Marco

Richard- Can you provide feedback after you ski the Strada's? I am particularly interested the release mechanics in an OTF. I am recovering from a full achilles rupture 6 weeks ago, and am reconsidering my current hardshell binding set up. Perhaps you could be a crash test dummy in an OTF or two??/vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif

We do the same as TW, but I take it one step further. After I run the pink antifreeze through the engine, I drain it out again. It has done it's job of clearing any water from the engine. Although the RV antifreeze claims "burst protection" to minus 50 F, the MSDS show a freeze point of 9 deg F. I know that at that point it only begins to turn to slush, but with occasional temps dropping below minus 20, I opt to drain the antifreeze as well. I know it is overkill, but it gives me peace of mind. For the heater, our Malibu has a supply and return hose from the block to the heater. I just disconnect both hoses from the block, blow into one, and the water comes out of the other.

I agree that you will get better, more complete coaching from a coach facing backwards, but I do'nt believe that you will necessarily get "bad" coaching from a coach who is driving. I have received good information from a driver/coach as well. Given the choice, I would always choose the separate driver option. If there are 2 or more of you going to get coached, you could probably provide your own driver if needed.

There are a few things in Hortons description that I am trying may hardest NOT to visualize...

If the site in Denver is Laku landing, it is a nice site, and was home to the 09 Regionals. Check it out at www.laku.com Lots of good shoreline camping, and only about 3 miles from the town of Windsor, which has plenty of hotels and liquor stores!

Wow! How long ago did he have that crash? Sounds nasty. How is your friend coming along who recently had achilles surgery? As I recall, she had it around the same day I did (sept 16th). I am already partial weight bearing, which is weeks ahead of what I was told to expect! /vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif Hopefully your friend is doing just as well. Thanks for the info on the FM E series. I'll look at those also.

Deke- I'd like to check them out. I'm not very mobile right now, but maybe we can hook up later on when I can get around better. Thx!

I think I would have a hard time going back to rubber bindings as well. The performance increase I felt with the Reflex was pretty dramatic. The RS-1's do sound like they would be a happy medium between rubber and hardshells, and safer for an OTF fall. I have not seen a pair in person, but I understand that they are a medium stiff lace up boot with the release being the elastic laces??? Deke- do you ski on the RS-1's? If so, I might have to track you down to have a look at them.

Brad- I have not heard of anyone who has suffered the tendon/muscle tear, so I can't give you feedback there. I would imagine Scot J has dealt with it before, so maybe he could give you some good information. You might find some info, or at least can ask the question, on the achilles blog. With the better blood flow in muscle/tendon interfaces vs. tendon/bone interfaces, i would think that healing would be accellerated, but what do I know. To answer your other question, I ski in Western Colorado, and have also seen many perfect ski days go by since I had my accident on Sept 10th, but our season is quickly coming to an end.. I also have to watch the snow ski season go by, which will be tough since my office is about 5 minutes from the slopes. I'd rather miss snow skiing than water skiing, so I am ahead of the game there. Clive- Why do you think the carbon plate contributed to pre-releases? I assume you have it screwed to the ski as opposed to inter-loc. What failed to release...the Silveretta release on your front foot? Is it your front foot that was damaged? I had been having problems pre-releasing in tip stall situations at shortline, and after further inspection of the reflex, I noticed slop in the boot heel/Silveretta. It turns out that the top of the front of my boot and the bottom of the horseshoe that holds it had worn, allowing my boot to slide foreward slightly. In response, I moved the horseshoe back to snug up the boot, and at the same time, increased the tension on the Silveretta, thinking that the "stay with the ski at all costs" was the safest protocol. WRONG!!! My question is; Is there a binding system that protects Achilles tendons and related tissue better than others? I know that bindings are a "pick your poision" decision, but I need to find the best system to protect the injury I have incurred. I love the performance aspects of the Reflex, and don't want to sacrifice that, but at the same time, I want to minimize the chances for re-injury.

Brad- Sorry to hear that you are in the same boat. What are the specifics of the crash that led to your injury? Which foot is injured, binding system, etc? For me I am LFF with a Reflex that I obviously had cranked too hard. I center punched 2 ball at 38 55K, and my left (front) achilles just exploded. The pain was overwhelming at the time, although I have heard of others like you where the pain was not that bad. Be careful wih the clots.  Having had a PE, I am sure you are well aware of the dangers. Be sure to have any calf pain not immediately at the repair location checked out. Luckily for me, mine was not in the deep vain, so there was no chance of it traveling. A DVT hower, can have fatal consequences. There is a good website that a forum member turned me onto. Check out achillesblog.com. It has a lot of good information. Good luck with your recovery, and let us know how things are progressing.

Clive-Regarding the blood clot, I have a clotting disorder that requires me to be on blood thinners, but I had to stop taking them in order to undergo surgery. I had a glitch in my meds before I got theraputic again, hence the clot. Also, clots are always a risk after surgery. Scot- No worries about bumming me out. I am past the denial stage and into acceptance. Just got back from my PT session and he told me that I will be able to start strengthing excercise and partial weight bearing later this week, so things are progressing better than I expected.

Cliveous- I did a complete tear on my achilles 3 weeks ago today, and 2 weeks post op. I have been told to expect no weight bearing for another week or so, then partial weight bearing until the 8 week mark, when I can hopefully lose the crutches. After that, lots of PT and strength training, with a goal of being back to "normal" in 6 to 8 months post op...that is if the blood clot they discovered in my calf yesterdy doesn't set me back any further. My surgeon told me I would be better off if I had the fracture instead of the full rupture. I feel your pain. Hang in there, and hopefully we'll both be back on the water by May.

Here's how my season ended this year. Curses 2 ball!! You win every time.

Thanks Eric- Just got my stitches out and got my custom boot today- ready for my first PT session. Now the real pain begins.../vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-yell.gif

I was above 6, probably at 6.5. My bad. I cranked it down because it would release due to tip stall on my offside at my hardest length, and the ski was gashing my rear leg. Instead of tightening the binding, I should have just focused on my technique to keep speed through the turn. I never pre-released anywhere else other than at the end of a tip stall. I should have kept it set at 5. Oh well... live and learn.

Scot, I just learned the same lesson the hard way. I was in the "I don't want to release camp", and had my Silveretta cranked down pretty tight. Center punched 2 ball... torn achilles on my front foot. Now I am 8 days post op, no weight bearing for 7 more weeks, and a long rehab ahead. I am now second guessing what bindings to use when I return to the water next season. Not sure if any other system would have prevented my injury, so my initial thought is to stay on the Reflex, just with a lighter setting.

Leon, Thanks, I saw their names in the Officials listings for Awsa. They are the closest Tech Controllers to us, but they are on the Front Range, and we are on the Western Slope of CO, so it is a bit of a drive (350 miles). The senior judge who is helping us get the tournament together is good friends with both guys, and was going to try to get them to come to the tourney. Maybe I could entice them to come a day earlier to do the survey, If they are willing and have the time.  How long does it take to survey a course, assuming it is pretty close to begin with?

Leon, Thanks, that good information, and is exactly what I'm looking for. I am not sure where our nearest tech controller is, but I'll look into it. It would be nice to be surveyed for peace of mind. Marco

I skied 5, and also tied my TPB in back to back tournaments. Went to Regionals because it was in my home state, but passed on Nats because it was too far away. Ive seen plenty of hot chicks on the starting dock, and even have been beaten by one once or twice/vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-embarassed.gif

We will be hosting our first tournament ever on our lake next year (class C), and I am curious about course surveying requirements. 1- Is there a requirement to have the course verified via survey? I can't find this info (for a class C) on USA Water Ski or AWSA, but I am sure it is there somewhere. I have skied in tournaments on lakes that have not been surveyed in many years, so i know it is not a yearly requirement for class C. 2- I have seen information on doing 2 or 3 point surveys, but a quick skim of the the information makes it look extremely complicated. Are these types of surveys done 100% from shore, and do you need GPS survey equipment or a liscensed surveyor to get the job done? 3- Can the course be "surveyed" via measuring the actual bouys/gates/boat guides per the slalom course layout schematic including diagonal verification? This is how we installed the course in the first place, but the lake was dry at the time so it was very easy to do. Not so easy now that the lake is full. Sometimes the lake freezes over, so maybe doing it in the winter would work, but as the water drops starting Nov, the bouys get slack, and will not be directly over the anchor point by the time it freezes enough to get out on, so verification that way might not work. 4- Short of hiring a liscensed surveyor, what is the easiest way to survey a course, and can it be done by someone with no survey experience?  5- I do have a builders level/transit that can spin angles and pivot vertically. Is this enough to get the job done from shore?  Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Tuney- Glad it worked out. You are going to love that boat. If you have never driven an inboard before, they handle very differently than I/O's, especially at slow speed and reverse. Reverse has almost no steering and the stern will pull to the right. In forward, the steering is slow to react at idle speed, and non existent while coasting. You'll learn to pop it in and out of gear at slow speeds to maintain direction. You'll get used to it pretty quickly, but it is very different from an I/O. Just be careful around the docks and other objects until you have a little practice. Also, pay attention to the bow when crossing wakes. It is no problem if you are up on plane, but if the bow is settling in the water when you hit wakes, you could take on water if not paying attention. Report back on how you like it after you have had a chance to ski behind it.  Marco

At shortline, I think "keep the eyes outside the line", meaning your line of sight should not be crossing the rope at or before the hook up. Basically, keep your vision down, not cross course, shoulders and hips open, CoM slides over to the handle for a clean hookup at the rear hip. Gotta run.. Off to surgery tomorrow early AM to repair a ruptured achilles I blew out last thursday when I center punched 2 ball /vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-cry.gif

How do they release?

Your Reflexes must be older. The newer ones eliminated the piece that spans between the hinges so the heel of the boot sits directly on the ski.   Remi said they made the change on the advice of AM.

We know it is all in good fun! If this was SkiFly, it would be another story.