VermontSkier

@Rednucleus all good! Thanks for responding. I think I’ve seen you post on themalibucrew as well, I am also a Malibu Sportster owner! Cheers

Hi ballers, I am in Seattle for the next couple weeks as my girlfriend is on an extended work trip and I am hoping to make some skiing connections and get in a few rides (ideally in a course but free skiing would be fun too!) I just had my first sets of the season last week in SoCal (thanks Eric!) but I packed my wetsuit. I know its cold, but we get started early in VT so I figured people must be skiing here. I am staying downtown and I have my ski, rope, handle, wetsuit, and cash! Thanks for any help! Spencer

Great skiing in the SoCal desert!

I am not an expert by any means, but I greatly enjoy the radar vapor boot (I have last years, not the newest iteration.) I just use the vapor boot on my front foot and the HRT on my rear foot. I keep the radar bungee on the loose side for easy release in a fall but find that the carbitex material of the vapor boot offers great lateral support. It is a very solid boot.

Found on Facebook market place and was posted today. Owner said via PM that he bought it last summer and previous owner said it was winterized but he found two freeze plugs popped out. Needs interior. I wish I had the mechanical skills and resources to make this a great ski boat again! https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/1321109255058505/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Ae55947e1-82d5-4a5d-a924-9ce2f7f254ca

@irishsam following this thread- I have a boat and course in Southern VT where my girlfriend and I live full-time but when/if she gets called back into work at PepsiCo near White Plains we will likely be getting an apartment down there and spending a few days a week in the area. Would be great to find some folks to ski with in that area!

@Miltaryman the Tige 21i do not get good reviews for slalom wake. I had a friend considering purchasing one this summer and there was not much good to be said about it in terms of wake quality. /forum#/discussion/25745/2005-tige-21i-ski-wake

Does anyone know if Malibu will stay in the ski boat game for much longer? Saying this as a Malibu owner but with no knowledge of their intentions for 3-event.

Thank you all so, so much for the insights and sharing your experiences. I have resigned myself to getting my ankles stronger and working on rehab. I am back to walking normal now but still some soreness, hopefully I can start doing some easy skiing soon. I also purchased a lase-up brace. @Timr71 I'm also a big runner not being able to run has been a bummer. Hope you get back on track for your fall races!

@eleeski this is very cool if I ever try some trick skiing. And thanks again for the pulls early this spring Eric!

This is all very helpful to hear. I did get x-rays the day after and luckily no broken bones. Im getting more mobility every day but the tendons are still a little sore. Probably will pay a visit to a PT to get things moving in the right direction. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, hopefully I can salvage some skiing this summer/fall even if its just easy passes. Luckily there is a lot of good beer in Vermont to ease the pain. Cheers!

Hey ballers, I am looking for input here regarding returning to skiing following an ankle sprain. About ten days ago I took a pretty bad fall on my opening pass at 22' of 34mph. I was in a weird head space after a weird week, and after turning the one ball I (according to the spotter) leaned really far back and launched over the wake and then proceeded to rag doll. My foot did come out of the binding. I ride on a radar vapor with a carbitex front binding and RTP and keep the top lace loose (might go even looser now on the whole boot). Still, the fall was bad enough and must have been more to the side than an OTF which must be the reason my ankle got injured. For a couple days I could not put any weight on the foot without severe pain but now I am walking, usually in an aircast, and riding the road bike a lot without pain. The swelling and black and blue is gone but the ankle definitely needs some more rehab and exercise. I guess I am basically curious about what you did to get the ankle strong again and how long you waited to start skiing. Did you tape your ankle? This is definitely a case-by-case basis as all injuries are different, but I am bummed and really want to get back to skiing. Thank you for input and advice!

@Dano I run the newest PP 9.2 on my 2002 Malibu Sportster which is a carbed indmar 351. My boat maybe overshoots slightly but very quickly settles in. When I accelerate pulling a skier the PP head unit beeps as it locks into the RPM and then GPS takes control. I assume you have done auto-calibration? In comparison, my ski partner has a 2006 response that is DBW and fuel injected and that boat locks in perfectly so maybe it has to do with having mechanical throttle on our boats as well as the Carbs.

@swbca this is super interesting! I have a 2002 Malibu Sportster and while the wake is small, I would like to try this to soften it up. I know from your other threat you had a pretty big rooster tail and that seems to be flattening, but have you noticed the waken soften at all?

Anyone know why Nate has missed a couple events?

@AndyP I live and ski over in Brattleboro, there is a good mechanic over in Hinsdale at Norms Marina, his name is Greg. Not sure how busy he is but that would be the place to do an on-water tune since they are right on the river. Good luck!

@Horton I was one of the boneheads who called it out thinking I was so smart and crafty... I loved that you changed our comments and created a dialogue. So funny. Now I know for next year. That was awesome.

How do you tune the air flow? Or can you?

I blame knee-boarding

Oh nice, thats the one! looks pretty sweet despite the busted glass!

@jerrychabot I use mine on the Connecticut River which is generally pretty mellow, certainly mellow enough for us to keep our course in the entire season. Ive only taken on water from turning back into my own wake, which I’ve learned how to avoid after the first two times. Looks like there is a super clean Sportster for sale in North Hero VT if you search on facebook marketplace.

@jerrychabot I live in Vermont and have a 2002 Sportster with PP. I really love it. Great on gas, fast, and skis very nicely. Driving my buddies at 35 off in the course can be challenging, but they like the pull and the feeling of the small wake. Yes, the wake is a bit firm, but its very small. I don’t have the open bow, and it does take on water easily if you are not careful, but its a solid little boat. Good luck!

Thanks all! Ive seen an example of someone using starboard with a net between, but cant really figure out where is safe to mount (upper part of the gunnel?”

Would be curious to see if anyone had made ski racks for their gunnels. I have a Malibu sportster and would like to keep my buddies skis off the floor when we are skiing the course so we have more room to walk around/change ropes etc.

Going to torch lake next week for a few days, any places to ski a slalom course and get some rides? Will of course pay for my gas and yours!