Joeprunc

@oldjeep, the SV23 hull can either be a wake hull or a diamond hull. I saw your posts on malibucrew, they gave some good points on looking at the chines to tell the difference. I'd also check out their listing of boats by year and options on the crew website (under the specficiations link). http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/page/specs.html I have to agree with @Fer on skiing behind something with a much bigger wake, then going to a smaller wake. I was struggling to ski 32 mph @ 15' on my friends SN 206. Two days later behind my boat I ran more passes at 34 mph in one day than I have combined all year, I also tried 22' at 34 mph for the first time in my life!

Life just got a lot sweeter!!!....well except for when you have to drive to work, and look out your back window. Congratulations! Does the lake has a club boat, or is that the next purchase? My wild guess is you going to promo a new MC Prostar.

So you went with the 2013. How do you like it compared to the 2012? I am amazed at the progression I have had with the 2013 in the last month. 32mph 15' off, to 34 at 22' off (but it did happen in practice).

8" need to save weight. ....just kidding, coming from wakeboarding I feel much more comfortable with a wider handle. I can ski with a 12" handle, but I prefer not to. If US Gear has another sale I will be purchasing a 13" Radius Pro-V, those handles look very nice. And for those coming back to the handle with 1/2 a hand, I was having this issue earlier this year, until someone pointed out what I was doing with my dropped hand. I was flailing my arm so badly the fellow skier said I looked like I was at a "gay rodeo". Since then I keep my hand close to my hip when I drop. I have not missed or 1/2 handed coming back to the handle since.

We can just about always find a calm section to ski whether its open water or a course. Its more a matter of finding a second and third some days. Now that fall is here our winds are very calm. Yesterday it was so calm, your depth perception was off, and it was actually a bit difficult to ski.

Finally made all 6 buoys at 34 mph -15' last night, and I did it twice!.....but it was in practice. ....so I guess I should change my vote.

...completely off topic.... Wow that brand new boat looks much dirtier than my 20 year old boat. (Though it probably has pretty close to the number of hours mine has, but the MC got them all in the last 3 months). I also never noticed that sheen looking vinyl on the driver and passengers seats. Is that the camera angle, or is all the interior like that, or is it just certain panels? Also noticed the gas cap on the drivers side only....that would be a major PITA for me to fill up with my fuel jugs, as my hoist is mounted to the dock on the port side. How big are those rear locker hatches? Can you fit a few vests in there? or is it just for a six pack?

Interesting topic with regards to how some skis work better or worse for elite skiers vs. weekend warriors. Maybe you need to get a second weekend warrior reviewer to post what the aspiring skier feels. Kind of like a Part Deux - Review from the Weekend Warrior.

Never to my wife, sometimes to the boss.

Thanks for the pictures....boy I would love to be back in college again ;)

Before moving around the fin take a look at some video. When are you coming back to the handle? Coming back early to the handle will do two things: 1) As you reach for the handle before your ski comes around you have to break at the waste or lean forward to get back to the handle. Thus breaking your stacked position, and making it very difficult to get back into position for the pull. 2) Your ski stops its turning path and begins to ski down course. Making it hard to finish the turn. This is something that I've been working on very diligently. I try not to get back to the handle until the ski tip has crossed the rope. This is one of many things I'm working on, but when all goes right, it is like magic. If you are patient coming back to the handle, but still having a hard time finishing the turn then I would try moving the fin. (I don't mean to step on anyones toes...sorry if it did, I just feel like the stock settings for skiers at our levels are usually the best, its usually something else that is causing issues). Interesting with the wing, I was experiencing the tail starting to blow out on my offside turn....wing is back in and @9 deg, see how it goes tomorrow.

@boarditup, that's what I do, but oldjeep's RLXi doesn't have a drain tube. @oldjeep, did you touch your trans fluid? The only way I found to drain mine is with a suction device. X2 on a cut off milk carton for the fuel separator. I just installed PP last year and it was in their directions to install on the hose.

@cragginshred What size ski are you on? Sounds like a 66"? Interesting about the wing...I guess I'm going to put mine back on and see how it works.

I am quite jealous of you @omland. That is one hell of an accomplishment, I need to ski more ;) and work on #2, #4, and #6....or maybe just #6.

What a title......I need to get my head out of my "arse"

When winter comes, training will be teleskiing and drinking lots of porters and IPAs...I still have two months before the white stuff is ski-able.

Excuse my humble opinion if it is too harsh... Wakeboardings doesn't need AWSA, why would they want to join the club? Wakeboarding became and "extreme sport" and has continued to grow leaps and bounds quicker than skiing. Kids want to look cool and extreme, to impress girls. Unfortunately in most of their eyes doing six turns isn't nearly as cool as flips, spins, and huge air. Plus they can listen to their music as loud as possible. There is also ample amounts of room on wakeboard boats for as many bikini babes AND it helps with the wake! It took me 25 years to realize that skiing is much harder and more extreme than wakeboarding. It took me another 3 years of skiing to even realize what a water ski course was, and how much fun and addictive it is. And now that I have a wife the # of girls on my boat doesn't matter. Someone did a piss poor job in promoting water skiing as and extreme sport when wakeboarding came around. But even if they did, you really need a course to prove that you are truely a man, and they really aren't readily available to the public.

What ever that guy is smoking....I want some.

As a 15' offer I spent all summer working on 30 mph and 32 mph only. Working on form and not caring about buoys. But I must say this weekend I decided to bump up to 34 mph (first time ever at that speed on the course) and I had the most fun skiing to date. So its a double edged sword for me. I am really happy that I spent so much time on the slower passes learning, but I felt like once I bumped up to the next level, my level of confidence rose, and those other passes became much easier. I will absolutely piss myself in joy if I start cutting line before its snow ski season!!

One last update... I am absolutely loving this Strada! I've only had three days in the water with it and I already have upped my Practice PB (so obviously it doesn't count) from 6 @ 32 mph -15' to 5@34 mph -15' (it was may last pass of my third set of the day). I've been working on technique all year (though I'm still sure it is piss poor) and never been on the course at 34 mph until this weekend. Hell I've never been on this ski at 34 mph until this weekend. But it actually felt smoother and less work than @ 30 mph. This ski accelerates very constantly and quickly, and carries the speed off the second wake so effortlessly. It could be just getting the right sized ski (going from a 65" to 66"). It also seems to constantly make the exact same predictable turn when you want it to, or rip a quick one if you are late and end up early at the next ball. It also seems the level of confidence I have in my ski and skiing have gone thru the roof, could be time on the water finally paying off, but I feel a majority has to do with the ski. Everyone at the club this weekend commented on how much better I looked (even compared to skiing on the Connelly I demoed earlier this season). But a word of caution; the bright orange is not for the faint of heart...its a whole new level of florescent orange....it actually surprises me every time I take it out of the bag. There are two minor issues I am having and maybe someone can help steer me in the right direction. I'm thinking it is my form and not the ski. #1 - I am getting a bit of slack at the buoy and thru the turn. I am not running a wing, but I think it has more to do with me pulling off the second wake a bit to long, or maybe letting go of the handle to early and moving more down course instead of cross course. #2 - On my offside turn, when I really try to turn hard, I've felt the tail of the ski start to blow out. It only happened a few times and only at 32 mph when I was late and trying to make up time. Again it probably is 100% skier error. My settings are 29" to front boot 2.510" 6.842" 0.759" No wing I noticed that Rossi run his front boot at 28 5/8", maybe moving the boot back a click might help. To make a long story short. I am very happy with my new ski.

All good advice. I'm going to go a bit against the grain and say decrease your skier weight by 50lbs, and set your PX value at a higher value (say 30 or 35). And keep your KX at -. (I'm not a PP expert, so I'm not sure if it will work, but might be worth a shot)

Only charge people when we are at the course. $10 per set. Two other friends have boats that we regularly ski behind, I do not charge them or their wives, they don't charge me or my wife. I prefer $$ as my boat takes 89 or 91 octane, and runs like sh!t on 87 octane. If we are skiing open water with Family or friends its on me, or if they volunteer to contribute.

Selling a boat or car that you are really attached to is truly a bitter sweet feeling. You sure are going to miss your baby, but excited for the next one.

@oldjeep. Yes, the ropes were sleeved just like they are brand new. I started seeing some frayed rope sticking out where the three sleeves come together. After I really pushed the sleeved around to expose the rope I saw that there was not much rope left holding together. I absolutely love this handle, just have a hard time replacing it this often.

I'm on my third handle. The first one (yellow) broke on the plastic part...could have ended much worse for the skier. Second, the rope started to frey quite badly where the rope ends come together and form a Y. The third handle I only let my wife use, as it is her favorite handle. I now use a masterline custom, but really really miss the feel of the Extend.