madcityskier

I would consider it a compliment. The best I've ever seen are so smooth the make it look easy. CP runs 38 and looks like he's barely trying, meanwhile, I bust my hump to get through a pass at 32-15, and it's all scrambling and cranking turns. I WISH it looked like I wasn't trying.

My 85 does just fine without. Providing you can find someone who knows how to drive, not just steer. That being said, I have been out with plenty of people who could benefit from welding the rudder in a straight line, as they would at least be predictable to other boaters, let alone the skier they're trying to tow.

 

As you can't start wider, I would try to start the turn in later to get better angle through the gates. This will give you a better chance of getting outside the one ball. If you let your shoulders stay open until the ski is ready to turn you'll stay wider. When the ski is ready to turn, concentrate on initiating the turn with your thighs. This will cause your knees and hips to turn and lead your body across course generating angle. You're currently standing upright and dropping your shoulder. This puts you pulling your a$$ off for little angle. Try to keep your hips low to the water across the wakes. Keeping your shoulders down course will prevent loading the line to much, which will put you fast and out of control at the bouy. The previous statements about weight are also true, but I think it may be trying to pull the ski around as it never gets enough speed to break free of the boats pull and carve the turn it was made to.

There's a lot of stuff here. I would start by working on a centered stance. Next initiating the turn with your thighs. Once the turns are generating angle you will find your hips low. The angle will get you across course faster and earlier. This will allow you to change edge and use the momentum to carry you outbound to the bouy. Now your ski will have a longer setup to the turn, and generate even more angle. By this point you'll have a dozen new things to work on anyway. Oh, and gave fun. Not enough people do that in this world.

By then my 13 year old daughter and her friends are in the water swimming in normal bathing suits. Though I will agree with drysuits crushing my throat. When we're skiing in water in the 30's I'm still a wetsuit. Drysuits are just too uncomfortable.

So my being in Madison, WI is no help. If you have a good local proshop set up a to.e to demo a few sticks and see what feels good. If you don't have one I can recommend one in Brooklyn, MI (about an hour from Toledo) who knows his stuff. If you call and set something up with him I'm sure he could take good care of you.

@JTDixon where are you located? Maybe there's someone on here to hook up with and get to a course. Maybe even try some different gear.

I was always a double high wrap guy. Then after I moved away from home the only boat option available was a 4 cyl I/O. As a big guy I had to go RTP to get out of the water in a reasonable time. Now that I have a better boat, just can't change back after years this way.

Had and loved ep, western, and most of all the mastercraft skis line.

 

In my experience getting forward will cause you to ho when the ski hits the first wake, though usually the landing is at the second wake. Though the worst I ever had was at the finish of a late turn, when I pulled the front binding off of my ski. Splits at 34 are always bad.

 

Missed this thread, but Go Lakers! Class of 1994.

The vest is a must. If they don't sit still/ fall off they should sit on the floor. Helping drive once in a while is great, but they also need to be able to ride without being a distraction. I've found that if the adults are wearing a vest, the kids won't complain that they have too. (Also, the sheriff will generally not bother you, or even pay attention when you're doing something stupid.) The best thing we did to keep my daughter interested was find a decent set of combos and take her with me. Once we got up she could stand on the front of my skis, or by having my arms under her armpits to support her, she could drag her feet, or run on the surface. This kept her wanting to come back, and got her used to being behind the boat.

 

What my wife likes to tell my crew we are,

Just a different kind of nerds

Luckily Doc growing up was a ski buddy. I got antiinflammitories and pain meds for a couple cracked ribs and a sprained knee, but was cleared to ski both times.

I'm late to the party, and unwilling to give you a hard time, as that would just be piling on.

At a glance, I see this differently than many of the comments I've read. I'm thinking that you either have changed your edge way to early, or went flat across the wake. I would like to see you getting greater angle, holding it through both wakes, and initiating the roll from the outside edge to the inside edge roughly where you're already riding flat in this pic. Where your hands are is the least of my concerns at this point.

And for the record golf sucks, time is better spent on the lake in any manner. Including curling when the water is too cold for skiing. Even bowling is better than golf, as the alleys have a/c on hot days and roofs on rainy ones.

 

I try to start my pull out when the boat is nearly to the pregate. Get wider than the turn ball line, and get enough speed to glide without sinking, while not ending up slack on my turn in. When the driver is getting to the end gate, I start my turn in and by the time the platform is moving through, I should be starting to load the line.

Try it to see what you think, your results will LIKELY vary. If it matters I'm a 2 handed gate guy.

 

Lots of fluff and very little substance. However, I find myself looking forward to the rare occasion I see one show up. As has been said, great pics. Also, leave them laying around and you'll find people leafing through them. Always good to have others see our sport.

 

Different Matt P then. Can't wait to see the pics.

Always love to see more of the old classics.

 

That was the impression I got. Almost killed myself on an old wood ski a couple years back. Falls under the umbrella of, "seemed like a good idea at the time" as many of my experiences do. I had never done more than 4 cartwheels before, so at least I accomplished something.

 

Invaders were always a fun ride on a choppy day.

85. Where are you at?

 

There was a bit in WaterSki mag a few years back where they tried to ski a maha for a few sets. If I recall correctly there were a couple bad falls. You'd hate to see someone get hurt screwing around like that. At the same time, I'd love to see Smith or Parrish take a rip on my old MasterCraft to see how much all the new technology really helps. I still suspect it's much more the skier than the equipment.

 

First and last are of my Stars and Stripes. Can't believe it's the first one on here. First pic is of the original owner (Dad) just before he finally agreed to sell. Las is of my birthday last year (12/20) in Madison, WI. We let the boat drift to the ice for a quick pic prior to getting a set in. In between is a nice shot of a friend's boat (nautique 2013 calendar - April) that yes is a wakeboard boat, but with some careful weighting will get you through the course with no problem up to about 28-32 odd depending on the wind, as the limiting factor is the spray. (Some design flaws you just can't overcome. Guess that's the price for seating 12 comfortably and tandem surfing when it's too rough to get a good slalom set.)

@east tx skier I'm a MasterCraft guy, but your Nautique is truely a sexy ride.

 

Hang to dry away from sunlight. Roll em up and throw them in the empty laundry basket next to the ones holding the life jackets. If they start to smell, wash them with a little baby shampoo and rinse well.

I'd never consider buying a boat without getting it in the water. On the hose is better than nothing, but not enough. There could be any number of issues such as a slightly bent shaft, or hole hidden by a bunk leaking at a decent rate. When making a purchase this expensive, I'm not willing to chance it. As a seller, I like the $50 dollar idea. Just enough to show that they're serious without scaring them off. As a buyer, I would say if you don't want to show it now, don't list it now. The lake being shut down just makes the entire thing a little more of a pain for both of you. Good luck with the sale.

 

@sb_dc_mbs_13 if you get to Madison next summer we'll get you on a vdrive that I think can make a believer out of you. Room for 12, decent in rough water, and if you don't have too many people with you the wake is as good as my brothers ps205 ever was.