Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

[Bulbash]

Trying to learn waterskiing, wondering if deep waterstart would be easier with tower or pylon?

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

No, correct form is all it takes. Nobody skis off of a tower, and a pylon (properly mounted in the center of the boat) only helps with boat tracking once you are up and are pulling hard outside the wake. What is the size/HP of the boat you are trying to get up behind? Also, what is your height/weight and the size of the skis you are using?

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Boat is 17' bayliner capri with I/O 128hp, me: 180cm 95kg. Skis: Airhead wide body 54"

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Boat is 17' bayliner capri with I/O 128hp, me: 180cm 95kg. Skis: Airhead wide body 54"

I'd say your skis are too short. Find a set of 66-68" skis, more length means more surface area to lift you out of the water. A 17' boat with 128HP should be able to pull you out of the water, but it might struggle if you have more than 1-2 people in the boat.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

You don't need a tower, a pylon or even different skis; all you need is practice.

How long have you been trying?

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

How long have you been trying?

Two days..

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

I'd say your skis are too short. Find a set of 66-68" skis, more length means more surface area to lift you out of the water. A 17' boat with 128HP should be able to pull you out of the water, but it might struggle if you have more than 1-2 people in the boat.

Just needs more practice, those wide body 54's have as much surface area as a conventional set of 66-68's.

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Just needs more practice, those wide body 54's have as much surface area as a conventional set of 66-68's.

Will be trying again next weekend...

Thank you guys for help

 

[emilsr]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Two days..

No wonder!!!! :laugh:

Be patient....you'll get there, just takes time (more than 2 days).

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

You are going to suck some water doing it, that boat is a little underpowered for that application. As others mentioned, keep the boat as light as possible and get your spotter to hold down the bow for you! Wearing a wetsuit helps, it keeps your clothes from dragging in the water.

Also, some people prefer keeping your back foot out of the binding during a deep start, others have it in. I personally learned with it out, and although I can start with it in, I have to be careful not to plow water on slower starting boats... Its easy to straighten the back leg and turn into an anchor.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Also, some people prefer keeping your back foot out of the binding during a deep start, others have it in. I personally learned with it out, and although I can start with it in, I have to be careful not to plow water on slower starting boats... Its easy to straighten the back leg and turn into an anchor.

I don't think he's trying to slalom ski just yet.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Just needs more practice, those wide body 54's have as much surface area as a conventional set of 66-68's.

I'd agree with you now that I looked up that ski. I just saw the 54" and thought there's no way an adult is getting up behind that boat on that short of a ski. I still don't like the idea of the "widebody" designs simply because it sacrifices a lot to help a bit with one small part of skiing, but I guess whatever works.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

I'd agree with you now that I looked up that ski. I just saw the 54" and thought there's no way an adult is getting up behind that boat on that short of a ski. I still don't like the idea of the "widebody" designs simply because it sacrifices a lot to help a bit with one small part of skiing, but I guess whatever works.

I used to think that until I tried one of those "Big Daddy" slalom skis. Yes, it turned like crap, but I was much less tired after a deep water start so that helped make up for the turning. It took some getting used to, but it was a more relaxing type of skiing.

I'm too old and fat for tournament type skis these days.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

Lol, well I haven't had too much trouble getting up on a properly-sized slalom ski so I don't usually wear myself out on them. However, I can understand their use on slalom skis. I don't see them as being needed on combo skis, as it doesn't usually require a lot of effort once you learn to get up on skis. I weigh 230lbs, and run a 69" slalom with double boots, and have never had much issue getting up on a deep start, even behind a 17' boat with a 115 O/B (although it does take much longer than the V8 runabout).

Now, I have struggled to get up behind that 17' boat on a 67" slalom ski from a set of combos. So, my point is that if you have an appropriately-sized ski, it makes a world of difference and usually negates the need for a "wide-body" design.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

The benefit of the wide body slalom skis is that you can get away with an awful lot before going over the front As a downhill skier, I've got a bad habit of leaning forward into turns early in the season and on my KD Powercarve I can do that without any problem. On my Obrien Evidence when I do that, bad things happen. So the fat skis are really nice if you just want to get up and survive, if you want to get good then you need to use a conventional ski and learn how to do it right.

For combos it really doesn't matter that much. We've got a pair of each - standard 68's and a set of the short fat things. The only time I ever use them is when I'm bringing a kid up and to be honest neither one of them is easier than the other. I suspect that the short chubby ones are easier for a beginner since they are less likely to want to float different directions while you are ready to get up.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

The benefit of the wide body slalom skis is that you can get away with an awful lot before going over the front As a downhill skier, I've got a bad habit of leaning forward into turns early in the season and on my KD Powercarve I can do that without any problem. On my Obrien Evidence when I do that, bad things happen. So the fat skis are really nice if you just want to get up and survive, if you want to get good then you need to use a conventional ski and learn how to do it right.

In that same vein, the widebody skis are much slower crossing the wake. I ski on both, but when I go back to my narrow slaloms, I end pulling too hard and picking up way more speed than my ability allows for!

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I Need a Tower or A Pylon?

I don't think he's trying to slalom ski just yet.

You are right... No slalom yet.. )