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Radar Senate - size advice needed


IndyTim
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This is my first time posting and asking for advice so take it easy on me.

I've been skiing on a Radar Senate Alloy 67" since 2018 and have always wondered if it's the right size for me. The different charts I look at put me between the 65 & 67". I'm 56yrs old, 5'9, 145lbs, and ski 15'off at 30mph. I've also want to know if I should upgrade to the Senate Graphite.

No matter how hard I lean crossing the wake it feels like the ski is running on top of the water getting thrown all over the place instead of knifing through it. That plus in turns I don't feel like I can dig in. I'd like to ski 32mph but don't feel like I have any control over the ski when I do.

The sales people were pushing me to go with the bigger ski and larger binding (foot is 8.5 and they told me to go with the 7-11 instead of 6-8). I'm guessing that their advice was more geared towards moving inventory.

I appreciate your thoughts on the size of the ski, binding, and should I move up the graphite?

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67 does seem a little big. I was going to ask about your fin and boot placement but remembered the Alloy Senate is a "fixed" fin with three positions forward/backward, if I recall correctly. If fin is far forward or boots are back, the ski could really ride tip-up and feel bouncy or hard to engage.

Are you skiing a course or open water? Are you leaning away from the boat with weight on your front foot, or onto the back of the ski?

Video? :)

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Thanks and good questions. It is a fixed fin position which I have in the middle. I moved both boots forward (about 1") to help keep the tip down. It's helped a little bit. I've been trying to keep my weight slightly on my front foot (60%ish) and have been working to keep the rope slightly front of center..."trying". I mostly ski open water since we don't have a course close by but try to make visits to a lake a couple times a year where they do.

Sorry, no videos

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  • Baller

1" on boots is huuuuge and I've heard the argument that our bodies automatically react to that much more tip pressure by falling back (as a safely), so it's kind of counter-intuitive. I moved my bindings back 1/4" on a Vapor and that was the difference between a smooth offside turn, and the tip digging in and over-turning, and making it hard for me to hold on.

Might try boots back to stock and work on weight forward, bent ankles, good stack. A little large or not, the Senate should be a pretty stable, capable ski.

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I'm a basic 15 off hack so you'll find lots more knowledge and experience from others on this forum. That being said, I'm 6 foot and 175 pounds and on 67 inch senate. Skiing 30 to 32. I would not want much more ski under me.I agree about boots back instead of forward... seems counter intuitive but it seems to work that way. I went with about 1/4 inch (back) and it helped. My fin is at stock.Also, I switched from an Alloy to Graphite and it was well worth it.

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Go 65" Senate at 145 lbs. Get one with an adjustable fin and set it to stock and set boots to stock distance.

Do you have someone or a proshop that can help set the boots and fin to stock? If not, get Fin Whispering and learn as it's critical to be able to get the fin and boots set to stock as a starting point (even if you never tweak from there).

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If Radar has a demo day near you next year you should try to go. You could try some skis, get some amazing tips, hang out with some cool people.
I went this year and have always skied on a 67 Senate Pro and Brooks said to try a 65 (5’6” 160 lbs) and it was awesome. We skied and they set it up so nicely that the ski followed me home lol.

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