ScotChipman1 Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Does anyone put water in their Wally Buoys? Our lake just starting using them this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Horton Posted June 6, 2019 Administrators Share Posted June 6, 2019 No don't put water in them. Just barely inflate them to size or even better under inflate them a little and then you are done. Goode ★ KD Skis ★ MasterCraft ★ PerfSki ★ Radar ★ Reflex ★ S Lines ★ Stokes Drop a dime in the can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller coach3 Posted June 6, 2019 Baller Share Posted June 6, 2019 Please do not put water in a buoy, it adds mass and keeps the buoy from moving, making it more like a rock. It is worse. It is better to deflate, and any soft buoy plastic can then displace and move as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We have ours barely inflated and sunk pretty low. Under the water there is a crease in the ball from low air pressure. Wally balls and slowing my speed have made for a great 2019 on the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted June 7, 2019 Baller_ Share Posted June 7, 2019 Do not put water in them. It is not required and not recommended. Under inflate and ski with confidence. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Deke Posted June 7, 2019 Baller Share Posted June 7, 2019 I don't know about Wally buoys so can't comment about why you can't put water in them. However, @coach3 your comment about water adding mass to a regular buoy is not is not entirely thought out. This was discussed and demonstrated years ago, ad nauseam, and I really hope we won't have to go back to that argument again! Let's just say that handle guards and anything better than regular buoys cranked down to be half under the surface will both keep you safer. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller coach3 Posted June 7, 2019 Baller Share Posted June 7, 2019 Oh yes, even though a buoy filled with water is in a water medium, it is encapsulated and therefore it's own entity. Additional mass will deter movement and trip up a skier. I have experimented with both when we had that old discussion. Do as you like, but water mass will make a buoy more dangerous. There are easier ways to submerge. It is well though out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldmanskier Posted June 8, 2019 Baller Share Posted June 8, 2019 The Wally's have saved my bad ankle many times. The guys in our club did not believe the marketing hype and did not want to pay the price. So another person and I in the club purchased them due to we have the bad ankles. Some of ours are four years old and still look pretty good. oldmanskier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skimtb Posted August 24, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 24, 2020 I understand that wallyskier buoys need little air pressure for use. When new, Should you fully inflate to make them round, for a few days first, then let air back out, or is that overthinking it and just put some air in and put them to service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted August 24, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 24, 2020 @skimtb, just put a minimum of air in them initially. They should be semi-crumpled after you add air. Then, when you push the bottom of the buoy together with your hands, the top should fill out into the round shape. It will do the same thing when you put it in the water. And, the sun will help smooth them out a bit over time. Do not try to make them fully round with the air. The theory is the bottom will collapse in with water pressure and fill out the top. Then, when you hit the top, it pushes the top down and moves the air into the semi-collapsed bottom. This is how the buoy absorbs the force of your ski without pushing back against you with a lot of buoyant force. That buoyant force is what knocks your ski off edge or stops it, potentially leading to crashes and injury. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skimtb Posted August 24, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 24, 2020 @MISkier Thanks. I was a bit unclear. They have a funny ring around them from packing / shopping / Mfg. I was asking to blow them up fully to try and work that out while sitting in my floor. I’m doing this now, may go put in sun too. Then, I’ll deflate as you describe above for 1st use. They won’t go in use fully inflated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller igkya Posted August 24, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 24, 2020 Are you guys using these for the entrance/exit gates too, or just for turn balls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted August 24, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 24, 2020 @igkya, we use them for gates as well. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klindy Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 @skimtb they are “spun moulded” buoys so the buoys is moulded to the finished size and shape. That’s why it takes minimal air to hold its shape. So I’d recommend using as little air as possible to prevent the buoy from collapsing due to the water pressure or being held down by tension. You should not have to put air into the buoy to get it to a specific size just to hold its shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skimtb Posted August 24, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 24, 2020 Upon taking from the box, Putting just a little air in them resulted in them being roundish with a little halo around it, kinda like planet Saturn. This is Likely from Mfg / packaging. I should have taken a pic... I inflated it fully and put in the sun. It’s round, as it should be. Next will deflate as everyone is saying so it functions properly. Sorry if this is still confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller TEL Posted August 24, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 24, 2020 Not sure why you fully inflated on Wally skier site it says " Recommend not to fully inflate" do you think they will not be round or smooth out once there out in the sun once installed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted August 24, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 24, 2020 I say let the experiment of inflate then deflate happen. Might be good to hear that it worked..or didn’t work. Please share process and pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Zman Posted August 24, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 24, 2020 @Wish Maybe the second test. We purchased a new set last summer. Our existing set were just discolored after 5 years in the southern sun. We also noticed the "crease" in the new set, so we inflated them almost fully, still quite soft, and stored them until this summer. When we were ready to install them, we let the air out until they were only about half inflated and the "crease" was pretty much gone, and is not at all noticeable as installed on our floating course. We certainly didn't have to let them sit all winter, but we didn't need to install them until this summer. Even after 5+ years, the old ones are in great condition other than much of the top having turned black. We will probably paint these and use 4 of them for gates once our current Polyform gates need replacing. Or, just have spares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Coming from someone that has broken his ankle twice clipping a ball, I love the wally balls. We have had them for a couple of years, and I have hit them numerous times without issues. We keep them low psi and low in the water. Not sure why I am still in jail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skimtb Posted August 25, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 25, 2020 @TEL I’m thinking the recommendation is for in service use. @Zman Thanks, “crease” is a decent word although understated a bit in my opinion. I need them to look good as I miss them.... Pics attached “fully inflated” as they sat in sun for 6 hours, then deflated which was letting air out naturally, then squeezing more out. They seem nice with the air out and like they would function nicely as per design intent. Went with orange for visibility. Not sure if there is a rule that they should be red? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted August 25, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 25, 2020 What are folks using to attach these buoys to the course? I’ll assume the large attachment point is part of the air chamber? Certainly different then a standard Polyform or Overtons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted August 25, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 25, 2020 @skimtb, you need to remove more air. @Wish, I have these at two different sites. One uses a rope loop and then connects a regular plastic hook to that. The other uses a cable tie loop with the plastic hook connected. I'm thinking about a different method of just running the surgical tubing through the buoy "handle" and securing it to itself with a double barrel cord lock. But, I need to verify this design will hold well and release the buoy for severe impact (like a fuse). Still in the early stages of thinking about it. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Zman Posted August 25, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 25, 2020 @Wish We added a small loop of 1/8 rope to the Wally attachment, then connect to that with a plastic hook with safety latch (from Skier-to-Skier). But, the plastic hooks are large enough to just connect directly to the buoy. Either way is fine. If your buoys are anchored to the lake bottom, and water level changes some, those clips shown above by @MISkier might work as a quick means to make adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skimtb Posted August 25, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 25, 2020 @Wish you can, of course, connect the Wally buoy with a Wally clip.... The attachment does seem to be part of air chamber, but Since there is no pressure it is squishy and seems ok so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Wish Posted August 25, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 25, 2020 I’m considering using 2 loose zip ties. Then a beaner clip to them attached to up lines from float course. It’s been our experience that 2 black zip ties allow the buoys to break away from float course if snagged by something (ocasional tubers or walley skier) leaving course in tact. Concerned loose zip ties may wear into the buoy loop and cause a hole to develop with wave action over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 bungee cord with a zip tie at the ball end and a clip to the sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted August 25, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 25, 2020 @emac, you must have adjustable subs. The hook setup is used because it has a cinch and is the point of adjustment for buoy height. We do not have adjustable subs. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 @MISkier , gotcha that makes sense. Our subs are adjustable. We had some adjustable bungee clips that worked well too. Its always surprise when you dive down to see what you will find! "give me three zip ties looped together and I think I can make it work for the rest of the day.....we can fix it right later" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller buoyboy1 Posted August 25, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 25, 2020 @MISkier I would not use the chord lock unless the springs are stainless steel. I only use the hooks and remove the clasp. The buoys come off when someone hits it in most cases. The hooks are about the size shown above but the clasp is thinner with sharp edges, which is another reason I remove it as I lost a few buoys due to puncturing. I got the hooks from Wally as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller rayn Posted August 25, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 25, 2020 The saturn ring on the Walley is to show the correct height in the water. It is a design feature. We have been using them for 5 years and love them on our public lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now