hammerski

Ps right after that my neighbor went out the front, reflex too tight, snapped his Achilles. So what's the deal, I've been skiing for 30+ years, I don't remember crazy accidents like these!

Trying out a new ski... Tail of ski lifted off the second wake and crossed up, when it touched down, the double rubber boots didn't release, breaking my tibia, tearing my achilles and lateral tendon. Two surgerys later, I can finally walk without a limp, thanks to Dr. Scott Woll, rebound orthopedics in Portland. That guy's amazing! Running power shells now, I've taken a couple goofy falls, rope break etc, ski came right off. I'm a believer. NOTE! After talking to Suyderhoud, he said that's why he always puts Vaseline in the heel on rubber boots, to make sure you come out. If I'd done that on my rubber boots, I would have been ok.

Wow, that's my first thought. After struggling to come back from a broken ankle, this ski makes the lightbulb turn on! Just like Rossi said in the promo video, this ski creates space. It's fast, it's easy to ride, turns from just about any body position, and I love the way the vapor comes off the wake and sets up the turn. It comes back underneath you so easily. Our water cools down really quick up here, many skis ski different in diff temps. The vapor just rips in any temp and makes skiing fun again! After trying a bunch of skis this year, I only wish I had this ski sooner! Running stock Eddie/Rossi settings(2.480), 195lbs, 68", power shells with rear cuff trimmed down. Nice job Radar!!

I think the 206 had a deeper shaft angle(bicbw) and with the lifting strakes in the boat, it rides deeper in the tail, it's a different skiing/tracking/driving boat than the 196.

Just my .02, being a former boat dealer for 20 years, it's a supply and demand dilemma. With production numbers down so low the last 6 years, new prices going up so high, it's put a huge demand for good used boats. Definitely a sellers market!

Ok, two stories for the ballers out there. A 3rd round at Bel Aqua 20+ years ago, they made up loops that compensated for everyone's reach. Shorter guys got a longer loop, taller guys still got a loop, but shorter. At the end of the round, most skied a couple balls better, but the interesting thing was that the placement was still about the same as the tournament results, so reach didn't seem to be a clear factor in how everyone skied. Next, I was skiing off the hook in early 2010, running 38's like candy, ran a few 39's. I picked up new rope the previous fall. After skiing with this rope for 4 months, the week before nationals someone kindly said, "you're running those 38's too easy...better check your rope" Sure enough, they had made a switch rope too long, the switch section was out, but the main section was too long. Talk about a mind melt before nats! I now have marks on my deck.

Memorial Weekend getting ready for the first tournament of the year up here in the rainy and cold PNW. Shallowed my fin up just a little bit more to let it finish quicker on my offside. Went out on my opener at 28, went around 2 then just off the wake on the way to 3 ball, tail became airborne and passed up the tip of the ski. I thought in that ignasecond, hmm, that's a weird place for that to happen... Then SNAP!!! as the ski set down perpendicular to my travel. Broke the end of my tibia off, damage to every tendon in my foot. Finally able to walk on it now, and working hard to get my calf and balance strength back. This sucks! I had rubber bindings. My buddy Mike Suyderhoud said he's been putting a little vaseline in the heel just for that reason. My heel lifted about an inch then stopped from coming out all the way causing the violent accident. I strongly feel if I'd done vaseline in the heel, I'd still be skiing. Mike said, "If your heel is lifting, you're in trouble anyway and you want it to come out easily" Makes perfect sense. Hope this helps someone else out there! Next bindings? Something that completely releases, powershells for me next season.