WBLskier Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 My 5 year old is learning to slalom. She is very proficient on two skis and is asking to learn to slalom now. She is very close to getting up on a slalom, but hasn’t gotten it quite yet. She can do it on the bootm without a problem but she wants to ski behind the boat. I have been using the slalom from the pair of Junior Vortex skis she uses. This is a pretty wide ski and I think it will be very stable for her once she gets the hang of it. I am wondering if she would be better off using a larger longer ski that has more directional stability to get used to getting up on one and then go back to the junior vortex once she has gotten the hang of it. I am also thinking about using one of the deep V handles on a short line off the high fly. I haven’t tried that yet, so I’d be interested in hearing anyone else’s thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ForrestGump Posted June 20, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 20, 2012 We use the Jr Vortex to teach all the kids to get up on a slalom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef23 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Get one of the deep v handles. That will help the ski stay straight. The Jr Vortex should work great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBLskier Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Perfect. Thanks. Do either of you use a high fly and shorter rope to give the a little more upward pull? It works great when teaching kids to wakeboard so I have to think it would help for slalom as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef23 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I used a shorte rope because we don't have a tower or fly high. With a small child you could stand in the back of the boat with the rope over your shoulder. Have you put a rope on the boom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsamcutter Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 1st boom,2nd boom with 5 ft line,3rd shortened rope from tower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBLskier Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Thanks...we've done steps 1 and 2 and are now on step 3. Hoping she wants to try it out tomorrow or Friday. Got my 2 year old up on the boom a couple weeks ago...it is a great teaching tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted June 20, 2012 Baller_ Share Posted June 20, 2012 She may be past this but if you add a 2-3 pound weight of some kind between the back foot and fin block, it will keep the ski still in the water while the line tightens up and will assist as the boat starts to pull her up. Once up and running the weight becomes a non factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBLskier Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Any tips on where she keeps her weight (i.e.) over both feet, focus on putting some weight on the back...it has been so long since I've thought about getting up I don't know how to coach her on this. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller davemac Posted June 20, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 20, 2012 I see that HO makes somes weights you can add over the fin block on their combo trainers. Anyone know if something similar is available for the O'Brien Jr Vortex?? This hopefully is the year that my little one moves on from the skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller DUSkier Posted June 21, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 21, 2012 Another good idea is to ski beside her and have her drop a ski, it is pretty easy to hold the back of their life jacket to stabalise them. Gives them the feel of Skiing on one ski which will in turn make deep water starts easier. Def use tower if you have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Kelvin Posted June 21, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 21, 2012 The HO weights can be installed on the Jr Vortex. I have them on the pair I use for kids. They just won't fit all of the holes in the weights. With the weight, the ski will float straight up and down in the water making the ski super easy for the kids to control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBLskier Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Great. Where do you order the weights from..overtons or barts perhaps? My daughter is great at controlling the skis now but she really struggeled when she was learning and that sounds like a great thing to have for my younger daughter and other kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skihart Posted June 21, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 21, 2012 I was thinking of just making my own weights. How much do they weigh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Kelvin Posted June 21, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 21, 2012 Here is a link. http://www.waterskis.com/HO-Water-Ski-Tail-Weights-p/ho_combo_ski_tail_weights.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller davemac Posted June 21, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks for that confirmation, Kelvin. I just added them to an order I have w/ H20proshop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted June 21, 2012 Baller_ Share Posted June 21, 2012 I used industrial velco to attach the weights to the skis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skihart Posted June 21, 2012 Baller Share Posted June 21, 2012 Hmmm good idea. I will use some extra Dual Loc I have lying around from my powershells... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBLskier Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Has anyone moved the bindings forward on the junior vortex slalom? My 5 year old can drop the ski now but it looks like her weight is a little far back to have good control. I recall some other saying they moved the bindings up a couple inches. How far and I assume you moved both? Is it going to throw the kids who will use both skis off to have the binding moved on one? Maye I should just let her try a small real slalom ski...thoughts? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller davemac Posted July 2, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 2, 2012 @WBLskier While they are a great combo set...I quickly got my daughter off the Jr Vortex slalom once she she got up on it... with the help of a trainer handle ( I think she was a very tall 8 year old and prob close to 80 lbs). To the best of my recollection, once that ski and its plastic fin exceeded 20 mph it seemed to go into a "speed wobble" . I got her on a dedicated slalom ski and it made a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBLskier Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 What size and/or model ski would you suggest putting her on then? She is probably 48 inches and about 45 lbs? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ToddL Posted July 3, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 3, 2012 I have an HO Judge 61 inch with mini Level bindings (i have both the have rear toe and a rear boot). It is nearly perfect condition. Always stored in the HO padded bag. My son loved it, but outgrew the ski. I am planning on having it displayed for sale at our SCR JD tournament this weekend. I haven't figured a price yet, but it was about $375 new when you add the rear boot and bag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller davemac Posted July 4, 2012 Baller Share Posted July 4, 2012 @WBLskier I'm not in the loop now with youth intro slalom skis, but I think you might want to look at the HO Grifter or the HO Judge (62" and 61" I believe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsmith Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 A few weekends ago I saw an 8 year old girl successfully skiing the course at 30 mph on a 67" Sixam and adult sized bindings. Her father told me she started on a 67" Synchro (REALLY big ski). His reasons were that the longer ski prevented the nasty OTF and taught her to really get on edge to turn it. The large binding let her release easy. Seem to be working well, she was a darn good skier and to date has not had a severe fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balsamcutter Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 10 year old son weighs 70 pounds, popping up real good on the jr vortex pulling him at about 22 to 25 mph. Im thinking he's ready for the next ski. the jr vortex does not seem to cut through the wake, and does not seem real stable as the boat speed increases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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