GaryWilkinson

@BraceMaker‌ et al, I will do a sequence of pix to show how the proximity of the release "barrel" on the front foot impedes it's release by the toes of the rear foot on a normal spacing set up. (On another note, anyone know how to reduce the size of the pic by an iPhone for display?) I'm guessing in the "Edit" button?

Yes @bracemaker @jordan I put the crescent hook onto the block and pull upwards to lock in place. But as mentioned, I have to put the front in first. And someone mentioned that in an OTF your rear foot comes out first so I'm counting on that!

I'll give that a go thanks

Thanks so much for the input. I'm just worried about the front rattling around in the binding even with the release barrel down and back against the toe of the rear. I'll try some changes tomorrow.

After 2+ hours of tinkering, adjusting and putting on and off I'm able to get it on and off and simulate a release without the barrel being impeded by the rear liner and toe but I'm not able to get to Rini's setting of 29.875". Hopefully will try it out tomorrow. Thanks @Thager @bhs

As you can see, my rear binding is as far as it can go already so the only solution is to move the front forward at least 3/4" !? Not a good option, it would then be almost 30.75 from tail!!

Just bought Mapple version front binding and am installing it on Vapor 67. Put the front at rini's setting 29.875" and if I put my rear foot in the r-style, I can't tip or pivot the release barrel back far enough to get my boot in the front binding. I have to put the front in first, pivot and lock the barrel upright then put my rear foot in. This concerns me in that in an OTF fall that barrel has to pivot backwards freely to enable a quick and safe release, this is after all why I spent the $ to get more safe releases. If I move the rear further back: = wider stance! wider than I'm used to = weight further back maybe producing more weight on tail, trying to avoid this. = harder pulls due to less ski in water,.... And so on. Anyone else have this? Is the only fix to move that bad foot further back and quit whining? What do you all think? Thanks

Slalom and waterskiing people in general are some of the most generous and fun people to be around in sport. We all get a kick out of giving someone a pull, offering advice on how to improve and just generally hang out at the lake. A big adda-boy @Horton.

Some skis draw more stinging spray than others. My old Sixam performed well and had very little spray burn. As all have said, keep going, you develop scar tissue and thick skin!

To Horton and mrs.H. Everyone now is going to say -your life is going to change -you'll never sleep again -you'll never have the same free time -yadda yadda yadda I have 2 beautiful (but giant) boys (6' 3") and although they don't ski, they are awesome kids and I love every minute with them. Here's the thing no one tells you and let me be the first..... I laugh every day with my boys just because it's, (and they) are fun! You'll see, kids are total fun Congratulation John and family. Gw

Now you have to find a car seat that can be secured in the centurion.

Compound problem but yes, I agree that the slack is the result, not the origin of the problem. Watch CR video and he has less slack at shorten line lengths than early in the set. IMHO when he keeps the handle in close pre-buoy it allows him to, while at the buoy, come around more completely thus rotating the ski and his body to a point more away-facing, or more cross course than on the passes he has a bit of slack. Slack line for me at least, is a result of 2things, excessive speed and more importantly, not being able to quickly get the ski around to complete the turn resulting in a flatter ski and slack line. So I'd say concentrate on anything and everything that allows you to complete the turn, if that means keeping the handle close to be free of the boat pre-buoy and maybe turning more quickly around the ball, then have at her! Great skiing !

And yes go back to 34 and get into a course. When I free ski I tend to coast and glide a long time before turning because I've pulled too hard, too long. The course will give you some timing appreciation however frustrating out the first few times.

"Stacked" or getting aligned is best described here in this article/thread by @Than_Bogan‌ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oDlyJi8MRdF9t8uQcEMCUEGsivhQ2tP7qOO6HfPgCDg/preview. Have a look, it's the best advice thread in BoS.

A quick thing to try might be to 1, slow the boat down a couple of mph. If that new stick is sitting up and going fast, you're probably riding the tail a bit and that makes a ski slow-er to turn. So slow the boat down for a few sets and really really work on technique, getting stacked, yet quiet in the turn. Some of the more knowledgeable fin-tech guys might have some suggestions on making sure your ski is set up well for your ability and skill level. Congrats on the new board and shoot some video!

What a tremendous performance. Ya -39 and -41 she looks strong and takes some serious hits, but I love watching her -38. Looks so smooth and (relatively) easy! I want to ski like her when I grow up!! Congratulations. Totally inspired.

A quick observation/thought... IMHO speed across the water is a combination of angle of ski, leverage/pull force on the rope and the angle in relation to the boat. Another important factor is how much ski is in the water (at the right angle) and how much mass there is to move. If the ladies get into the right ski angle, appropriate and best stacked body position at the ball and through the turn, doesn't it make sense that with less mass (weight) on the same ski as a heavier skier, they would fly across the water faster? I guess what I'm saying is that the old days of muscling through the course are indeed long gone, (duh!) and that technique and timing to be as light on the handle as possible and as efficient in the pull section of each buoy is paramount. That's why my best, however infrequent, -32offs felt easy. Wish I could do that more often! Ps, I also noticed about 10 yrs ago that pictures of the ladies slalom skiers never, or at least rarely, had them grimacing and straining. Even at the most intense pat of the pull section of the course. I obviously need to get in touch with my feminine side (and get a car like that!)

Tremendous videos Scott, you should really look into doing this work full time! The side by sides are great. Biggest difference I noticed is in the 2nd video, 1st sbs comparison, check out how much more angle she finishes the turn with, how much more ski is in the water and how these 2 aspects get her across the wakes waaaay ahead of her "comparitor". Looks so easy! It seems to me that the turn is there to set up a great angle. We used to spend so much time, effort and thinking on perfecting the pre-turn but now I believe it's all about how you finish the turn. Yes, you cannot make a great leverage position from a bad turn, but I submit that all is not lost in a less than ideal turn. I've watched countless videos of Nate, Seth and more where it looks like they're done at x-ball only to re-set at the finish of that turn, regain a decent leverage position and get across quickly and make x+1. Great videos Scott @SM thanks for starting this thread.

Me too, in the old category, I remember Wayne grimditch, George Athans and Sammy Duval so running -32 at a soft 34mph is a good day in my life in a 2.5 month season that btw hasn't started yet! Where's that global warming thing? Still snow at cottage!

Imagery was too cool and enjoyable to notice the skier line. But now that you mention it,... 32 off is not as hard angles as I thought it would be. If you are into sports imagery you have to have a look in YouTube for Rudimental (popular group) their video of the song "Free Feat" I know it's an over used word but "awesome" is the best one to describe it. Sorry, off topic but you gotta see this video.

Sorry to hear about your crash. As a private pilot and R/C pilot for over 25 yrs crashes are sadly a part of the hobby, thankfully not so much a part of full size flying ! I flew a 6' model of a piper cub about 20 yrs ago from the boat and brought it down to about 10' off the engine cover. Great footage but risky. As soon as it came to about 7 or 8' it hit boat driven Turbulence and quickly descended to the water surface. Good thing it was a float plane otherwise it would have been a watery grave for a nice model. So @kfennell great job buddy! Great footage and lighting. As u do more I'm sure you'll get closer, but as I warned, stay above 10' for the drones sake! Btw, what is your setup? Which drone? And camera? Thanks

Wish I knew more about it. At an Andy clinic a few years ago Andy took a good 10 mins to adjust my fin and I went out and skied best of season performance. Anyone have a 1-page "cheat sheet" that we could all benefit from without downloading the $50 fin adjustment guide from shchnitz?

Could also be totally new surroundings, new water and family issues on the brain. All combined losing 6 buoys understandable. Don't beat yourself up, but I'm glad you found a way out of the funk. Me?, sometimes even dialling down doesn't help. Maybe I'm not dialling down far enough!

So much coaching, so little time! I've seen this Video at least a hundred times and every time it just seems the message is simple: 1) set a good stacked position of leverage and crank it thru the wakes ! 2) keep the handle in close till you reach course width, then and only then, reach and turn your whole body and ski completely till you get to ball backside in a great stacked position and repeat. The big thing I see what I'm not doing enough of is getting a far-enough- back and stacked position to generate enough speed from buoy to 2nd wake to then cast wide pre-buoy and then slow down enough to turn in control. If I specifically look at the difference between -32 and -35 the degree of intensity of TW stacked position from buoy to behind boat, and check it out, there a correlation between degree of lean and timing of edge change. At -35 has a stronger, higher intensity pull but is definitely shorter in duration and length cross course. Now if the ice would just leave the lake .......!

Craig your pullout and 1 ball finish we're great but your body position deteriorates from then on. Your turn at 2 ball was great and you came out with a stacked position and that, along with the great ski sent you across the wakes early in fine form, then, the bad thoughts enter the noggin,... "Wow!, look how ahead I am,." = flat ski waiting to carry wide and coast through the turn way ahead. A soft (slow moving) turn at too much speed gives slack line and pow, good body position gets lost and your ski falls behind and under your body for the rest of the pass, never really getting back into a good stacked position like you had athe start. I know, I do his way too much myself. Andy told me many seasons ago, (blatant name drop) that you have to stay intense at ball 3,4,5 as you were at 1 and 2. He even encourages to work the same intensity at early, easier passes as the harder ones. So go for a good cut for 1ball, a good turn, and a good angle and body position at 1 and STAY ahead at 2,3,4 etc. you can see yours ski go flat a early In the pass which as I said, allows your body, hips and legs, to fall behind and you're then having to work harder to get it back and never really do. Visualize your stacked position, feel how it feels when it's right and repeat. Sounds easy eh? I still struggle with it after 30+ yrs at this game. Good luck bud.