Ski Boat Forum
General Category => General American Skier Discussions => Topic started by: Mike Harry on September 21, 2011, 05:28:18 PM
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So someone give me a short explanation of this long line I'm reading about. Obviously it's on the rope behind the boat ............. but how do you start? Sitting on a board or something? You can't just start in the water with no board or skis can you?
Just a very general would be good. I just want to try...... possibly!
Never even seen it much less come close to trying it
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I will defer the proper answer to my little brother who is the resident expert in this field, but the old school answer is yes, you bob up in down in the water at the end of the ski line (or even extended ski line) when your ready for the torture you hang your toes around the ski line & hang on like a sack of potatoes hoping the driver sees your head go down & he accelerates, in my case after 5 minutes of accelerating hopefully you can take your first breath & you have planted your feet & wonder how your going to release the 300HP induced enema you just received with any dignity.
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I attribute at least part of my herniated disc to my crash. barefoot crash and burn (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xS_1Eyvjq8#) Of course I didn't get a lot of coaching, including not to let go of the boom.
I know that when I drive for footers on a long line, they like a bit of a whip out of the wake if possible.
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Holy crap, that doesn't even sound fun. Next questions, why do it and damn doesn't that hurt your feet?
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Longline Barefooting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJDAkBA1hW8#ws)
Good fun if you ask me.
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That was a hell of a crash Chris :o
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Gonzo nice run and good looking suit
Chris - i feel ya man been there done that too many times..........
Ron - come on it's really not that bad......... well for us under 205 :)
Mike - with the correct instruction and equipment almost any one in relatively good shape and already a skier
can learn to barefoot we teach a multi-step program from boom to bridle(5' handle section) to long line
note the the long line term came from the line needing to be so long behind some boats to get away from
the rooster tail etc typically a 100' , I like 80' and behind the malibu's and sangers we can use 70' (plus the handle section)
Chris' vid shows a "tumble up" directly on the boom which is actually a few steps ahead of the "beginner never skied b4 type starts"
Gonzo shows a "long line" 'front deep" or front deepwater start" while this start is a little more advanced it is also the most common
start for forward barefooters today.
the no budget no instruction "I want to do this myself method" usually includes sitting on a kneeboard putting your feet on the water and
the driver accelerates to speed (new method: weight divided by 10 + 15, old method: weight divided by 10 + 20)
even better than the kneeboard is a wakeboard. Wakeboards (without the bindings) are generally more neutral buoyant and easier to start
while sitting and they track better too.
Stepping of a slalom ski takes some instruction, some dry land practice and a very solid forward stance to master
check my youtube channel "Midskier" for more vids but here are a few
good luck - or wait til the reunion, we're sure to have another barefoot clinic
oh and 1 more thing try NOT to use a "ski rope" use a barefoot line or wakeboard line - they are NO stretch or little stretch compared to polypropylene ski line which have up to 5% stretch
compared to spectra, TAC, or polyethylene (poly E)which have .2% - 1.2% stretch
Dan T
easy footer
Josie Hoekstra Barefooting 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC9U2ySDLMY#ws)
tumble up on the boom
www.FootnGear.com David Tanis Demonstrating Tumble up barefoot start on the Boom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg2JoSMY65o#)
tumble up on the bridle
www.FootnGear.com Aaron Tanis demonstrating a Tumble-up Barefoot start. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzuzGoNE9Lo#)
Step off
www.FootnGear.com Aaron Tanis barefoot front step off demo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kFxrmqrORw#)
Close up of the Front Deep mechanics using a new product we are working on
Boom Jart 2 www.FootnGear.com barefoot boom attachment (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk1noLQ0wc#ws)
Aaron Tanis Back Deep :)
Aaron Tanis 09-11-11 Barefooting Backwards / back deep (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrBsIXofoek#ws)
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Thanks for all the replies guys. It appears the first thing I need to do is get a rope. Secondly, it apppears you ALL are using a suit..... Im guessing the padding is the reason for that? I might need one of those as well. It appears trying to foot with a life jacket especially on the long line would not be the way to go! Unless you were coming up off a board.
I can wait till the reunion. But I got a Barefoot boat..... and cant use it properly..... what kind of crap is that!!!
One final question before I drop this thread for now.......
Does that not hur the bottom of your feet? I mean really, you can tell me.
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Oh yeah, and I like to think Im not "fat" but, uhhhhh, I am a good bit over 205!
Guess I gotta slim fast before next reunion.
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Do you want me to lie to you...??? If so... I've heard that it doesnt hurt your feet one bit!!! ;) Now, "catch a toe" on a ripple and you'll have to peel your face off of the bottom of the lake... but I've heard that doesnt hurt either... that is, if you want me to continue to lie to you... ;D
BTW, if you like your "jewels" you will need a suit... NO LIE :o
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Joel you crack me up :)
Barefoot wetsuits though not USCG approved replace a life jacket so you don't wear both
plenty of flotation in the padding - the padding hip to hip in the bottom, chest to chest around the back
on top a few may still have something between the legs too....... but not very common as they are
uncomfortable.
Barefoot International by far makes the toughest most comfortable suit for most all recreational footers
KSO and Eagle make suits that are somewhat more flexible 9becasue the padding is thinner) these suits
have the most current graphics and are used by the most elite of footers as well as recreational footers that think
they are elite too - KSO and Eagle suits would be more suited to those spend their time on their feet
front to back back to front toe holds etc
regardless of which suit you choose you better have a pair of padded barefoot shorts underneath as well
these allow you to butt ride tumble turn front deep etc with max protection
some of wear a cup too - I never did until this year now I never will go without (funny thing about getting smacked in the jewels
though it hurt like a 12 letter word which I'm sure I spouted out several times, nothing else on my body hurt for a few days
not my back, my shoulders, elbow etc..........)
in addition to the padding Barefoot suits have cinch straps 2 the bottom of the leg opens, these reduce the amount of water
able to enter the suit when doing a front deep
low stretch no stretch rope is a good idea and while were on the rope subject for whatever reason footers use a 15" handle not 12"
does it hurt your feet ? for a 100 yards or so - no, on the easy footer doing 30 instead of 40 - no,
some people just feel the rush and can go for several minutes (every minute and half @ 40 mph is a mile)
yesterday I popped out 2 - 3 minute runs and 1 run over 4 minutes. my forearms were shot my feet were fine
not tingly not throbbing good to go. 2 weeks earlier I went 1/4 mile and stated to get a blister on heel, that HURT
and earlier in the month I hit something floating in the water left a dime sized hole in my arch that HURT too!
when ever you fall you always fall forward which is why we preach never to look @ your feet , look down go down
falling forward ( or backward or sideways) @ 40 mph HURTS it hurts some more than others some falls hurt more than others
some hurt longer than others some don't hurt until later in the day or the following day but yes the falls hurt
figure out your size - search for some descent used used stuff online (I think 1 or 2 on this forum had some stuff available)
or call me and I'll set up with new gear
have a great weekend we'll be footn if it ain't raining
Dan T
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Thanks Dan, Can't wait to hook up with you again so I can improve my game on the long line. Been having so much fun out there footin its pretty much all I do on the water these days.
Barefoot suit is working out great, Thanks again.
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I'm glad I have a good excuse that I don't have to do this torture anymore, anyone who really knows the Tanis family knows how competitive we are & with Dan being 10 years younger or me being 10 years smarter if I didn't have to stop skiing in '99 I would probably be dead by now staying ahead of Dan. About all this padding, progress can be a wonderfull thing. Our family was inspired to begin the barefooting craze on our lake in the late sixties by a guy who came to our cottage with his twin rig Dyne stood on the pier, let the boat idle out about 60 foot of line, the boat took off, he jumped up & landed in the water & did his flying deep water start with no more than his speedo & a lifeBELT!
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5 barefoot outings in 7 days nice to have a warm streak in October and a boat not ready for winter yet......... I'll shut it down 10-29-11
looks like this Saturday will be sunny too - problem is there are 4 floating duck blinds out on the water with 100 plus decoys and the season starts this weekend :O
we may need a kevlar wetsuit
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What kind of boat is that pulling you? :)
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:-[ :-X
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http://www.thewakehouse.com/products/Vortex-Stealth-Barefoot-Suit.html (http://www.thewakehouse.com/products/Vortex-Stealth-Barefoot-Suit.html)
This looks like a hell of a deal compared to prices on other suits I have looked at. I would guess the price reflects craftsmanship, but does anyone have any pros or cons to this suit.
At $80 I think it might be my first suit. Think Ill ask Santa to see if he can get me one made before Christmas
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for you $80 it's tough to pass by a new vortex suit......... these are 2-3 year old left overs as vortex is no longer around
don't even think about using it with barefoot shorts under it
we have 1 hanging around in the wetsuit closet, the leg straps are ratchet type , not cam lock strap like everyone else
they do have drain holes in the legs which I like........ they are not as thick as a BI suit, or eagle or kso..........
but still $80.........
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Hey Mike... thier YOUR coconuts that'll be slappin' the water... price your suit accordingly ;)
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I just sold a 10+ yo BI suit in excellent condition for $100, which kinda stinks because I was looking @ it for my own use since I all but wore out my old one and Phil stole (I mean purchased) my new one........
it's good to see the demand for used BI suits is still there........ Mike a china made vortex V2 w/shorts will do fine and be 1/2 the cost of a new BI, KSO or Eagle
looking through my BI inventory I found a few items tucked in back
BI Iron shorts XL, BI Green all over graphic T shirts XXL, BI white logo t-shirts XL, BI Heater shirts L & XL
all on ebay :)
Dan T