BRY

Boats talk, we just have to listen. This one is telling you ZO Upgrade, ZO Upgrade, ZO Upgrade...

@MS Harsh! I thought is was pretty good for a bunch of 15-17 year olds literally in their back yard. Written, performed, filmed and produced themselves. Well done for a neighborhood teenage garage band. Won the USA Waterski "Life on the Water" video contest with it. BTW, pretty good skiers too. That little girly on bass has an average of 3@38 at 34!

I'll jump in the fray: 2015 Nautique 200: a bit more expensive, but very used to it from our local club and tournaments. 1) is it worth the extra money? Yes 2) If I get a closed bow, will it not work as well as a family boat? Closed bow works fine for family boat. Lots of storage up front. I think open bows are overrated for this size boat. Too small to be safe when at speed, catch waves too easy and most importantly ski like crap if someone up there. 3) is this the gold standard? Yes, for ease of driving and tracking. Check the "What's wrong with CP" thread, even the CP guys say it tracks better. For wakes they are all very, very good. Complaining about any of these for slalom is whining. 2015 Mastercraft Prostar: (current first choice) 1) Only skied behind it twice. Seemed great at 22' off. Should be good at long line and slower speeds. It's good but my wife prefers Nautique, 26-30 MPH, she won't turn down a ride behind either though 2) Is it very loud? Didn't notice. It's louder than the Nautique and CP. The MC guy on our lake, injured so not skiing, said "My boats loud" when it went by. Not bad, but louder. 3) Are the trick wakes inadequate? My son is starting to trick. The MC guys on my lake are elite trickers and they do fine, as do lot of beginning/intermediate trickers that come to train with them. Whole lot of little gas cans filled with lead shot in there though. 4) Is the wake too wide? Is the boat too strong? (things I've heard but can't confirm). Too wide? Seem normal to me. Too strong, what? 5) How well does it track? Tracks very well, just not as good as Nautique. CP twists and easy to get in rhythm, MC slides. MC is different, but if its yours you learn and get used to it. 2016 or 2017 Malibu TXi 1) Any reason not to get this one? Seems good all around. Not much experience with it but few tourney rides seemed fine. Seems a little tighter inside. Centurion Carbon Pro 1) Skied behind it once. Seems nice. Only closed bow. How well does it track? Tracks very well but need to drive it, counter a little and so forth. Not much but needs to be done. Very nice boat. 2) Trick wakes? ? Straight up all the above boats are damn fine boats. Given my choice with a rookie, less capable driver or timid driver I will take the 200 every time.

@Horton Your BOS Cash Prize sounds like a great concept, great tournament. Hope I can make one some time. That's what we need in this sport, and at the C level the more the better. I applaud the work you put in to come up with and execute your idea. As I posted elsewhere I believe the issue with numbers is from the bottom rather than the top. Need new skiers in and current skiers staying in. Your tourny is a direct shot at both, attractive for new and current skiers. Kudos. Your post above was specifically targeted at Nationals and what I was responding to was that. Look at @sunperch's post. That Nationals experience mirrors what mine have been, sounds like OB1's and many others. It is great for the sport and great for the 600+ skiers who qualify and show. @sunperch hit it spot on, that type of experience is what I am defending. Certainly open to improving if good ideas found but going more elitist does not bring in new skiers nor retain current ones. The current Nat's don't bring in anyone new but I believe goes a long way to helping retain current ones. I would not want that lost with any changes. You have a big voice and for the lurkers and non-Nat skiers I felt there needs to be an supporting view for Nationals as is. It is good as it is. It is a worthwhile goal. It is worth going to, at least once, for those who qualify.

@Horton "you are telling me that you would NOT like it if nationals was a Prelim round, Semifinal and then a Final? That does not sound like more fun?" Nope, I would not, does not sound like fun to me, as I would probably never go. Great for the 8 guys that go in my division. My wimpy 98.67 (2.67@-38) average puts almost 70 guys M4 a head of me to get in. Though now I switch to M5 it's only like 40 guys a head of me. I keep adding buoys every year, slowly. But those guys do too. My only hope would be to outlast them and make it in M18 or something. Your average is 101.17, top score 104. Top 8 M4 is a 108.25 average to get in. About 40 guys between you and that, all of whom you have to pass. They are all skiing and getting better too. IMHO opinion your not going to a National's with your 8 skier Prelim, Semifinal, Final anytime soon either. Are you telling you would like a National's you can't qualify for over one you could. I am much more likely to fly to a tournament I ski in for 6 minutes than one I am not going to ski in at all. Quite certain I'm not going to a tournament I'm not skiing. Quite certain no one else is either. How many parents think a tournament the kids ski in is more fun than one they do not? OK, off my soapbox here for a while.

@MattP How many skiers per event in World Championships? I don't know but seems something you could pull up. Do some analysis for us? There are X number of rides in a day, times number of lakes times number of days. With Nat's currently going on and historic info for World's seems data is there for very good estimate of time per ride. So two lake site, 5 or 7 day tourney, how many skiers per division for two rounds, for three rounds? Horton's Prelim, Semifinal, Final is just 8 skiers per division. Not meant to be calling you out, just respect for your ability and seeming interest to pull real data in the waterski world. Real data would help temper or sway many opinions on this. Perhaps even settle us on status quo or move us to an alternative? And away from dissatisfaction.

@disland Simple: we are having both The winner of each event is the National Champion of that event. They showed up, took on all comers, got it done and won. Rankings list Champion is a different thing. Pick and choose the tournaments, ski multiple rounds when peaking and just the top few scores count. A big accomplishment, absolutely. We can, and people do, go round and round on which winner is better. Cherry picked rounds vs pressure packed one and done. Strong arguments for both. It is a big festival. Where else are you going to find that many yo-yo people in one place who can and will live and breath skiing literally 24/7 for a week? Meet skiers from all over the country? All the manufacturers there ready and sincerely interested in giving you personal attention? It's awesome. I've been to three, unfortunately didn't make it this year, but will go again unless changes exclude me. It's not broken, there's nothing wrong with it. Is there a better way? Maybe, haven't seen that yet. If there is a better way, and we understand and accept the ramifications, great and all for it. Grow or die, change or die is true for big Corps driven by quarterly returns and nothing else. For entities like AWSA change for change's sake is often death. And regards to tournament skiing in general, changing Nat's is not going to fix the declining numbers. The issue is at the bottom end, getting new and retaining existing skiers, not at the top end with Nat's.

@mopowpow My wife is on her second pair of the Radar Bliss inside-out. Loves them, her favorite glove ever. She does use a very thin neoprene palm pad from Wileys (they stamp them) and no hand issues. Comfortable, great grip, seem durable. She tried the Lady 41tails, the Miami Nautique and some others. These just work for here, no compromise with them. Men's gloves don't fit her. She has long, slender hands and fingers. I still use red 41Tails with kevlar liners. Just works for me. Great fit, never moves or bunches up, durable, easy on hands. Have a pair of the blue Boa inside-out which are quite nice but still move a little and bunch a little. Inside seems a little slick. Not enough room for me to fit liners in and I end up cranking the Boa down so hard my hands hurt. Just going to stick with the 41Tails till can't get them any more.

@klindy It is. Tested and tweaked ability level divisions ready to go!

Really guys, 2014's are Lambo Green? No, it's not Lambo Green, it's Vapor Green. Lamborghini just borrowed it.

For those who really want age divisions, how about these: Men’s Novice – 14 & over – never made a full pass Women’s Novice – 14 & over Junior Novice – 13 & under Junior 4th Class – 13 & under max speed 28 mph 4th Class – max speed 28 mph 15 off line length 3rd Class – max speed 30 mph 15 off line length 2nd Class – max speed 32 mph 15 off line length 1st Class – max speed 34 mph 15 off line length Advanced – men 35 & over and all women, max 22 off @ 34 mph Advanced Open – men 35 & over and all women 28 & 32 off @34 mph Advanced Super Open – men 35 & over and all women, 35 off & shorter @ 34 mph Junior Expert – 13 & under, working on 22 off @ max 34 mph (Must meet qualifications) Expert – men 14-34, max 22 off @ 36 mph Open – men 14-34, 28 off & up @ 36 mph Super Open – men 14-34, 35 off & shorter @ 36 mph Wide Ski Ride Fun – max 28 off @ 30 mph Wide Ski Ride Super Fun – 32 off & up @30 mph Wide Ski Ride Open – 38 off & up @30 mph Men’s Pro Division Women’s Pro Division

My understanding MM was so the top of each division could ski against each other to find the champion of champions, not to give lesser skiers (like me) a shot at podiums. There is no way, even with the numbers at Nationals we have now, that every competitor has a shot at a podium. Say we were to take all Level 9 and put them in MM, then the top Level 8 ski it out and the bottom Level 8 still don't have a realistic shot. The Champion just moved from being the best skier to the skiers who happened to be just under an arbitrary cut off. Separating men from women and pro from amateur and by age is pretty established across almost all sports. Beyond that there ought to be a big boy (and girl) tournament somewhere for competition that is straight up, the best that shows wins. I think that ought to be what Nationals is for. Muck around with local C's however you want but keep the Championship the Championship.

@OB1 2 round C at Okeeheelee this Saturday, both rounds proudly pulled by Centurion. Only $35 ($10 late fee) to enter. Come on down n ski it!

@gl1234 Get yourself a fin protector. Something like a finfirkin or wood fin block or make one out of PVC pipe. Think there is a post about the PVC option around here somewhere. Firkin works good though and only $20 with shipping (I have no association at all, just have one.) Most of the ski's I have seen sent to shops from the factories don't have fins in. The ability of the person putting the fin in varies.... Getting yourself a decent set of calipers is a good idea and learn, practice using them. Really not that hard but can be a lifesaver if fin gets moved. Best advise for now is get the Radar spec's for your size/year Strada and find someone with calipers to pop it in for you. Probably won't be exactly the same place but close enough for open water fun!

Put it in, make contact with all three and tighten. Then do all measurements with calipers, twice. Adjust as necessary till the same as before. Hopefully you measured before pulling it? BTW, why did you pull it to fly vs using some sort of fin protector?

Damn! That's crazy. You going to Nationals? You really need to go, ski Karma owes you big time!

Hi everyone, Troll here as I like Nautiques... just get that out of the way up front. I am familiar with @OB1's 196 and as 196's go, that one is top shelf. It drives very, very well and I find it easier to drive than the two CP's I have had the pleasure to drive. The CP's are good, I find most 196's better. I think the 200 is the easiest to drive. Some feel it tracks too well, they like looser boats like CP & 196 better, I like 200's. Skiing behind them I prefer a 200 or CP over any other boat but splitting hairs. The CP ski's very, very, very well. Nice straw man attacks on someone giving an opinion direct to the OP. Not usually the nature of the forum. @Ilivetoski, @bishop8950 put it well "Yes, you have to drive a CP but not that much more than a 196." Pretty much sums it up. Also, I thought there was a rudder change somewhere with the early CP's, not sure. I find the PCM 6.0L to be a magic engine. Any boat with it just seems to ski better, smoother. A CP and 196 certainly don't need it, but they do ski a little better and are definitely a kick to drive.

The rear heel is supposed to lift. You really, really want it to be able to lift... If boots are moving get some dock anti-slip tape (like goes on dock ladders and such) and put it on the plate where the boots contact (ball of foot/heel on front, ball of foot on rear). Then snug down the bolts tight but not super tight, don't want to crack/stretch the plastic. Mine didn't move the 2 years I had them after this fix. Or just go Reflex with R rear and not have to deal with it or Interlock at all.

@thompjs 6.930 is way small for length on this ski. 7 wing is way shallow on this ski. I think you are being led down the wrong path. Put on the numbers Rossi gave you and ski it a bit. Bet it will feel rather stuck at first. Then contact Rossi for any adjustments needed. Then I bet you will be golden.

I'm a judge; and I have read the rule book in its entirety in the last 5 years. Reading it in its entirety isn't really necessary if you have once. But I have read it all plus the tech manual and others completely once. Just wanted to know what was in there. Unless there is a change some parts don't need to be re-read, like regional and national tourney qualifications. I'm not a jumper nor jump judge so I don't review the jump rules. I do read the changes when released and flip through the slalom portion at the beginning of each year. I also print it each year in booklet form and have it bound, only costs a couple bucks. Seems to come in handy a couple times a year at tourney's.

The Nomad RCX was a great ski in its time. Still as good as it was but the new skis are just better. Nomad, Helix2, Quest45 and ARC are all D3 but ski significantly different. I'd put the ARC closer to a Vapor than a Quest45. Lots of good used 14-15 Vapors around if you want a more flowy ski. If you plan to go into the course more going to your correct size will work better. If mostly free skiing then whatever you like. Manufacturers hate it but don't be afraid to be mercenary with skis, go to whatever ski you think will work best for you, support the style of skier you want to be, regardless of brand. Ski It Again is a great place to get great used skis cheap. Buy one, ski it, if you don't like it sell for a few dollars less than you bought and get something else. Great way to try a few cheap.

He did ski in the WPB Big Dog.

I've not had success with RTP, I seem to catch my rear leg in a buoy or in the water from time to time. It gets pulled out, nasty fall. Can't ski in any double boot system that holds my rear heel down. A rear with some sort of heel cup is perfect for me. Currently using an "R" style, lots of mobility while still keeping me in. Used to be double Animals (rear a size up and loose) then PowerShells now Reflex with R. Each step up seemed better with minimal acclimation.

You guys have some cool toys...

@klindy Yep, you did. But people were still going round stating it's not clear and/or how to call it. So I tried to post the rule that applies as succinctly as possible, let the rule speak for its self. Not sure what needs to be interpreted, I think the rules state clearly what's what. Early in the thread @ral called it correct per the rules: "If he went thru the gate in skiing position with the rope in hand, it is a pass. If not, it isn't." Soon after @ToddL called it correct per the rules: "1) Missing the exit gates too early would result in a 6 ball score but not a complete pass and no continuation. Since there was no completed pass, the score would go in as the next sequential speed/line (-38 in the above example). 2) However, if the handle/skiing position was lost after successfully skiing out the exits gates, then the pass was completed. There is still no continuation, but in this case the score should reflect a completed pass at the opt up speed/line (-39)." Not sure where @ToddL is going on the post just previous but he may have something. IMHO I think the rules as written don't require additional verbiage, more words probably just get more confusing. An additional 6 designation, his "IC Incomplete", possibly. But that's a recording issue, the score unaffected.