miski

Diet is huge for me in terms of getting sore... especially only getting a few days skiing at a time over the winter. The muscle pain that I get now is delayed. When I was a kid I used to get sore 4-6hrs after workout, then it was the next morning - now it can be 30hrs and then I’m locked up, can't straighten my arms, traps, glutes, hams...If I eat the following, soreness is usually minor: lot's of Omega-3 and fish (mackerel, sardines, tuna) bananas, fresh pineapple, greens, avocado yogurt >> Good protein - EAS Myoplex Carb Control >> mucho waterIf I crank down the beers and lot's of saturated fat, and don't eat enough protein, it is worse case - can't move for 3 days. Also, there are supplements for DOMS (delayed on-set muscle soreness) that work for me - the link below is a good one but hard to find... GNC also has one that works .http://labrada.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=labrada&Product_Code=GN-0112&Category_Code=Recovery For skiing - I've been starting slow and paying a ton of attention to form and end up skiing better by 3-4th set than I was at the end of last fall....

About half of the binding inserts in my 06 Sixam are sticking out of the top of the ski... the worst by ~.070-.080". Is this anything to be concerned over or that I can repair?? Seems like the binding plate would tighten down against these instead of the ski top. Probably could buzz them down flush w/ a 90 grinder...  Any thoughts appreciated.

I could show up with a cracked ski at the Nationals and it wouldn't even phase me! Now if they busted up my lawn chair I would be bumed.... :)

Good stuff - this could be a big help!  Thx

Hot water tube & vaseline, stay away from the merinade.... ;) Thx

Does anyone have problems with Willey's in cold water? Mine goes on w/ normal degree of difficulty, but hurts getting it off at end of set. WW thought it may be rubber getting stiffer after being in cold water (should have thought of that myself...) and had me sit on platform and squirt soap down the sides which was easier. Question is, does anyone ever use lube that doesn't rinse away immediately? Willey he's heard of people using sun-tan lotion, but only when they run out of soap. I've also seen hair conditioner floating around in the back of at least one boat... And no, I don't think my overlays are too tight - foot is comfortable and no cramps as long as I can ski, and I tried half position loser this summer for other reasons and it felt too lose.

I skied w/ Scott last April and had a great time - have reservations again 4/3-4/7 this year. Not sure if it was salt water or time off, but was skiing ok by 4th set on second day. Definitely use his freshwater to hose to rinse your gear afterwards and when you get home, take apart everything and clean/silicone to avoid getting crusty. I only saw/used one course (all the way south-east in lagoon). Was a little choppy, but it was really windy off the gulf when I was there. That course is a ways down from the dock - so I was typically paired up with another skier and we went out for 2 sets apiece each time. I was skiing early afternoon, so it helped keep me sober until later afternoon :) This year I have 9am which might hurt a little... On bags - I've only flown with my ski 8 times (6x on NWA, 2x on Delta). I just use my Obrien bag w/ life jacket, wet suit, towel & rope on top, bag padding on the bottom - haven't even used a fin protector as bag has large foam block w/ slice for fin. Sounds like I've been lucky - haven't had one issue - but do get TSA notes underneath ski every time.

Nice post DW - right on. Unfortunately if you build/sell sub-par stuff for 15 years, it apparently takes at least that long to get your customers back. I did find out the other day that Toyota scrapped there 1/2 done US Prius plant not so much because of declining demand, but becasue new plug-in electrics and next-gen hybrids from US manufactures will obsolete that vehicle... Also think the idea of a monorail slalom course would be cool - you could automate it and then be able to ski by yourself instead of waiting for someone to pull you. I have been thinking underwater for awhile, but an overhead version could have the optical/video stuff built in... Could add surfaces to generate wake, but if we're talking save energy - you'd have to go w/o the wake :)

Some thoughts to add: > All-electric or hybrid-eclectic might not be efficient or even feasible for a ski-boat duty cycle - don't have numbers, but the thrust required is pretty high at 30-40mph on current boats, so there is no low-thrust part of the cycle to switch over to electric. > Steady-state thrust (no accel) vs. speed is opposite trend between auto and boats - hull drag goes down w/ speed for boats, aero drag goes up with speed for cars - the boat speeds we're talking about are slow enough aero is small > Little or no regen potential in a boat - or at least not compared to an auto - hull drag already slows boat very quickly once power is cut > Accel from stop is highest energy requirement - same for both autos and boats - weight/inertia is big component for both, but hull-drag is huge below planing speed > Reducing hull-drag and lowering planing speed seems to be lowest hanging fruit for a ski boat - less weight, more planing surface would help here > Tracking required for slalom would be challenge w/ less weight and more hull surface - could this be accomplished with skegs w/o adding back a lot of drag > Tunnel boats reduce hull drag with aero lift - my first ski boat was a tunnel hull w/ outboard - with pylon, it tracked very well and wake was about 2ft x 5" pile of foam that you barely noticed > Weight is king - power/weight of IC engine and fuel storage has yet to be beat - even best batteries and electric motors are heavier - w/ latest technology like direct injection, and advanced engine controls, energy and carbon efficiency is really low - the only reason auto industry green direction is required is due to number of vehicles and time in use which is probably 2-3 maybe 4 orders of magnitude greater than boats? Oh yeh - happy new years!

toothboy - I have Med Obrien Bio Wraps (2007) w/ only 3 sets - $100 and they're yours. Also, have that same 1982 Competitor from high school (64.5") - daughter's skiing on it now... Has a DynaFoil - I loved that ski. Did Mapple win a bunch of tournaments on this ski? It's amazing how close it looks to my Sixam 1.0... Only two slalom skis I've ever skied on...  Happy New Year!ÂÂ

Alex - I would like to see the video for certain. At the Malibu open this year, I watched Asher from the starting dock with a pretty much line of site view down 2-4-6. The edge change was one of the first things I noticed - it looked like a snow skier hoping from one edge to the other. The next thing I noticed was that after he had got onto his inside edge w/ a good amount of body lean (35-40 deg) and his elbows had come away maybe half-way from his vest to straight, he seemed to abruptly yank the handle back into his body, then went from this right into his release… Seemed like a variation on keeping the handle in/down and maybe using the rope to turn instead of the ski.

TW - overhead video is pretty cool - lot's of info there if you analyze it. Could do a NFL type zip-line overhead camera that follows the boat/skier (just would need to figure out how to keep it at same height above the water), then line frames up by the buoys to get the entire path. Also, could scale ski length and frame to frame get speed based on frame rate. At 36mph, I get 62-67mph for 60-62deg... wonder what the highest minimum speed you -38 guys turn at. Also, never intended slip angle stuff for on-water mental process... Lord knows, I can go out w/ something specific to work on, and finish the set and realize I never thought of it once. I just spent the last two days outside the course w/ coach hollering at me: one position through the wakes!, don't squat!, handle down until past spray!...   I think slip is interesting though - for me, it backs up the techniques all of you experts on here talk about. For ceratain it doesn't contradict the comments in the old posts Horton re-posted like Point of Hookup or Cast Out - those are what got the thought process going more in terms of proving them. BTW - really appreciate these posts alot - wish this info was available when I was 18.

Thanks,, Ski Ranch looks very nice - called them and could have gotten in their schedule, but it's >2hrs east of San Fran. Definitely have to do that in the future - with vinyard, winery, and all that, could likely even convince my wife to go! Have been up Naciamento-Ferguson road to hike Cone Peak before, that would be a fun area to hang and ski if that's where the lake is at. If anyone ever has a chance to hike cone peak and likes top-of-world type scenery, I would strongly recommend it. In the end, left my ski at home for the weekend - heading for FL 1st week of Nov. Hopefully can get some more skiing back in MI between now and then.  Cheers

Are there any places to get some sets in this coming Sunday-Monday around SanFran & Monterey? Doesn't seem like there are any schools going out there...ÂÂ

I know - just couldn't stop w/ it...  JAS had already put it relatively simply. What about tip-up and speed though - I was considering changing fin from stock and did move my bindings forward for awhile, but I figured out that if I had high enough speed leaving the turns, my tip was down ok. Does that make sense? No slide rule, but how about a Ti-30... http://www.vintage-technology.info/pages/calculators/t/calctexas.htm

No comments? Is this the virtual cold shoulder? JAS ??? I never thought about any of this until reading all of the great posts on here... since you ruined all of my happy day-dream time, the least you could do is provide a little feedback :)

JAS - I think you are right on in terms of the physics of arms in and using the rope for the swing up to the side of the boat. I also think what you mention here is one of a number of cases where physics makes it easier to understand as opposed to harder. For a moving mass to changed direction, a force component perpendicular to the path is required. For the ski to do this, it has to have a slip angle relative to the path - if you zoom in on this video or look at many still images from overhead it is easy to see this slip angle. The higher the slip angle, the higher the force... But, with slip angle comes induced drag because the force the ski generates is perpendicular to the ski and not purely perpendicular to the path, so there is a drag component from the turning force. The rope alternatively is free force perpendicular to the path (until the ski path diverges from the handle path which occurs mostly through the reach). So, keeping the handle fixed relative the mass center uses the rope as opposed to the ski to change path and reduces induced drag from turning with the ski. There are two other angles combined with slip angle that seem to define the state of the ski - roll and plane angles. These don't get talked about much, but for me anyway make things easier to understand. The slower you go, the more plane angle is required to generate the force to keep the skier on the water and not in it. With planing angle, you get the same induced drag component as with slip angle, so the slower you go, the more drag on the ski. So for our pre-turn, this means the more you slow down, the faster you slow down...  Also, it seems that you get more tip up if you finish a turn slow as opposed to fast. Slip angle has the same speed influence, the slower the ski, the more slip angle required to generate a given lateral force. During the cut, slip angle is required to generate lateral force to resist the line load and accelerate. Limiting the line load when slow and trying to delay the max load until later when ski speed is higher results in less drag getting across the wakes and is why it feels so much easier when you can ski this way.Last case for now: when you combine a slow turn finish and an early pull, giant slip and planing angles make the force requirement very high to "get out of the hole". Roll is much more complicated and it's effects are determined by rocker, flex, etc... but roll certainly varies the orientation of the working surface(s) that influence Fy/slip and Fz/planing; for instance I think the more roll you have, the more lateral force you will get for a given amount of slip angle. This is all similar to aircraft, tires, boat hulls etc... the story of Col John Boyd and his Energy-Maneuverability-Theorum is a fun one with a lot of analogies.http://www.jjraymond.com/books/nonfiction/boyd.html Sorry to bombard this new thread...  also, this doesn't mean I can do any of this on the water JÂÂ

Thanks all - actually that set was good progress with a calmer upper body... earlier in the year I looked like a rodeo star. But that is right on, the better I do at being smooth w/ upper body and keeping shoulders level, the more often I can get hooked up in a good position to pull. I look at it now, and as soon as my shoulders head towards vertical from level is when I get into trouble. Clearly I need to keep the focus on this.  I will try grabbing my vest, that is similar to something else I've been told - "rub my belly", but maybe grabbing my vest will control it over a longer period of time.  I've also had the recommendation to press my outside shoulder down at the same time sliding hips forward.... seems like this is consistent w/ above? Will try to get some 34mph video soon. One thing I believe at 34mph is that my tip is down more, which feels good when I get it right. That makes sense doesn't it - higher speed would be less planning angle? Thanks again - now I need some more sets!

Uploads done - apparently has to be <2mb...    gb in my last post should have been mb... Please check miski gallery at  http://ballofspray.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=lastupby&uid=147 Worst case, this could make you all feel good about your own skiing! pass1 - fall finishing 5 pass2 - complete, but didn't finish 2 well, reached for handle early? pass3 - fall finishing 3, same as pass1 >>> 90% of time I don't complete passes is same fall finishing on-side.  Thanks ahead!

JH - created a gallery and tried to upload 3 .wmv files. Only one that is 1.6gb went through, the other two are 2.2gb and will not complete the upload... is there a size limit?

TW thx - I saw the shimming discussion - that's a quick one, so will put that on the list. JH - do have some good guys coaching me. Definitely working hard on form, which is exactly why I've left setup alone for so long. The one change I did make w/ the bindings forward was a big improvement for me - it got me past a specific problem that I was up against all spring. Right now, if I ski my onside just right, the finish is good, but it seems very easy to get too much - as in unforgiving. I also know my off-side finish is better w/ more counter for longer and am working hard on that. LeonL - yes on skiing better, but I wouldn't say missing passes I've run before w/ any kind of reasonable form or consistency. For speed, it seems like I'm fast at the ball more often than slow from shorting pull, slow edge change, reaching too fast, etc.... I have some video from July after I moved bindings forward... but this is 32mph -15'... nothing recent. I still have the same problems at 34mph though, so will post it anyway. If this is too low level, just ignore it.  Thx

I am planning a day to try a few adjustments and maybe a new binding - Looking for some recommendations. I would like to try taking a little off the finish of my on-side turn, and get a little more finish off-side. I'm on Sixam 1.0, 67.5" w/ Willey probuild wraps front & rear; dft=.783", depth=2.500", length=6.905", wing up @ 7deg,  front_heel=29.875+1position forward LFF, 173lbs, 5'11" @ 34mph, -22'/-28' Rear plate is max rotated toe out - but would rather do something else than change this as it fixed a rear hip pain I was having. Skied stock settings (other than rear rotation) for 12 months and worked on form at 30-32mph - had to wait on ski to finish even when staying countered, shoulders level & hips forward in pre-turn. Was not progressing, then July 22 went forward 1 position on both plates and it was huge gain for me. Just got to 34mph 2 weeks ago, made 6 of 7 passes 1 set last week, and am now completing -22' half the time, and ran a smooth -28' for first time in the middle of 5 tries. Now when I don't make a pass, it is 90% losing handle at hook up finishing 3 or 5 ball - but not from slack... just to much angle to hold. Just to make sure and over-communicate, besides setup work, I am trying to get quicker edge changes, especially going to 2 & 4 as I seem fast into off-side. Also trying for little longer pull and quicker edge change going to 3 & 5 as I end up a little late from loosing space on my off-side. Also, making sure to stay and or increase counter on off-side. Thanks ahead for any help.

I increased the rotation of my rear plate a lot over the winter (recommended by Mike McCormick) and dragging my rear leg more was one of the negatives. I realize there are several ideas on what rear binding rotation does in the various ski setup camps, but my purpose for additional rotation was to ease up on my rear hip which had been consistently sore, and it did certainly help this. It was a major adjustment though that just recently has started to feel normal. I had my rear plate rotated slightly before, but was still able to push my rear knee into the back of my front knee on preturn - now w/ rotated rear binding, as I flex my knees my rear knee moves outward - so I think rotating rear binding would be more spray. I didn't specifically notice additional spray, but the additional drag and the different feel in rotation was a real setback at first. In terms of the topic - spray in the face - it seems if I am turning well w/ more speed in the preturn I don't notice it, but if I end up slow it's one of the results. I am demo-ing a 2-point this weekend (on a 1-point now) to see if the additional width is better at 34mph - mainly looking to keep out of the water more and reduce drag through the turns in the too often event that I don't hit it just right.