How to join the Wooden Underground

[Horton]

Membership is free with a $24.99 Wooden UnderGround t-shirt
or
Membership is $24.99 and comes with a free T-Shirt. 

Join by clicking here.

The Text Reads:
The Roots of Slalom Skiing are Wooden
WoodenUnderGround.com
The Wooden Underground Slalom Society
It's time to get back to your roots

http://images.cafepress.com/jitcrunch.aspx?bG9hZD1ibGFuayxibGFuazoxNTJfRl9jMjguanBnfGxvYWQ9TDAsaHR0cDovL2ltYWdlcy5jYWZlcHJlc3MuY29tL2ltYWdlLzI5ODA5NzA4XzQwMHg0MDAucG5nfHxzY2FsZT1MMCwxNTAsMTUwLFRyYW5zcGFyZW50fGxvYWQ9dG0tTDAsYmxhbms6MTUyX0ZfYzI4X3RtYXNrLmpwZ3xjb21wb3NlPUwwLHRtLUwwLFRleHR1cmVNYXNrLC0xNjAsLTEwMnxjb21wb3NlPWJsYW5rLEwwLEFscGhhQmxlbmQsMTYwLDEwMnxjcD1yZXN1bHQsYmxhbmt8c2NhbGU9cmVzdWx0LDAsNDgwLFdoaXRlfGNvbXByZXNzaW9uPTk1fA==

[jbougie]

Please count me in as Member Wood #1

 

I am buying now!

[Horton]

By the way I have not yet seen the first shirt so if there is something wrong.... it will be a collectors item....

[skidawg]

Just bought in to the super secret slalom society, hope t looks good,  where does the cash go?

[scoke]

 

There are a couple of Pacific Northwest Lurkers that have been talking this up too.... Hope they come out of the woodwork and ride some pine  wooden skis.....

  

scoke.

 

[skidawg]

u need to sack up coke and get you some splinters too!

[Horton]

The cash goes to my beer fund. Not really. Pay for web site and such. The shirt cost is most of the $25. I figure that if you pay for the shirt you are really interested. All the details for all the stuff to follow.....

[scoke]

 

 

I am a single man these days, I sport enough wood around the house and am trying to get my skiing on track!

[skidawg]

U can put your wood to good use and play with some balls,  got my woodie in the mail, I will be super old school soon.

[ML]

 Since Scoke called us out, there has been alot of talk about joing here in the PNW. We have some big Old Growth Wood here, I'll be signing up today.

[Donski]

Ok pulled the old Tapperflex out of the garage. Ski seams OK, no wood delam. But the clear coating on the top front is peeling off for about 6". Its about the thickness of a credit card. Anybody now how to fix this, seems to flexable and to thick to be a varnish?

[jbougie]

OK, sporting my new woodenunderground.com Tshirt around the house.  Good lookin, high quality T.

Post pic later.

[jbougie]

We had a crappy windy Labor day weekend out here at our alke.  That lead to the SKI ANYTHING hours of fun.  Here is a pic of me on a Ski Skat 18" long wooden ski.  Had to kick one off to make it up.  Tihng was  rcoket, but the spray was brutal.

 

Horton,  whats that worth in point to ski a tounry?

[jbougie]

other things skid included;

 

a cooler

a coller lid after we couldnt ski the cooler

a snurfer (a old snow ski previous to a snow board)

 

made me thing there should be a website called

www.skianything.com where people could post there best things they are pictured skiing and rate them

 

what do you think?

[boarditup]

I joined and have the T-shirt to prove it.

I'll have to put on modern bindings on the ski - back then, size 14 bindings just were not made....

If enough interest, I'll host the WUSS nationals next year at Lake Placid in MI.  Since the one of the first nationals was held about 20 miles away, it is only approproate.  Wood ski jumping and wood tricks anyone?

[RichardDoane]

Where Wooden Skis go to retire

[RichardDoane]

and more

[RichardDoane]

and even more

[Horton]

Holy crap!

[DaveD]

We now know who is either selling or buying all the vintage skis on E-bay. 

[Horton]

So I have been dragging my feet on Getting WoodenUnderground.com going and setting up the organization. 

The Hall Of Wood Forum is up at http://woodenunderground.com/forum/

There will be a Hall Of Wood photo gallery also....

The members page is up but needs some work (looks like crap) http://woodenunderground.com/Members.htm

 

 

[andyb]

John, Is it possible to add a list of wooden skis onto the website ? I'm keeping my eye out for one but not sure what to look for. I guess for 30mph the longer the better ?

[Horton]

great idea..... there is a long list of things to do over there.... in time

[boarditup]

A list may be very difficult because many skis were custom built.  I just bought a custom built ski off E-Bay for $25.  It is 70" long and customized with "Bob" under the lacquer and very small bindings (size 8-9).  I discussed WUSS with the guys at the MI Hidden Lake tounament and there is support for a dedicated WUSS tournament in '09.  Most of the guys had their original ski and had a glint in their eye when they thought about dargging it out of the barn.  Lots of Wester Wood skis out there.

 In MI and WI, there are a lot of show ski planks (flat, two wood or plastic rudders (not fins), no rear toe strap, 9" wide, 68" long).  I tried one in the course and you just can't get it to turn at all.  You may get very other buoy.

 Good luck and have fun finding the right ski.

[DaveD]

Is it legal to make your own ski?

[Horton]

Not sure drafting rules at work today. I think so. Unless I think of a good reason why not. As long as it fits the other rules.

Below is the status as of 3:32 PM 9/8/08. When I get it close I will post a real version.

Wooden Underground Slalom Society Rules:

 

1)      Equipment

a.       Skis: A wooden ski is defined as any ski that is primarily constructed of wood. Any non-wood material used in ski construction must be none non-structural. No fiberglass or composite is allowed.

b.      Fins: Skis must be ridden with an original equipment fin. Adjustments to the fin shape is absolutely forbidden.

c.       Bindings: Any rubber bindings are allowed.

                                                              i.      Original equipment or similar bindings will add 6 bonus buoys to any score. To qualify for bonus buoys the binding must not only be original equipment or similar but also must not have more then one overlay. 

2)      Slalom Rules

a.       USA Water Ski Rule applies except where noted below.

                                                              i.      Max speed for all skiers is 30 MPH.

                                                            ii.      Hand driving is not only allowed but encouraged.

                                                          iii.      One judge in the boat is sufficient.

                                                          iv.         

3)      Membership

a.       Asdf

                                                              i.       

4)      Tournament Entry and Fees

5)      Tournament Sanction

a.       Any member can sanction a Wooden Underground event in conjunction with any Club, USA WaterSki or INT Event.

b.      Any member can sanction a Wooden Underground event at any time as long as there are at least 3 or more participants.

6)      Safety and Insurance

a.       The Wooden Underground is not libel for anything or insuring anything.

b.      All rules contained in the USA Water Ski rule book pertaining to alcohol and drugs apply.

c.       If you do get hurt and file a lawsuit you can find your self owning a very old house in Bakersfield. Please go ahead.

7)       8)         

 

[Horton]

See an early version of the WUSS rules http://woodenunderground.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=3

 

[andyb]

Found a "lapstrake ambassador " on ebay good condition but I have never heard of it but is it any good ?

[DaveD]

If I am reading this correctly, I can use that warped 2x8 in the garage as long as I use a fin that looks like it was cut from an old I-beam. 

[Horton]

12 bonus buoys for a warped 2x8. Wood ski = ski made from wood.

[Pit]

Russian wood ski (new)!!!!!

[Horton]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooo

[eleeski]

Andyb, get the lapstrake! Give it a serious evaluation and post back. I had an old Voit lapstrake that was my first ski and I loved it. I'm curious about your feel on the lapstrake instead of a tunnel - the wide skis need some out of the box thinking to get them to full potential. And I want to try building a really wide ski next.

Eric

[andyb]

Got the lapstrake, binding not so good missing the one metal piece to clamp down the front binding, otherwise good condition. Underneath never seen anything like that before. Very different Eric we try and get some pictures up, but home computer down at moment so will be a while.

 

Andy

[LZywicki1]

Does it have to be a ski?  We have been messing around skiing through the course with a  wooden wakeskate when the water turns rough.  17mph and a 60' rope, no skate shoes.  Turns out it's a fun time and not that easy.

[Horton]

Buy the t-shirt and you are in!

[LZywicki1]

Already done, bought one a couple of week ago.   Haven't seen my name add to the membership list yet, I'm sure everyone’s been busy trying to get there last runs of the season in.

[Horton]

This is why WoodenUnderground stuff is behind http://ballofspray.com/vanillaforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=738&page=1#Item_01

 

[LZywicki1]

Skiing should be more important then something silly like that.

Hope my wife of 25 years dosen't read this./vanillaforum/js/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif

[andyb]

eleeski,

 Well Sunday I gave the lapstrake a go, bearing in mind I'm no hot shot skier, usually skiing 58k between 16 and 14 and suffering with sore ribs from the week before. I was nervous so 18m 30mph, which to say I think was a bit keen, considering I have never skied on a wooden ski like it before. I only managed 3 green buoys before falling and completely knacked my ribs, so out for the next 6 weeks. But it was great fun, my back foot feels a mile behind my front, and the binding back then..well felt like a couple of elastic bands tied to your foot no problems release out of them that is for sure. Over all the ski felt good, I was very surpirsed as it doesn't have the tunnel but ridges or steps it turned ok, and crossing the wake was alright. My biggest problem was I not use to the lack of binding suport, I felt like I was about to break on me so made me nervous. I think next time, even slower boat speed, though will be next summer now, unless we have a really mild winter.

 

Andy