lcarnes

So glad to see fellow ski addicts! You are starting where most of us started...open water, fighting rollers, trying to figure out speed, best boat path, etc. I spent several years doing the same thing between going to ski school and getting spoiled by good conditions. A little larger ski is just right for the conditions you are skiing in. Try doing some lean drills to get the feeling of being stacked, with your full body weight leaning against the rope. You can do those drills even when the water conditions are iffy. Then you can translate that feeling to doing the same behind the boat. I spent a winter leaning on a handle in my gym and the following spring, I was finally able to do it behind the boat-the magic "work zone". Also, make sure your driver holds a completely straight line when you are cutting...I once had a driver say that she thought following the shoreline constituted a straight line, and it looks like your driver has the same theory. It's hard to make a confident cut when the boat turns, even slightly in the middle of it.

Progears work great for me and last a long time. Smallest size you can get on.

Many thanks to all you do-I love this site! It may be a small sport, but we are all pretty darn obsessed, and it's nice to be able to read about skiing when I'm resting between sets.

You can't beat Wiley's for comfort and safety.

The stunt man who played Robocop is a water skier in the Dallas TX area.

I got a great hint from Jack Travers over the winter. Start about two feet wider than normal and then pull out at the same time as normal. After learning this, I ran most tailwind passes with a tight line.

Just be sure you spell any words correctly (like "tattoo")...no spell check on body ink!

The buoys will completely change your point of reference. Having slowly made the transition from strictly open water skiing to course skiing over the last few years, I'm still continually amazed at how much more energy is required to get through the course. So hopefully your all day lesson will be broken down into sets. Three sets in a day (usually 6-8 passes through the course) will likely be all you can take in a day. If you are in warm water (and where isn't it warm?), consider taping your hands. Blisters can ruin a great ski day-and they can happen in just one set if your hands are not callused-typically I have much more pressure on my hands in the course vs open water skiing. Hopefully your instructor will have some good taping methods. I use either Duck brand tape or J&J waterproof adhesive. Expect to slow the boat down considerably to help you get the timing of the course. Good luck and have fun! It should be a blast!

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I don't have any statistics to add, but have had direct experience this year, and especially this last weekend. Looking back at my ski log, I've skied behind at least 5 2011 MC TT boats at 3 different sites (and a 2012 MC TT today-gorgeous boat with a great wake). All but one had great wakes. The boat in question had the hardest, biggest wake I've ever seen-on what appeared to be an identical boat. I took the worst fall of my ski career on it. Skiers from beginners to 35 off (not regular skiers behind this boat) commented on the hardness of the wakes. So my logic is that something is different (my best guess is the cupping of the prop) and it would be worth it to find out what. It it definitely not true of most 2011 MC's, but evidently there is something in some of them that creates a hard, big wake. I would love to be a good enough skier not to need a bit of forgiveness on the wake. But for the sake of keeping my body in one piece, I'm going to avoid that boat.

That's the secret to keep her going...even baby step accomplishments made me happy when learning to run the course-in fact, they still do! The secret to getting me through the course was to finally understand that I needed to start my turn well before the buoy. Different coaches tried lots of different words to get me to understand it (get more angle, lean harder, shoot for the imaginary purple buoy, etc). Finally one day, April Coble said "just go around the buoys" and it clicked. Something will click for your wife too! Consider sending her to the women's only week at Coble Ski School the week of September 11. There is something about women encouraging women that makes us all a little better!

You can't go wrong with Coble...it's all-inclusive ski camp for adults and kids. Family atmosphere, great coaching, and the complete package including food, sleeping accommodations, pro shop and lots of entertaining things to do.

Thomas Degasperi and Corey Humburg also in RTP.

Found another one: http://www.waterskicancun.com/

School: Dallas-Fort Worth WaterSki School State: Texas Contact: http://www.dfwski.com/

School: Corey Humburg Country: USA State, Bumpass, VA (Really) Contact: Corey Humburg http://peaceloveandwaterskiing.com/

Was on the ncwaterskiers.com website today. At the top is a link to a funny, funny video cartoon about a guy talking about skiing. I would repost if knew how. John, this would be good for the front page!

Austin is also a very good coach. I worked with him several times in the fall and saw a lot of improvement in my skiing. He and Matt DuBon coach at Trophy Lakes in Charleston and Austin also travels for clinics...

I second the notion to try Rini's if possible. He's a great coach. If he's full, there's Skitek 407 568 1900 and Drew Ross drewrosski@aol.com. Good luck! I'm jealous!

I’m glad a woman finally joined this conversation. Skiing is a GREAT sport for women. As a total ski-addict I’m the one jumping up and down asking my husband--very good skier/driver himself-- for a pull pretty much every day. (Come on spring!) The secret to me getting hooked was skiing with my girlfriends at the lake-they were able to actually cut across that wake and seemed to be having more fun back there than I was just hanging on the rope. Once I got hooked, that led to me taking every opportunity to get lessons, and at every lake, I met one or two women who are as hooked as me. Last year in Acapulco, (guess where) I got the idea to have a ski week just for women. April Coble agreed and we had the first all women’s ski week at Coble Ski School last September. We had a blast with women at every level, from running 35 off to learning to get up on one ski. April is having another all women’s week September 19-23, 2010.

Go to tournamentwaterski.com. Full results are posted. (I would post the link, but I can't figure out how!)ÂÂÂ

Colin,  Cool...just get yourself here and we will take care of food, lodging and all the skiing you can handle (assuming we get rain; our lake is dropping fast). Our guest house has 3 bedrooms, so bring a ski buddy or two if you want. Talk to you soon! Lynn

Colin, This is your friend Lynn from Lake Lure. Congrats on completing your service and for getting back into skiing. I know you probably can ski to your heart's content on your lake; I ski pretty much every day and if you want to make the drive out here, we would love to see you and pull you til your arms fall off. We have a submersible course on the lake and ski early mornings. I have an F1x, but it's 65 so I think it's too small for you. Also, I go ski with Seth Stisher in Charleston several times a year; it's a great place to demo skis. From what I understand, the Radar Senate is awesome and will probably be my next ski. So take Horton up on that deal if you can and/or go ski with Seth. He will definitely take your skiing to the next level. If you get a chance, give me a call. Your mom has my number. Lynn Carnes (Pitts)

Ed, Done...I'll see you in June. Lynn

I'm in Florida for business the first week of June and have signed up with Rini for 4 days that week (Mon-Thurs). I'm very much a beginner and this will be my third time with Matt. Look forward to meeting you in person.  Lynn

This might be the one: http://www.freedomslalom.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=14&Itemid=58  And my brain "understands" much more than I can translate into action behind the boat. So no, I don't understand it!