6_Buoys

Like @Jmoski we use these foam buoys for drive buoys (not gates) and 55's, as we are also on a public lake. They are markers for lobster lines, they come in a smaller size (Amazon) and work well without counter weights. You will want to make something as @Jmoski did and pull from the top down on the buoy.

Christmas decorations.

https://www.amazon.com/XingCHi-Trigger-Massager-Forearm-Cellulite/dp/B08KLHSVQ8/ref=sr_1_15?crid=16CTSIINATK50&dchild=1&keywords=forearm+roller+massager&qid=1622576208&sprefix=forearm+roll%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-15

@Horton spend a few more bucks and get one of these for rolling the forearms. Under $15 and works great. I have had surgery twice on the same elbow. Went to bent handle, larger diameter, get up with both hands over the top of handle, and tape the forearms. It all helps, but has not completely cleaned up the pain. Next is some acupuncture.

@Jody_Seal Well said: "Zero based scoring and the allowance of older boat utilization is first and second best policy that has come down in this sport in many years." We should be doing as much as we can to keep people returning to and new people showing up to tournament skiing. ZBS has helped in both of those categories.

Gold. Keep them coming.

@Brewski that is a fine looking collection. Would like to get some tips on how best to restore wooden skis. I just picked up one of those Cypress gardens Aqua King.

Rock, paper, scissors for who tells my wife I bought it.

@disland I have used these for the gym and outside work, they work great for that environment. I have tried these same types in the water and the velcro/spandex system does not work well once wet. You can try a number of different wraps, braces, etc. Here is what I use: pre-wrap and wide hockey tape. Put it on, ski, throw it out, repeat. Works well for the purpose and it's cheap and disposable. I have both golfers and tennis elbow on both arms. 2 surgeries so far on one elbow. All the other things mentioned will help: changing handle diameters, bent handle, palms down getting up, massage therapy, cortisone. Good luck with the elbow(s).

@buoyboy1 that was great, thanks for posting.

@AmandaLR the butterknife is what you need as an answer to your question. Money issue, then take an old 69 or 70 slalom ski and cut the last 4-5 inches off the tail and cut in a fin slot. You will have a wide tail ski that will stay up in the turns and still get some acceleration. Will work great for long line and slow. Trick question: skip the trick ski and put the beginners on a wakeboard and teach them to spin around a bunch of times in both directions. Easier than learning a trick ski in one semester and lots of points.

@JeffSurdej I think the part most of us want fixed are rankings, sanctioning, events. If those areas are staying the way they are now. I change my vote. Don't spend the money.

Just adding to the consensus. Current site is horrible. Go back or go forward, just don't stay here.

@WBLskier went through this 2 years ago. If she is not a scholarship skier, pick the school not the team. Have the confidence that you have already done your part, now let her do hers. All the bigger schools are going to have every possible religious, charitable, political organization she want to be a part of. The waterskiing will only add to the overall experience. In the end............choose CLEMSON............

Webster: to arrange or fix so as to make a particular result likely. We stack (wood, bricks, etc) to utilize the strength of togetherness. We stack (shoulders, hips, knees, etc) to utilize the togetherness strength of the entire body.

All of the above (well most of the above). In 2021 I will: Ski more, work less, get more coaching, get to FLA to ski in the spring, have more fun on the water, stay on the handle, don't drop the shoulder, let the ski finish the turn. Oh wait, that sounds like last year and the year before. Ok then, nothing new.

My kids are one year apart and both started skiing around 5. She's now skiing D1 and he rides a ski about once a summer for the last 10 years. She loved the tournaments when she was younger but in the past 2 summers, skipped a couple when she learned non of her "skiing" friends were signed up. Although she still practices as much or more than she used to. He had to play teams sports and was a 3 sport athlete in HS. Two kids, same parents, same setting, same opportunities, two different paths. Both athletes and I couldn't be happier for them both. I do agree with @Bruce_Butterfield, we ask these kids to pick one sport way to early. However, by 16 years old they know which one they want to focus on and that is a life decision. You can't do it all.

I'm with @unksskis. Save the money. Definitely get a full face helmet, why risk hitting your face on anything. BMX full face with ventilation. You can find them on sale online this time of year from bike shops. And don't put the strap around the front of the neck, put it behind the neck.

@dave2ball once again I agree with you, the skier will pay in the end. I think we all agree that the "promo" days are over or close to over and the skiers that want the newest boats at the tournaments they attend will have to pay up. The other issues you and some others have stated are the current or historical problems (selling the boat before season is over, boat hours, etc). That is why I am proposing a wholesale change to the program. Dealers that want to be involved, a centralized fee, equal distribution and access of the boats, manufacturer involvement. No more promo "owners" that need to move a boat. Boats that are put on the market by the manufacturer to be fully utilized at tournaments (hrs be damned). You wouldn't need so many boats at the big tournaments if you didn't have to juggle them around to spread the hours out, just run a boat all day. @Horton you are correct, if we simply try to tweak the current system my plan is overly burdensome compared to just paying the promo owner. I was throwing out there a more in depth change to the current "promo" system. As you and others much more knowledgeable than I have said, change is coming. Is it going to happen to us or with us?

@dave2ball I believe you are correct that was true and probably still is for many dealers. I would bet that there are several dealers in each region that would come onboard and make this work. I'm not sure how the costs of the boat would work out, but the dealer is most likely going to end up with a cherry used boat to sell that they will make money on. The manufacturers would have to play nice with AWSA to get the boats spread out. Dealer cost: tow vehicle fuel (covered), lodging (covered), entry fee (covered), insurance (covered), boat hours (covered). The dealer would have to find someone or a group of some ones willing to drive the tow vehicle, but that someone is getting lodging and entry fee (at a minimum) covered for going to a tournament they were going to anyway.

Any chance the Big 3 want to work in unison with each other and AWSA? If a tournament wants a promo boat they pay a surcharge on their sanction fee. AWSA then determines were the promo boats are going on any given weekend and they compensate the owner (dealer or whoever controls the boat). LOC is out of it other than paying up front when they sanction. May not get the brand they want but will get a new boat. This would also eliminate the guy or club that gets a promo and then never leaves his lake or immediate area. Skiers can choose to pay up for an entry at a tournament with a promo or take whatever boat they get at the other tournament. You would know after a season or two what skiers will pay for. If the manufacturers will play nice the boats could be distributed evenly throughout the country. If dealers control the boat rather than individual owners, they could have the local skier drag the boat to the tournament they are probably going to anyway and this way get their expenses covered. This would get the dealership and the brand more exposure. Maybe doesn’t lead to a 3 event boat sale but leads to a ski boat sale. Family comes into look at last years promo boat and decides they want the big wake machine. Sale based off of “promo” boat.

@Broussard easy fix, make Nationals a truly elite event and not so many weekend warriors. Fewer skiers, fewer pulls, fewer boats. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know nationals is another topic. But like local class C or collegiate tournaments, it all has an impact on boat decisions going forward.

@JeffSwain from experience I tell you very sorry for your injury. Completely ripped the rear foot Achilles Labor Day weekend 2013. Like someone mentioned, first several weeks after surgery really sucks. Do everything your surgeon and your PT say, it will all come back. In fact, that next summer was one of my best as I hit the water in some of the best shape I have been in before. I did lose a slight amount of front flex and now ski with a small heel support in my back binding. This injury has happened to a lot of skiers and the several I know all came back just fine.

@C5Quest I'm a big proponent of slowing the boat down to learn a line length. I believe the skiing changes a fair amount between 22 and even 28, especially for someone working on 32. Try slowing the boat down at 32, try to ski it rather than survive it. If you are comfortable working on things at 28 do that, if that still feels "kind of fast" slow the boat down a little there and work on things at 28.

@JeffSurdej and @buechsr Dividing up the middle groups into the new G/2 and G/3 as well as the new B2/B3 was a good idea. Not for competitive reasons, for safety and skier development reasons with the significant speed increases that no longer exist. Adding the 5th bracket was a step too far. Kids don't need to be "competitive" every year, they do need to see a challenge of getting better. The junior on the varsity team, who is better as a senior because he/she spent a season playing a step below the big boys/girls. I just finished the whole junior thing, now off skiing in college and I couldn't be prouder. As for nationals, already too diluted (but that is another thread).