Older daughter up on one!

[Than_Bogan]

I have no pictures or video because we didn't even know she was planning to try. It was also raining. I seem to recall that her first successful trainer ski attempt some years ago was in the rain, too. Huh.

 

Currently 12. I'm not sure she'll ever have much interest in slalom or tournaments, but she seemed to be having a blast on top of the water on one ski!

[billb]

Congrats!! Just keep it fun for her and she'll stay with it.

[Skoot1123]

Awesome!! You never know - maybe she'll get the same addiction we all have here on BOS!

[PatM]

Congrats Than. I'm hoping to get my daughter to do the same this year.

[Than_Bogan]

@billb Trying! I really don't care how much my daughters get into the sport, but I want to make sure I give them the opportunity.

[A_B]

That's what this sport can be all about, not buoy counts, or the latest fin setting (although I get caught up in too).

 

Today at our lake, I didn't run anything special, but my daughter ran the mini course several times at 28 off 26 mph, so that was an Awesome, then, her friend came out who had never skied, and we got her up and I think they could see the smile from the Turnpike.

 

Great day!

[Than_Bogan]

What settings for newbie's fins? :)

[A_B]

That is actually a good question.

Most newbie skis come with a fixed deep fin. Great for stability and starts, not so good for swerving.

 

I just took the P6 standard fixed fin off and put an old Goode fin box in with the fin a lot ahallower. She was able to turn and roll on edge a little easier. The best she has skied. She really liked 28 off due to flatter wakes and seemed to run mini course better than 15 off.

 

She finished with some side pull outs working on hips up to handle, which she said was a lot of work.

[MISkier]

@AB, what visualization/instructions do you give to get someone up on one ski for the first time? I've taught a lot of people how to ski, but I always struggle with how to explain the deepwater slalom start. My daughter was trying this weekend and didn't have much success. She seemed to be compressing into the ski and building force rather than beginning any planing action. On a positive note, she did not go to one side or the other and fall over - just compress and let go of the rope. She has not tried (nor will try) to drop a ski. So, the slalom migration will have to be with a deep water start. She is a good skateboarder and snowboarder, so balance, agility and athleticism is not the issue. We used a borrowed ski that may have been a bit small and she was trying with both feet in. I am looking for some cue to give her to balance, absorb the force, and keep the ski under her while pulling up out of the water.

 

Unfortunately, she also tried wakeboarding this weekend. She popped right up on that the first time and held a great hips up, low handle, straight arms position. Looked like she was born to ride it. Thankfully, she did say she wanted to keep trying the slalom start.

[Jordan]

I have had success teaching the deep water start, with one key idea. Keep enough of the ski out of the water so that the front toes are nearly at the water's surface. This starts the ski planing very quickly and prevents them from being pulled over the front of the ski.

 

Also, I think it is really important to break the start up into two stages. 1) skier tells the driver "in gear"...drag them a little bit until they have their balance sorted out. 2) second command is "hit it", they will pop up from being dragged almost instantly with a gentle progression of the throttle

 

Beginners can't handle a hot start, or even a medium one...a nice gentle progression on the throttle.

 

The other keys are knee to chest, arms straight and don't stand up until you are past the spray.

 

Good luck...your kid will get it soon!

 

 

[Glydon]

Jordan well written , Than_Boggan that is great news ! When my g/f (a figure skating coach) wanted to progress from 2 skis on a Friday to the slalom on the following day I told her "Honey that is not the way it works" and I went into a diatribe of how she should drop one first. Her response "can't I try" Guess what ... second pull up and swerving. Used the same tactics as Jordan. Still smile thinking back to it.

[xrated]

I'd say @Jordan nailed it...well according to my wife who did her first deep water starts this past week. She told me back at the dock that the driver asked her if she wanted to have some slow drag time before hitting it and the wife said it helped her a ton. She now is no longer allowed to bring a drop ski!!!

[A_B]

I have them push the ski in front of them and start with handle almost on the ski. Click the ski to little toe of front foot a little. It is a lot more to hold onto so the baseball grip can help. I bought a P6 for just that reason. She pops up like nothing but had trouble on a standard ski.

[MISkier]

@AB, when you say "Click the ski", do you mean to have the tip turned slightly to the right or left (depending on forward foot) rather than straight up and down? Also, I never actually said anything about the grip. I can't even recall if she was using baseball or overhand. That could help some, too.

 

@Jordan, thanks. The amount of ski out of the water is something I've never specifically watched for. I'll try to drag her a bit and specifically tell her I am doing so for her to adjust some balance things.

 

I'd say I was overlooking a lot of finer details that might make the difference.

[A_B]

@MISkier, I meant cock the ski, and it recorrected, so yes, tilt ski to right if RFF, and vice versa.

The thing I found was they had no idea that the load was going to be so much.

Baseball helps.

[Jordan]

@AB. GREAT TIP!!!

 

Cocking the ski to side helps a lot of people get things balanced while being dragged.

 

The ski will straighten out immediately once the driver accelerates.

[Brady]

So proud of my little girl! She started slaloming late last year, and just made it through the mini course for the first time today!!

 

[Than_Bogan]

@Brady You look smaller with a beard...

 

But seriously awesome news! I like the look on her face. Looks intense (although I suppose could be "dad, wtf are you doing taking my picture?")

[Brady]

@Than_Bogan. That was funny! If that was me in the picture, I would have a little moniker next to my name that said, Open or 55K rated skier. She is intense, probably gets that from her mother!. I was as proud as a papa could be!