I have reached middle age, and want to slalom ski again...

[firstx1017]

No Title

You would have looked like this I'm sure! lol

 

[milehighjc]

You would have looked like this I'm sure! lol

Thats the one... Im still grinning from ear to ear! Who says 55 is too old to slalom ski (well.. I was getting there until tonight).

I cant help myself... already thinking about a new ski. Something I can really lean into. The combo ski just doesnt have a lot of bite on the outside, and the cut is a little sloppy. Still WAY better than two, and probably better than the big ski, but the memories are flooding back now. Dont think Im headed back to a course, but surely for lots of fun.

I hope this wasnt a one time event. Hopefully can remember what I did.

 

[skibrain]

Nice.congrats. Get right back out there. Do it again.
And again. Skiing more is the best advice I can give at this point!

 

[littlerayray]

Good job buddy do it again and again your only as old as u feel my dad wants to get skis and go skiing he hasn't skied for over 30 yrs I'm worried

 

[bbook83]

Congrats. I'm 63 and still starting with the back foot out, even behind a strong boat. I recommend it for older skiers, although I have been doing it that way for 50 plus years, primarily because of underpowered boats in the old days. Personally, I don't like the fat or parabolic skis. You will get closer to your experiences of years past and have more fun with today's slalom skis, perhaps adding length for the likely weight gain.

Keep on skiing!

 

[Timr71]

Congrats! Keep on getting behind the boat on one ski!

 

[milehighjc]

Grinning like a maniac again tonight - apparently last week was NOT a fluke. Got back out this evening, and got up on the first pull. Was an almost perfect evening, not many boats, not much wind, great water conditions. Actually bit it pretty hard when I tried pushing the ski a bit... was out to the port side leaning into it HARD... and lost the edge. Not sure how many barrel rolls I did, but I think my right eyelid was over the top of my head. Once I figured out I was ok, was lying in the water laughing like a fool. Now... I want a more aggressive ski. Somehow I knew that was going to happen.

I think I can officially declare victory now.

 

[milehighjc]

The post that Vicki put out there recently with the blog entry was really helpful to me. I have read SO much while trying to make this happen, and it was good to read the perspective of someone who was relatively new to slalom skiing success. I wound up jotting down my observations over on CrownieHQ, and thought I would put them here too... Hopefully they are helpful to someone - and the further I get from the first time up the less I will remember of this.

• Lost some weight, did some moderate strength training, including (importantly) grip strength
• Added smart tabs to the boat. I didn't think my boat needed help with the hole shot, but it did help as it has even LESS bow rise now. The wake was a little weird, but I just went to a little bit longer rope, and I got behind the weirdness.
• Bought a cheater rope (the slalom training rope)
• Find an experienced driver who has pulled slalom skiers.
• At "go", weight back, ski pointed slightly at the boat and make myself as small as I can. Shoulders back a bit so the water can flow over my shoulders instead of me becoming a 200+ lb sail in the water.
• I start with my right foot forward, toes of my left foot on the back binding (but not in). This is not traditional - most people will say you need to drag your back leg like a rudder. I picked up the habit of having my rear foot on the ski when I was younger, but that is not how I would teach someone now.
• LET THE BOAT DO THE WORK. Cant say this enough. My tendency was to try to pop out of the water quickly like I do on two, but I would not have enough speed to hold me up so the ski would sink. That would create a bunch of drag, and invariably, I would not be able to hold on to the rope.
• I don't remember this from when I was younger, but as the ski started to plane, it seemed like the boat just wasn't accelerating for 3 or 4 seconds, and then suddenly it was like the afterburners were lit. I think this is just because I weight 50 lbs more now, and and takes a while for the boat to overcome the drag of a big guy on one ski. In any case, I had to stay low with my weight back until that happened. Once I have enough speed for the ski to be stable, I slip my foot into the rear binding.

 

[firstx1017]

I agree - I could pop up really fast on 2 skis - and I felt like I should do the same on the single ski - NOT!!! The only other thing I have to remind myself is shoulders back - I have a tendency to be antsy and lean forward and then have to let go of the rope. Glad the article helped - like I said, I was reading anything I could find on the old internet to try to figure out what to try to get up. I start with both feet in - I tried with one out and I just could not control the ski with just one foot in the binding - we all are different that's for sure! At least you have a V8 - the hubby and myself are getting up behind a 4 cylinder - that's a workout! lol We only have 3 more trips before the little lake we go to is closed for the season for me to work on my wake crossings. My last day I am going to try to go from the Big Easy to the Big Daddy and see if I can get up on that one. We shall see......

 

[milehighjc]

Went to a swap at Tommy's today, picked up a new to me ski. I really don't know if this was a good purchase or not, but I do know that I have been thinking that the 67" HO combo ski was not really giving me the performance I wanted. Have been combing craigslist, ebay, and a couple other websites looking for a decent used slalom ski, hadn't really seen anything that took me away.

Found this ski - 70" HO Mach 1. I'm not sure what model year it is, but it is in nice condition - a few cosmetic marks on it, but the ski seems solid. Picked it up for $50 bare, and bought new HO bindings for it. I guess if it doesn't work out well, I have $50 sunk cost, and I buy a different ski and move the bindings. I set up the bindings at the center, hoping for some stability. It seems fairly wide, and at 70" Im hoping I will come out of the water fairly well.

Curious if anyone has any insight to this... Im looking for something that carves better than the combo, holds an edge better, but is not so squirrely that I cant handle it as an intermediate slalom skier. Skibrain, are you out there? Saw some posts you made on another site about intermediate skis...

Ill find out in the morning, weather permitting.

 

[skibrain]

I have never skied on a HO Mach 1, but I know they have bee a favorite design for many years (20?)so they keep making them. The Narrow tunnel bottom design with flat rails on each side is more stable when riding straight,but should still carve nicely. Looks like a good buy.

 

[milehighjc]

Well, could not quite get it on top of the water today. 4 pulls, every one of them I got pulled over the front of the ski. Once I actually had it on top of the water, but think my driver did not have it hammered down, so I sunk, and got pulled over the front of the ski again.

Think I just have to keep my weight back longer... Im pretty sure I can get it done. In any case, got the trusty 67" combo out, and was up in two pulls. Had a nice ride, but was pretty tired before I ever even got up.

 

[milehighjc]

Friend took this video today... this is on the combo ski. Thoughts, pointers, constructive criticism not only welcomed but encouraged. One thing I see in this is the ski is REALLY high on the hole shot. Not sure what is up with that, not something Im doing intentionally.

I would say Im usually a bit more aggressive across the wake, but was pretty tired at the start.

Next week will be another attempt on the HO.

 

[firstx1017]

Jeff - great video! I can't believe you haven't gotten up on the Mid SX yet - yet can with the combo ski! Whassup with that? lol As you know, I am still on the Connelly Big Easy - and this weekend I was trying to turn my hips into the turn and kept wiping out. Had a major wipe out and figured, "well, since my hair is wet, I might as well try the Big Daddy that we have" since the surface areas is not as large. So, the next run I tried the Big Daddy. My hubby was telling me to make sure to keep my butt down, keep shoulders back and to squat squat squat. Well, I stay squatted and I got up - woo hoo! Got a video which looks a lot like yours. However, I seem to have a major problem going over the wakes. I know my shoulders are open to the back of the boat and will try to work on turning my shoulders as well as my hips. There is one spot on the video at 1:38 where you turned and leaned and then got scared and try to stop. Going fast over those wakes freaks me out. I can't go for another 2 weeks but looks like I need to turn my shoulders and hips in my turns. I too would appreciate any advise..... I will now retired the Big Easy - but it sure was a big help for me to get some muscle memory in getting up!
p.s. The other thing I noticed is you are skiing behind the boat eye loop where we are skiing off a Tower. Being pulled up by a Tower is a lot easier than getting up behind the eye loop on the back of the boat. The Tower will lift you up out of the water where the eye loop drags you thru the water. That could be why it is harder for you also. I tried for a few years to get up on a wakeboard on the eye loop, finally a guy at the next boat said he could get up me up wakeboarding in 3 tries and he had a Wakeboard tower - sure enough - I got up the first try - after that we got a Wakeboard Tower and I ski off the Tower.....

 

[milehighjc]

Awesome video! What camera are you using? Very nice quality. Mine was taken from a friends iPhone 6. I have to get my digital video camera out sometime - it has optical zoom, so would get much better video.

I dont get the MidSX vs combo ski thing either. The combo ski has SO much less surface area, the only thing I can think is that the MidSX has more drag too... which is consistent with the HO (also a larger ski - 70" vs 67"). The HO feels similar on the hole shot as the MidSX.

I would kill for water that smooth Actually, I can find pretty nice water, I just have to go to a nearby lake on weekday evenings. Ill be travelling for business this week, so it wont be happening this week, and the days are shortening, so time is running out. :-(

I think you look quite comfortable except when crossing the wake - I know for me, I had to just "decide" to go - cant sneak across the wake.

Sure hope I can get up on that HO ski next weekend. I know it will be TONS more responsive than the combo ski.

 

[firstx1017]

The camera is a Go Pro Hero 4 Silver Edition which we have set up on narrow view. It is still pretty far away so when I create the video I can zoom in a little to get closer - but it also makes the video quality a little worse. My husband machined a mount on the tower for the Go Pro so that it will follow the rope so that we can get video when we go outside the wakes (similar to the wakeye waterski mount). We have it linked to the Go Pro app on the Iphone 6 and we can start and stop the camera off the app. I have a phone mount on the windshield and then we start and stop the camera that way - works perfect! We have tired the gamut on waterproof cameras to use while skiing and the best of all of all of them is the Go Pro - others when mounted to the tower shake too much. I think the next improvement they need to make on the Go Pro is to create some sort of zoom on it - then it would be perfect!

We were the only boat on the lake for about 2 hours solid - the most at one time was 3 - we had a great day that's for sure. Digital zoom is great, only problem with that is it can still be pretty shaky videos - but at least you can zoom in!

The rope mount that I use has an attachment for the Go Pro also which will get an up close video - but since it was my first time on the Big Daddy I didn't want to bother with it - guess I will have to use it next time.

I am SOOOO sore today - each day I get stiffer! Can't be due to my age can it? lol I had to stay squatted so long that my left butt cheek is killing me (it is my forward foot)! Now I know why I was reading about people doing one legged squats! lol My neck is sore from my wipeouts, my upper arms, shoulder blades, my thighs and most of all my core! My core never hurt on the Big Easy so I must have strained real bad while hanging on and squatting - or else tensed up going over the wakes! Or the wipeouts themselves! lol

We have no one to flag for us next weekend so I am quite bummed so it will be 2 weeks before we can get out again - can't wait for your update to see how you do! I enjoy reading your progress!

 

[skibrain]

milehighjc. Looks like lots of boat waves on that lake. Pretty difficult to do anything but cruise around. Also a big wake to cross behind the boat. But since you asked....

If your goal is to do big slaloming turns back and forth behind the boat, I notice that you ride a flat ski going into and through the wake, stand up, cross the wakes and then do a bigpull OUTBOUND from the wakes (in a pretty nice strong position). Then you do a turn that you cut short/stand up out of, do a brief pull before the wake again, stand up and cross. Then hang out there in a pulling position OUTBOUND from the wake.

I like the idea of practicing wake crossings. Take that strong position you feel when pulling out away from the wake, BUT DON'T PULL THERE. Instead, cruise out wide of the boat and coast for a few seconds.... keep elbows tight to your vest, hips pushed forward, knees soft not straight. Think of keeping your shoulders square to the direction the boat is going. Then point your ski TOWARD the wake and GO. If you keep that strong body position and ski on edge, you should squirt across the wake. As you get through the wakes STOP PULLING. Let that speed carry you out to a gliding position on the far side. Coast for a few seconds, check body position, point and go....repeat.

Coast, Squirt, Coast. Repeat a dozen times going each way until you know what that feels like. Then repeat another 2 dozen times. Ski three times this week and three times next week. Skip focusing on the turns for a bit. Slice and dice. Point and go.

A ski on edge will tend to slice instead of jump the wakes - your knees will need to absorb some bump, but keeping the upper body square and strong lets the legs function more indepently both in establishing edge and angle to the boat, and absorbing the wakes.

 

[milehighjc]

skibrain : Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for.

First - the rough water is just the way it is for me on weekends. That lake gets to be completely unskiable by about 9:30AM, and I can only get my family moving so fast in the morning, so usually Im on the water around 8. Even by then it is getting choppy.

Your observations about how I cross the wake are dead on. I have known for a long time that I cant "sneak across" the wake, so I tend to glide over to it, then start pulling to get across it. I resist crossing too slowly, and I resist crossing overly fast (just a fear of the unknown I think). I have found that in snow skiing, the more I get on edge and carve, the more in control I feel, and actually in the long term, the less tired I get. Im guessing that will be true on the slalom as well. On my snow skis, it takes a little more effort to get up on the edge to carve, but LESS effort to complete the turn, and with MORE control. Keeping my shoulders square to the fall line has been key to maintaining control - its natural for me on snow skis, probably not as natural on the slalom.

You have given me some good things to work on.

I wish I could ski three times a week... Unfortunately, I dont have a driver or observer for that, and work also tends to get in the way. I need to retire, and buy a home on a private ski lake and make friends with some other ski addicts!

​Jeff

 

[milehighjc]

Had a lot of fun this morning trying Skibrain's suggestions. Its going to take more work, but I loved how much more in control I felt crossing the wake up on edge. Even the combo ski was fast crossing that way. Tried 4 pulls on the new HO, was up once, but went over the front in the first 100 yards. Figured out later that the trim on the boat was still up, so I was dragging abnormally long. Im pretty sure I will be up next time out on it.

 

[milehighjc]

After looking at all the pictures from yesterday, I see a common thread in most of them - tail deep in the water, tip high. I am also pretty sore in my upper body. My first reaction was that I must have been going too slow and the ski was sinking, but in theory we were going 30 (what I asked for anyway). The ski did not feel unresponsive either, in fact for a combo ski it seemed to be cutting pretty well. My second thought is that Im too big for a 67" combo ski (very possible), and my third thought was that my technique is just way off (ALSO quite possible).

I dont know... but something for me to think about until next attempt. Hopefully I will be able to get up on the new HO next outing, and take the "short ski" excuse out of play.