lakeliving
Well-Known Member
We did buy a set this year. I used them a couple times. I'm going to spend some more time on them this year. If I get the all clear from my father in law I will post a video I made of him skiing.
Slalom Water Skiing - the sport explained
- Thread starter JeffS
- Start date
Cool! Love the replies to this post.
For Lakeliving - if I can, let me throw in 2 thoughts for you if you are going to ski this summer.
Without a ski boat, if it were me...I wouldn't bother trying to get up on one ski. I'd just get up on 2 and drop one. I can do it, but it takes so much energy just to get up, it's not as fun once you're up and skiing. That's just me though.
And if it were me, I'd be looking for an O'Brien Synchro. It's the perfect old-guy slalom ski. For your back-foot ski (the one you drop), it can be anything. Literally...anything. But the ski you ski on...I highly recommend the Synchro. And I also recommend a site www.ski-it-again.com. It's the best place to buy and sell used equipment. All of my sons skis have come from ski-it-again. I don't have the desire to pay the thousands of dollars it costs for the latest-greatest. 2-3 year old top-line equipment at 1/2 the price is my comfort zone.
Synchros are hard to find used at great deals. It's only a $300 - $400 ski to begin with, and there are a lot of guys like me who are recommending the ski. So used ones don't last very long. But they're out there and this time of the year is the time to snatch one up. Just my $.02.
For Lakeliving - if I can, let me throw in 2 thoughts for you if you are going to ski this summer.
Without a ski boat, if it were me...I wouldn't bother trying to get up on one ski. I'd just get up on 2 and drop one. I can do it, but it takes so much energy just to get up, it's not as fun once you're up and skiing. That's just me though.
And if it were me, I'd be looking for an O'Brien Synchro. It's the perfect old-guy slalom ski. For your back-foot ski (the one you drop), it can be anything. Literally...anything. But the ski you ski on...I highly recommend the Synchro. And I also recommend a site www.ski-it-again.com. It's the best place to buy and sell used equipment. All of my sons skis have come from ski-it-again. I don't have the desire to pay the thousands of dollars it costs for the latest-greatest. 2-3 year old top-line equipment at 1/2 the price is my comfort zone.
Synchros are hard to find used at great deals. It's only a $300 - $400 ski to begin with, and there are a lot of guys like me who are recommending the ski. So used ones don't last very long. But they're out there and this time of the year is the time to snatch one up. Just my $.02.
kaydano
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kaydano
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By the way, what are some of the options for storing skis on a pontoon boat? Unfortunately, we don't have center tube storage.
Good read! I wanted to start skiing behind my pontoon this year but ended up getting a wakeboard instead. A friend of mine did let us borrow an old slalom ski of his. Pretty sure it was from the 80's and way skinner than anything I've seen around. Only one person dared try it, but after only a few tries, he made it up and stayed there for a nice, long run!
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kaydano
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We had a runabout with a 35 HP motor when I was a kid. Very small boat. Closed bow. Nameplate capacity of 5, but only room for 4. We found a pair of old wood skis at a garage sale. I spent countless hours skiing on them. I loved seeing how far I could jump across the wake (with both skis) and I could ski for about an hour without stopping or falling. I was in great shape back then, and 2 skis behind a 35 HP motor wasn't exactly a "hang on for your life" kind of ride, so skiing for an hour isn't a big feat. I never got tired of going. Always had a great time. We would go every night after supper during the summer.
Slaloming from that boat was ALMOST impossible though. 35 HP is not enough power. I got up on one ski just a couple times, but only because a friend and I were seeing who could do it first. He beat me to it, but we both got up. It was a real nightmare. It took more than 2 minutes to get up out of the water with that 35 HP motor. The water spray was impossible, couldn't see, couldn't breath. Completely exhausted once you got up. It was no fun. Skiing on two skis was a no brainier with that boat.
I remember one time my brother was back from college, and he wanted to drive the boat while I skid. So I was in the water putting my skis on, my friend threw me the rope, and here's where the idiot part comes in. Instead of slowly tightening the rope, he just floored it. I think it was his first time ever even being in a boat. My dad wasn't there, or this never would have happened. Remember, it was just a 35 HP, and I had a couple seconds to decide whether to hang on or let go. Actually, letting go didn't enter my mind. It was more like "how do I hold the handle" that was going through my mind. I grabbed it with a fist on each side, and held it up by my chin so I could absorb some of the shock with my arms. I leaned way back, floating flat on the water, looking straight up at the sky, never did that before, and hung on to the handle as hard as I could.
I was yanked out of the water in a heartbeat. I was so far forward in just an instant, that I almost did a face-plant. Because I was holding the handle with one fist on each side, the handle was pointing straight up and down, if you can picture that. I was leaning so far forward that the tip of the handle was in the water in front of me between the skis spraying me in the face. I was that close to going in face first, but managed to stand up. Thinking back, it was stupid. Idiot brother, never drove a boat before. Never been in a boat before. The rope could have snapped and hit me in the face. I could have dislocated a shoulder or something. But, you don't remember the times you played it safe. Don't tell my kids that! Ha ha ha, I'm talking like this was life or death or something. I'm sure there are much better stories. Kids are waking up now. Gotta go.
I did have a TON of fun skiing though. Nothing professional like JeffS describes, just plain good fun. That's why I was looking for skiis for the kids. Skiing is a lot of fun, with one ski or two. Remember, with two skis, you can ski a lot longer. Might not be as "cool" but it is fun.
Slaloming from that boat was ALMOST impossible though. 35 HP is not enough power. I got up on one ski just a couple times, but only because a friend and I were seeing who could do it first. He beat me to it, but we both got up. It was a real nightmare. It took more than 2 minutes to get up out of the water with that 35 HP motor. The water spray was impossible, couldn't see, couldn't breath. Completely exhausted once you got up. It was no fun. Skiing on two skis was a no brainier with that boat.
I remember one time my brother was back from college, and he wanted to drive the boat while I skid. So I was in the water putting my skis on, my friend threw me the rope, and here's where the idiot part comes in. Instead of slowly tightening the rope, he just floored it. I think it was his first time ever even being in a boat. My dad wasn't there, or this never would have happened. Remember, it was just a 35 HP, and I had a couple seconds to decide whether to hang on or let go. Actually, letting go didn't enter my mind. It was more like "how do I hold the handle" that was going through my mind. I grabbed it with a fist on each side, and held it up by my chin so I could absorb some of the shock with my arms. I leaned way back, floating flat on the water, looking straight up at the sky, never did that before, and hung on to the handle as hard as I could.
I was yanked out of the water in a heartbeat. I was so far forward in just an instant, that I almost did a face-plant. Because I was holding the handle with one fist on each side, the handle was pointing straight up and down, if you can picture that. I was leaning so far forward that the tip of the handle was in the water in front of me between the skis spraying me in the face. I was that close to going in face first, but managed to stand up. Thinking back, it was stupid. Idiot brother, never drove a boat before. Never been in a boat before. The rope could have snapped and hit me in the face. I could have dislocated a shoulder or something. But, you don't remember the times you played it safe. Don't tell my kids that! Ha ha ha, I'm talking like this was life or death or something. I'm sure there are much better stories. Kids are waking up now. Gotta go.
I did have a TON of fun skiing though. Nothing professional like JeffS describes, just plain good fun. That's why I was looking for skiis for the kids. Skiing is a lot of fun, with one ski or two. Remember, with two skis, you can ski a lot longer. Might not be as "cool" but it is fun.
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lakeliving
Well-Known Member
I've only ski'd maybe three times so far but I can see where it gets addicting. Great story Dan. It seems skiing is a great way to form memories with friends and family that will last a lifetime.
On my pontoon boat, I have the center tube. But even with that storage option available...I've always found the best place to store the skis is on the ski boat.
Love your story by the way. And I have to manage expectations down quite a bit. Though we ski the slalom course, we are far far far far far far far from pro level skiing. Most of what we do we call "postcard skiing". Looks great. Big splashy spray. Makes a nice picture. And is an awesome workout. But we can't begin to compete. The sport would require someone to live on a private ski lake where you can get time on the course, 2 - 3 times a day. 5 - 6 days a week. Plus, anymore, I just drive.
I also don't have a story that good. But my kid does. 1st day of ski week - Eagle River Wisconsin. Zach got his ski flat and off center crossing the lane and punched the tip into the wake. Full face plant. Hit his head on the ski as he crashed. Split open a good 3" wound. Needed stitches. Took him to the ER...they told him he needed to take a couple of days off. Zach said..."that's not going to happen...next suggestion?" They said they'd stitch it. Anesthetic would take about an hour and stitches would come after the anesthetic was set in. Zach said "that's too long...can't you just staple it?"
So that's what they did. 3 staples. No anesthetic. Scrip for an antibiotic. We were back on the water in less than 2 hours. Hard core. The power and beauty of youth.
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That's a great story kaydano. Memories like that are our most precious treasures