Ski Boat Forum
General Category => General American Skier Discussions => Topic started by: Mike Harry on November 29, 2011, 07:38:30 AM
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My friends wife is a high end novice skier I guess you would say. She had dreams of being on the cypress gardens ski team, and I believe she could have been after watching her ski but the park was closed before that could have happened.
Anyway, when it comes to skiing (not just having fun)I have no clue as to what I am doing. She wants a ride behind the advance. How far back should the rope be for two skis? How far back for slalom? What kind of speeds should I be looking for. I want to impress her with the boat and don't want to look like I don't have any idea as to what I am doing.
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usually on two skis most people prefer a full 75 ft rope. on a slalom (just free skiing )I like about 15' off just to compensatee for some of the slack in the outside turns.
daveo
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Here's my 2cents to drive well in a pinch:
Access the subject, if she comes to the boat with high end well used slalom, gloves, her own ski line, binding soap, & asks to go to the slalom course, your screwed, begin apologising now & say you will do your best. No ski boat has full autopilot. (not yet) She is probably used to cruise control & your boat ain't got one. True slalom skiers are verrrry picky about drivers. Here are a few tips:
1) Use the center pylon not the transom eye & ask what line length she wants to start at, act dumb & have her attach it to the pylon unless you know where 28 off is, skiers are also fussy about how their line is attached.
2) Accelerate with a "medium" pull unless she asks for more, better skiers actually don't like their arms pulled off
3) Weather in the course or open water, drive in "straight lines"
4) Calibrate speedo against a GPS before pulling her
5) Ask what speed she wants, expect 30,32,34
6) Throttle smoothly & directly up to the desired speed & do your best to maintain it to a needle width +/-
7) If she's a regular course skier ask if she prefers someone else to drive that she's used to, if so hand off the controls & ride shotgun & enjoy the view.
Good luck, these are some of the same tips I use when one of my friends ask to start at 35 off/ 36mph & run through 41...I still pucker up, but if you ever get a chance to ride in the boat with a serious shortline slalom skier take it, you will never forget it!
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I would guess I am screwed either way I go, but her real skiing days were "in her youth" as she put it. She isnt old now........ but I didnt get into a discussion with a timeline so who knows. I have no idea what she was used to skiing behind in "her youth".
I do know they have a boat, but its a open bow family type boat, not a ski boat bye any means. I just thought I could get her behind the Skier and let her have some fun behind a true ski boat. Thanks for the tips....... I figured letting her set up her own gear was best anyway, but I didnt know if the Advance had any characteristics that I needed to know about where she might be better off a little closer or a little further away for one reason or another.
I dont even know where there is a course, so Im guessing open water is what she is after. If I find one it sure would be fun to try!!!
As always, thanks for the tips guys, and any others will be greatly appreciated.
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re read what Ron mentioned .......... it's very true
Dan T
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Yep... "what he said..." Not sure how many people you've pulled so I'll add this little tidbit - make sure you have ALL the slack out of the line and the rudder is straight ahead before you pull. She'll appreciate not having the line jerked out of her hands and you wont have to correct your heading while trying to pull her up... :) And, if she has no idea what rope length she likes, then you may SUGGEST she start at 15' off... this length brings the skier across the least amount of wake & minimal slack line without being too aggressive or too much spray in the face from the boat. It has better "feel" and is actually easier to ski than the full 75' line IMHO...
I'm sure you'll do great. Let us know how it goes. Have a blast - my boat has been in long term storage for tooooooo long already :(
Joel