and run around WOT every which way.  They don’t even know or understand why others on the lake might be upset about it.  

Maybe depends on what exactly you are working on.  For me if I’m trying to work on timing or rhythm, I try to work on those things on a pass that is challenging but i can still run routinely.  If I’m working on technique I might choose a very easy pass so that I can  really focus on executing what I’m trying to achieve without ending up swimming. Results in lots of turns, lots of practice and hopefully a skill that sticks as you move up the line.    
I do at times hammer away at my hardest pass with lots of attempts.  How else would you learn it?    It does  humble you very quickly, and exposes your deficiencies so you know what you need to go work on.  Regular coaching would be tops on my list but there are no options near by.  Video, and an attempt to self coach with the keen eye of some ski buds  is all I got.  

@RichardDoane are the floor and stringers in that boat still in good shape?  

I'm on the hunt for something myself.  I don't want seadek or decadence, or carpet.  been thinking of trying something like this out.  On a side note my boat is old, like really old.  so for me function means more than looks in my case.

https://www.amazon.ca/Drainage-Hollow-Fatigue-Swimming-Bathroom/dp/B0BXLBJXM9?th=1

Pineapple, will be the next ski I buy.

It’s a fast sport with athletes experiencing extreme loads and high speeds. When things go wrong they can be very wrong.  Use whatever release makes you feel the safest. A release mechanism will not guarantee you will not have an injury. Personally I think the release mechanisms allow you to use a boot that would otherwise have no means of releasing your foot and offer a certain degree of confidence it will release in a given situation.  They can pre release unexpectedly and can be prone to mechanical failure or human error with setup.   I chose to not use a release and have been on radar carbitex for many years.  I’ve had plenty of hard crashes including OtF and have come out every single time.  At the same time I attribute that to the fact that I don’t cram my foot into a boot that is tight on me and I don’t over tighten the upper cuff. Could be luck in that I have a relatively long but skinny foot.  I wear size 11 runners and ski a size 12 radar boot.  I can can my foot in the 11 but it’s really tight. Maybe the sizing up has kept me safe in my crashes.  I use an HRT rear and  the real fear for me is that my rear foot comes out and the front does not.  It’s a risk that I accept. 
 

I do find it interesting that we are all concerned about the front foot releasing but nobody is really talking about what happens to the rear foot. Maybe I’m wrong here but I see guys with reflex front and rubber rear.  Are they not concerned that the front can release and the rear does not?  I always thought the goode system was great in that both feet rip off together on the same plate but I’ve never looked at it further since I didn’t like their boots or trust the Velcro (just personal preference) but the idea of releasing both together makes a lot of sense. 

Seems to me that all we are looking for are reference points to align a boot to a specific point on a ski.  If manufacturers were to mark their plates exactly half way of the foot sole or any other standardized point that is the same for all manufacturers, and skis came marked where the binding mark should line up.  there would be no more guess work of where to measure, what binding are you measuring, what size foot etc.......  line the marks up, go ski.  that set up may not work for you but i'll bet it gets more skiers closer to the right spot for their first ride.

Very well done @RobHazelwood.  It’s pretty cool to have the narrative from one of the competitors.  It really helps to portray the level of competition to the viewer.  It’s exactly what this sport needs more of.  This video does a great job of compressing a competition into 18 mins. (Cause who has time for 2-3 days to watch it live) Keeping it exciting with some great shots, and really showing those at home just how intense this sport really is.  

I could see it being a real good option for somebody that doesn't have a garage to keep their boat in.  I was that guy for the first 5 or 6 years of being a boat owner.  A covered trailer sure would have been nice at times. Especially for winter storage.  Super easy to winterize then just park wherever you want.   It's would be way better than tarping and fighting to keep the snow and ice and rain from getting in.

There are a lot of opinions out there on the levels of zinc (ZDP) required for flat tappet engines. Her is a link to what GM's tech guy had to say about the topic.   

https://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/oil_myths.pdf