Just how many balls can a illegal path give a skier?

[Horton]

Lets say no one on shore is watching and the driver just goes for it. How many balls you think a sneaky driver can give to a skier?

[klindy]

12+

[Bruce_Butterfield]

6 easy. In years past, I've seen lots of skiers get a full pass beyond where they "should" perform. It was easily proven out at Regionals and Nationals when the boat is straight. Fortunately, the weaving boats are very rare nowadays.

 

As a driver, I can get virtually any skier a full pass by moving the boat at the right time and in sync with the skier. It can be a valuable training aid to boost confidence and learn shorter lines (the skier should know what you are doing). However, if you are even slightly out of sync with the skier, the driver will do much more harm than good.

 

As a skier, I want my practice drivers to be straight. Needless to say, tournaments should always be straight.

[ozski]

Used to weave on old friend down -35 when he was having an off day. He loved me for it.

[BRY]

I can get long line -max speed skiers a couple passes by moving with them and managing rope tension for them, not too much tension but little or no slack. Great for getting them to believe they can run the pass. I think there are diminishing returns the shorter it gets at 35 and shorter as moving the boat that much changes the geometry and timing, but then if you practice that....

Best rides I have ever had have been straight with good drivers who are in sync with me but not tight, let the boat wiggle but keep the pylon down the middle. I've never tried it though myself or with a shortline skier.

[Drago]

6-12

[Horton]

Might be a fun contest. I mean if you ski at a reasonably high level you know what your real average score us. The contest is how many balls a driver can add. Hard part as a skier is I might start laughing...

[matthewbrown]

Terry Winter runs back to back to back to back 41's behind me when I drive with a bent rudder, 3 to 5 buoys at 41 with a straight rudder. It's not so much the buoy count at the super shortline, it's the consistency.

[Chef23]

I am not sure I am a good enough driver to help someone at the right time. It is all I can do to keep the boat straight particularly as the line gets shorter.

[9400]

Along those same lines, in an ELR tournament, are the best drivers moving the boat 3.2 inches per turn ball?

[Jody_Seal]

INTENTIONAL swerving even the 6" overall is considered pattern driving and if a driver is deemed pattern driving then that driver can find him self with out a certification

or down graded.

 

However!

 

You can now sanction a "X" round and find out!

Lets see! Boat swerve, no entry or exit gates, slow down the boat some and add a half a meter to the handle if you are less than 5'8" tall. Also move the slalom buoys in a foot!