RAWSki

Anyone know much about the SP Skis out of Cyprus? He has 3 slalom models now as well as a Trick and Jump skis.

Do those really make a difference? I remember when Malibu first installed down turned tips many years ago they actually made their boats louder! (Of course there may not have been any baffles in them of course)

@Broussard I mostly agree with you, ----- I do think if colleges are putting a good competitive product on their field they will fill their stadiums and most are selling beer now!. And yes my point is that we used to take "the show" to where the people would be or want to be anyway. Lake Lanier Islands, Sea Worlds, Central Parks etc. The skiers understood and dealt with the conditions because there was money to be earned plus the atmosphere created by the tour and TV coverage really added to the event. Could it be done now? Maybe not, the Masters is close, and the event I watched last year on TWBC from Lake Hancock looked great, I hope they can keep building on that. @Horton thanks for doing this it does remind us about some great skiers from different eras. Looking forward to seeing the T, J and Overall standings!

I find it interesting that two of the three events listed are constantly 'asterisked' for being less than ideal conditions. But when most Ballers reminise about the 'good ole days' or "hot summer nights era"...... They seem to forget that none of the sites were ideal or even of Robin Lake Quality. So did the sport loose favor+sponsors or did the we, as a sport, transition to a private "Country Club Mentality" ??

Ya we prefer the orange as well they seem to visually pop better when its overcast or early and late in the day. Those just both look red in the photo, is there a difference in person?

@The_MS is it just the photo or do your two balls look almost the same!?? Happy Birthday by the way! 😉

@eleeski looks reminiscent of many boats before 2000 that had ride plates off the back with manual threaded adjustment. These were 'legal' by AWSA rules although a driver could tweak their boat to their liking. Then Tige came out with TAPs and that was deemed illegal because it was variable. Now Nautique has multiple hull adjustments that are more consistent-controllable in theory.

@stevezie agree with your review completely I had a 2000 Eclipse and it was always praised for its wakes and pull. It had the Scorpion Merc and cruise control plus a lot of torque filed onto the rudder made it pretty decent to drive in the course but it still took some skill. A really hard right turn also invited a "chine flop" but I never found it felling unsafe.......@Dano The Eclipse did have basically the same running surface as the Falcons-Lapoints but they widened and lengthened it above the water line. It was almost 20'8"!

Didnt I say Slippery Slope a week or two ago?

What is the mens and women "slalom challenge" scheduled for later today? Is it a consolation round? Men's slalom challenge - top 10 missed finals (4 pass max) 4:20 PM

The new Exec Dir of USAWS said in a recent interview. "It's not going away" it is what it is. I think of SS like having to go to the DMV every few years to renew my license . Annoying for sure but after an hour of stupidity it's over and done.

A few California "sleepers" might include the MB190 boss and the MB200LS The Tige 2000comp and 2002slm (Those are models not years) And Centurion Falcons, LaPoints and the Eclipse. (same hulls with tweaks) (The original Tiges and Falcons were all made by Fineline-Centurion)

I owned a Carbon Pro and the wakes at slalom speed were really good as mentioned. But if you want to go "way back" I might give the nod to a '94 ProStar 190 the wakes from 30-36 might have even been better.

@Horton have to agree to disagree. 2001 is a long time ago and it's all history at this point.

@Dano AWSA has a history of "getting in bed" with a single speed control provider, FIrst Perfect Pass and now ZeroOff. Don't hold your breath.....

@Dano sorry man you have have to explain how you are going to strip hundreds and hundreds of pounds out of a boat to achieve better performance and price advantages? I know that @DW did it but I don't think his carbon fiber adds are going to be cheap. You still need a 19-20' fiberglass reinforced tub, and 6L (or 5.3) Cat Engine. The rest of the weight seems pretty much insignificant. Designing a brand new hull is cost prohibitive, splashing or recycling a proven design is much more likely. I am reminded of the old line. *Quality, Performance, Cost* You can choose any 2.

That's awesome I don't remember seeing it before. I would need a larger/longer short I have a few dozen more items.

I just don't believe the cost of new ski boats is limiting the number of new/aspiring skiers into the sport, yes it would be nice to have a "5 digit" option but it's been tried more than once. Even back in the heyday of direct drives, MC and Malibu offered SportStars and Sporters, and they just didn't sell well enough to last more than a few years.

@MISkier if a lake is only 16' at it's center/deepest spot does it make the bill not enforceable ? 😉

Slippery Slope.....

I'll take Vaughn, Burdick, T-Gas, and Asher in the Final Four.

Pretty much anyone that isn't MC, Malibu or SN, Centurion/Supreme. So all the rest of the surf barges. Mercruiser and Marine Power still make inboard engines but mostly for repowers and speciality markets.

Hate to say it but SIA may need to change their security question.

No please do not come here! there are invasive Brazilian Pepper Trees and crazy donkeys surrounding the lake and unless you are careful there could be extreme (Panda like) issues. Perfect conditions and midwestern hospitality cant make up for all those red berries. 😉 Thanks for a great visit Mark!

We look forward to checking it out this Friday!