Nando

Wish and others make good points about the need for water skiing to put on a good show. Also that there will be lights at a night event. Maybe what's needed for the "unwritten rules" is something like baseball does with ground rules at each site- "Guys, there are no rerides for lights", before the event might have been all that was needed. Jeff has never been one to rock the boat and a quick mention of the protocol might have bee all that was needed.

Razorskier1- Aye! I don't know how these guys are able to ski in night events- it's really difficult and there are enough variables during a regular event. It seems like skiers should be given the best chance to do their very best, and that's tough to do at night events. They make a great show, but...

I'm also at 29.25 with the front boot. I've played with the length and depth a little bit but have always come bask to these settings. My DFT is .725.

If MS weighs in, he knows the ski better than I do, but mine was set up by Sully at L=6.84, D=2.518, W-9 Deg. I have removed 1 degree from the wing (I also tried it with no wing; that seemed like it needed a bit more depth, but having limited water time, I just put the wing back on.

So, between gator1's theory on roll angle and this ski design, I'm really confused- everything I thought I know about ski flex may be wrong. At least these discussions are happening before I've bought a ski, not after, I guess, but I need a new ski (when my wife tells me it's time for a new ski, I know it). Theoretically, this kind of makes sense, even if it goes against conventional ideas, but I've never been able to ski on one of Andy's designs (even after setup advice from the man himself), so if I get one, is it the soft lateral flex or some other design feature if I can't master it? Right now I'm sucking on the ski I've run my PB on so at least I know it's me- maybe I'd better just relearn how to ski before I expect a new ski to fix me... How many skis with soft torsional flex and still longitudinal will we see in a year?

I just got word that Kevin Ahlquist passed away. Kevin was a pretty good tournament slalom skier in his day and lived on the best natural ski site I ever saw. But he's best know as the proprietor of Roseville Marine. He started the business in the '90s after he sold a couple of gas stations he owned with the intention of doing classic car restorations and specialty work, but when Cal Brown, the local Nautique dealer, passed away, Kevin took on all his outstanding repair work and spring maintenance. From that point on his business was 70%+ inboards. The last time I was there he also had a Jag, a Lotus Elan, and an Austin Healey being restored among the 8-10 tournament boats in for service. Also there was one of his Volvo P-1800s and his Hydrodyne deck boat- the guy had eclectic taste. Anyway, we've lost an honest mechanic and good guy who knew inboard ski boats inside and out (and would make the occasional house call).

As a fat old man I can still do 21-22. As a skinny high school kid I did 48 to be a gym class hero. Lucky's 100 is the feat of a god.

Several years ago I had the Griswold deal going in the Black Hills and struck up a conversation at a gas station with a guy in a Mastercraft Promo Team jacket (had my Nautique sweatshirt on, of course). Turned out this guy's brother skied with mine in Atlanta- it's a very small world. Anyway, he asked me if I knew of anywhere to find a ski ride and I told him I had no idea, except for the man-made ski lake about 50 miles or so to the east. Somehow ran into this guy two days later and, suer enough, he had driven over there and they gave him a pull.

Yeah, Wish- zackly.

Like most questions, the answer is, "It depends". Some skis need a wing regardless, some it depends on the skier, some perform better without. All of the above comments are true because- it depends. Some skis feel locked into position and free up without a wing. Some will have a dramatic improvement in the ability to get wide and free of the boat without one. Some will tend to lose their tails without wings. Most will need the fin settings tweaked when adding or removing the wing. You need to experiment.

I went from an O'Neill Gooru to a Boost with bad results- they don't have any side padding. "How often do I fall hard on my side?", I thought. Ended up in the ER with what the docs thought was a ruptured spleen. Not ruptured, but nasty internal bruising and torn oblique meant three weeks off the water. I switched to a Slasher and the fit can't be beat and it seems to be well made but I can't vouch for its durability (it's a week old). My brother has an HO Syndicate that seems to have really good impact protection and has been pretty durable.

On the older HO Animals the front was about 0.25 inch higher than the rear. I used a piece of 0.25" nylon under the rear with longer bolts and it made a big difference. Took a few sets to adjust to but felt more balanced when they were even- though that may have been the placebo effect.

Yup- when viewed on a real screen, not a phone, I can see they're both Carlos. We need a good judge to add scores...

One of my ski partners tricked quite a bit with Carlos back in the day (Carlos spent a few summers in South Canada). He claims Carlos never used a release- said you have to know how to release yourself by relaxing your rope foot. Anyone know who the second skier in the video is? I have a hunch it's Paul Chapin, but it's not the highest resolution...

Thanks bowty, Any of you notice the new Water Skier has a few photos of the first vest designed for impact protection- the Cypress Gardens Tuxedo vest? Had one in high school ant it came up high enough to cover the collar bone and went down to cover the kidneys. Vest design has come a LONG way...

The references to Roger remind me of Tony Krupa's assessment of jumping: "Jumping is dumb and the dumber you are the farther you jump." But there are few better feelings than hitting one just right. In all my years of jumping, I had very few of those... and never went very far.

So on July 4th my brother and I decided to get a couple of sets in at our family place on a public lake before it got overrun. At -35, I hit a stray roller between the ball and wake, ski popped out and I did a one-point on my side. It didn't seem like much at first, but got progressively worse over the course of the day and I ended up in the ER with convulsions and my BP at 180/108. After X=rays, urinalysis, an ultrasound, and CAT scan, the diagnosis was a severely bruised spleen and kidney (and, of course, ribs). I've been skiing in an O'Neill Boost, which has no padding on the sides, which had not seemed like a problem, until now. I was checking out my brother's Syndicate vest and admiring the padding and have considered a Camaro or Eagle. Any recommendations?

Jody_Seal, you may be thinking of Russ Clifford, originally from North Dakota, but coached at Rollins College for a number of years. He ripped off his thumb trick skiing but could slalom into -38 at his peak. I had a year or so with a useless thumb after smashing it and was able to adapt and ski at my previous level (way below most Ballers')- onamission- you'll be surprised at how you can adapt after it finally heals- good luck.

Okay, since pretty much the same question was asked about Strada bindings, I feel a little less stupid asking this, but what do most of you Reflex skiers do when you finish your runs. I made the switch last season (R-style rear, which just slips off) and have been just pulling my foot out and leaving the liner on, wearing it in the boat between runs like a goofy little slalom slipper. What's normal?

When my wife went into labor for the first time, I had a buddy coming over to ski. She was in deep denial and told me to go ski. I got a PB and the guy couldn't figure out why I wasn't taking a second set, so I told him I had to get back because she was in labor. Got back to the dock and she was still in denial (and a bit farther into labor) so I grabbed our bags and convinced her to head to the hospital- would have plenty of time for a second set...

Ahead of its time...

I worked as a setup guy for Ed B. at, I think, three of these. Worked in media relations at a couple and judged at a few- man, they were fun. At the 1990 or '91 St. Paul event I won the Friday afternoon short jump contest- 28', I believe, which I was told at the time was a record (now, that's a dubious record). For my efforts I won a case of tepid Michelob Dry (who remembers DRY beer?), which we polished off immediately after the heated competition, and a soft cooler. Those were the days!

Gotta love the boat-cars. This one came my way the other day.

MS- None? But his dowel arm guard inspired a pretty long thread and it's pretty much what Brenda is doing. My problem (well, one of them) is that I couldn't link the thread from my phone...

If only Bardzy had patented his $1,000 (Canadian) bar idea (see "Most Expensive Handle Guard" thread) he'd be counting the royalties...