danbirch

@Than_Bogan Would this system's release lb's pressure be different when the ski is flexing (i.e. would flexing it tighten/jam it more)? I noticed that they tested it always with a flat ski. Thanks!

I love my Radar Impact Vest. The flotation is just right, fit is excellent, and I like the fabric they used. Very comfortable. Now, if I could just ski...

Even that, the "invoice prices" are somewhat shady. Often, in the automobile industry, the MFG. offers other rebates/incentives/(kick-backs) for the dealers. It's just a game.

The problem with the current gate rule is that at 39 and shorter, the balls are under the water/out of sight to judge (at the moment the skier goes through them). The problem is not for skiers at longer line lengths. Will the rule change? Probably not. Will we continue to see more and more missed gates in major events? Probably. Keep in mind, when the rule was made, the ropes didn't even have a 39/41/43 off loop. With the bigger boats now, and the extreme shortlines being run, things have changed.

If I run a certain score in practice, I will eventually run that score in a tournament. It's only a matter of time. It shows that I have the ability to run it.

@jipster43 You will have no problem with small, if you hands are really small. I wear a medium, and I'm not very big (5'5) My wife has small hands and she fits a small. Also, in a Progear, I wear a small. The sizes of the Storm vs. the Progear don't line up. You gotta go smaller with the progears/bigger with the storms.

I'm a fan of the Progear gloves, but have lately been using the Radar Strom gloves, which are identical, and a little less $ (free shipping instead of paying out of country shipping), and with faster delivery time. They are amara as well. Link is http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Radar-Storm-Waterski-Glove&i=50227&aID=600B2&merchID=4006 I would agree, however, that the amara gloves don't last as long as kevlar gloves (usually go through 2/season), but the feel (of the handle) is much better for me, and I like the way they grip and hold better.

@londonskier Sunday's are my best day right now. Working quite a bit lately. @colo_skier great times! Thanks for coming out!

@Dusty , great question! One difference is proximity. With a longer rope, the gate balls have more time to come up when the skier typically comes in for his gates (making visibility of them easy). With the extreme shortline gates, the boat is pretty much right on top of/at the gates, when the skier is coming in for his gates... As mentioned before, try cutting your rope to 41 off, go 36, and try your gate approach. It is amazing to see the gates COMPLETELY submerged at the moment a skier would normally come in for/look for the gates. I'm sure the pro's are used to that sight, but it's a real eye opener that (as I see it) makes the pro's even more amazing skiers than I realized. One other thing that is interesting (regarding the current gate rule), is that you may notice that many/most of the pro's are supporting the idea that something needs to change.

No problem. I'll have plenty of time off during that week. Email me if interested, danbirch at danbirch dot com.

@Texas6 ...not to mention the skin cancer... But, seriously, as I see it, tournaments are basically for the elite. They WILL win, nearly everytime. The rest of us are skiing against ourselves, and strive to become better. The relationships you make are (or can be) very good, as long as you don't mind donating to the club, spending a day or 2 in the sun, and placing low. I do think, though, that it helps you to work on your skiing, and let's you see that it can be done!

@ToddL exactly. The AWSA chart only goes to 2005. It would be interesting to see if the 700+ M4 all came from the prior M3's, or just started at that age. The reason that M5 grew, was that the M4 moved on (but not all of them). Some of the younger groups have around 100 members, NATIONWIDE. That's an average of 2 or 3 per State. Unless there is a real resergance of interest, I'm concerned with who will organize these events, or if it would even be worth it financially (considering the cost to run a tournament, and there are a fair amount of free entrants to run it). I suppose that what the sport would need, would be for the younger kids of today (the wakeboarders) to jump ships (so to speak), and start slalom skiing. That would be awesome, but, I don't see it happening here. Hopefully, tomorrow..... BTW, I applaud the AWSA's Junior Development Program! A step in a GREAT direction.

@Than_Bogan , you did enter a tournament in 2013. It was on 8/26/12, which counted as a 2013 tournament. That means that you have already been accounted for in the 2013 M3 statistics reported. Also, the Later comment, "if history repeats itself", is something that many people believe in. I think we should use history to learn from, and by doing so, we can change it (if we act NOW).

@Than_Bogan Thank you for your analysis. I'm not trying to be "doom and gloom". I simply reported the statistics which came from awsa. (to be interpreted however you wanted) Unfortunately, 2013 ends in about 2 months, not December (for the water skiing year). So, that means that only NEW members will be added to the 2013 #'s that I reported (or new members who didn't ski in 2012, after nationals). A few have already been added. I sincerely hope ALOT of new members sign up to join AWSA very soon, or those #'s will be fairly accurate, and bad (imo). You left out M4 and M3 in your analysis. It seems to me that those 2 categories were the #'s that were driving the scene, not the categories you mention. With over 700 in EACH of those categories, and now dwindling dramatically, the #'s don't appear to be replenishing, anywhere. Again, Thanks for your input. It is good to think about this.

IF history repeats itself in the next 7 years, as it was in the last 7 years, it would be seriously not good for the tournament scene.

AWSA Slalom Participants, Nationwide 2005, M1, 239 2012, M1 258 2013 (as of June 18), M1 119 2005, M2, 254 2012, M2, 174 2013 M2, 97 2005, M3, 704 2012, M3 323 2013, M3 225 2005, M4, 717 2012, M4 535 2013, M4 368 2005, M5 226 2012, M5 419 2013, M5 351 2005, W1, 141 2012, W1 145 2013, W1 70 2005, W2 101 2012, W2 78 2013, W2 51 2005, B3, 198 2012, B3 170 2013, B3 125 2005, B2, 118 2012, B2 169 2013, B2 101

@Marco what kind of vest were you using? I've been thinking about getting an Eagle vest, but am wondering if going so light on padding if it would increase the chance of rib injury?

Thank you, @thompjs , you have a valid point. I've tried to read the awsa rule, and it sounds like the boat judge has the ultimate gate call, even though we agree that we don't always get a good viewpoint from the boat. 10.08.D.2.c c. Each judge shall independently call the entrance gate by observing the monitor. If one or both judges did not observe the entrance gate, or the two judges should disagree, then the video would be replayed at normal speed, slow motion, or frame-by-frame to make the call. (If video replay is not available, the boat judge shall call the gates.)

@Dusty These are pics of Nate @ 39. How would you judge them, good, or bad? http://skiall6.com/media/kunena/attachments/42/Nate395off.PNG http://skiall6.com/media/kunena/attachments/42/Nate395off2.PNG http://skiall6.com/media/kunena/attachments/42/Nate395off3.PNG

Get your ski to the ball line, as fast as you can. Some will say that is wide, others will call it narrow.

the right one.

I agree. It doesn't appear that they are in sync.

Nope! I recall a while back, Nate was asked about being Light on the Line, and his response was, "When the line goes tight, there is nothing light about it." This is a freeze frame of the tapes that took Nates Gates, and the Masters from him. I think the argument above would apply. http://danbirch.com/nates_gates_masters.png

This is a picture of Nate at 41 (gates not visible). If I was a pro skiing at 41, and missed my gates, I'd protest that when I went to adjust for them, they wern't there. http://danbirch.com/nates_gates.png

Canyon Lake has a floating course, the balls are attached to pvc pipes with a small fuse string (to release it if needed). So, it's a very large pvc pipe going out to the balls, then a 3/4" pipe rising up, string attached to it.