What is the proper ski and rope set up?

[sethjon]

Re: What is the proper ski and rope set up?

When that happens its because she is going slower than the boat which creates slack in the rope. When it starts to occur she should cut one way or the other to take up the slack.

 

[Slide]

Re: What is the proper ski and rope set up?

Everyone has a weak side which is generally the opposite of your forward foot. It is just mentally harder to cut that way and takes practice to get over.

I don't suppose you or your daughter ride motorcycles? I learned an important lesson from riding that applies to skiing: look where you want to go, not where you're going. As she is making her cut her eyes should already be at the opposite end of the wake toward the buoy, real or imaginary. Her head should also be fully turned in the new direction which will get her shoulders and hips to set up and follow.

It's hard to get over the jitters of slicing through the wake with your face a foot above the water, but looking across helps! As said above, cutting through the wake drastically reduces its impact. Unlocking the knees and loosening the hips allows the body to absorb that impact almost without noticing. The entire lower body acts as a spring with the sole purpose of keeping the upper body 100% stable.

 

[Thad]

Re: What is the proper ski and rope set up?

That makes sense about looking ahead. She does not ride bikes but she does ride quads. A little too reckless for my liking, but she hasn't broke any bones yet.

If it ever quits raining here, which it does not look like it will any time soon, and if the water ever recedes, which I don't think it will, we will get out and give all this a try. She is anxious to hit it. But we are running out of time here, volleyball starts in less than two weeks and the boating season is drawing to an end. I don't think the water will be any good for at least three more weeks.

 

[sethjon]

Re: What is the proper ski and rope set up?

For the most part a rope is just a rope. Length matters. I prefer a 60'. The slack is due to the driver. If you slow down when the skier is cutting and then coming back the rope will slacken.

 

[Thad]

Re: What is the proper ski and rope set up?

For the most part a rope is just a rope. Length matters. I prefer a 60'. The slack is due to the driver. If you slow down when the skier is cutting and then coming back the rope will slacken.

I do not adjust the speed at all when pulling a skier with the exception of them wanting to speed up. My hand is no where near the throttle. In fact, now that I think about it, they are both on the wheel to help me hold the boat straight.

 

[skibrain]

Re: What is the proper ski and rope set up?

Assuming that the driver is not chopping the throttle, handle control and managing line tension (and learning to do it well) are the responsibility of the skier. There are different issues for a beginner to pro-level, but doing it well is a key to great skiing.