Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

[Straightup]

Hi all,<br /><br />My first post here and looking forward to being part of the group. This forum has a good reputation and was recommended to me highly.<br /><br />Just brought home my 4th boat that I've owned other than using the folks boat heavily in my teens. So really 5 boats used in all, still have the jonboat and this new one which is a Rinker V153 and Johnson 70 with less than 30 hours use overall. Needless to say, I'm very excited about the summer.<br /><br />Had some buddies back then that had a saucer that we used to use on the lake a lot. Was about 48 inches round and about 5/8 to 3/4 inch thick. We used to have a lot of fun with it, especially putting a lawn chair on it and riding down the lake that way. Later I had only a 14 foot fishing boat and my cousins were board so we hacked apart an old skid I had and made a saucer about 40 inches round and 1/2 inch thick. We had a blast with that and my little 15 horse could pull it around no problem.<br /><br />I did a search and the only message on this whole board dealing with ski saucers (There's many about flying saucers hehee)was by steelespike and he talked about using a 40 inch one behind a pontoon boat.<br /><br />I was wondering if anyone else has had fun on these and if so what was the exact dimensions of your saucer? I will be making one for the kids to use this summer. I want it to be functional, yet not too much to lug around.<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Jeff

 

[Tufan]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Hi Jeff<br /><br />Welcome to Iboats!

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

I've heard rumors of saucer towables being somewhat dangerous. If I were you I would pay particular attention to how the tow line is connected to the saucer, and how easily it would be to get entangled in the harness system that the rider is holding onto. <br /><br />If you can envision the scenario where the saucer flips upside down, and suddently instead of skimming across the water it dives rapidly towards deep water. The rider needs a safe method to dis-engage from the entire assembly <quickly><br /><br />If instead, the rider is holding on to a traditional ski rope, then this caution may not apply.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Saucers were riden and the rider held the rope like you do when you water skied. Aquaplanes, on the otherhand have the tow rope connected to them.<br /><br />I too used a saucer when I was in my late teens early twenties. It too was about 40 inch in dia. and 3/4 in thick

 

[RatFish]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

THIS LINK has some good info on saucers/disks and aquaplanes.

 

[Realgun]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Oh wow woot what a great idea for my kids. I was wondering how to afford all the toys they might want but this is going to be their 1'st project. Will start tomorrow!!!!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Used one when visiting my uncle many years ago. White painted plywood with a red star in the center. I think his was a bit smaller, but we were small kids and now my memory is mush.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Growing up, we called them "Idiot Boards". They can be a bit dangerous. I remember my cousin getting knocked off and the board went skimming across the water. My uncle was running beside my cousin taking old 8mm movie. He got a good picture of it coming at his boat as well as it slicing through the side of his boat! He was lucky, it was damaged above the water line.<br /><br />I would check out to see if these are still legal or not. I do remember that there were numerous accidents due to these discs.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Had one in my teens. Great fun! It was about 3' in diameter of 1/2" plywood. Very touchy getting exactly the right speed. You have to be on the verge of planing. Once it planes it lies flat on the surface and snags the leading edge leaving the disc back in the wake and you going airborn. At just under planing speed you can twist, turn around, or spin. I recall putting an old wooden chair on it, not permanently attached. That was tricky getting up while holding onto the chair then placing it on the disc. But it sure was fun!<br /><br />The nice thing about them is you don't need much speed. Even a 25Hp could easily pull one. It takes a lot less motor to pull one than waterskis. When you fall, it's usually a clean fall into the water with no obstructions. And you're not going fast enough to get hurt. Until you plane it. <br /><br />Getting up is tricky. I held the ski rope with one hand and the leading edge of the disc with the other to hold it at a good launch angle. Kneeling with one leg on the disc and one leg trailing. Once there is enough support, stand up or just kneel. You don't want to yank out fast like waterskiing. Ease the throttle up and keep a hand on it. The driver needs to watch the skier in this instance until the right speed is atttained, so the Watcher will have to keep an eye ahead until the skier is up and at it, and then they can switch.<br /><br />Another method I used to get up was to hold the ski rope normally and kneeled on the board like you would on a kneeboard. My feet kept the disc from sliding out from under me until up. But it's hard on the tops of the feet and slivers really suck.

 

[John Carpenter]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Rode one of these fool things a lot when I was a kid back in the early 60's. I think they were generally made out of 3/4" plywood & diameter varied...but between 3'and 4'....they are tricky to get up on and ride. A pretty experienced skier would do OK...for a while. Lot of fun though.

 

[Straightup]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Great info guys! Just what I was looking for. <br /><br />Yeah, going down the lake at a walking pace sitting on a lawn chair on a disk that is hardly visible really gets some looks from other boaters!!!<br /><br />The people that are saying these are tricky to ride maybe have too small a diameter and most likely too high of speed. These are really slow towables. So slow that the danger is very minimal. The worst thing that can happen is landing on the disk if you fall. Usually not a problem due to the slow speed. Even when the boat drivers used to get that "Crack the Whip" feeling and pick up the speed to about 20 MPH, there was still time to take a few steps off the side of the board to clear it when falling. <br /><br />The worst thing that ever happened to us saucering was when we borrowed a Lady's lawn chair to ride on the saucer. Unfortunately, it didn't float and during a wipe out the chair wasn't grabbed soon enough and sank. We dived for it a while, but never found it... OOPS!<br /><br />Great memories!

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Ratfish, I can't open the link. Anyone else have this problem ?

 

[Straightup]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Link works for me. It's a similar thread on trailerboats.com. Good info.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

We had one too, sitting on your butt at the right speed and position you can spin around 360 (lean way forward at the right time LOL) they were great fun to swim with , but I can see it was dangiours..stand on it and get it to sink flat and then lift the feet , they float around under water as they work their way to the surface. never sure which way its gonna go.. dangiours.. yea ok.. hey it was the early 70's here. Ok now for real danger.. set the 40 inch disk on a 45 inch innertube , and clamp a small outboard to the disk ...will do anything but go straight. man will they spin !! 2 hp evenrude Honest !

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

This reminds me of those aluminum disk we had when we lived in one of the snow states....maybe 36" arround and great fun on the snow in the winter and at the lake in the summer...

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Got these sent to me a while ago. No idea who it is. Looks cool though.<br /><br />

<br />

 

[Straightup]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Great pics Sanger! Woohoo!

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Anyone try the plastic discs they sell for use in the snow? I know they're cheap, lighter, and perhaps a little bit softer if you fall on it. But I know they're smaller (guessing approx 30"), and curved, which may limit chair/ bar stool possibilities....

 

[Straightup]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Would that float tho'? Think you would have to attach some foam or old life-jacket or something to it for those inevitable wipe outs. Hehee..

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Water Ski Saucer Who's used them

Don't know; I suspect if you set it on the water, the cupped shape would help it float. If it became submerged during a wipeout, not sure. Maybe glue some of that closed cell foam pipe insulation around the edges? Not only help with floating, but ease the impact should one happen to hit the edge...