firkinguy

Welcome to my world.

That unfortunately sums it up pretty good. If I would have signed your firkin it would have been the only accomplishment of the year.

I would have signed your "gift" if I would have been able to hold a pen in my hand. Plus most people I know would have said the bet was off until I could really defend my average. You got a room full of 12th place trophies too? Or do most just say participant?

Happy New Year!

Agreed on the straight arm program. Mine tore getting pulled out of the water and my arm was straight from what I remember. It was the first set of the day for me. Strapped on the ski, jumped in and said lets go. Maybe was pulled 5 feet if that and it gave out. It was my palm up arm and I plan on getting up with both palms down when I return to the water. Although I trust the driver somewhat, I did make a deal with him that once his buoy average exceeded mine I would give him a Finfirkin. Not skiing any tournaments in 2015 allowed him to overtake me and get a free firkin. Pretty low if there is a connection.

I know in reading a while back that several guys and maybe girls have torn their bicep skiing. I too have joined the club back at the end of May 2015. Had the surgery June 9th and things are getting back to normal. Pretty much full use and no real limitations. After quite a few months of therapy, insurance changes made me think twice about paying $75 to have some guy watch me squeeze a ball and do the "Queens Wave" twice a week. My question is for those who have been through this, what exercises did you do to get ready ski the next season? I am not looking for everyone's opinion here. But for persons that have gone through this and been successful getting back on the water. Mine was a complete Distal Rupture.

Drewsk32, I will match your donation penny to penny. At this point I am over $300. Plus I am dragging a Nautique 200 the 600 miles round trip so there is another 6.0 litre there. Can we count on YOU for a donation?

This is exactly what I expected. All of us on this topic were having a nice conversation and then you know who chimes in. I feel I am always having to right his wrongs. I am bringing my boat all the way from North of Cincinnati to Paducah for this great event and numb nuts starts saying I won't show. If he had a brain he would have it outside playing with it. And I will have 16 one of a kind customized Finfirkins for the top 16 skiers with me. And yes my buoy count has started its erosion due to the fact I have one arm that I would sell right now for loose change. By seasons end Timmy will only need to get up on one ski to surpass me. Who wouldn't be proud of that pinnacle.

That arm does look familiar. The lovely color is gone and replaced with a 90 degree brace that is on 24/7. I'd rather have the color back...........

I have had two ball cleaned and sterilized so I can return it for use this year.

How cool would it be if the Firkin Guy made special Finfirkins for the top 16 skiers? He could hand them out left handed.

John, I just went through the same surgery back on June 9th. Did mine getting up behind the boat for a slalom set. Complete distal rupture of the bicep tendon. Stitches came out today and the Doc says all looks good. Been in therapy sine June 10th. Moving pretty good now. Still in the "Tommy Johns Brace" 24/7 except for exercising. Finfirkin production has slowed but we are still operational. Get well soon. I plan on being back next year.

For the record, the buoy count soared this weekend. From 5 to 84. As poorly as I have skied, I am a mere pass plus a few buoys behind your performances. I will admit it has been a somewhat slow start this year. And yes I have done more out the fronts than I would like but at least I am still hanging in there. After all to break a ski backwards isn't something you get to see everyday. For that you should be thanking me. And once Goode sends me a ski with a complete bottom I anticipate some tears and possibly a salute from shore. The salute is optional but the tears.....Oh My.

We are going to start talking about tournament performances are we? Are you sure you meant to type what you typed? Ok then.... Here we go. For the last 12 months you have 17 scores to your name. 5 of the 17 show you did not run your opening pass. That is 29.42% of the time. Not sure why you wouldn't just quit but heck, way to hang in there little buddy. I on the other hand had 2 of 16 scores that I stooped to your level. One of those was skiing at night against Regina. She asked me to sandbag and I did out of respect for the sport. The crash was my idea. And yes it did hurt. The other one was at our own tournament because I went out at a line length you never got to and didn't run it. It is very hard to ski when you can hear the crowd screaming your name and that is most likely what caused me to miss.

Mr. Bob, Just so you are aware, I have witnessed the aforementioned watching you as you employ your firkin. It is creepy to say the least. And to see him scratch the grass up with his feet like a normal dog does (his dog falls over when it tries it) is just wrong.

Skiboat38, In regard to your rant, I think a few things must be brought to light. First and foremost, there is certainly some genetic issue with that thing you call a dog. I have never seen a four legged animal of any type that has three legs on one side. So because "it" has an issue with a firkin or my mode of transportation is not my issue. It does look a bit like you and quite frankly has your personality. This entire written spew is because you have not been given a firkin. When your official buoy count exceeds mine (even though i am 8 years your senior) I will sell you a firkin at a reduced rate to shut you up.

I was looking for something that would rhyme with Fin. I found the word Firkin which has several meanings. One of which is a cask or enclosure. Firkin is also an actual volume measurement in Europe for wine and beer.

The Finfirkin was originally designed to be an inexpensive product that you can slide on your ski when you get done with a slalom set. Whether it be back in the boat or on a dock. I don't know how many times I would see people (myself included) get back in the boat after a set and set their ski down on the floor of the boat. And what happens when the next skier was getting ready? The tool steps on your ski. Or someone has a ill trained dog or uncontrollable child running around on the dock. A slalom ski is a magnet for these mishaps. Because us slalom skiers need to have an excuse for a bad set, I felt it might be nice to try and take one excuse off the table and give some of the other countless excuses a chance. It is nice knowing that your fin has not been bent or moved since the last stellar set you had. I would watch people tinker with the fin for weeks moving it ever so slightly and making notes and moving it again only to toss the thing in the back of their vehicle when it was time to leave. Reminded me of Rays Rule of Precision: measure with a micrometer, mark it with chalk and cut it with an axe. So that is why the Finfirkin came about.

There have been several people to put the Finfirkin on backwards. It will still work but not as well and can crack if installed this way. I now normally include an instruction sheet for first time buyers that contains installation instructions.

I never spent the money to patent the Finfirkin. If I sold one to every person who even knows what a slalom ski is, I would still be in the hole paying for the patent. They just have taken my design and tired to improve it so Ski Doc has done nothing wrong. I haven't bought one ( and I won't) to see how it works. I do make a Firkin that fits over a ski sock. However, the thickness of the sock allows the firkin to move easily and contact the fin. I would assume the Ski Doc design is the same. The whole intent is to suspend the fin.

MR Jones, Sorry to hear about the felt not covering all of the area contacted buy the ski inside the Finfirkin. If you will send me your address, I will send you out replacement felt (oversized) at no cost to you.

Greg has done a awesome job of putting this together. Prior to the tour starting, you saw the same people at every tournament. We would all show up, wait our turn to ski and go home. It was like groundhog day. The BBT added a new light on what this whole sport originally started as. FUN. Gregs creative ideas brought back some fun that had been missing for years. I think I made every tour stop since it started and have judged and driven in every one. Can be a lot of work but the payoff is worth it. I almost won last weekend but some chick beat me and got the Gold Finfirkin. DRATS! Didn't have the heart to tell her I can make one of those any time I want. Thought that would seen as being a sore loser.............

I have driven many of the 2013's and had one until last weekend myself. There is no question the throttle takes a little getting used to but certainly no reason to toss the boat up on Craigs List or stay away from buying one. Still the best driving (and skiing) boat on the market as of today.