Ooh, new toy

[oldjeep]

I'm an intermediate skier on a good day and I've been switching between a 69" KD powercarve and a 69" Obrien Evidence for the past bunch of years. They are extremely forgiving since I'm about 180 and they are way oversized for my weight. Been trying to get good enough to get into a course and my FIL has told me on a few occasions that I'm on too much ski to really progress.

My lovely wife decided to pick up a new ski for me today. Previous year 67" Radar Senate that we found a deal on. Can't wait to try it out. Looks pretty small compared to the OBrien and tiny compared to the KD.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Sweet! Can't wait to hear how you like it.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Very nice! I suspect it will take some getting used to, but I think you're gonna like it.

Wish my wife was willing to buy me ski equiment.

 

[skibrain]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Sweet. Probably work best with a bit more boat speed.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Sweet. Probably work best with a bit more boat speed.

I figure I'll start at 32 and see if I get a sinking feeling, that is what I normally run the Obrien at.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

The wife and kids surprised me with a 67 2012 Triumph for father's day. I had to move the boots one notch forward. I have been running the course with it smoothly at 28 MPH 15 off. I really like the boots. I have not pushed faster yet, just really focusing on technique. I think your going to love the ski. I do believe the newer skis are a marked improvement on the old ones in my garage.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Definitely like it, took a little getting used to but I felt pretty comfortable on it after a few runs. I get to try it out in a course on Tuesday, so we'll see how that goes. I've only run a course a few times and the last time was 5 years ago, should be fun to try.

Some video my kid took

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Sweet! Your going to get some buoys on that ski!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Well, I got to ski a course with the new ski on Prior Lake this morning with my father in law and one of the guys he skis with every morning. It was very humbling, but instructional. They backed me down to 28MPH to start and after a few runs with a lot of coaching from one of the guys, I was able to get a few balls without feeling like I was going to die. It was really interesting skiing at 28 since it kept me from finishing my turns by kicking the tail - at that speed it would sink.

Definitely learned a lot by just watching my FIL's friend ski since he was starting out at 28 and made it look very smooth and easy. I think he has around 40 years on me in age and 50 in experience, guess he has been competing since the 50's and still does.

Can't wait to try it again

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Ooh, new toy

When I used to slalom, I tried the course a few times. I agree...a humbling experience. The course is one heck of a lot more difficult than it looks. Even a great free skier usually struggles with the course for a while. The guys who are really good make it look almost effortless, even at short line lengths.

Glad you're liking the new ski!

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Where is the water breaking under your front foot on that ski when just going forward? Sounds like you might need to adjust your boots a little. Also, at 28 I would go with the minimum resistance on the wing.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Boots are currently as far back as they will go - 29.5" from heel of front boot to tail, which is where radar says it should be set. As for the wing, it was suggested that I remove it all together so I'm going to give that a try.

Probably be a couple weeks until I can run the course again, the guys that I can ski it with are all retired and run in the morning on weekdays. I think they were taking off for a competition somewhere tomorrow.

Hopefully I can just free ski it on Sunday behind my FIL's Malibu. That ski is too scary behind my Bayliner, have to stick to the bigger ski.

 

[skibrain]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Were you at long line (70' + handle) 28 mph?
If so, that requires a LOT of pulling to get speed enough to get out to the buoy line.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

Were you at long line (70' + handle) 28 mph?
If so, that requires a LOT of pulling to get speed enough to get out to the buoy line.

15 off at 28 MPH.

Funny thing is that the 80 year old I was skiing with ran 15 off at 28MPH and made it look like it required no effort at all, I felt like I was pulling like hell.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

That's how your going to look once you get the ski dialed in and your technique tuned to the ski.

Next time up when just going straight look down. The water should be breaking at the balls of your front foot. If it is not, the boots need to go forward. This will make it come out of that turn smoother and faster. That is why I suspect you have a sinking feeling in the turn. I bet the boots are far back for your riding style and then your probably back on the ski versus really balanced.

The advice I got with the new ski was get the boots dialed in first, then the wing.

Its all fun either way.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

I have a long way to go but this was the third time out on my new Triumph. It was actually not a great day. Pretty rough. The guy I was skiing with (much better than me) took a bad fall and busted his nose, as well as lacerated it pretty darn good. We probably shouldn't have been in the course.

running course 15 off 28 - YouTube

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

I'll take a look at that. I think that generally my sinking issue is that I tend to kick the back leg down hard in the middle of the turn and try to whip the turn like I was on snow skis, rather than keeping a nice smooth carve. My father in law has mentioned this on many occasions, my fat skis always let me get away with it - this one is making me learn how to do it correctly.

A side effect of this whole transition to the skinny ski is that I no longer like skiing behind my boat It appears that we will be getting ahold of a new(ish) Moomba Outback V next year (or something similar). I could get a real nice deal on an LXI, but the inboard layout and ride height just doesn't work for our non-skiing boating time.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

I have been debating the same thing. I just don't know how well the Outback V does in the course. I did convince the wife to sit in one at the boat show. She still complained of the low sides and lack of depth of the Outback V. However, I see it as one of the best options for me. The others I keep looking at are a Malibu Ride XTI or Wakesetter XTI. The wife likes that seating arrangement, and I like the direct drive. However, I have never seen one in person.

My other debate is to get an old stars and stripes or nautique and keep that near the ski club, and keep my IO for pleasure. We go to different lakes for different purposes.

In the meantime, I just keep enjoying any boat I can get behind!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Ooh, new toy

I would never have it in a course, just free skiing. My only opportunities at the course would be with a member of the local ski club that owns it and we use his Mastercraft for that.

I want something as close to 20ft as possible, which really means either an Outback V or a Malibu LSV 20. The Malibu is a great boat but the 20's are few and far between and still $$$$ used if you can find one.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Ooh, new toy

OK OldJeep, one more comment and then I will leave you alone. Look at the picture of the two skis you posted. You have the front boot on the radar actually father back than it was on the older ski. You have so much less surface of the ski under your feet with that new ski. Now look at the video you posted. You ski far back on a the ski. Watch when the boat turns around and when you cut out. There are times that it seems to me like your skiing on your front heel. The part of that radar that turns it is all in front of that.

There you have it, my last attempt to make a case for possibly moving your boots forward.

OK, back to work.