savaiusini

@Orlando76 Hi Todd, Sorry if you tried to setup a demo last year and didn’t get through. I don’t see any record of your inquiry. I can confirm the demo page on our website is working and I have been sending out demos almost every day. Please email me at sam@hosports.com with your phone number and I’ll call you to get things going. Cheers!

Not many people know this, but Jeff Rodgers has a pretty cool side gig. He's been in every Star Wars movie... as the Force.

In 1972, Jeff Rodgers was sent to prison by a military court for a crime he didn't commit. He promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, he survives as a soldier of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him....maybe you can hire Jeff Rodgers.

Cool app! One thing I noticed that doesn't appear to have been mentioned by others...If you use multiple skis, I'm not seeing a way to differentiate settings by ski. You could also take things a step further and store manufacturer recommended settings. There is already another app that does this (finDB), but it might me cool to have everything in one place.

@vtmecheng Yes, we actually changed to a flat top mid-2019. Running surface remains the same. Flat top makes the ski a little more torsionally stiff and gives the ski a bit more top end acceleration off the buoy which is something we like in a Syndicate-level ski. And yes, the flat top also makes the ski a little more compatible with a wider assortment of binding systems.

@mfjaegersr Very cool! Would you mind posting a link to these? I'm not finding these same ones on Amazon. Thanks! Edit: disregard...I found them!

I think people forget sometimes, so it should be mentioned at least... but today's "stock" skis are oftentimes last year's stock skis that were modified; That's a big part of how we evolve ski designs. So when people say Will (or any pro athlete for that matter) is not on a stock ski, many times he is on a "stock" ski that is in some iteration of having been modified (cut, filed, Bondo'd, sanded, patched, etc) as a part of the design progression to get to the next stock ski. Circle of life! It's certainly not the only way we do it though... Sometimes a ski begins as a pure concept on a computer screen based on theories and expectations of what we're pretty sure will be at least a good starting point. Sometimes we nail it... Sometimes it's just the beginning.

If you liked your CX, you should stick with it. Or try a Syndicate/Carbon Omni. These skis are designed to pull double duty in the course and open water. Way more efficient width for speeds 34mph and below. You are more than likely not doing yourself any favors by trying to wrestle with a ski that is made for 34-36mph. The 0.2" extra width helps by offsetting the loss of lift you are experiencing on the narrower ski. It allows you to focus more on a few fundamentals rather than the additional problems of possibly being on a ski that has too little surface area for your speed and weight. CX and Omni will be great skis for you until you get to around 34mph, 28 off. We offer a factory demo program if you want to try something new and there is no obligation.

Beny is a beast on the snow too. Spent a few days up at Mt. Baker showing him around last month. Would be equally at home on the Freeride World Tour as he is on the Yarra.

It's still early season, but the feedback I've been receiving from those who have tried it in our Demo Program has been very good. Omega rides a little higher in the water than the Pro and Alpha, so it takes a bit less effort, especially at medium line lengths. If you are interested in trying one with no obligation, I would urge you contact me via www.hosports.com/demo and I can get one sent for you to try! Also, for those that haven't seen it, @MarcusBrown gives a nice model by model overview here:

A few of my growing list of bucket list favorites that I have skied so far: 1. Priest Lake, ID - on the list because it's the first lake I ever skied on 2. Radar Lake, WA - was my primary site from 2008 to 2013 until I came to work at HO 3. Sun Basin, WA 4. Broho Lake, WA - home site since 2013 5. Hilltop Lake, WA - we do a lot of our testing here 6. Lake Sammamish, WA - because I actually live here 7. Wailua River, Kauai - because Hawaii 8. Ski Sunset Ranch, CA - because Doug and Robbie made it what it is today 9. Lake Arenal, CR - because volcanos 10. Crystal Point Estates, AZ 11. Lapoint Ski Park, FL - possibly the most unique and also tricky to drive 12. Lake Entiat, WA - for the same reasons that @cougfan stated

@Luzz That was an awesome morning! It's special for me every time.

@epnault

2015 Tahoe. 4" drop.

I'll echo @perfski on the size recommendation and will add that the '19 and '20 Animal boots come with extra overlay material so you can adjust how tight or loose you want them across the top of your foot. Once you have them set where you like them, simply cut off the excess.

@george The slightly wider shape of the Omni makes it ideal for speeds up to 34 mph. If you are not interested in slowing the boat a little, consider a true tournament-width ski like the Alpha or Omega. As an alternative, you could consider going down a size with the Omni. Also, coming off an injury, slowing the boat to 34 and moving to a more "supportive" ski like the Omni could be easier on your body. For open water, I slightly prefer the dampened feel of the Carbon Omni, especially when the water isn't perfect. Regarding boots, at your speed and ability, I think you're better off looking at the Animal or a Syndicate Hardshell on the front. The overlays can be adjusted to your preference and, once set, will generally offer a more consistent release than a laced boot because it takes the human factor out of the equation. If you've never used an RTP, it can be a bit of an adjustment to get used to. If you're worried about that, then the Rear Animal boot is what I would recommend. As @owennibley stated, it is a good idea to go a little more loose on the rear boot when using a hardshell on the front.

Looking pretty solid @Horton! Wide and early...

@Jaypro I didn’t need to. My stereo was wired properly at the factory. Guess I was lucky. I simply wanted the nicer BT module with the song display.

This was one of the first things I did to my Mastercraft. Nicely done!

@Rustd48 If you are a women's size 9, you would most likely fit a 6-7 Animal. Animal boots are sized on a men's scale, so a 4-5 Animal would be like a 6.5-7 in women's sizing.

@Frank_MA For 68” Omega: 30.5 6.840 2.500 0.800 9 Website will be updated shortly.

@cletuspapa The EVO is not a conventional ski shape. It was designed to feel different from any other ski made today. Small bevels, shallow concave and wider profile make the EVO very well suited to lower boat speeds and larger wakes because it rides much higher in the water than a conventional ski. Some of the things you are describing are expected. Wide skis can have a tendency to feel squirrly if they are ridden faster than their intended range or sized too big for your weight. At 190 lbs, a 67" is plenty for speeds around 28mph, but it generates a lot of glide speed so you need to be patient (more so than a conventional ski) for it to settle down into the water and initiate your turn as the line comes tight. Sounds like this may be a moot point if you've returned the ski, so my apologies for not seeing this post sooner.

@jepski It's possible something is getting lost in translation. You got correct info if you were told to measure to end of the top sheet. On an Omni, the top sheet blends at the bottom due to the CleanEdge design. So again, if you measure to the rear-most part of the ski, you are measuring the end of the top sheet.

@jepski not sure who you spoke to, but with the Omni, the top sheet blends at the bottom of the ski. For boot position, we always measure to the rear-most part of the ski. Hope this helps.

I'm 195lbs and prefer the 67 on both the Alpha and the Omega and 68 on the Pro. I would say if you were happy with your 66.5 S2, you'll like the 67 on both of these. The Omega gets you a little more surface area in the tail and I feel that helps keep the ski in trim.