Wide Ski Problems

[hibbert6]

Last summer I was chatting with an employee at a water sports store about how much harder it is to get up (on SKIS!!!) now that I'm over 40. He said when he hit 40 he bought a wide ski and that made all the difference. So I bought one. I can't get up on the thing! Someone mentioned that the technique may be different, as sitting on the back foot (deep water start) just pushes more ski against the water. Is there a trick? (I can still get up on my 30 year old beginner combo ski, but it's lousy.)

Thanks in advance!

Dave

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

the technique is exactly the same as normal ski's the wider ski makes it easier to stand up ....... I am still young but I have tried the wide ski just for fun and it i found that you get up quick and ski better without getting too tired to soon ...... maybe you must first try 2 ski's then kick one off to get the feeling of it and take it from there .......

 

[paulie0735]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

i have tried a couple of these so called fat ski's and i hate them!!!!! they are slow unresponsive and absolutely refuse to turn at anything above the boat speed. Having said that they aren't designed for hi-performance but they are designed to get up easy and they are fine for a bit of slalom fun. Just don't expect them to perform. If your still using a 30 year old ski and are happy with its level of performance than the 'big-easy' style ski will most likely be ok. Next time your trying the ski just forget the fact that it’s a different ski and just let the boat pull you up. Sounds like you’re thinking about it to much or trying to help the boat a bit. As for th eage thing.............. I'm 47 and I ski on a Connelly F1 so don't let anybody tell you your to old for a hi-performance ski.

 

[tommays]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

If your trying to get up with both feet in the bindings that is hard at any age

Old men can still do it they just need to go to the gym sometimes to keep there leg strenth were it needs to be


Tommays

 

[hibbert6]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

the technique is exactly the same as normal ski's the wider ski makes it easier to stand up ....... I am still young but I have tried the wide ski just for fun and it i found that you get up quick and ski better without getting too tired to soon ...... maybe you must first try 2 ski's then kick one off to get the feeling of it and take it from there .......

When I try the same technique (basically, sitting on the rear foot) then the wide ski has 8" of width against the water rather than 6". The boat pulls the handle right out of my hands. I guess I could lean back less, which is scary because only a couple of inches of tip are then above the surface. If the water isn't glassy smooth I'm paranoid of catching the tip. Am I missing something, here?

 

[paulie0735]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

You could try flattening the ski a little. mate of mine actually starts with the ski tip 'under' the water and as flat (horizontal) as he can get it. he's a big guy 230lbs 95% muscle and he finds this the easiest way to get up. he was taught the technique by a pro and while he says it took him quite a while to master the technique he now swears by it. i've tried it a couple of times without success. Your theory is actually the opposite of whats actually happening, the wider the ski the quicker it will plane, ask any wakeboarder! The narrow hi-per ski's will actually carve through the water rather than plane. It does sound like your putting to much weight on your back foot, you could try evening out the weight more between your front and rear foot, but I still maintain that if you are a confident slalom skier than forget about what ski it is and focus on the boat not the ski.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

I agree with paulie. That wide bodied ski should be a snap to get up on. Pull your forward knee up to your chest, keep your chin tucked into your chest and reach for the tip of the ski. (it might help if you are using double handles) .

This position will ensure you keep the weight off of your rear foot and keep all the pressure on the ski with your forward foot. You can keep your rear foot in the boot as long as you are not trying to drive with it.


I have a Connoley wide body. I am approaching 'too old'. I hadn't skied in quite a few years. Last summer, at Lake Shasta, I mounted that Connoley, with trembling appendages, and I snapped up out of the water like I was sitting in an easy chair. No sweat Mate8)

What I do not like about the ski is that it is very wet. It continually throws spray up into my face, but other than that it is as manueverable as I want to be.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

Sounds like the driver of the boat needs to apply the throttle a little more judiciously. A wider board offers more resistance to the water and if you don't have the strength to hold on at the current acceleration rate, then he needs to slow down the throttle apply. Believe it or not most problems skiers have getting up is due to poor skills on the boat drivers part. This applies to all forms of water sports equally. To many drivers think more power is better. I don't care how big or strong you are, if I strap you to a big board and a powerful boat and nail the throttle, you won't be able to hang on. This also applies for large parts of the anatomy (gluteus maximus)dragging in the water too.

 

[tommays]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

You gotta be really strong to get up with BOTH feet in the bindings

Most of my peeps drag the rear foot like a rudder and slip it in after they get going


Tommays

 

[hibbert6]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

You gotta be really strong to get up with BOTH feet in the bindings

Really??? I've never heard of that! I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Dave

 

[hibbert6]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

You gotta be really strong to get up with BOTH feet in the bindings

Really:% I've never heard of that! Sounds a bit scary, but I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Dave

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

A wider board offers more resistance to the water

Not true SuperNova. With a given weight spread out over more square inches it will create less drag and therefore less force to get the ski up on plane.

Conversely, it is true that a larger surfaced ski will require less throttle. You still have to position yourself correctly though, to allow the ski to virtually come up on plane without any effort on the skiers part.

Dragging a foot does nothing more than force you to position your weight over the front of the ski. It is minimumly an issue of streamlining. Dragging a foot also tends to make the ski more squirrely as you don't have the rear foot to control the yaw of the ski. You can do the same thing with the technique I mentioned above and then not have to struggle to get your rear foot into the boot once you are up.

Hiber, have you thought of trying to change your forward foot? I ski with what is referred to as 'goofy foot'. That is, my predominate foot forward instead of in the rear.

Theory has it that once you are up, all the control is exerted with your rear foot. Hence, the idea that your best foot should be in the rear. After much pain and frustration, I found that the only way I could get up was by using my predominate foot (right) forward. The rest is history.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

First off, your dominate foot should be in the front. Run and slide across the floor, the foot you put forward is the foot that should be in the front of the ski. Simple. Second, you're telling me that something with larger surface area has less drag--hogwash. It does require less power to get up on plane-true- due to the increased drag created by the larger surface area. Simple physics. Which basically was my point before--too much power applied too quickly will yank the ski line right out of your hands. It can do that even if you're already up on the skis so it can certainly do it while you're still dragging through the water. When you use wide skis you push a lot of water in front of you until you do get up on plane, it is at this point where the throttle control is imperative. Too much, and whoever is in the back of the boat better duck cause a ski handle is going to be headed their way.

 

[paulie0735]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

I ski with my dominate foot to the rear, in fact I think everybody I know is the same. Its very simple, if your a natural right footer than the right foot is your dominate foot etc. My dad simply pushed gently pushed me backwards without warning when I was about 5 or 6 and I instinctively put my right foot back to steady myself, I still use that technique today if people are ‘undecided’ about which foot they may prefer, as they are debating the point I just give them a gently nudge in the chest!! and the rest as they say is history. BTW, I have never been able to drag a foot, never really had to, only time I come close to using that technique is a dry start, but that’s a whole different topic.

 

[tommays]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

It may be because long before wakeboards we learned on trick skis that were way to small to get up with two feet in


Tommays

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

When I learned to slalom (about 30 years ago now) I also was taught to come up on one ski with both feet in the bindings and I always did it that way. And yes, not only do I remember those old trick skis, I've still got a set. And I've wakeboarded for so long I still get confused which foot goes forward for which sport. I think I'm left-foot forward for the wakeboard and right foot forward for the slalom. So I retract my dominate foot statement as an error.

 

[bamspringtx]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

I switched to a fat ski 3 years ago, it was different, but learned. I put more ski out of the water on initial "ok", my foot is just below the surface. The ski automatically planes real fast. I can do this dragging a foot or both in. If both in, I have to remember to let rear knee flex and not push on the rear. The rear of the ski will come up. I have to tell the wife to hit it hard or take it easy depending on how I decide to start - drag or both in.

 

[mike176]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

i dunno if its just the way i learned but i can not get up unless i drag the rear foot. my grandfather does it, my dad does it, and i do it. I have tryed to start with both feet in and i can't get up eventhough i have seen other people do it.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

i dunno if its just the way i learned but i can not get up unless i drag the rear foot. my grandfather does it, my dad does it, and i do it. I have tryed to start with both feet in and i can't get up eventhough i have seen other people do it.

Mike, I said b4, the primary difference between dragging a foot or not, is your position over the ski. Any given ski will plane at a certain speed if the weight over the top of it is in a neutral position.

There is very little drag penalty when you have your rear foot in the boot. but if that foot is destroying the weight distribution over the center of the ski then you will have trouble. Me thinks you are fighting it with your rear foot. Use it only to control the lateral movement of the ski and put all your weight forward. Chin tucked into your chest, reach out with straight arms to the tip of the ski, take a deep breath (keep you chin tucked now) and yell HIT IT. It ain't magic.

T'would be fun to watch you on a video.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Wide Ski Problems

Many many moons ago when I first learned to ski, all we had was a 50hp merc. Doubles was no problem but slalom was nigh impossible - until I began to drag a foot - it can greatly reduce the drag on the boat.