Vernon Reeve

These are some great tips I'll look forward to trying next year. I'm a bigger guy 6'2, 220, and tend to plow water, so slower starts are definitely better for me (seems counter intuitive but true). If I put both hands palm down, I'm much more stable getting dragged without losing position, but don't seem to have the strength to get up this way (because of bad technique). I have more strength with the baseball grip. I'd like to practice getting up with both palms down so I can get start in gear and keep my ski in the right place. Right now it's easier with the baseball grip to not get dragged because the ski tends to fall to one side or the other while being dragged. I'm hoping the tips to keep the ski more out of the water so it can pivot and other heel on the butt will help make it more consistent and not so dependent on the boat driver. These tips are also useful when teaching others. Thanks to everyone who has asked this question, and to all the replies.

I attached a winch to my garage floor by the back wall. Then use the remote and one of those 3 wheel hitch dollies that attach to the hitch to steer it as it goes in. It's actually harder to get the boat out of the garage using the pickup than to back it in, so I attached a snatch block to floor near the garage door, so I can use the winch to get it out of the garage. There's a pretty good slope just outside the garage, so after I winch it out enough to hit the slope and to where the wheel chocks keep it from going down the hill, I remove it from the snatch block and attach the winch to the back of the trailer to let it slowly go down the hill far enough to clear the garage doors. I also drag some weight sleds behind the trailer as I'm winching it out to keep it from rolling too fast. Sounds complicated but works pretty well. I also replaced the steel cable in the winch with a rope cable which is much easier to work with.

The bow of the older responses dips down a lot without much freeboard (which is great for visibility while driving). Putting a single adult up front greatly increases the chances of taking on water in a public lake. So I just don't allow people up front while I'm driving, because of this and because of obstructing my vision. Most people should know this already. People need to quit blaming others for their own stupidity. The open bow is nice for additional seating/sun tanning while the boat is stationary. And it's good for resale. And for storing the boat cover like @jhughessaid.

Congrats on almost getting it and continuing to try. I once helped a super strong fit guy get up on a wakeboard for the 1st time. He kept pushing against the boat and fighting it, not really listening to the advice of keeping his butt down and letting it pull him up over the board. I finally told him to intentionally let it pull him over the toe side of the board and do a belly flop like superman. So he tried that and popped right up:) He couldn't believe how easy it was. So my point is, sometimes it works to exaggerate the motion of getting pulled over the front to feel it.

Have her give you less throttle. This gives you time to get your bearings and let yourself get pulled forward. Keep your butt down. Go back to the lawn and sit down. Then reach your arms out and have someone pull you up. Notice how you kept your butt down and let them pull you forward without fighting them or pulling them on top of you. This is how it should feel. People with two skis tend to push their legs and pull against the boat, which would feel the same as pulling someone on top of you while getting up off the grass. Other tips: If you stand up and fall backwards, it's because you pulled in with your arms instead of keeping them straight. If your legs split apart, it's because you straightened them too fast.

You were born before the Internet.

I would definitely suggest getting the 69" until you are down to 190 lbs. I weigh 220 and getting up on the 69" Senate is hard until I get down to 215lbs. I tried a shorter ski once a long time ago, and a tendon in my elbow popped out of it's slot while I was getting up. Luckily, the physical therapist was able to do a chiropractor move to pop it back in. Another time, my ski tipped the wrong direction and I tore my bicep getting up. So there are definitely risks with using a ski that is too small.

I personally prefer the 2003-2006 Malibu Response LXI. Less roomy, but IMO better wake and handling. By handling, I mean easier to get the rope to the skier. And bat turns are fun for passengers that have never experienced one:)

I wonder if they could get more than 3 buoys at 42 off. Might make viewing more interesting if so.

Freddie's emotional reactions and attempts to be respectful/political (even though it's obvious what he really thinks), are one of the best parts of watching the pro-tour. I typically fast forward just to watch him and a few others. He has the best crashes because he lays it all out there. Makes it fun to watch. And his commentary is top notch. I'm sure he draws in a lot of viewers. So to ban him because of an emotional reaction to a questionable call is not right. However, we don't really know exactly what happened, but I can't imagine he was in their face threatening them. He seems like a pretty respectful person. I will definitely miss seeing him compete.

Skiing saved my buddy's life. He is in his early 60's, and is skiing as good as ever, getting into 35off, 34mph. However, last summer he got distracted by someone on the beach and took a nasty fall (rare occurrence for him). He was pissing blood and went to see the doctor. They found a football sized tumor in his kidney and ended up removing that kidney. Doctor said he wouldn't have lasted another year if it hadn't been discovered.

I've had both, but like my 03 Response LXI better. It's a little smaller, and probably because of this, it's easier to maneuver when getting the rope to the skier. Plus it can do bat turns. Also, doesn't make sense, but it worked better for surfing. Probably because the Sunsetter LXI had the lower rear portion of the hull cut out, so wasn't able to stick a wedge there to redirect the prop wash for surfing. And finally, I like the wake better on the Reponse lxi, even though the wake was fine on the Sunsetter. The extra room in the Sunsetter was nice however. Both are great boats.

In addition to KneesOverToes guy, there's another program that makes lots of common sense for knees, shoulders, etc. It's CoreXCell. So I think a combination of the two approaches would be best. Here's an example of a CoreXCell video that addresses an issue that someone following the KneesOverToes program was lacking. Maybe if he'd contacted the KneesOverToes guy he might have gotten the same answer, so I'm not knocking KneesOverToes. I'm just saying CoreXcell is potentially another good resource.

I used to have a Seaswirl Spyder which had a decent hole shot and great wake. And it looked sporty. Great boat and loved it for learning to slalom. Now I have a 2003 Malibu Reponse LXI and would never go back to an I/O. We use the bungee cord thing for anchoring the boat off the beach, where you can pull the boat up to the beach to unload, and then let go to allow the bungee to pull it out further from the beach for anchoring. But for quick loading/offloading we just back the boat up to the beach in about 3 feet of water and got on or off the platform from there. The other benefits of the inboard have already been stated.

I would suggest keeping it traditional and making the sizes the same as the length (i.e L64, L65, . . . L71).

People that tear their hamstring are probably not keeping their front knee bent. It should have the same feeling as stepping up onto the second step in a stair case. When you step onto the second step of a stair case, your front knee is bent and all of your weight is forward over your front knee as you step up, otherwise you'd fall backwards. Same goes for getting up on one ski with one foot out.When people tear their hamstring, they are usually pushing away from the boat, so their front leg is straight, and their body is bent forward so they are basically touch their toes as they are getting up. But since they can't touch their toes while flexing their hamstring, it tears it. Same thing could happen with both feet in, btw. But if your front knee is bent, your hamstring is not getting stretched, and it will be much harder to tear it.

Looks like it's mostly based on prize money (everything else being equal) if I'm understanding it correctly. One can get more points at Tour stops that offer more prize money.

Seems odd that some competitors have more wins than others, but aren't first place in the standings because of points.

We unhook the winch strap before backing down the ramp. So I didn't do the plastic slider strips because I was concerned there wouldn't be enough friction to keep the boat on the trailer if I had to stop halfway down the ramp.

A long time ago (20 years?), I used to buy the fancy rope with the sleeves, don't remember the brand anymore, from the local store. Then each year I would return it for a new set because some of the sleeves had the wrong numbers. So new rope every year:)

Looks to me like he's keeping his tip in the water coming around the buoy, but then going to the tail immediately after to get more angle (as was discussed previously in another thread as being crazy). But maybe not so crazy after all:)However, don't know if he's doing it on purpose, or just gets a little out of control and then recovers nicely.

As said before, be sure to have someone actually help you up off the floor since that's how it feels to let the boat pull you up over your feet. Makes sense when you think about it. If your legs are straighter it's harder for them to pivot you up over your feet. But if you keep your butt down, it's easy for them to pivot you up over your feet so you can stand up.

@jcamp could the cognitive issues have been the result of covid or the vaccine? My girlfriend and I both had issues lasting for about 3 months after taking the vaccine. Mostly gone now, I think. But still forgetting the names of things once in a while. Like I couldn't remember the name for "air compressor" so I called it that air blowing thing:) I'm 59 btw.

Measure and weigh your package, then check the rates online. Also when checking the rates, see what difference it would make if you make the box 1" or more shorter in the various dimensions. I made my box 1" narrower and saved about $40 for the buyer.

I usually have a new skier sit on the ground, then I extend an arm and help them up from the ground. I have them notice how they are not pulling against me, and are instead letting me pull their weight forward until they can stand up. And they are not extending their legs too soon, which would pull me on top of them.Usually gives them the feeling of getting up on two skis.Then a soft pull to pull them up. Extra soft for kids.If they fall over backwards, it means they pulled their arms in.If their legs spread apart, it means they extended their legs too soon.