trying to learn deep water slalom

[88 PS190]

I'm a fan of the two-step start. "Arm It" gets the boat in gear, "Hit It" is, well, hit it. Neither one can be confused with "no", "Stop", "Slow down", "#%***#@#", or whatever else the skier may be saying as a result of your incompetence as a driver, an incompetence which I still exhibit on occasion.

The fact that people get up easily with just the front foot in is a critical piece of information - it means that NO FORCE ON THE REAR FOOT IS NEEDED.

You've nailed all the crucial parts - with the exception of - since none of the "arm it" etc. is necessary it is on the skier to figure out how to get ready in the water, maybe request the line to be tightened and then say hit it or whatever and be ready for the boat.

If you want to ski tournaments you have to be ready for a one step start always - which is also a good reason to get comfortable with a 2 foot in start.

[FrankSchwab]

I would guess the op is a ways away from entering a tournament.

We used to do the one step “hit it”. Twenty years ago my buddy got a cruise control that also did pull-up, and pretty much required the two step approach. We liked it, and kept doing it.

[slalomjunkie]

a cruise control that also did pull-up,

Accu-ski?

[88 PS190]

Accu-ski?

Ya - you'd press arm push the throttle into position and then it had a foot switch you had to push for a few seconds to go.

In practicality all pulls are two step if the driver likes their trans as nearly everyone waits for the clutches to engage before they push it. And "gear/go" is fine until you get that guy who is more of the "gear, hold up, gear, whoa"

[boscoman]

Ok, now I'm getting up more consistently, not every time, but I actually did 2 in a row Sunday. Now, I find I don't want to do 2 skis anymore, lol.

I'm crossing the wake without falling (mostly). I'm looking at some drills on youtube. Where should my skill level be before looking to buy a slalom ski makes sense? My skis are Connelly Eclipse.

Thanks everybody!

Bill

[88 PS190]

If you are riding one ski you should buy a slalom ski. Generally speaking combos are sold with the front binding in the wrong spot for if the ski were to be used as a slalom ski - it will work but when you put your rear foot in the ski rides really tip heavy and you'll bounce off the wake.

What that slalom ski should be can really vary. I generally recommend skis like the Omni/Senate/Connelly V etc. As they are skis you really will not grow out of any time soon.

[mikeg205]

Most open water slaloms are fine and inexpensive. HO freeride good, you might even try an HO hover board.. losts of surface area for easy starts. Even 88 would approve the hover board.

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[88 PS190]

Love my ho hovercraft. But own that a syndicate Omni and of course my old D3 and Goode but my hovercraft got skied more this year than my Omni. Some of that was that I broke 2 ribs in an OTF

[boscoman]

up with no falls 3 times in a row yesterday....might actually be getting the hang of this.

water 73.4 deg, reasonably comfortable with 1.5mm shirt and 2mm jacket. How cold water do y'all ski in?

[Miss Rita]

How cold water do y'all ski in?

The water temp around here never gets over 72. I skied last week in 60 degree water, once it goes below 60 I wear a wetsuit. Last April 26, the first ski day of the year, the water temp was 48 degrees. A few years ago I took a friend footing in December, he wore a dry suit, water temp was around 40. Other friends have told me that they used to do dry starts standing in their skis on the ice, no wetsuits. They did their best to finish on the ice, didn't always work.

[3event]

wow - ice starts for the win !

Around 59 degrees early season in WI although we haven't started early for a number of years now. I used to wear a drysuit for April/early May runs. Then one year a couple of my boys got tough and jumped in at around 59F no suit. I decided I couldn't take the easy road and did it in boardshorts and a vest as well. Good times.....

[boscoman]

Wow is all I can say!

[boscoman]

Progress report:

Went out yesterday and made 5 starts without a fall. Decided to throw away the deep-v training wheels and I was 1 for 2. I'm going to try to stay with the regular handle.

I saw this video on youtube and thought I would give it a try:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZWLmQtmVK0

Could not for the life of me keep the slack out of the line as I went back toward the wake. Either it would sag or I would pull my arms in to take up the slack. This was with full length rope at about 30 mph. From everything I've read, shortening the line just increases the degree of difficulty for competition skiers. Don't know if there is an advantage to doing that at this stage of my learning.

My lake is still at 73 deg. Water felt warm after awhile, but when I got in the boat for a rest the wind hitting the wet wetsuit was icy.

[etduc]

You're probably, overturning. At this point, you're learning the feel of pulling against the boat, and edging. Keep practicing .YOu may want to slow the boat down, to learn the feel of crossing both wakes on edge.

[JohnnyB]

wow - ice starts for the win !



Around 59 degrees early season in WI although we haven't started early for a number of years now. I used to wear a drysuit for April/early May runs. Then one year a couple of my boys got tough and jumped in at around 59F no suit. I decided I couldn't take the easy road and did it in boardshorts and a vest as well. Good times.....

Wow....i am too old for that.

Sets at dusk tonight...54 deg water and about same air...was time for the dry suit

Love the heater and bow cover....

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