kdeupser

I skied without a wing for years. Then once I started learning 32' off I installed the wing once again. I don't like it, but it's a good crutch for burning speed and increasing tip. I was using Schnitz's mini-wing on my previous ski's, but now I am on the HO A-1 and using stock settings. The stock wing is like a huge parachute. And now that the water has warmed up so much here in Georgia, I have slowly been taking wing out to compensate. I have gone from 9 degree's to my current setting of 7 degree's. If the water warm's up any more it's coming off..... All of this of what the wing does blah blah blah. It definitely works. Pretty simple, we have alot of first timers in our course here in Atlanta, and the first pointer is "Get that wing off!". They are always narrow and fast until they learn to actually ride their ski's. The wing is an excellent invention, and Schnitz has up'd the ante with the speed slot fin, which I need to use more. I tell you something strange, but one of the guy's I ski with can tell when I am using the speed slot fin. He say's that he can hardly feel me back there when I'm using it. With the stock fin I tend to pull the boat around more. .02, Ken D.

Shane, then this proves it truly is a design flaw. The tournament boat design in the open bow flavor should be re-designed. Or at least the models that chin lock. And experiencing this myself, it IS a rudder stall as well. Since no matter what input you induce through the rudder the boat will not turn. Yes, the skegs are slipping during this event, but the rudder is ineffective as well during the event. The only solution I know to work is to back off the power, then the rudder will function again once speed decreases a bit. I am aware that many other brands do it as well, but I really didn't want to come off as all that. I own one of these boats, and I am speaking from first hand experience. Heck, come ski with me and we can duplicate this wonderful experience. I applaud Eric's efforts and his willingness to share his experiences with us.

MCskiFreak, as a MasterCraft owner I must side with Eric. I have been reading his post's for awhile now and I like his logic. You must have never skied behind the 98' MasterCraft 190's. What a piece of crap of a boat. You want to talk about crazy engineering, in 99' they put that stupid wing on the rudder to try and help the pathetic thing, that didn't work so well so they put jetski sponsoons in the spray relief's. That didn't help much either.....would you call that "quality" engineering? My boat is a 1995 ProStar 205. This rudder stall you speak of, I know exactly how to cause it on my boat. Unfortunately we found out the hard way. We came within inches of beaching my boat with me skiing behind it. If my driver hadn't reacted as quickly as he did the boat would have been a gonner. All you do is simply put people in the open bow of the boat and drive it around a turn island while pulling a skier. It will lockup every time. Did MasterCraft own up to this design flaw? Nope. Did they do a recall? Nope. Does it still do it to this day? Yep. There have been articles where people have ran over there passengers from this design flaw. Solution, don't use the open bow while skiing. Amazing solution huh? Don't use the boat as it's designed basically. I'm sorry, but the boat companies are in it to turn a profit period. If they have a bad design, they just milk it till they can slowly design it back out. It just cost's to much to really be proactive. And as far back as I can remember, recalls are only for automobiles. I am really curious of the bubbler idea, my 22' off bump is killer. We have talked about putting more hook in the hull(bondo & gel coat), but the bubbler would be way easier. Heck, I already had to drill a hole for the paddle wheel(thanks perfect pass).  Eric, I have a tuning idea for the bubbler. What if instead of just a hole you make a long slot if you will. Then inside the boat have a plate with your hole that you could slide back and forth? This would basically adjust/move/tune the hole to the optimum position. Lastly, my 95's spray at 35' and shorter is killer as well. Got any idea's? Interesting ideas, Thanks all, Ken D.

skiboyny, Assuming since your using the HO Animal bindings, your using the HO plate, you should go to the middle hole. Alway's double check with a tape measure, but you should be at 29.50 to the back of the binding. I am using double approaches on a 67.5" A-1 and I am set at one hole back. Basically 29.50 because of the forward cant of the approaches. I am using the fin and binding settings from http://www.proskicoach.com/skis/HO/A1/2010 Awesome setup. From when I first setup my ski I haven't had to touch a thing. Just the dummy in the binders. He need's lot's of help, but the ski and settings is just incredible. Good luck & ski well, Â Ken

I know this probably has been discussed at length in the past so please forgive me, but as a MasterCraft owner, and a brief reader of the rules how is the "gate" legal on the Natiques? I was at the Atlanta boat show this year with 3 former Senior Judges and we all looked over the new Natique 200, and while we did not have the rule book in hand, we all thought we remembered a boat is not to have any adjustable hull modifications/adjustments while underway. Isn't this what tainted Tige'? We could see where a dishonest driver could easily "adjust" the gate at any time in the course to a skier. It just doesn't seem like the gate is legal to my loose interpretation of the rules? And please, sorry, I bet this topic was discussed to death when the gate first came out, I just missed those threads. Thanks, Ken D.

I have been using Brenda's handles now for about 10 years. I use the 12", 1.03(std), strung with poly-e. My glove size is XL if that helps. I tried a 1.15, but I felt like I was loosing the handle while I was skiing. Not a comfortable feeling. Brenda's handles last, and they are very accurate. I wear kevlar gloves and I still get about 3 season's out of a handle. When I retire them they still look pretty good, but for the stretch factor, and or breakage factor I prefer not to risk it. Another plus for Brenda's ropes. The way she has been tieing her take off loops the past year or two is AWESOME! She tie's them so when you shorten the rope to the next take off section, you just slide the excess to the side. When you see it, you'll go "well duh" but seriously I really like her current ropes. I have her start my ropes at 22', mostly for safety. I also like it when shortline skiers have her start at either 28 or 32 so you don't have that wad of rope in the boat.  my .02, Ken D.

I am in the Atlanta Waterski club and we use a few different types of courses. Our Primary course is on Lake Allatoona, here in Atlanta, Ga. We get an insane amount of boat traffic, however our course is very reselient. It's been there longer than I have been a member ( 11 or 12 years). Plus you can go to our website (www.awsc.net) to see how we maintain our buoys. Since the Army Corps of Engineer's manages the lake so wonderfully..... our course is dry 3 months out of the year. So the course has been survey'ed in, and all the buoy's have the large galvanized screw anchors. Then we have a rope tied from screw anchor to screw anchor so you can find the course if the public tear's it up to bad(they usually do, morons). We use crap trap sub-buoy's, then the brick counter weight system with plastic clips. This system works so well we have incorporated it in many of the private sites around Atlanta. This course is in usually 6 to 15 feet of water, depending on whatever they crazy corps does to us.... We use a slip system on the crab traps, and long brick ropes, so we can easily handle what the corps throw's at us. They can drop the lake a foot a day, so the swings can be amazing to deal with. We also do the floating course deal at two other sites. Nothing good to say about a floating course. Period! We have to use one on a bigger lake, and when the wind blow's, what a pain. We have put in so many counter anchors for every type of wind direction that when the public tear's part's of this course out, we have to sink new counters. It's a real pain in the but. This course is in 2 to 10 feet of water. Our Winter course is another floating course, but no counter weights to help with the wind. So we stretch it as tight as possible. Good Luck, Ken

I wax my boat top to bottom. It's a 1995 MasterCraft ProStar 205. Alway's have. Tracks like a train. Also, I was at the Atlanta boat show this year checking out the Geico offshore racing boat. Money purely was no object. That boat was waxed top to bottom. They had the boat on it's side, so you could see the top and bottom. The bottom was slick.  My friend's around here with bass boat's swear by waxing the bottom. These guy's run anywhere from 70mph on up over 100mph on the gps.  I've heard the deal about suction, but I also know that a slick surface with no pores is also fast. ah, chicken or the egg..... Guess it's whatever you like, but keep in mind the resale side of things...... Ken D.

Guy's great info, got another one related to this one to throw at you.  I ski on a friends lake that continuously fill's in with silt. The lake is at the bottom of the sub-divisions watershed, and is continually hammered when it rains. We try to blow out some of the shallow area's with the boat, but it still doesn't address the problem. Some of the turn buoy's are only in 2 feet of water. And if you stand up to walk out of the lake you will have leeches on you.  Our initial thought was to use a siphon on the damn, then take one our boats and blow a spot and try to get the natural movement of the siphon to pull the silk down and out, but over such a span it just doesn't seem like it would work. They have re-dredged the lake a time or two, but that is silly expensive. We have thought about getting a worn out pontoon boat to use as a floatable pickup if you will and go turn buoy by turn buoy shoveling it back out, but this to is a pain. Any idea's? Thanks, Ken

TW,       You're kidding right? Straight from the pullout I was amazed at how much tip Rossi had out of the water. I have watched Rossi ski for years, and this latest video just doesn't "look" Rossi like. Chris is a great skier, and he does get the ski back under control as your pictures show, but after most of his turns the tip is waaaay up. Sorry dude, Ken D.

Hey Eric, I see what your saying but when I watch Andy Mapple's video he isn't really removing alot of material. Just some mild sanding with 400 to 600 grit sand paper. This isn't a huge change, but it will rough up the finish of a ski. What has me thinking of this is my 2007 Monza that I am on. I have tried the stock fin, the Schnitz Speed Slot Fin, and I am now using one of John's Carbon fins that I bought from TW. The Speed Slot Fin made the most drastic change. I haven't been able to ski the Carbon fin much since it's been so freekin cold here in Atlanta(what happened to global warming?". My problem start's at 32' off, the ski either over initiates the turn or under initiates the turn. I have found it to be related with how aggresive I preturn. It just seems if I knew how to modify the bevel some, I could get that some where in the middle I am looking for.....but currently if I don't edge change quickly and firmly, if I just roll on edge nice and smooth, the ski will stay in the edge change position till I bleed speed, before it will begin the turnin. I've done it so much now, I can describe it to a "T". I've ran more 32's now, but I have to really pay attention, the feeling is like a chine lock with an open bow boat. Thanks, Ken

You know, with all the binding and fin adjustments we make ya all of that is fine and dandy but I am surprised that we do not hear more people sanding, filing bevels like Kris LaPoint or Andy Mapple. Ya it destroy's the ski kinda for resale, and you can roast a ski if your not careful. But if Andy Mapple was in the boat and said "You know, I could really help your offside" how many of us would say no? Not me, grind away. And you know, I guess in my old age I would expect more highend skiers to be filing and sanding more as well. I would also think that it could "help" resale value. Which would you rather have, a bone stock shinny ski or one that ran me through my PB that had been worked on by X. If our styles were similiar give me the worked on one. No brainer. Maybe more of this goes on than I am aware? Just surprised is all. Ya know it's like motorcross. Would you rather a bone stock bike, or a "Works" bike. The two look the same, but they are worlds apart different.  my .02, Ken d.

It's fixable. I skied behind a Malibu with the 385hp Hammer Head motor and it was fine. I was scared of it at first because it was a jumpers boat, and it was vibrating the swim platform badly at idle. However, once we entered the course it was fine. So ya, check the prop recommendation. However first off ensure within perfect pass you have selected the right motor. If you do not have an option for the ZR6 I would call Perfect Pass and request a new chip that does have it. It will make all the difference in the world. Good Luck, Ken

TW, Thanks for the quick response. I have replied to your email, and paypal'd the money over. If you'd just drop the fin in the mail the first of next week, that would be good. Appreciate it, Ken

TW,     I am still on an 07' Monza. I'll take it. Email me or whisper me through the forum. Thanks, Ken D

I had my arm's bothering me to a few years ago, but I did not want to got to a bent handle. I came across an article that mentioned doing "hammer" curl's to work this out. I thought what could it hurt so I tried it. It worked some, but then I realized I had really slacked off on doing reverse curls in the off season. Now I make sure I get alot of reverse curls in and regular forearm curls and no more problems.  The hammer curls do work. Take any ordinary hammer, hold it like your going to pound a nail but let the hammer slowly fall forward only letting your wrist rotate, then pull the hammer up with only your wrist. Since the hammer is light I did about 20 reps with both arms. It's easy, you can do it while watching TV, and it beats the hell out of a bent handle. Good Luck, Ken

I'll vouch for what a difference a driver makes for myself. I typically drop anywhere from a half to a full pass. Being in the Atlanta Waterski club, some times you don't have alot of choice on your driver, and you know, most of our drivers really do a pretty decent job, but it's just the "feel" they put on the rope. They drive straight, I ride in the boat when others ski behind them, and their line is straight, but it's the steering input they apply that can really bother skiers.  I think good drivers really concentrate on how they correct the boat, and are concerned about the feel of the rope. We talk about this in the club, and the drivers that drive straight, but we all ski like crap behind just don't give a damn on what the skier feels. It's the crowd of just shut up and ski. Ironically, everybody I've ever heard say that can't run 15' off. I've never heard a shortline skier say that, for that fact I have never heard a 22'off or shorter skier say "shut up and ski". Also, I have gone to many tournaments here in Georgia, and the boat crew sum's you up before you get in the water, and I believe they pull you accordingly. I've had some real crappy pull's by the same driver that had gone on to pull the 38/39 crowd.  Driving is tough, I never feel like I do as good as I could do. I always work at it, and I do my best to feel the boat through the back of the chair. I'm a deep 32'off skier, my sking partner is a deep 38'off skier and he has a different opinion. He say's he purposely tries to find other drivers, because he's able to practice more than me, and he'll get another driver, and loose a pass, due to the feel of the rope. However, before tournaments we usually will only ski behind each other due to experenience.  We have a club member that was the MasterCraft promo guy in the Atlanta area, and he is by far the best driver around. I usually ski to my PB with him. It's hard to ski with him any more, but when he does come around, those who know about him usually will wait to ski behind him. Great topic, Ken

I don't go through alot of ski's, I usually upgrade every 3 or 4 years. I read as much as possible to try and stay up on the current ski's so I am better prepared when I do upgrade. One thing that just stand's out in my mind, and correct me if I am wrong but with the layup consistantcies of today one could do a quote ski test of 5 ski's all from the same manufacturer, model, length, version, etc... and still have a vast difference. Aside from flex testing, how about torsional testers? I mean I almost don't like to recommend ski's to people due to the fact my ski is probably completely different than the ski they will receive when they purchase their own copy of it. And John correct me if I am wrong, but this is basically what your saying? So in your new version of testing does this mean to create your matrix you are going to be demo'ing 3 or more of the same ski, type, length, etc,... to create this matrix? I believe this would be the best way to truly create such a matrix, but man what a bunch of testing..... Cool thread, Ken

I knew they "had" made ski boats. I saw them a few years ago at the Atlanta boat show. At the time their boats had Toyota V8's in them. I heard they did not ski very well. I also was not impressed with the boat when I saw it.  For what it's worth, Ken D.

I posted over on Kent's form supporting TW. I liked all the test's to date, but Bruce summed it up best. Ken D.

Questions for Terry, 1. Speed Control. Obviously. 2. Do you see more or less Pro events for 2009. 3. Do you see a major Tour Sponsor coming back to the tour such as Budweiser? 4. Bindings. What's your opinion? Thanks, Ken

Great idea, how about Kristi Overton, Carl Roberge, with Mooba coming up maybe the Neville's? Looking forward to it, Ken

There used to be a club on Lake Nacimiento, which is about 45 minutes south of Monterey. Don't know if there still there, but there are 4 or 5 club's on the Delta there by San Fran. Good Luck, Ken

1995 ProStar 205, PP 6.5 one schweet pull

"Priceless!" Usher in GPS from a "technology is better" point of view. Tell us all how much PP classic is "fudging" times. Then hide behind the technology when you don't want to support the older boat's. Ya, grow the sport hommie...