Adam Caldwell

The Small mold is FINALLY done! Building out the first couple production skis this week for the test team.....So, provided that all goes smoothly, keep an eye out on the website for build slots for skis the next couple weeks! I continue to be mind blown at what I'm able to see people do on top of it every time I ride in the boat and watch. We have a phenomenal set of baseline fin setups and binding positions dialed in for 34 and 32mph and will continue to share updates as things evolve over time. We have been VERY tight lipped about what we've worked the last few seasons and what has gone into this ski. But now I think it appropriate to open up and put more info out about the ski. So - If there are specific questions, throw them up here!. I'm thinking we might do a little video to respond and answer them and explain the reasoning and process behind what we did with the design in a format that easier to digest. AND GO! Worth noting.....Having spent and insane amount of time on the c95 design the last few years, we worked pretty hard to improve the ski even further over the last 6-8months (mainly for myself and my personal needs at 36/41). However, having taken a couple prototypes down to FL this winter it was obvious I only made it worse for the everyone else other then myself. Needless to say, I'm at a loss as what we can do to make this ski any better then it already is. We think this design is opening new doors and possibilities that I'm not sure we have fully come to realize the true potential. So for the first time in a VERY long time I am putting down the bondo, Sawzall, files, and sand paper and the all the tools...and just going out to ski. Should be an exciting year!

I think the nub idea makes sense...if you happen to only get a partial grip on it, that extra material might help the couple fingers you did get a hold of it with to stay on it better. Doesn't need to be big...but something maybe better then nothing. Need some A/B tests to really know what would be better.

Well I've got one young gun interested in filing on some skis....Any other takers out there?

I think more people should get out the file and play with a ski. Like @AdamCord said. It can be a slippery slope, but learning things is what fun. I think I would have been done with this sport a long time ago if it wasn't for exploring what filing, splitting, or adding bondo on a ski can do. Its all part of the fun and part of the challenge. Plus if it doesn't work. you at least have a good excuse for the day. Plus, the more skis that get filed on, the more that get destroyed, and the more people will need new skis! If anyone knows of some young guys who are curious to play with this stuff, send them my way!

@Mastercrafter All I am going to say is your embarking on a rabbit hole that has no end. Just think through the dynamics the best you can, come up with an idea/solution/hypothesis, then make the change and go out and ride it. There is no right answer.

@Mastercrafter Its not from the wing specifically. It derives primarily from the hole geometry, however the wing has the ability to further decrease the pressure in that area and increase the propensity of cavitation under the wing. I've seen lots of fins with cavitation pitting on all 5 holes, but typically the most noticeable under the wing. You can run a slot under the wing for sure. Have done that many times. Ski will likely feel much more stable off the second wake.

@Horton, Maybe I misinterpreted some of this thread, but heres a couple thoughts.... To contradict your "absolutes", that less fin will cause more tail blow.... There are plenty of times where less fin area is actually the correct solution to prevent blowouts. The issue tends to be most people are not making a large enough adjustment to create the necessary change. If the fin/boot setup is not allowing for the ski to get in front of the skier and start early rotation off the whitewater, then its likely the skier will need to force the turn at the ball. A forced turn, or any turn where the ski pulls behind the skier before it comes in from apex often causes and instant shift of the skiers mass into the front of the ski. This shift unweights the back of the ski and causes tail to slip in an instant and allows air to pull into the low pressure side of the fin and cause it to release and loose traction. Trying to anchor the tail more by pulling it back or making the fin bigger can often "fix" a tail blow problem, but it also potentially comes at the detriment of more work to accelerate, more load and then potentially a lower buoy count due to the added load and increased resistance to rotation across the second wake and into preturn creating other issues. In conclusion, there are multiple ways to correct tail blow. It just takes a little deeper thought into how to manipulate the skis attitude, speed, and rotation in the water at the right places in the course and behind the boat, and going beyond what may be conventional for a slight "adjustment" of a few thousandths here and there.

@Horton didn't Ristorcelli run 41 at a nationals or big dog event a while back in Okeeheelee?

@AdamCord Has the potential to go way past 1.5. On the c95 he is turning 1 ball tighter then I ever though possible at 43 on just the few attempts he has had at it. The trick for him is figuring out the body rotation and ski setup to set up for a solid wake crossing to 2 ball. But if he gets there, I think he will go to three with ease. That being said, its going to take ALL the stars lining up to pull it off which is a huge challenge in itself, but I have a lot of confidence in his ability to get it done.

Ill be willing to bet @mike_mapple that there are a couple things in the bag that 99% dont take to the lake with them. A steel file and or 80-120grit paper, 220 or 320 grit paper and some 1200 - 2000grit paper. Saw blade Drill bits

@RichardDoane - It takes good drivers and good mechanics! Sounds like your the guy keeping the boats rolling up at Hilltop! @GregHind, its hard in this sport to articulate what something does and how it feels. The only way to understand what this ski does is to ride one! Every time we finalize a new design, ALL of the passes easier to get out the exit gates. Wish we were not so far behind the curve ball, but hopefully we will be getting them out the door soon. Unlike other brands with huge marketing budgets and long time brand loyalty, if our skis don't perform for customers, we lose money and Denali will not survive. We do everything it takes to ensure these skis are the absolute best they can possibly be.

For those who don't live on Instagram....Check out @AdamCord crushing 41off @ Hilltop lakes.

@Lundberg....I think you lost them at Matlab..... @AdamCords college buddy Tom Pollock did this with us via dual strain gage on pylon at Trophy. See if you can head to Hilltop with Cord this weekend and get some data through 41 with your setup. I'd say come here, but thats a long as flight.

Ski might be too under you and decelerating too fast through the finish of the turn. Might try bumping the fin back, longer shallower a touch to help keep it in front through the finish more and also get more tail support into apex and finish. Should make for a ski that will continue to slip and sustain lift as it comes back under the line and not reach a stall speed as quickly and clean up the speed differential as you reconnect with the handle. Or, try bumping one or both boots forward (unless your already stuffing the tip rocker too low)

When a ski drops you and blows out on a heelside turn unexpectedly, throw it on the fire and never look back. No fin adjustment or boot position change will fix it. In my experience, those things happen from a gross disconnect between torsional and longitudinal stiffness that is not suited to properly handle the energy put into it at your level of skiing. Yes Asher can ride it at shortline, but, then again, its Will Asher. Plus, its not worth riding a ski you second guess coming into what should be your best and most automatic turn in fear of another injury. You look like a very distinguished and experienced skier. You'll definitely appreciate something that has the ability to take you deeper into the course and feel safer and more comfortable doing so.

May be time to give feetfinder a more serious look.

Id like to know how ANY of these athletes financially make it to all these events.

There is so much to the formula that I don't know anyone fully realizes. I don't think 43 will happen unless mores skiers really get outside the box and play with some stuff. At longer lines, we really benefit when a ski builds angle easily, and increases tangential speed into CL. However for extreme short-line, the polar opposite is true. The reason being is that speed management once your climbing above a 45deg position on the boat becomes extremely challenging. There is an ideal path necessary for 41 and that path becomes even harder to understand at 43. If the ski either builds too much speed, or decelerates too much, the passes cannot be run. Certainly there is a technique behind it all, but if there is one thing I know, technique will not overcome bad ski setup. And then again, even a perfectly dialed ski matched with perfect technique will not overcome a poorly setup ZO/Engine/Prop/boat/Driver.

Austin Rodgers can jump on a Trick ski and get through 41 at slower speeds without any practice or having skied in a years time. I think his best at 43 was getting over to 3 ball. If that can happen on a trick ski "just messing around" , then I believe it can be a complete pass on a slalom. What needs to happen is a motivated skier, a motivated boat company, support from ZO and propeller manufacturer, and a couple years tuning the cruise and dialing in a ski setup. There is a geometric synergy that needs to be optimized between all elements in the system. Mapple was the closest to having that scenario and the ability to influence change on ALL fronts considered under the development of the Nautique 200. Its painfully obvious that with the "right" boat, right prop and ZO combination HUGE scores can happen. Just look at the Travers event last fall. Get a boat that can deliver power appropriately, but also not overload the skier off the ball and lots of magic can happen at short-line.

I honestly think it can be run. But it might take some time still. 43 off requires the ski to do a lot of incredible things in very short time. In my world, running all kids of crazy setups, its very obvious that the ski - boots - fin configuration have the ability to make a pass nearly impossible to run, OR, almost easy. A big part of that is based on the skis ability to stay on course at the right speeds at the right times. I don't know that it will happen on a production type ski. It will need to have special torsion and flex characteristics and possibly some hardware on the fin that has not yet been designed or figured out. The challenge is figuring out exactly how that ski needs to behave to run the pass. And to figure that out, you need to ski it. Which no one does because it beats the shit out of you. Last time I was there in a tournament skiing at 34 I was seeing stars when I stood up into 2 ball. And only ever got a clean turn and inside 3 ball maybe once or twice. The cruise will be a big part of it also. I think the ZO will need to "run" more ahead of the skier during the preturn such that the skier doesn't spend as much time without the rope as they come in from the apex of the turn. And with the potential for there being a MASSIVE speed delta between the boat and the skier coming out of the ball, I think the boat will need a longer delay before it tries to respond. But as it does, it needs to climb very progressively as the centripetal force alone is enough to rip you OTF through the wakes. I'm not sure how the ramp rates in ZO are configured, if they're linear, step, or some exponential wave form, but my guess is it needs to be such that it will continue to get out in front of the skier. So, basically less gas behind the boat, but then keeping the throttle up as the skier starts riding away from the handle. Im surprised Joel Poland hasn't tried to run it on his trick ski yet.

@Dano, thats where this concept might surprise you. MOST. if not every skier Ive worked with at Trophy will fall back on the tail because they do not have the support from the rope. When the rope isnt tight, instinct mode is to sit back. Doesn't matter if its 22off 30mph or 39off at 36. Your right though, you should be able to rotate the ski without rocking back. But this is exactly where a ton of people struggle. Get the line tight during the glide and have the timing such that the boat is pulling the handle back to center as you turn the ski, and now you have FULL support from the boat and will build energy much more progressively into the gate with a hell of a lot less effort. The days of crazy wide gates and tons of angle on Perfect Pass setups are over. The same moves on ZO boats at 400hp will punish you at 1 and 2 ball with slack. If i knew this only worked at shortline I wouldn't be wasting my time here. Fact of the matter is, I've seen it work for every skier that spends time with me at Trophy and takes a couple passes to give it a true effort.

With ZO, glide speed is unbelievably critical to a successful, repeatable and consistent gate. @lpskier is right on with starting a touch "earlier" as the rope gets shorter. For me, a big reason behind this is to ensure adequate glide time to be able to settle and ensure boat is moving away from me prior to the turn at zero-ball. The other reason for going "earlier" as the rope shortens, is to allow yourself to pull out with slightly less "intensity" such that you don't break into a glide at 38/39 moving too fast. Typically, the shorter rope gets you moving a lot faster a lot quicker once you break free into your in the glide, and you must have a way to manage that energy. Either going with an earlier, softer & longer pullout as the rope shortens or go at the same point or later, but very hard & short. ZO typically hates things that are too aggressive. Hard to get all boats to respond the same every time with a big heavy & hard pullout.

@bko -pullout for the gate super late and fast so you are at a near 90deg position on the boat when you need to turn for the gate. See what happens. Then follow that up with pulling out crazy early, slow so the boat is a lot further in front of you. See what happens. Then go to the dock and think about it with a cold beer. There is a geometry involved that helps promote synergy between the boat and the skier. If you are trying to load a line higher then 45deg position, then you burning up valuable cross-course runway without gaining true support or energy from the boat during the entire "downswing" to CL.

@aupatking A good connection after centerline is only possible when gate timing and position with the boat are IDEAL at the start. Making the cut to 32off often puts people in the 'wrong' spot at the zero ball turn with respect to the boat. This throws the timing between the skier load and boats throttle response out of whack, and sets you up for a slack 1 ball and making for a late, hard pull through the wakes to two ball where your position is already completely compromised and you get separated even worse on the way to 2 ball. Most skiers pullout later and wider as the rope gets shorter, not realizing that their speed in the glide will automatically be higher purely due to the geometry of the shorter line. These things coupled together would "work' on a PP setup, but tend to make live very hard on a ZO boat. So, study your gate. Take a look at what your doing different between the 22/28 and 32 gate. My guess is you'll want look to pullout a bit slower as the rope gets shorter in order to keep your downcourse speed in check at the zero ball. Also look to pull out slightly earlier as the rope is shorter to ensure adequate "time and distance" exist once up in the glide for the boat to be able to get moving away from you just a moment before you rotate in from the glide width at zero. (A higher radial position on the boat, takes more time and distance to swing back below a 45deg position where you will be able to load into a 'supported line' and productively accelerate from a wider point with less load.)

@HortonVery likely Slade Cole (Southern Reigion TC ) has a lot of tournament footage on his Ipad of Jeff.