First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

[FastZR1]

I got a GoPro camera for Xmas and used it this past Sunday. I've been using it on my MTB and snow skis but thought it would be cool on the water.
I'll have to work on a better angle on the different mounts next weekend. I'm also going to put some RainX on the lens to help the water move off quicker.
Here is a short video I spliced together and uploaded in HD.

 

[trailshredder]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

Very Cool! I was hoping to see a wipe out though! JK

 

[HollieMac]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

This is great--I like it--gets me going...nice work--you're ready for slalom, you know that, doncha--what's your water temp there?

 

[FastZR1]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

I'm going try the slalom again this year.... maybe next weekend. I tried on my old boat last year and could never get out of the water with one ski. Then I tried slalom after dropping one ski and that didn't work very good either.
Water temp was 79 last Sunday and I'm in Jacksonville NC.
Sorry for the lack of crashes but they will come as I try the slalom again, soon.

 

[skibrain]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

Cool video.
After you drop a ski, keep your eyes on the horizon and don't look down. WAIT to put your free foot in the rear binding. Just keep you leg to the side to help you balance. Ski that way for 10 seconds or so and then after you have your balance, SLOWLY bring your foot around behind (keep eyes to the horizon) and find the rear binding. If you start to weave put your leg out again. it looks like you are skiing fast enough, but if 22 mph or so is about minimum for slalom. If you are slower than that on two it may help to bump up the speed just a bit.

 

[haley]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

Very Cool! I was hoping to see a wipe out though! JK

Yes, I feel sort bad but I was hoping too. The last bit though made up for it - when you let go and the camera submerged and then popped back up in the bright sunshine. It was fairly hard to watch from my desk at work!

How did you secure it? I have a Kodak Playsport that I want to play with too (guaranteed crashes)

JH

 

[FastZR1]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

Thanks Brian for the tips. I'll be out on Sunday trying to slalom. I was thinking about 26-27 MPH for slalom. Is that too fast? I think I've read about slalom skiers going up to 32 MPH.

I'm using a GoPro camera. The GoPro comes with several mounts but I've also bought a few extra like the chest mount. It's just a harness that buckles in front and wraps around your shoulders and chest. I need to adjust the chest mount so my arms aren't in the way. I also have the suction cup mount that I mounted very close to the water on the side of the boat (not in the above video) and got some good video of my son on his tube. I think I'll try a head mount but I need to make a tether in the event of a crash because the camera doesn't float.

 

[skibrain]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

That speed should be fine. Maybe a little hot.
I ski 34 -35 mph but on a dedicated slalom w/different rocker shape, binding placement, etc.

 

[HollieMac]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

Um---really do not go over 30mph until you are skiing at the brain's level--which is gonna be years from now. You will be better off to get a real slalom ski, (lots of good used ones out there--we love to trade up) and the bigger the better, to learn on. And wait until you have a few good runs under your vest this year to try it. Get your muscles built up. It takes alot more strength to get up on one, and you don't want to spend alotta time in the cold water trying to get up because it will sap your muscles.. In some states it is illegal to drop a ski. They are a hazard to other boaters. Unless you are out at the crack of dawn like the brain is My best efforts with beginner slalomers are to let them get a good run in on 2, take a break, then give them the slalom, and drag them at idle just for few seconds at a time to get used to the feel of the pull before you give it throttle. It's gonna feel wobbly at first.

 

[FastZR1]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

Thanks-- Not going to go crazy out there. I'm not as young and rubbery as I once was. When I've help others, we would drop a ski and have a second boat go pick it up so it wasn't a hazard but I can completely agree that it could be a problem in a crowded lake. When we ski we are normally in a protected area where there is little traffic.
Good times!!
Ed

 

[emoney]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

We used to drop a skit all the time and did the same thing; have a buddy pick it up. It's still the easiest way to get your "slalom legs". That video is really cool, keep 'em coming. It's still amazing to me how they've gotten high quality cameras of all types finally in affordable for the non-professional.

 

[scrit9mm]

Re: First water skiing of 2011 with my new toy

that's awesome! I still have 32 hours until I am on the water.