skibrain

In North Dakota this weekend. Ice just went off the lake. We were focused on cabin work so didn’t ski, but we checked water temp and it was 41. I’ve had two O’Neil hybrids and I’ve liked those because they have closer fitting neoprene legs. Generally wear a light fleece and comp vest INSIDE the dry suit. A buddy just got the Fluid. Haven’t heard a report yet, but that is what I’d look at next.

My sense with ski stuff (and motorcycles, snow skis other hobby stuff I’m into) is that it is super-narrow niche market stuff for the most part. I usually know exactly what I’m looking for. A seller with a match is more likely than not a kindred spirit. I’ve had good luck that way on S.I.A.

D4 VECTOR (prev. composite structures) ARVIN HYDROS PULSE

Ice cream headache is brutal when temps are much below 50. Beanies look stupid but work. Here also sitting with feet in a cooler full of hot water....

@PacMan March 23 earliest. Dec 1 latest. On either end of the season, a sunny day with air temps mid-60s + is way easier than air temps in high 30s. Dry suits of course. Even with nitrile glove liners and hot water in the boat, w/34 mph windchill the hands go away very quickly.

We skied in twin cities a year ago April 14. Similar weather. Likely on the water this Saturday, but the crew is a little slower getting boats out of storage this spring.

It’s early season in MN, so “still skiing?” Is more accurately “still planning to ski?” Yes. Walking in the neighborhood, hiking in the woods, spading the garden, driving a car, riding bicycle, riding motorcycles, waterskiing... all have some potential for injury that would burden the health system. I’m not stupid. This is not the summer I’m going to take up barefoot jumping. But being ALIVE to me is being active. I think there are plenty of ways to do that while respecting others, avoiding crowds and being safe.

@MarcusBrown thanks for doing this. For tying together the threads and fabric and the people of our sport. So cool.

The Wind Alert app is my favorite quick look at local wind/temp. (Windsurfing app but works equally well forecasting the lack of wind.) Logging daily ski activity would be nice. Currently happens analog.

Ice on the lakes is a bigger factor currently. Ask again in 3-4 weeks. Lots of social distancing involved with early morning skiing.

Somewhere between trick skis and shoe skis? I’ve had these beauties on display for many years. They deserve to be in someone else’s more complete collection. I just put them on S.I.A.

...

Hats off to trick skiers! I just listed this pair on S.I.A.

Love this. I’ve owned a couple of CVX-16s and never used one to pull a skier through the course, but driving an 1,100 lb boat with a shortline skier is definitely a handful!

Thx @503Kento @Pullhard if your real question is 20 - 30 years ago I used to ski on a _________. It is still in the boat house but I’m thinking about getting a new ski. Where do I start? Or I love ______ about my old ski, anything out there that shares the DNA of my old favorite? Apologies if that is putting words in your mouth, but that is where many of these threads end up. ?

There was a thread in the past year about the most influential skis over time. I Can’t find it now but maybe someone has the link.

There are many things about the “sport” that I love; how being on the water amplifies the beauty of any day, boat maintenance and mechanical aspects of it, the gear, exercise fitness, and just the physics of acceleration and carving through water. While I had early exposure to lakes and skiing (skiing by 7, slalom by 9, barefoot by 13) I am living the dream now because I’ve figured out a way to ski 65-70 days a year (MN) and fit it into my family and work life for the past 24 yrs. There is public water 15 minutes from our metro home that allows sunrise to sunset skiing. I’ve recruited and built/found a network of skiers (partners in crime) who are like minded. Some of those years I kept a boat at home and trailered, now share a DD boat with someone who lives on the lake. But to make it work, it happens EARLY for us. 5:30 - 6:00am start when light allows, wind is down and only a few other skiers are on the lake. Done by 7:30. Then packed up and off to work. Very little hanging around. We’re all business. I still get a little giddy every time I’m laying out gear the night before, and when up at 5:00 driving to the lake (often in the dark). I can’t believe I am so lucky to be able to do this thing I love so much. It’s seeing the sunrise on the water, it’s the speed and adrenaline rush, it is the laughs and friendships pushing each other to go all out every time we ski. At age 59 I am skiing way better than I did when I was 20. Blessed. Lucky. Living the Dream. That’s my skiing lifestyle.

We are typically on the water before sunrise and done by 7:00 a.m. Some magic moments happen on a frequent basis. Once in a while we take some photos....

OK, acknowledging that this forum is 95% focused on slalom course skiing, SOME of which is done competitively in tournament settings, i think it is critical to define what meant by “waterskiing” (and what is meant by “growing the sport”) Getting more registered members? More prize money at tournaments? More available tournaments? Selling more boats and skis? More people riding a ski/skis behind a boat of any kind? If you compare our sport to wakeboarding, wakesurfing, or especially alpine skiing, the VAST VAST majority is done at a recreational level. Few have a membership to any national organization, most people are messing around with friends or family (groomed, powder, back country, off-piste.....no slalom gates involved right, but it still gets included in the sport of Snow skiing). Lots of $$$ for skis, jackets, lift tickets and resort accommodations plowed into the industry without a soul chasing gates. And yup in my MN city the bigger high schools have race teams, but in general, what percentage of competition vs total participants are we talking about? I’d argue a general volume of participation is what supports the (snow skiing) industry and Leads to interest/support for competition. I think growing competitive slalom skiing HAS to have a corresponding massive increase in the base of people involved in the sport of waterskiing in the most general definition.

Holiday gift from my daughter. 1950 publish date. Lots of good stuff. “The technique of the turn on a single slalom ski is quite different. As you approach the turn, straighten both knees and transfer your weight so that about half of it is on the foot in the rear binding. Then, when you want to turn abruptly, lean to the side and even further backward. Your rear foot can be used to bank the ski more or less, as required.”

I love the low-freeboard style of the Sanger. Really pretty boat.

The Glastron 180 (I share a yr 2000 with my BIL) is a passable compromise, and better than a fleet of i/o’s but not as good as some of the older flat bottom ski boats. Back 15 yrs ago when I was hot to buy an outboard, while I never skied behind them for comparison (Flighcraft, MC, Sanger, Centurion) the research and consensus seemed to be the early ‘87-90 MC Prostar 200 had the best slalom wake of all these outboard ski boats. Flat, no-deadrise hull was the key. Ton of floor space without the doghouse. The 91 and later Barefoot 200 had a narrow little V in the hull (and giant trunk for gear behind the back seat.) crisper wake for BF. A little faster, but not quite as good for slalom. Some day a Baller in northern Wisconsin will connect with Dynaski for a demo and let us know how they ski.

MN. The guy who was drilling holes in the ice that year said there was 23” on March 23. 3-tons of Chevy Suburban has a really solid pull at 28 mph. Alpine snow skis work much better than combos (with or without fins).