Water Skiing

Water Skiing - After discussing the article on sports martial arts , this time I will also provide useful information, this time Article discusses water skiing that would have been very much in search of sports users worldwide. 

Water Skiing

WATER SKIING

About the boat, the skis, the boat team, the rope, handle and binders.

            Until winning the 1962 National Men’s Trick Skiing Championship. I never had a boat that ould even come the first six years of my water skiing experience I owned a small, light 14 footer with a wide transom powered by a 35 horse Jhonson. But-I sure did a lot of water skiing ! Therefore. . .

About The Boat

            Anyone with a boat (12’-14’ minimum) that can deep-water-start a skier (usually 25 hp or more) can actually become a proficient water skier-especially fun skiers and trick skiers. I emphasize tricks because slow to speeds are necesarry in this event (12-20 mph) making navigable bodies of water as small as 200 yards long by 75 yards wide usable for “tricking”.

            Towboats of 75 or more horsepower are necessary to maintain the higher speed and greater pull of salon skiers and jumpers. Ideal towboats have a driver’s seat facing forward, and one or more seats facing aft for observers. Lots of room astern is desirable for skis, ropes, handles, boarding, ladders, etc. A ski to hitch two to five feet ahead of the transom transmits the drag of the skier toward the center turning axis of the boat and minimizes lurching.

            To avoid skiing in great prop turbelence, the beginner should use a standard 75-foot line. After graduating to wake tricks, he should shorten the rope so as to meet the wake at its sharpest, bubble-free point (usually 40 to 60 feet long).

            I illustrate two boats that are perfect fot water skiing connoisseurs: The Al Tyll Skier, by Correct craft, and the Twin Johnson Powered Crosby Hull.

THE BOAT TEAM

            A speed fluctuation of more than one mile per hour seriously impedes the performing skier-especially trick skiers. In the 1962 Masters at Callaway Gardens, Georgia, the boat driver pulled me at 17 mph rather than my required 18. My skis rode deeper in the water and I klobbered after one-ski wake-stepover front-to-back, placing seventh for the day-that Masters being a no-fall tournament !

            While breaking in a new driver, I check his accuracy at holding speed and rehearse with him and the observer the signals I use fot better skier-to-boat communication. When “pulling out” a skier, accelerates moderately but steadily to the requested speed. Then hold that speed ! Watch where you’re going ! Let the driver observer !

STANDARD WATER SKIS

            Skis most commonly used in pairs are about 66” long, 6”-7” wide, and ½” to ¾” thick. Each ski has a foot binder approximately in the middle of the ski, and a small keel under the tail. This keel provides stability and keeps the ski tracking well, much like the groove in a snow ski.

            Most standard skis are manufactured and sold with rather inadequate adjustable binders (so that people of all foot sizes can use them) that are probably okay for the once-in-a-while water skier. Avid skiers and tournament competitors always costumize their binders with thicker toe and heel pieces and wind up screwing them down to the ski in fixed (nonadjustable) position. This way the adjusment can never slip and the skier is always guarnteed the correct fit.

            Water skis come in varying shapes and sizes between the (1) Straight ski (straight parallel sides and square back) and (2) banana shape of varying idths, lengths and tapers.

            Generally speaking, the straight ski can carry more weight at slower speeds with less motor power, but drags more at higher speeds.

            The more streamlined banana shape offers less water resistance and handles better at higher speeds. (This is why most skiers use the tappered banana shape for their slalom ski).

Sellect Your Standard Skis As Follows :

Skier’s Weight : - 40 to 80 lbs, 70 to 200 lbs, 170 to 300 lbs
Ski Length      : - 52”, 66”, 68”
Ski Width        : - 5”-6”, 6 ½”, 6 ½”-8”

 
THE ROPE  

            The standard and the best length for skiing is 75 feet of strong, rigid line that float, and has a breaking strength of more than 800 pounds. For all around water skiing, I recommend ¼” diamond braid polyethylene or polypropylene.

            Polyethyelene will stretch the fist few times used, but will soon take a ”set” and become quite rigid. After that you’ll feel little give when you pull on it.

            Polypropylene, however (the official rope used in all AWSA sanctioned tournaments in jumping and slalom), has an elastic quality. A strong slalom skier can stretch a 75’ line two feet during his “cut”. And, if he isn’t prepared, when it recoils it could throw him for a loop forward. It took me a long time to get accostumed to it. Tournament experts feel that as skiers get used to this stretch-recoil situation, i.e.more points in the slalom course; and longer jumps.

            There’s no doubt that jumpers get more footage with polypropylene. Observers feel that polypropylene line was responsible for three young women, Barbara Klack, Dixie Hoyt, and Liz Allen, reaching the 100-foot mark in the Women’s and Girl’s jumping events. Before polypropylene was used, the gals just couldn’t leap that far. There’s no doubt but that is snaps you right off the ramp.

            In tricks however, where quick tugs, wraps and various difficult rope handling is entailed, I prefer a nonrecoil line. In fact I use ” braided polyethylene, Many competitors I know use 3/8”. One of my friends and close training companions, Howie Mitchell, Chortles: “Man, if steel cable would float, I’d use it for tricks ! I like that solid feel”.

THE HANDLE

            Altought many skiers still use the double handles, it is completely out in competition as far as I have seen, and the single handle is being widely used and adopted. Handle lengths vary from 11” to 18”; diameters from 1 to 1 ¼”. They are usually contructed of wood, aluminum, plastic, or rubber, and combinations thereof.

            There is no handle made that surpasses the superiority, comfort, and durability of the Glad Hand-le, a soft rubber-coacted aluminum core with soft plastic ends, that as rapidly becoming a status symbol of the is rapidly becoming a status symbol of the sport. I think so highly of it that I use it on all my custom AL TYLL trik Toehold Handles.

Knuckles-on-top on AL Tyll Trik Toehold handle

GRIPPING THE HANDLE

            There are two basic ways to hold the handle; the standard “knuckles on top” fashion and the “baseball-bat” fashion. The first method is a comfortable, relaxed position for easy skiing.

            The “baseball-bat” grip should be used during strenuous pulls, the skier often brings the handle in close toward his left or right hip, depending on the direction he is “cutting” (If he is making left turn, his left hip; a right turn, his right hip). The “baseball-bat” grip is a more vise-like grip for these purpose.

Baseball bat grip on the standard Glad Handle

BINDERS

            Your water ski binders can make or break your skiing, for these are what connect you with the skis—what transmits your pressures, or gentle nudges. I’ve often said,”I want the ski to be a part of my foot”. If there’s the slightest play, looseness, pinch, or pain, it can hamper your best performances. And on this question I must be frank. Most manufactures put junk on their skis ! There is also a sickening variety of adjustment devices which vary the distance of the heel unit from the toepiece. Most of these are sloppy, heavy, breakable sandtraps designed by some third rate machinist’s helper who didn’t even know how to water ski. I’m sorry, but I’m bitter about this subject. But because of this I’m afraid we’ve lost many many potential water skiers. Have you ever tried skiing on two freeboards ? (Plains skis without binders). You might just as well, for that’s about how well most commercial binders hold your feet.

            You can bet your binders that you won’t see one champion skier using commercial adjustable binders. And, you can also assume that that guy or gal has spent many hours getting his or her binder to fit and hold just right. I know that my wife, Chris, and I constantly work on our binders. (Chris even ski on a new ski without first mounting her custom binders on them). And she’s right. She’d never apreciate the fine characteristics of the ski without good foot-to-ski connection.

            So I shall make a prediction : In years to come water skies will be sold blank, without binders. There will be several sizes and types of binders to choose from. As with snow skis, the sports store operator or shop mechanic will mount the binders for you.

           

LESSON IN BOAT DRIVING

• Always drive the boat in a straight line while the skier is performing (tricks, slalom, or jumping).
• When you have to turn, signal the skier with a circular motion of your hand held high, so he prepares for the turn.
• Then make a neat 50- to 80- yard turn circle.
• End it aprroximately where you started it. This will bring you back int the center of your previous wake; you’ll miss all of the rough water caused by your own boat on the first pass.
• After one complete cycle, your path will have formed a “Barbell” outline. It’s easy and safe and always gives the skier smooth water. The straight “Bar” part of the course should be at least 350 yards long for optimum skier performance. Of course, you must be guided and governed by the size of your water practice area.

SIGNAL TO BOAT DRIVER

Signal to boat driver

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