Point of reference for gate shot

[rodecon]

I am a 15 off skier working to make it through a full pass at 34mph (pb is 5 @ 34, curse you 6 ball!!!) So far for practice I tend to cheat the gates and go through early but want to start working on consistently running through the gates.

 

After the pullout to the 2 4 6 line and the glide, what is your point of reference for the turn in for the gate shot? I tried turning in when the bow of the boat crossed through the gate but was still early, maybe when the pylon passes the gates?

 

What is your reference point?

[gregy]

Start with windshield and adjust from there.

[chris_logan]

I honestly don't know where the boat is when I begin my turn in. I just know that its after the left gate buoy and 1 ball had aligned with in my eyesight. Maybe I should try to notice where the boat is one day so I can contribute better to your question...

[Deke]

Try when the left gate ball lines up with one ball. Then experiment from there.

[wtrskior]

if you are turning in when the boat is through the gates and you are early, then you are nowhere near wide enough IMO.

 

I think you'll find most of the top skiers are turning in at least a boat length before the gates +/- depending on gate style.

 

don't worry too much about where you're at, try to get as wide as you can, with a tight line and make a reference as to where you turned in and adjust from there (as in, if you are too early). Its better to be early than late in practice as you can still run the pass and work on other things.

 

your pullout timing and intensity is where much of your gate can be won or lost. if you are pulling out at the same point and with the same intensity, it will be easy to adjust when to turn in.

 

@Deke I have always used the 1 and left as a bit of a guide.

[ForrestGump]

At 15 off you have to wait til at least the windshield goes through, even when wide.

 

If you're 2 feet early, wait 5 feet later. Always go all out through the gate and then gauge how far you need to move theturn in ffrom there.

 

The turn in will back up towards the 55s as you shorten the rope. As Chad Scott says, at 35 and shorter you have to try and beat the boat to the gates.

[fu_man]

At -15 I always have used the back of the boat passing through the gates as my marker. That also seems to work OK at -22 but not at -28. Try it and adjust accordingly.

[RAWSki]

That's my mark too, gates at platform for 22, mid ship at 28, and front of boat for 32-35.

I hope to someday figure out what to do at 38'off!

[wtrskior]

@fu_man‌ @rawski I believe you guys are way late if those are your actual markers, or you have superfast reflexes to be able to turn in so quickly with enough width and still be able to run the pass. JMO Mind you I am LFF so if you're a righty you have an easier time initiating your turn in.

 

here is an almost near perfect -28 pass, the boat is at LEAST a full length ahead of the gates when the skier initiates his turn in. He is fully committed with both hands on the handle when the bow hits the gates.

 

[mwetskier]

@wtrskior -in that video the skier is not very wide or up on the boat and is actually falling back as hes turning in. this means he is going slower than the boat and he won't accelerate as much as he could on the way to the gate. also if you pause the video right when the skier is at the middle of the wake the entrance gate is still a good 6 to 8 feet in front of him indicating without any doubt that he missed the gate on the up course side by several feet. the rest of the run may have been almost perfect but the pull out turn in and gate were not.

 

the wider a skier is when he or she turns in for the gate the easier it will be to turn the ski into more angle and the easier the skier can accelerate. turning in toward the gate with more speed means you can actually turn in later and still nail the gate. regina j. is a great example of this and she works at going right through the center of the gate balls so you never see her miss a gate by trying to go early and crowd the right hand ball. way late as you call it is a lot safer than way early if you want your gates to count. an almost perfect -28 with a bad gate is always a zero score at -28.

[rodecon]

Thank you for all the great feedback! Next time out I will use the windshield as my marker and keep working it back if still early, lining up the left hand gate ball and 1 ball sounds interesting as well.

Thanks again!

[Greg Banish]

FWIW, I use the pylon at -15 and just behind the bow at -22. Maybe my turn-in is more relaxed/progressive than my "real" buoys, or there's a bit of delay between when I decide to move and it really happens, but it seems to work well for me. Any time I take a shot at -28, my turn in point becomes something about 5 feet in front of the bow, so it just gets more exaggerated relative to longer lines.