cragginshred

Got a 2018 Vapor pro to upgrade from my 17 which sold in less than 24 hours on ski it again. Yesterday I had to violate my rule of only having one variable, new gloves, liners, rope whatever. I lost count of the variables and took it in stride as the season proper is winding down and I'm only skiing 1 day a week currently as I get back into climbing shape.

Yesterdays variables included:

New ski -2018 Vapor pro

1/2" further forward boot placement

12-15mph wind

New fin and wing settings

New style O'Neil dry suit that has a tighter fitting top. No more baggy on the uppers on the assault suits

All whining aside I did pretty well on the new ski. First set I was not really going for it and still made the 2nd pass. Second set I started the feel the offside mojo on the ski. It really whips around into angle. Onside continues to perform like all the other Vapors I have owned. The ski is edge to edge faster than the 2017 which makes it easier to correct and make up angle but can be detrimental if over skied. In 2 sets with all other variable I am no where near 'there' yet, however I do anticipate with more time on the ski I will get used to the new dynamics the 2018 brings to the water!

I was most concerned about how much farther the boots were thinking it would put my on my back foot or worse it would put me OTF. It did neither. It rode really well and balanced at the 29.7 or 29 5/8" from tail to rear of front boot as several suggested. This was a full 1/2" farther forward than where I rode the 2017.

Super psyched to come off the best season yet injury free and now on a new killer stick!

@jimbrake yes on a daily basis. Have they discussed the 'uni' or partial knee option? Way faster rehab time, but there is a lifespan to them. Either way you will be skiing by May or June 2018 for sure!

@jimbrake ha! Sorry too lazy to type Ca................

Can I say Nor Cal or would that put me in a worse classification?

Used this past summer and still in great shape. 750$ plus shipping

Pm me. Or e mail

Edenlane@yahoo.com

@gavski so if fin is at 9* usually go to 8* ?

I had never heard this -good to know!

@Dano I ski with a couple of guys who think of it how you described and as you say one way works for skier A and another for a different skier B.

The key is as Terry said tall and centered - hips come up and shoulder is back. Really for me its a way to keep me from pulling the handle in and all the other stuff I just listed happens as a bonus!

@Razorskier1 agreed if that was the issue. A thread this long the often loses point the OP (Me) was trying to communicate. My issue is not coming off too early but rather pulling it back in too soon.

I have tried many things to keep me from pulling it back too soon on my off side, however, when I apex it just happens. All I have been doing that seems to help a lot as stated in the OP is bury the back shoulder as the boat takes the handle which:

-Allows a better apex

-Keeps me from grabbing the handle

-Ski back to a stacked position

-Finish the turn with angle, as opposed to grabbing the handle then trying to jerk the ski back to a cross course angle

Pretty stoked to have so many things come together with one simple thing to think of

Last time I had my 98 SN out I tugged the ski course out to help get it set up. Once it got mostly in the water there was a lot of pull on the boat making it hard to tug at about 2-3 mph. Drove fine the 5 miles back to dock. Then I found this sheared bolt by the plug in the hull -ideas? All the engine mounts are there. Boat ran great today. There was a tiny bit of play in the pylon.

@Lovell as with most aspects of going through the course one thing effects the next.

So,..if tall and centered on the ski and what I am working on is as @GaryWilkinson called it hide the back shoulder (from the boat) I end up not grabbing the handle and subsequently the ski apex's better and finally I ski back to the handle into a 'stacked' position. That's how I think about it.

Said goodbye to the -22 loop to come out making back to back -25's

Did many sets that were PB's like 3 -25's followed by back to back -28's then 2 -25's followed by 3 -28's in a row, then,..............

Made -30 several times from the end of Aug till last week. 6th season skiing the course.

I will try -32 sometime but not in a hurry. Still trying to perfect skiing back to the handle at 1/3/5.

I have always had trouble not pulling the handle back in at 1/3/5 (RFF) and the 'put the handle out there and ski back to it' or thinking 'Wait' in the turn just does not do it for me.

Second set last night I remembered someone saying 'bury the back shoulder' someone else echoed 'don't let the boat see your back shoulder'. I ran 6/6 passes doing this. I felt like I not only skied back into angle, but my chest and hips were up centered over the ski as well.

What works for you?