Wolfeie

Several of us with Vapor boots had the same problem. The inserts radically change the dynamics such that easy passes without inserts were much harder with. We started without the inserts on the first models, so if your new to the boots difference may be much less.

The event in Milwaukee was in August last year. Great event, but weather was horrible

I found scuba gloves with kevlar fingers and palms. They are not as supportive as waterski gloves, but work fine for winter skiing. I usually fill them with hot water before jumping in and they work great.

Tige has had the Taps systems for years. Problem is with current rules this boat would not pass AWSA rules and be approved for tournament use. With the exception of the hydro gate all hulls have to be static.

One thing I forgot to mention is do not dwell on the 22 pass. Just use it as a warmup only and only take one pass at 22 and move on. Working on 22 will not help your shorter line lengths, but running it as an opener may help you if you need to go out because of the conditions. You can't get lazy on the 22 pass or end up 10 feet outside the balls or you will get behind. Use the 22 pass to ski to the ball line early and start your turn.

if my math is right Ski West was a baller index of about 50.0 Saturday. Air 70 Water 60

There are 2-3 of us in the same boat where we get into 35 off the dock and usually run a few 35's every weekend. Just as there are probably reasons to start at 28 there is just as many to keep the 22. At our lake by the time one boat and skier comes in and another goes out it may only be a few minutes but the lake has glassed off like a mirror which is sometimes more difficult than skiing with a little ripple like you would in a tournament. Also because of wind conditions you may want to time it so that you end up with a head wind 35. We don't get much breeze at our lakes, but normally if you go off at 22 you will get a 2-3 mile headwind on the 35 attempt. Plus if you ski tournaments you may want a easy pass to get used to the conditions. I just treat the 22 as a warmup and not over-ski it. Everytime I start at 28 and may run a ragged one I think why nor just stick to the 22. Ronnie Barton also says your fourth pass should be your hardest pass.

Ski West Village just went through a nightmare with the county health department over which water standard we should fall under. Ski West had countless hours of water contact of owners and guest with out any problems because of water contact. Our water was tested monthly by an independent company and our quality was very good especially when you compared our results to other lakes in our area, and especially the public lakes in Kern County. We had one incident when a guest cut his foot and developed a infection. There is more involved with that guest but I don't want to get into it. A report was filed with the county health department and that started a year and a half battle with the county which cost us over $20K to defend ourselves. The county wanted to shut us down and allow no water contact at all. They wanted to hold us to "drinking water" standards which we barely were over while at the same time other lakes in out area and the public lakes were 20 times worse that our readings. During this time we had to have warnings signs up and we could not hold tournaments. It was a joke, but a very expensive one.

Bakersfield-Arvin area has over a dozen lakes and is less than 2 hours away. No clubs but Ironwood Ski Ranch does offer lake memberships if you can come up with a boat.

I have owned both skis, and skied on each for over a year. Both are very good skis. I do like the Vapor over the Quest. Both skis turn pretty much the same, however I feel the Vapor is faster to the ball, has a better glide on the pull-out for the gates. I found the Quest to stall out if you put too much pressure on the front foot on the offside turn. But like disland says you should try each ski, one may be better for your skiing style. Many of my ski buddies have gone from the Quest to the Vapor, and have sold their quest to other owners at our lakes and they are happy with the Quest. I do feel my skiing progression sort of stalled on the Quest, this year has been one of my best ski years on the Vapor.

I had a great time at the open, the cold and mist were a nice change from the 100 plus degree heat in California. All the skiers are very nice and friendly, the site is very nice as well. Seeing the best of the best ski close up was very incitefull. Other high lights was treking to Lambeau field to see a Packers preseason game and meeting ex-Detroit Redwings coach (now with Toronto) Mike Babecock at the hotel and at the event, he is a big water skier.

I had a 2004 X7 (197 with tower and ballast) and couild not have been happier with the boat. Had a great slalom wake which at 22 I felf was softer than SN196 22 (as long as you do not overload the boat.) Would have kept it but Zero Off upgrage would have been very costly.

Most of the tournament style boats were designed for skier, driver and 1-2 passengers. I had an Mastercraft X7 (197) with a tower. When ever I skied I would only let driver and one passenger (or ballast) in the boat. I considered the tower as one person. If I had more than two people in the boat when I was skiing I could tell the difference especially at 28 and 32 off.

Hanging them up in your lake house for looks. Someone gave me an old Cypress Gardens ski to hang up . Make a neat chair/bench out of them

i usually go off the dock at 22 (34 mph) and run up the line to 35 on the normal loops. At the end of the set I may go back to 33.5 to run some passes. It has made my 32's better and my 35 starts better. The 33.5 loop is a lot of fun, run it 90% of the time and having fun is what is all about. Sometimes we get hung-up on buoy counts.

For those of you that don't recognize the "ball of hair" without hair....I will point him out for you. Yes your buddy from the lake next door already has his airline tickets and hotel reservations for Milwaukee. Do you have an extra baller hat I can wear?

I was skiing with my neighbors at Ski West, husband was skiing, his wife was driving and I was "coaching" in the passenger seat. Husband popped the handle and the rope wrapped around the wife's neck. I was able to reach over and grab the rope so it would not tighten around her neck. She was freakin out and let go of the steering wheel, so I holding the rope with one hand and grabbed the wheel with my other hand....it all happened in seconds, but nobody got hurt, no rope burns and we did not hit the shoreline.

I have been a member of Ski West Village for over 15 years, I ski 8-9 months a year often getting in 7-11 sets a weekend, I have bought and sold 4 tournament boats and can't remember how many skis I have owned. I have worked the Nationals when they were held at Ski West, dropped by to visit and watch some of my ski partners compete in tournaments at neighboring lakes, and plan to attend the Malibu Open this year in Milwaukee. Number of tournaments I have skied in "0". I am not doing this to see how I fair against others, I do it because I love skiing and being on the water. I ski against myself and my own personal goals everytime I get behind the boat.

About 20 years ago I helped a company test the Clinchers. There was a law suit brought against Clincher when a young kid skiing with Clinchers could not release the handle and got hurt pretty bad. I had skied with Clinchers (open water only) so we did some load testing in a lab and on the water. The Clinchers had always released for me before without any problems. But after the testing was done I did have a release problem one time out of hundreds of uses. The dowel would not let me release the handle just for a brief couple of seconds before I could regrip. But I could see if I was falling I would have been in trouble. Never used them since....but I have not open water skiied in 15+ years.

Flew right over Shasta yesterday returning home from Portland. From the air looked like over 100 feet below level, but still lots of lake to enjoy.

I hate to comment on this because a guy with no hair should keep his trap shut..... But "welcome to the 2015's....the 90's were 25 years ago.

@rawly ...can't skip hockey, its sacrilegious....plus I run the it.

There are flights directly into Bakersfield.

I know with all the kidding we do back and forth...I am so sorry to hear you have to have surgery. All of us on lake three will miss seeing the BOS Centurion going back and forth with you behind it. Certainly our thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery. On another note maybe you should buy into Donnie's wake skate boat!!!

There was a Outback simular to the one you listed on our lakes several years ago. The owner was a new owner and brought the boat with him. He quickly learned not a great slalom boat to drive the course in. Very touchy in regards to crew weight and where crew were sitting. I drove it several times and did not like driving it pulling a skier in the course. Its a fine open water boat, but no good for course....ghe now has a SN196