Color me shocked & Impressed

[Ntq206]

Color me shocked.... and impressed.

 

So, it was my 3rd outing on my new-to-me Strada.

First time out, I was really just taking it easy getting my legs back under me again.

 

2nd time out, just starting pushing it a bit, but felt I couldn't get the ski to accelerate or come around properly. Couldn't even get decent width on the pullout - just seemed to be slow or something. Like a ton of work.

 

Hmmmm.... bugged me all night after that.

Was it me? Did I get the wrong ski? Settings??.....

 

Well, decided that first I should double check the fin & binding settings. Everything checked out OK except DFT was almost .080 too far back according to Rossi's settings for the 67. Also wing was set to 5 Deg. Figured I should just set that to 0 for now.

Thanks to a couple guys on here (@MS & @AB) for helping me out on how to adjust it.

 

So, made the adjustment and went out again this afternoon. WOW!! What a difference!!! The ski is like a rocket ship now. I noticed it immediately from the pullout.

Immediately skied 100 times better.

 

Being a 15 off skier, I honestly thought that what is the equivalent of about 2mm DFT would be un-noticeable at my level. I was shocked at how much difference it made.

(Now, maybe some of it is due to the wing, but I've tweaked those before without dramatic difference to me unless I set it to some stupid angle.)

 

I guess my point to this post is that for all you 15 off'ers out there who might not think to check your fin because you feel it's only for advanced skiers - not so.

I came from that last ski just grinning from ear to ear.

 

I really love this Strada.

Stable, fast and I'm really starting to feel like it's going to get me to the next level really fast.

 

 

 

[Onside135]

Glad things went well for you today!. This topic ties into a thread I recently started, so I'll ask the question again. Are the settings that Rossi uses really pertinent to a 15off skier (I'm there myself right now)? My gut tells me that what Rossi demands from his ski is a lot different than what @Ntq206 and myself are looking for, and as such, the fin settings are minimally comparable. Thoughts?

[Chuck_Dickey]

Factory setting are the best place to start for everyone. Make sure you ARE set to factory for fin and boots, ski it for a dozen sets and then adjust if you need from there. Keep a log of your settings so you can go back if you don't like the changes. Adjust the binding placement oreads or back or split and leave the fin at stock. Once your feet are dialed in, then look to the fin.

 

Try to ski with someone that can evaluate you and the ski.

[A_B]

Most pros run their fins shorter, deeper, and further back along with bindings back a hole or two. They do this to maximize run out and width in the course. They generate more angle with body position so they don't need the extra grab of a longer fin, and turn the ski better so don't need the fin and bindings forward and can handle the added resistance of the depth in the turn.

 

Just what I have observed and deduced.

[ForrestGump]

Did I read that right? Wing at 0 degrees? If so, just take it off. There is a range where the wing works, which is dictated by the plane angle of the ski. On that ski, anything less than 7 degrees, just take it off. At your level, you don't need it at all.

[nate93]

@shaneH is exactly correct. <5 degrees actually creates tail lift.

[LeonL]

As to fin adjustments, and this is out of my range of skiing ability -- if you quiz most 38 - 39.5 off skiers they will tell you that they adjust their fin for best performance at those line lengths. That setting will not necessarily feel good, even for them, when at 28 or 32.

[Ntq206]

OK, I'll probably just pull off the wing for next time out. I figured at least I wouldn't lose the little thing.

 

I have no plans to adjust further - as long as it's set up to stock as designed, it's going to be more than good enough for me.

 

[Horton]

I think you can think of the Rossi settings as the factory setting. It is what he recomends. It may also be what he uses or not. When I ride Strada or Vice this is where I start.

[Ntq206]

OK, at the risk of looking like a fool - not knowing any better, I had pulled the wing off my HO ski (since this one didn't come with a wing) and had put it on the ski. Seeing some recent photos of fins today, I realized I might have also had the wing upside down?!?!.... but this is the way my old HO came.

I snapped a photo of how mine is currently on there.

 

@ShaneH - yep you read it right (sheepishly admitting it) - I will remove it, but wanted to make sure for future which is the right way up.

 

[skier2788]

how do you measure wing degree?

[usaski1]

Speaking of fins and wings, what adjustment do I need to keep the nose down a bit more? (in the turns and across the wake) Also having issues with my tail popping in the turns, but I'm prtty far back on the ski as it is. I'm just skiing 15 off, and under 30mph. But I'm thinking its time to start tweaking.

 

Heres a little video...

 

[MattP]

@usaski1 To keep the nose down you would need to add tip, increasing the leading, or front edge of the fin by putting more into the water,

[T-fromTO]

I like how all these 15 off skiers are coming out of the woodwork here. I think it's good for this site.

[RichardDoane]

@skier2788 - wing angle gauges are readily available from most places that sell skis, I have an inexpensive set of plastic angles from KD that are at least 10 years old

 

@ntq206 - I was taught to put the screws up/wings down when installing, set that thing at factory recommendations, for my Strada it's 9 degrees

 

 

[RichardDoane]

@skier2788 - wing angle gauges are readily available from most places that sell skis, I have an inexpensive set of plastic angles from KD that are at least 10 years old

 

@ntq206 - I was taught to put the screws up/wings down when installing, set that thing at factory recommendations, for my Strada it's 9 degrees

 

 

[skierjp]

FYI --- the wing is unside down in the picture.

[gyoung]

Hope this is not off topic. I am a 15 off (32mph) skier as well. Should i be altering binding position, fin, wing or should i get my body position correct first. I have the classic butt dragging behind technique.

[usaski1]

@richarddoane

 

Offtopic, I e-mailed you about those PP timers. they came back, wrong address. Im happy tosend them out again, or refund your $.

 

[crashman]

@gyoung I've learned at my level (-15 30-32 mph) the problems I encounter are a result of the skier not the ski. I tried moving my bindings forward about 1.5 years ago with disastrous results. Since then I'm a factory man- with the exception that I intend to remove the wing completely sometime this summer and give that a try based on recommendations I received here.

[ForrestGump]

@gyoung - Set it to factory recommended and leave it. Remember, it's not the arrow, it's the Indian. When you get into 32off and shorter then you might find some performance gain by starting to move the fin. But I wouldn't touch it until then.

[nate93]

@gyoung I would recommend skiing with a more advanced skier to determine if the ski is causing the bad body position. For example if it is overturning causing you to break and squat the fin could need adjustment, if your hips are never up then you need to keep working on position. It's really hard to say without seeing a few sets.

[Ntq206]

OK - a bit confused on the wing setting now..

@RichardDoane - Richard, you mention to set it to 9 deg stock

@ShaneH - Recommend taking it off entirely.

 

For 15 off level, which is the right way to go?

 

Thanks guys - it's cool having a vast resource of knowledge here.

[MattP]

@Ntq206 take it off.

[The_MS]

@Ntq206

 

Put it at 7 or 8 and you are set.

[Jim Neely]

The good news is on the Strada you can set it at 7 to 9 or take it off and you probably won't feel the difference. At least that's my experience.

[jipster43]

A great way to dial your ski in is to take a clinic with a pro like Jodi Fisher. He adjusted my ski without my having to ask.

[RichardDoane]

@usaski - send them again for sure; 617 SW 154th Street, Burien WA 98166

@ntq206 - "MS is right" ! Definitely get your arse up where it belongs

[Ntq206]

OK - so the concensus on the wing is to remove it and set it to 7-9 degrees..

 

:)

[RichardDoane]

Wings help keep tip rise to a minimum, and help the ski carve around in the turn. Next time out, while working on keeping a good "stacked" body position, do some skiing outside the course with and without a wing, and then decide, emphasis on the good body position.

[Dusty]

Ntq206-

The wing is essentially a brake- slowing the ski down and levering the tip downward. If width/insufficient speed at buoy/turn is an issue, you should remove it, and remember to keep your knees flexed. As mentioned, don't run it under 5 degrees. Terry Goodman tells me that you can really only tune a ski for 3 to 4 passes to perform best. If you are getting into 35 off, tune for 32 maybe. Maybe not so good for 15 but solid at 28, and still skiable at 38 even.

Personally, I would be a happy man if I HAD 3 to 4 passes. I run my D3 wing at 7 degrees, fin mostly stock.

[The_MS]

t is also a stableizer. That is why they have them on airplane wings. If they were brakes, fuel economy would go down, not up when added to a wing of a plane.

[Than_Bogan]

I'll jump in with the "no wing until -22" sentiment. Then factory setting.

 

For -15, don't mess with the ski. Make sure it really is at factory settings, and then never think about it again. Then work on body position!

[Ntq206]

I have no plans at all to change anything from stock in terms - just the wing was the only variable that was in question.

When I first got the ski, I didn't closely check the settings. I only measured after a few runs that the DFT was much closer to the tail than stock, and it just didn't feel right for me and that's what drew me to attention of the settings.

I probably should have checked that everything was absolutely dead on stock even before my first run on it - oh well. Lots of season left.

 

As long as in my mind I know it's set to stock, I can spend 100% of my mental energy working on the dude the ski is strapped to. :)