elr

Interesting that 2 of the 3 scores into -41 were at the bottom of the list.

@Horton - don't know that it makes any difference but I should have said "square to the ski tip."

I have never heard open/closed from any high end professional coach, I have heard "hips square to the ski" from many.

Austin Nichols - was ranked #3 junior in the world. Wanted to be a professional water skier until injured then turned to acting/directing.

Don't think that I would use a comp vest on anything but a ski ditch . . .

Go to Bennetts and get the right stuff . . .

Hydrogate is adjusted by moving a lever that is located by the windshield on the drivers right. On my 196 there is a label for slalom and trick/jump on the plate that goes around the lever - push or pull the lever to the discipline you are going to do. On my 196 there is a noticeable difference even at slow speed - but the v-drive may need more speed for the slalom wakes to flatten and soften. I am only aware of one type of hydrogate.

Is your hydrogate down when you slalom? The hydrogate when it is down lifts the back of the boat and makes the wakes smaller and softer.

I've skied the SN long and slow (-15/26), wasn't getting launched and enjoyed myself. My personal boat is a 196.

Would only use a sunk boat in a private ski ditch . . .

@Horton -- Thanks!

I would try a 65" D3. At your height and weight I don't think you need a wider ski. D3s are very user friendly and great for smaller beginning course skiers. The 65" ski will give you enough ski for slower speeds and the traditional shape will allow you to go faster when its time.

How do you adjust for 6’ + trick skiers?

I have been really happy that I put my son on Reflex/rtp for both trick an slalom at 8 yo 15 years ago - He never had a shin gash even without the cover they have for the release. After the initial investment in two plates/releases the setup becomes less costly then changing bindings as as the foot size changes. The added control was really beneficial for my son as he started trick.

@Horton - yep I spent my twenties playing beach volleyball so I wrongly assumed familiarity with the format. Also I didn’t see your first post before I made my first post.

@Horton - Yes real thing. Its the way beach volleyball tournaments have been run for decades (minus the handicap part). Double Elimination = you ski until you lose twice. Winner stays in the "Winners Bracket" and competes against the winner of the next match. Loser drops to the "Losers Bracket" and competes against the loser of the next match. If you lose in the Losers Bracket you are eliminated. Final match is the winner of the Winners Bracket v the Winner of the Losers Bracket. The winner of the Losers Bracket would have to beat the winner of the Winners Bracket twice to win the tournament. Losers Bracket skiers ski twice as much as Winners Bracket skiers if they advance so there is an element of fitness involved. Attached is an example of an eight skier set of brackets. Handicapped = any handicap system that works to make the matches competitive - it could be scoring all max speed skiers at the 34 mph buoy count like your cash prize event, or something based on zero based scoring. There would need to be a tie breaking rule. For high level tournaments it can be eliminated.

Handicapped double elimination tournament.

Wonder if the aesthetics have to do with materials and the ability to make a 2945 lb boat - with CC there is almost always a reason behind the design. Anyway a single color deck and hull really calms the looks down. And yes for three event skiers tricks matter (probably more than slalom and jump). With 10 hydrogate positions and 5 ballast positions (instantaneously available without having to shlep weights), with some practice time at a tournament site you can probably get the wakes you practice with.

Well this dad would have sprung for two more Regionals and four more Nationals under the new system. Regionals and Nationals are $1,000+ tournaments and the money was better spent on coaching.

Anything for trick skiers?

I had my son get up on a wakeboard before one ski - he went R, L, R, and then settled on L.

For the Ski Nautique I really like a single color.

Yep - go slow on the full course.

Speed = Angle So how do you coach a newer skier to get and keep angle into the 1st wake? I think gate shots from both sides following what the Adams teach could be useful. Also two handing could help with the instinct to get back on the handle for support.

@The_MS there were/are two fires - the Santa Rosa Beach (Musset Bayou) fire was within 1/2 mile of Cory's and my place - we are both OK.