andjules

(a) @Horton @ShaneH I've been seeing more and more threads about focusing on straightening the back leg and for me, at least, it's helped a great deal, thinking about it as I'm heading towards the wakes (I've generally had a not-bad stack on approach, but tend to absorb too much/give too much back at the wakes). I think the first mention that got me thinking about it was yours @Horton, so thanks. But does work best when the chest is pushed out, of course. (b) @Brady - good work! But @Garn's comments are interesting as I was already thinking how important it is that @Klundell posted an offside photo (everyone posts onside photos in these stacked discussions!)

Wow, even with the smoke, that's a beautiful vista. Good luck.

Almost three hours. But at a rustic cottage in the woods with family. You go for the weekend. Great times.

@Skoot1123 we're in such a similar boat. Been stuck with a 2@-32 PB for a couple of seasons, never even had a look at 3 ball. Unfortunately, I'm lucky if I get over 10 sets in the course per summer, so it's hard to pick up buoys (this year, I might break 15 sets!). Anyhow, thanks to an updated ski and BoS on my mind, I managed 4.5 @ -32 on my 3rd set in the course (started thinking about 6 and bamm!). Haven't matched it again, but been pretty close, and yesterday I ran -32@32mph for the second time. If I can only figure out a tight-line ball 1, I'm sure -32 will start to come with some consistency. Any year with a PB is a good year, even if it's just a half buoy.

I said "we need to make the sport more exciting, not less" which then seemed to spin some comments about whether this was or wasn't the real problem around spectators. To be clear, I don't think this will magically grow the sport. But I do think gate calls make for a less dramatic, less exciting day for both spectators and competitors. People go home a little less jazzed then they could have. I'm less and less convinced that not judging them is the right solution (which I've been advocating). Maybe it's a mulligan on your first pass or two. Maybe it's cheaper, more conclusive technology rather than expensive video systems/reviews. And maybe it's a judge-bias thing as @JackQ and others have suggested - any doubt goes in favor of the skier. Or all of the above. But tournaments will be more exciting when (a) skiers fall or fail trying to make the next buoy, not the gates, and (b) things keep moving instead of falling into analysis-paralysis.

@Stevie_Boy you have (half) a point. We shouldn't change the rules lightly, or because they are inconvenient. The gates as they stand are part of the skill. BUT we also shouldn't blindly keep the rules 'because that's what they've always been'. @Horton the 'move 5 ball' point you're making isn't analogous in my mind. Again, I'm coming from the perspective of a spectator (like @Than_Bogan) and whether or not it was exciting to watch. If someone misses a ball, that's fine, they skied, at some point their mistakes caught up with them, cool. If someone misses the gates, I feel ripped off, like I didn't get to watch them try their best. Yes, they screwed up just the same (the responsibility is theirs), but the experience was different for both skier and spectator. Perhaps a better analogy: If I paid $500 for olympic tickets to watch Usain Bolt run the 100m and he lost, well fine, he lost. But if he got kicked out for false starts, I feel like I got ripped off. Yes, it was his fault. But no fun for me. I don't like Suyderhoud's 14m ball just because I don't like the idea of recreational course people feelign like they have to go fuss with their course. I prefer Chet's idea of letting inside-the-exit-gates be acceptable.

Exactly! While I agree that it's [currently] part of the skill of running the course (you ought to get it right), as a marketing guy, missing the gates becomes a disappointing non-event for everyone, including the crowd. We need to make the sport more exciting, not less.

I was skeptical about Moombas, but four of my ski partners have them (2 boomerangs and 2 outback direct drives). Simple boats,few bells and whistles, but no major annoyances either. I think the outbacks (direct drive) from about 2002-3 and forward are pretty nice. We ski into -32 and -35 without issues, they have a nice wake even down to 28mph, and if you put some ballast in them they're not bad as an intermediate wake boat. They don't drive as nice as others, but they're not horrible either. [note: I'm not super-picky about slalom boats, and I'm not saying that they're every bit as good as a new Nautique. But they do tend to be good for the money.] An outback V is a V-drive of course. I hear they're not toooo bad for slalom if you've got the hydraulic wake plate option, but I've never skied one.

I did my tibular plateau about 10-12 years ago... wakeboarding! Plate and nine screws, and a lot of physio. The good news is that in the long run, I feel it healed better than an ACL/MCL type injury... and the only thing I "had" to give up was jogging (never liked it anyhow). I'm with @Horton and others in that I'm still an advocate of the RS-1/Stradas... but it's a good reminder that no system is perfect and a freak fall can wreak havoc. Good luck in your recovery.

Of course @torontoboater, being from Toronto/Ontario, you could just get an old J-Craft. The slalom wake is flatter @ 22mph than most inboards at @ 36mph. http://www.trentsevernantiqueboats.com/Photos/boats2/jcraft1.jpg

My guess is you'll do a bit better (than the Outback) with the Malibu LXI's (response/sunsetter) at 30mph, but overall I was pretty surprised by the Outback. Interior finish is sometimes a little cheap (certainly pre-2005-ish) but overall a good wake, and with a little ballast in the back and the wakeplate up, it can also be a good intermediate wakeboard boat.

Thanks @SkiJay. I've been meditating on all these things all winter and it's starting to pay off, although admitedly, I haven't been thinking about short pull so much as handle control and gates set-up. Had two sets in the course yesterday (only my 2nd & 3rd in the course this season) and PB'd both sets, ending with an overturn at 5, -32. I also tried - for the first time - -32 @ 32mph and ran it (ugly-but-fairly-easy). But my nemesis is still coming into ball 1 hot w slack. The good thing is that my brain is still working at the gates/ball 1 (it's all instinct by the time I'm approaching 3 or 4). So hopefully focusing on an earlier change + the trailing hip move will clean it up.

@SkiJay and @tbrenchley THANKS! good reminder. I'm trying to be mindful of a shorter lean phase, but it's amazing how long you can pull at -22 and then how hard you pay for it at -28.

Yes, @Skoot1123, I am starting to think about the straight back leg, at least through the power zone (I still prefer flexing ankles in the pre-turn/turn). My epiphany, free skiing (disclaimer: not course-tested) this morning: at the centerline/2nd wake, twist your inside hip up/forward, just a smidge. Amazing what something so subtle does for your edge change (see: http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/Instructional%20Articles/Slalom/SlalomTransitionZone.pdf). Tight line and straight into a good rhythm - we'll see how it works in the course next weekend.

@jhughes & @Skoot1123 I'm also struggling with -28 & -32 gates - how hard, how long and most importantly, how not to get a mess of slack at 1. I'm trying long, smooth pullout (getting up high, but slowly so I'm not gliding forever), turn in from wide, progressive edge - start gently but givin' it coming into the wake, which hopefully creates the pressure for a quick edge change and cross-course (rather than downcourse) speed. Easier said than done. When it's good I'm wide and early and maintain good speed. When it's not good I'm early and narrow and coming in hot (leading to turn-slack-stop-hit-go)

Fl is a different state. The best international skiers make their home there. The idea behind the rules makes sense (Fl state championships would feel like a world championship). But there will be a lot of exceptions - like this one - that don't quite make sense. I met and skied against Drew when we were about Neilly's age. I'm sure he'd be proud to admit that she's about a zillion passes ahead of where we were at that age.

It's amazing to me - as a guy that gets precious little time in the course & has to make do with a lot of free skiing on (abundant) public water - that you can only ski in the course @ the club and that you have no public water. #envy

@Wish, I thought the same thing. No telling if he'd have made 3, but I'm amazed he got close after hooking 2 so hard. Nice one ball. **not intended as criticism, NONE of us have any idea how hard it is to turn ball 2 @ -43**

@XR6Hurricane I think they introduced the SV23 via the Echelon in 93, and rolled it out to the Sunsetter in 95. Don't quote me on that ;-)

Yes, they completely changed the sunsetters to a modern hull (SV23) in 1995, I believe.

I know it's their low-end glove, but has anyone tried straightline's 'reach' glove? I just noticed that the entire palm/finger surface is silicone. Wondering what that'd feel like. http://www.slsports.com/gloves-reach.html

@torontoboater there are a lot of good comments above. My 2¢: - as above, don't worry about hours, within reason. - Outback is nice for the money & I've spent a lot of time in one w two adults & 3-4 kids. Good below 32 mph - 96 and later MC 205 is a nice big boat with high freeboard, but more wakeboard than slalom. Fine @ 34 but not so nice @ 30mph. - 92-95 MC 205 is a better compromise if you're putting slalom first. - That 2000 195 you found is a pretty nice deal for Toronto, where boat prices tend to be inflated, as I'm sure you know. Love the walkway seat, losing seating to the walkway is a drag in all but the biggest bowriders, which is why I also love... - Malibu Response LX with the walkover (and has a trunk from 1999 and later), or even a Malibu Sportster LX (seating for kids will be fine, but it's low on storage... fine if you're at a cottage and skiing from a dock, not so great if you're out on the lake for a day). - Malibu Sunsetter LXI (not LX) is awesome if you can find one. The LX is not so nice below 32mph, if that's important. Where do you ski? I'm in Toronto & mostly cottage in Huntsville, but always looking for new ski opportunities. And if you get adventurous and look at importing, I can give you some advice on it - I imported & flipped boats in 2011 & 2012.

Great shooting!

Despite the fact that I used to spend a lot of time thinking about tricks... I don't think I've ever seen a WL5LB. Anyone got a link to a video?

I love how the guy in the boat's eyes are glued to his iPhone.