GaryWilkinson

So I think I get it, starting the carve (turn) inside the buoy line instead of getting wide, standing up with a flat ski then slamming the turn and forcing the hips and body hopefully, all the way around in a jerking turn. Starting earlier gives a more stable, predictable carve the gets you into good, angled position early and wide. I think of a video I've watched a few hundred times of Terry Winter at 1/4 speed marvelling at how early he's starts his carve. Essentially as soon as he's off the white water of the 2nd wake.

@bishop8950 interesting perspective. Essentially are you saying that one should make a smoother, delayed turn thus going further down course in order to not load at the buoy line, but between the wakes and then giving more speed in the second half of the traverse pushing you wider and higher? Have I captured your concept? Because I always thought yanking in quicker and turning harder at shorter lengths was the norm.

Craig I'd say look at any pictures of freeze frames of video of your position directly behind the boat and compare it with the pros that are popular on Internet. Don't compare it to their -35 or shorter passes, but their starters, which are usually -28 or -32. See that they are stacked, aligned, leaning back and on edge BIG time directly behind the boat. Now look at your own. Like mine, you're probably handle a bit away from hip, standing up too far and shoulders over the front foot. = flat ski, not enough speed to "cast out" the ski and a direct line to the ball which makes us panic a bit and edge again thus getting too much speed too late which results in slack and taking a hit on the backside of the ball. Andy always said "speed is your friend". Read the GUT articles about how it's not about getting wide, but getting " up" on the boat, alongside if you will. The important thing is that you have to build and achieve that speed early(er) and keep your edge, stack and handle close to maintain the angle you set at finish of cut to 1 ball. Once you get used to that intensity and lean timing, you may even find that -28 is a shorter albeit more intense pull that when maintained through white water gets you high on the boat and early at the ball. Resist the impulse to stand up cuz "I got this", and continue going wider and higher and backside that bad-buoy to stay ahead. Sounds easy eh!? It feels easy when you do it right my friend. For me? Maybe 50% of the time lol. Good luck and check out pix of you and pros in the prop wash.

Anyone got a link to Nate at 1/4 speed?

Repeat after me: "it's not mine!, I'm keeping it for a friend!..."

@Horton Tremendous idea. I've been looking for those two sizes to be able to show newbies what it's like to glide over water without getting hurt. (ever notice how many people that when waterskiing comes up in conversation, describe how they tried it once and hurt their_______ ) Mostly caused by wrong equipment that would not get them out of the water quickly, and without pulling their arms out. Sign me up.

A guy at our club is selling his 05 nautique up here in the great white north! What a beauty! I've known this boat since it was delivered. Tremendous pull. This owner keeps all his things in perfect condition and his boat is at the top of the list. You will find nary a scratch or blemish on this boat. Always covered, always professionally maintained, I think he vacuumed it everyday. While the hours are up there, they're mostly from slow speed lake tours after dinner which he did almost every night with Diane. Replaced it with a new 200 last fall. Incl Stargazer and trailer. (wish I could do it myself) Give Pierre a call if interested. Check it out on ski it again http://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?endless=summer&topic=Search&category=Comp_Boat&postid=36300

You'll love the six am 2.0. Have Andy's autograph on it so I'm sure you'll understand I'm keeping it. But if you happen to get one, you'll love it. Very forgiving ski. Great choice to get back into it with.

Than it was a compliment well deserved. Your article changed my skiing forever and Chet's article reinforces that same concept of a strong, stacked body position. Well done.

Awesome video! The message is simple, commit to a proper body position and hold it. Sounds familiar right @Than_Bogan ? After 6 months of MonkeyBar gym doing HIIT I'm chomping at the bit to get going.

As I read the previous posts I was thinking as the simpleton that I am, that getting "wide" is the same as getting " high" (on my the boat), cynically saying same thing right.?! Well that diagram really and clearly illustrates how they're related but different. Well done, better skiing next summer getting high!

No margins, and no prob on my 6 so far. If that helps. (Monday morning 9EST)

Joined Monkey Bar Gym. Never been more fit and strong! Addictive too. Hopefully one in your town.

@Than_Bogan nice skiing and congrats on a PB in darkness! Couple'o thoughts. Do you have the specs to see if the Denali has just more surface area than the Goode? Might that be the reason, or at least a big contributor to the improved acceleration? Doubt it's that simple but I'm curious. 2nd, At 56 yrs old and skiing into -32 I will frequently let go of the handle when "it's just not right" in practice pass. Better to be able to have the boat come around and have another pass right away than holding on too long resulting in the next pass is next season. Great skiing my friend and great thread.

Happy FIRST Fathers Day @Horton !

Bummer on the tear @Horton ! Press doc for info on what exercises you can do while wing is laid up. A fit body heals well/better. Some solace: a 3rd degree tear, (separation) fixed with surgery, is often better in the long run after surgery to re-attach, than a 2nd degree tear with extensive rehab. Sux for this season but what better one to miss that this diaper changing one,. Heal well my friend.

@Marco I have the same problem and have been tracking this thread but my steering slop is on a 'o 95 Nautique so there a few more targets to look into first. My query though is about rudder grinding. How much? Where on the rudder? Anyone have a video on this that I haven't found? Thanks guys. Great thread. GW

@NoProblem In response to your comments, I in fact have approached MANY surfers with a friendly disposition and gentle request to move their activity to the large end of the lake and interestingly, I'm the one who received the finger, very aggressive verbal attacks and even an offer to "discuss" it on shore somewhere. Wow! So my good friend and fellow slalomer I have done many things to gently and with friendship as my lead, persuade them to not damage our end of the lake to no avail. We have even approached the municipality's patrols on the lake and asked them to help and that has resulted in some surf "guidelines" and requested areas to participate in their activity that does not include our narrow end of the lake. Of course the surfers completely ignore them. Nuff' said on that part. Regarding erosion, I believe most private lakes are not built to take this kind of wave. The surf waves are higher, heavier and more numerous it seems. This results in them cresting and rolling over from the top which I think, has much more physical force on the shore rather than just sliding up the incline. If your shore is rocks and solid matter then I guess it would be fine. In contrast, if it is soft, earth, sand or natural soil it might be a problem. And by the way, I Enjoy and have done wake surfing on my lake. I just did it at the large end where the waves dissipate and don't bother anyone.

Well we are on a public lake that has a tremendous amount of boats on it but in the past 3 years we have been inundated by wake surf boats. We, being at the narrow end of the lake, get bashed around by their constant surf wakes. Our bay is slightly longer than a private lake size normally used for slalom and these "enthusiasts" continue to pass less than 100 yards from shore thus sending cresting waves into the docks and boats. We have seen an increase in shore erosion that is noticeable week to week In Canada we don't have fixed docks as the winter ice would destroy them. Our floating docks take a severe beating, the 2x10 frames that hold the brackets get damaged, the chains that secure the lake end get strained, damaged and eventually break. Before these Wakesurf started docks would last for decades and now? Not so much. Then there's the annoyance factor. Wakesurf boats can go forever. There a many on our lake that start at 9:30am and go till sunset. No exaggeration! Back and forth, they continue to pass all day as this activity is best done with many participants in the boat, at slow speeds and very little effort. Sitting on the dock relaxing is no longer an option on even cloudy days. So as you can see we're not a fan. But my complaints come from the perspective of a public lake so this may be the biggest hi-jack ever! I assume on a private lake there would be no issue except for possible accelerated erosion.

Don't let them Wakesurf! This so-called sport (more like a pastime) is ruining our lakes and docks.

What a tremendous week @SM ! We had a similar week last October in Orlando. The slalom Capitol of the world. Skied with some of the elite also and only had tremendous things to say about meeting and skiing with them. KC, Matt Rini, Whitney and Andy were all informative, friendly, and so generous. I whole-heart-idly second your praise of our sports elite being so approachable and genuine. I take tremendous pride in telling non-skiers how great these athletes really are. In their sport they perform tremendous tasks but as people, I believe, they are second to none in generosity and humility. Congrats on a great week with great people and see you on the lake soon!

I believe @Than_Bogan s thought that the swing set comparison doesn't really apply because the boat is moving forward makes it different is sound. I see it as almost a race forward in the course between skier COM and the boat in relation to the slalom buoy. Our advantage over a swing set is that we can get as wide as possible and as much as necessary, to be able to build speed, angle and thus momentum on 1 ball. Our original in-turn (cross-cut) for 1 ball builds speed and momentum right thru the arc behind the boat and depending on body position, past center line to course width if so chosen. While not ideal due to timing and over speed problems, we can continue to have, (let's say preserve) speed and momentum past the centreline. (Seth Stisher's ipad explanation in YouTube shows this beautifully) With a great and appropriate amount of speed and momentum built coming into clean, (not white water or boat spray) water surface, keeping the handle in tight and elbow at hips does a couple of things: 1) I think it keeps the line tension or connection at COM. This in fact keeps us in balance while maintaining desired ski angle at desired locations course-wise. Poorly said, but let's just say that in the absence of line tension from a decent out-bound trajectory and elbow to hip connection pre-buoy, you have slight, or no line tension which for me can result in slack line, an off balance turn and edge change which produces and over or under load ski angle and body position coming out of the turn. 2) I also believe that having that line tension and elbow to hip connection pre-buoy delays, or should I say maintains speed and out-bound momentum (inertia?) to a point that allows skier to get wide and high enough on the boat to reach the ball in control. I learned a long time ago from Andy that as soon as your handle has moved away from your body, you have effectively committed to the turn. This results in a flat ski, slowing of speed and lost of momentum, too early a reach and stalled ski, broken waist, OTF fall, bad attitude and diminished confidence, but I digress. One of the biggest things I realized as a benefit of the pre-ball yank or line tension has given me is the connection to the boat which really really helps balance and setting of ski angle during the critical edge change time. When I lay off early, stop cutting, lose stacked position too soon, stand up and glide in the white water, my ski is flat for too long, the buoy seems narrow and my trajectory x-course is lost. This whole point was reinforced by KC last October in FL when we spent a full morning working on timing and intensity of the outbound cut, turn and cross cut trajectory for just 1ball. Both coaches encouraged us to get wide, build line pressure in stacked position and keep edging wider (at least for me and the 2 Pierre's) enroute to 1 ball And to keep the handle I until last second where the reach will allow less tension on the line, body and ski then move forward and come around appropriately to set the new edge and x-course angle. With a good reach at the right time your body is also setup to be able to take the hit from the boat after the buoy. Trying to do this without wide® course line tension is I believe much more difficult.

Tape those hands big guy. Tape them now before they rip. I did 3 sets / day in October for 8 straight days and not a tear due to consistent duck taping for every set. Have a great week, and no pressure, but your in the boat with over 20 world championships.

@cragginshred‌ that's so great to hear. Reminds me so much of my tournament PB in Rimouski QC at the provincial championships. Could not get that smile off my face for weeks. Still makes me smile. I'd say get high on the boat in your counter cut, this allows you to build angle and early speed in your cut to 1 ball. We worked with KC for a whole morning of skiing on this one item. Made a huge difference, thanks KC. That should settle your 1 down at -28. And the other important thing to work on? That next beverage! Betcha it tasted that much better through that big smile! Heartfelt congrats man. Well done.

45 k seems to be fair. $90,000 is funny and sad at the same time.