How to get up on 1 ski

[SeanT]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Could just throw an old yellow or orange life vest as well.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

just put one of these on your ski http://www.mightypets.com/product.asp?3=3098#buy?MyFroogleFeed

 

[sethjon]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

When you drop a ski you risk not finding it.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

While I don't like the drop a ski method, I have had some that will only do it that way. Our solution was for the spotter to have a signal with the skier when he is ready to drop the ski the spotter tosses out an old orange life jacket. Not always spot on but it at least gives you a point of reference to start looking for the invisible(seemingly) ski bottom.

 

[Slide]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Getting up on 1 is all about weight distribution. Just like your form should be when up, you need to keep your hips in front of you and your weight behind them on the rope at all times. Eat your front knee in the water and keep your shoulders and hips in line, then fight the center point between your feet into that line as you come up. Really, as long as you keep your weight back, you'll have no problems.

 

[BoomerSooner]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Here's something to try. As soon as the boat starts to pull, stay in your tuck and push with your back foot HARD into the water. This is the way I teach others to slalom. This will help the back of the ski stay planted. It causes you to plow a little bit, but will stabilize the back of the ski. Obviously, you have to control that front foot as well, keeping it straight. Then, when you start to plane out, normallize your weight over both feet and straighten your back. If you stay tucked, your shoulders will be in front of your hips and you will fall forward. My $0.02.

 

[MrsBoatinOkie]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Here's something to try. As soon as the boat starts to pull, stay in your tuck and push with your back foot HARD into the water. This is the way I teach others to slalom. This will help the back of the ski stay planted. It causes you to plow a little bit, but will stabilize the back of the ski....

Boomer, is your back foot pushing in the binding or out of it??

Storing any and all tips before we head out for the weekend

 

[convergent]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

I put my left foot in the front binding, ski tip up, and a when the power comes on, I take my right leg flex it down into the water and I'm up.

I'm 49 and just trying get back into skiing after many years on land. I can do fine kicking one and working on getting the form back up. I've tried a couple dozen deep water starts and still not gotten up yet. I always did this in the past with left foot forward, back foot in the stirrup, sit my butt on the back of the ski, and hang on until I'm out of the water and then stand up. Back then I had a decent slalom ski I used, and was usually behind a pretty powerful sterndrive boat.

I'm now trying to do this with the slalom of an Obrien combo pair, and my boat is a 115HP outboard which should be sufficient. I'm 6'3" and about 190 pounds. I've pulled up a friend of mine and my son (nice to be young... he got up deep water and has only been skiing for a month or so), both about 160 pounds, with no trouble. I have no trouble balancing. I get half out of the water and just stay there with the ski half out at about a 45 degree angle. I can't get the ski pushed over onto plane and eventually let go. I'm wondering if the bindings on this combo ski are farther back than on a real slalom ski... it feels like I'm too far back on the ski to get it on plane but its probably just me.

We got one of the slalom trainer ropes, which is how my son got up quickly, but I don't see how that will help me. I can sit perfectly balanced (side to side) and just stay there getting dragged. When I try to put the tip in the rope it seems to mess me up more because I like to go off at a little bit of an angle from the boat.

So to your comment. I've never tried dragging a foot to start. Help me understand this better. What are you actually doing with your right foot through this process. You start out tucked with your left leg bent, same as me, right? So where is that right foot before they hit it? Is it out in front like with an imaginary ski, or straight down in the water, or tucked knee to your chest??? Once you get going, what exactly do you do with it? Are you putting some weight on that dragged foot and kind of "barefooting" with it? I just don't get what dragging is physically doing to help this process. It seems to me like it would cause you to drag through the water more and rotate you out of position and probably pull the rope out of your hand because all the water hitting you. But my friend that got up did so by dragging... I just don't understand what's going on under the water.

Every time I try something different from my old technique, I seem to mess it up royally, but I really hate dropping a ski and want to get this going. I may just buy a real slalom ski and see if that helps, but I'd prefer to not do that just to solve my starting problems.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

I weigh about 210lbs and have tried to get up on the slalom ski of a set of combos behing the 115HP merc. The boat was relatively light 17' bass boat, and I had one heck of a time. The issue is the short ski combined with the weak power output. The easiest thing for you to do is a get a true slalom ski of appropriate length for your height/weight. I would suggest a 69-70" ski.

behind that same boat, I used a 71" old wooden slalom made by Cypress Gardens (probably 30 years old) and had absolutely no trouble getting up. A 67" combo ski isn't much material to get 200lbs out of the water, but will work find for your 160lbs son.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

I weigh about 210lbs and have tried to get up on the slalom ski of a set of combos behing the 115HP merc. The boat was relatively light 17' bass boat, and I had one heck of a time. The issue is the short ski combined with the weak power output. The easiest thing for you to do is a get a true slalom ski of appropriate length for your height/weight. I would suggest a 69-70" ski.

behind that same boat, I used a 71" old wooden slalom made by Cypress Gardens (probably 30 years old) and had absolutely no trouble getting up. A 67" combo ski isn't much material to get 200lbs out of the water, but will work find for your 160lbs son.

I've got an old Cypress Gardens ski that I bought at a garage sale...nice old ski and you just convinced me to try it out

I weigh 210lbs, with an 80hp Merc on a lighter hull so it may just work.

 

[northernmerc]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Three things are necessary for this: a little technique (which has already been explained by others), moderate strength, and determination to hang on until one is up. It also helps not to weigh too much.

 

[nola mike]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

one thing that i've found helpful on low powered boats is to put the boat in gear, tugging the skiier at low speed before hitting it, rather than just slamming it from neutral. it helps the skiier get the ski balanced/moving in the right direction, and makes it quicker to get up. just had to convince my 190# brother in law this weekend that it took a bit more technique driving my merc 170 four banger than his ski nautique...

 

[SeanT]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

People jam it into WOT from neutral? I never do that.

 

[BoomerSooner]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

"Boomer, is your back foot pushing in the binding or out of it??"

I use a double boot ski now, so yes, I am pushing in the binding. Even when I used a rear toe plate on my previous ski, I kept my back foot in the binding. I'm not a fan of draggin my back foot in the water and then shove it in the toe plate. I can do it, just don't like it. I find that teaching others to slalom, they tend to get their weight too far forward, falling to the side or over the tip. Pushing that back foot helps them to stay "back" on the ski, both with their hips and with their shoulders. It does put extra strain on the hands because this technique, again, causes a little more drag to the skier. However, you have to have good grip strength to slalom anyway. Good luck.

 

[IES99]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

There are good tips here. I've slalomed for 40 years, always kept the back foot out of the toe binding until I was on my way. Just the way I learned. The other way is fine, as well, and I may try it again. The keys to deep water starts are arm strength, balance and patience. Once up, slalom is a lot better skiing sensation than two skiis. You can do it, keep trying.

 

[MrsBoatinOkie]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Eventhough I'm not the OP to this thread, I had success getting up on one ski last weekend! Used a variety of tips on this thead. Thanks to all!

Learned many things in the process that will maybe help someone: these are the top 5 in no particular order

* Foot in or drag (personal preference)... Going to fall ALOT trying to figure out what works. Also still fall a few times more when you finally do.

* Wait, wait, wait.. then wait some more before you try to stand. Hold that grip and crouch position longer than you think you can.

*A two handled ski rope helps keep the ski straight on the way up, or starting the ski tip in the 10:00 for left foot forward (2:00 for RFF).

* The Connelly "Big Daddy" ski can get a male over 250 lbs up out of the water, with the correct powered boat of course.

* Driver technique plays a HUGE part in the success of slolaming.

Just the things that made a difference in my learning experience. Just not sure if the hard work it took is any worse or better than the possibility of losing a dropped ski

 

[lrcustom]

Re: How to get up on 1 ski

Just wanted to add my 2 cents here. I have been skiing since 1958. My first and only weekend was on 2 skis. By the second weekend I was on a Joe Cash custom ski and never did 2 again. What is the most important thing to remember when coming up on one is to let the boat not your muscles do the work. once the ski lifts to the surface it's gravy. to do this dragging or toe booting doesn't really matter that's just comfort. I like dragging with low horsepower but tucking when I'm behind big power.
Also for those just starting out, the wider the ski at the lead foot is better. If you are trying to start with a narrow and short (65">69") ski you will struggle with balance and fight this for a long while. Once your comfy with the launch then go to a better narrow ski.
Another trick as suggested in an earlier post, have the boat in gear with a slight forward (5 to 10mph) start at a short distance before throttle up. Makes tow rope taunt an squares you and the boat up.
Just my help here. can't ski anymore due to bone issues but if no bodies looking I might sneak a run in if I can figure out how to drive, spot and ski all by my lonesome. Miss the absolute rush of my shoulder kissing the water.

Later

LR