Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

[Bulbash]

Trying to pull a skiers with my 17' Bayliner Capri (OMC2.3Cobra). It seems that it is almost impossible, spent a day yesterday on the lake and out of 4 of us only my wife was able to go up and stay for a minute or so before collapsing... At this point I have doubts that I'm driving the boat as I should, what do I do with the throttle? If I move it slowly to WOT than skier can not hold the rope and they fall, if I keep throttle half way, skier can not get out of water...

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

I've been pulling skiers and wakeboarders for 6 or 7 years now with no complaints, so feel like I kinda' have it down. I'm just a mere beginner compared to some of the guys here though.

My 2 cents: You sort of have to develop a feel for how much throttle is needed to start out based on your particular boat. I began with a little fisn-n-ski with a 90 HP Johnson, I needed probably about 3/4 throttle when starting out with that. My Checkmate has a lot more power, so it doesn't need that much throttle.

Then, as soon as you feel the boat start accelerating real good you gotta' start SMOOTHLY backing off so that you end up around 18 mph (or whatever speed the person you're pulling wants). If you nail it just right you'll stop accelerating at exactly the same moment you hit your desired speed. The thing is to keep throttle adjustments SMOOTH, no jerking. Also, you have to constantly think ahead.... going into a turn is gonna require just a touch of additional throttle, coming out of a turn you'll back off the throttle just a hair.

It might not hurt to spend a few minutes practicing without actually pulling anyone.

 

[scb1712]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

I would agree with what has been said by metric. I've only been pulling skiers for a couple of years, so am a total newbie compared to some of the guys here. It would help to know what's happening when people can't get up (rope yanked out of their hands, falling over backwards as if the skis slide forwards etc.)

We have an 18ft Glastron with a 3.0l Volvo and generally need full throttle to get people out of the water, but as soon as the boat is up on plane I start backing the throttle off to settle around 20mph. Also, make sure you have your drive trimmed all the way down- it makes a big difference.

How much throttle you need will also depend on how big the person skiing is. My wife can get up and out with less power than me.

 

[Outsider]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

Go smoothly to full throttle after the rope comes tight, smoothly back off once the boat starts to plane (the skier will either be up or no longer on the rope), smoothly adjust speed as desired ...

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

from in gear at idle (keeping rope tight) hammer down until on plane, reduce speed to preference (30mph ish)

coming out too slow causes the majority of the issues and the faster out the better!

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

from in gear at idle (keeping rope tight) hammer down until on plane, reduce speed to preference (30mph ish)

coming out too slow causes the majority of the issues and the faster out the better!

If I hammer throttle to WOT it reaps the rope out of skier hands and makes them fall face down...

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

I would agree with what has been said by metric. I've only been pulling skiers for a couple of years, so am a total newbie compared to some of the guys here. It would help to know what's happening when people can't get up (rope yanked out of their hands, falling over backwards as if the skis slide forwards etc.)

Usually skiers either can not hold the rope and let it go or as soon as they get up they sink and fall...

I guess I gotta find a proper speed and get a better feel on throttle...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

As with what Outsider said, the key is to apply smooth power increases/decreases. You don't want to drop the hammer with most boats/skiers because the rope tends to whip out of their hands. However, if you apply power too slowly you end up dragging them and causing them to remain below planing speed too long. I usually give it a smooth push to full throttle out of the hole and a then back it off slowly once the skier is up and I reach 20mph or so.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

make sure they are in the "seated chair" position leaning back as far as possible. the skiis when angled properly will force the skiier up instead of pulling the handle out of their hands

dont go from slack in the rope to WOT, make sure the line is tight

I am not a master by any means but have been pulling skiiers and skiing myself for over 25 years. i have pulled up skiiers from 11 different boats and i cant tell you how many have pulled me up. I havent had a boat that will pull the rope out of my hands when properly seated in the water to start.

when one one ski, the faster out of the hole the better

 

[h20skiluvr]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

I've seen variations of both "hammer down" and gradual acceleration. Either way works depending on the type of skier, slalom or two, and how quickly you want to plane the boat. Some people pop right up while others fight the water for awhile. My brother and I were ornery and used to mess with my dad by waiting as long as possible to get up! Since you seem to be experiencing difficulty with both a fast and gradual start, I would recommend quickly- not hammer down, but quickly getting to plane AND then slowly backing off until at your desired speed. The earlier comment about skier starting position was also important. Have fun!

 

[scb1712]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

make sure they are in the "seated chair" position leaning back as far as possible. the skiis when angled properly will force the skiier up instead of pulling the handle out of their hands

dont go from slack in the rope to WOT, make sure the line is tight

I think this sounds about right - take up the slack under idle. I even like to go at idle for a few seconds once the skier is moving to align them with the boat. Then gradually, but quickly increase the throttle. If the person is in the right position in the water, and the do they right thing once they start moving the force of should help them up and out. As a skier - the person in the water needs to have enough tension in their core (stomach, back) and have to keep the tips of the skis up and out of the water. In addition, it helps to have the skis angled forwards as opposed to vertically. I find that if the skis are verticle, the person tends to plow and that's when the rope gets yanked out of their hands.

 

[81 charger]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

get the rope tight then.......... WOT!!!! once they are up ease off till your between 18 to 20mph. accelerate into turns and ease off when coming out of the turn. unless your trying to kill the person one the tube or skies keep your turns big and smooth.

 

[drrpm]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

How much throttle and how fast is a balance between the boat, engine, rider and board/boards. Smaller people, wakeboards and double skis pop up faster and require less power. I have a 20 foot boat with a 5.0L engine and my usual riders are teenage girl wakeboarders in the 120-130 lb range. For them, I take the slack out of the line, get a little forward momentum and then push the throttle until I hit around 2800 RPM and they pop right up. Skiers will need to go a bit faster than wakeboarders. The OP doesn't mention the experience level of the skiers, but if he got someone good to work with him he could probably get some hints and improve his technique. That said, I think that his boat/motor combo will have a hard time pulling up a decent sized adult.

 

[Shoreleave]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

One trick that has worked for me, particularly on slalom skiers, is to have the skier practice being towed behind the boat at a fast idle - about walking speed. If your skier can control the ski and maintain balance at a few miles per hour then the boat will get them out of the water much faster and there's less of a jerk when you hammer the throttle down. This is a very useful technique for under-powered boats.

The other thing to do is to warn the skier that once they get out of the water the boat will be going faster than ideal skiing speed for a short period of time. They should just ski directly behind the boat for the first minute or so until you carefully get the speed adjusted downward. Don't be in a hurry to back off the throttle. Go ahead and let the boat get up to full planing speed and then carefully back off the throttle so that the rope doesn't go slack. The biggest mistake I see for new drivers is that they back off the throttle too soon.

 

[doyall]

Re: Trouble Pulling a Skier Need Help

A skier has to come out of the water quick or it is all over. To get up quick requires maximum acceleration from the boat. Even with my 270 HP 5.0L I tell the driver to tighten the rope up under fast idle and when I give the signal to hit the throttle as hard as possible then back off smoothly to 'X' RPM or 'X' speed. When I skied behind a 3.0L OMC I wanted everyone to move to the front of the boat. Getting up behind an underpowered boat is exponentially more difficult. I learned to ski behind underpowered boats so I can appreciate the difference. I suspect that your skiers are inexperienced and/or your boat is underpowered for the load.