Jweber

I recently tried both on my ski, the buoy count result was the same, right about 2 or 3 at 39off with both settings, but the ski did feel different. Long and shallow gave me more tail slide on my off side turn. Deep and short seemed to carry more speed through the turn and have a more consistent carve feeling to the turn. I definitely recommend trying both.

I've been on both this summer. The VTX was a really easy ski to get on, felt really comfortable right away. It has a wide tail so it's easy to get up on the ski at the turn, and this ski loves to turn. One issue i had at 38 off on my offside turn is i had more tail blowouts then normal, probably due to the wide tail. I've been on the PRO the last couple weeks. The pro is much stiffer. The stiffer ski has amazing wake crossing and accelerates with little effort. This ski also shuts down speed really well into the buoy. It has a narrower tail which makes the tail really planted (No tail blowouts) but you also need to get tall and on your front foot into the turns. When you get tall the front of the ski is incredibly supportive. This ski gets better the shorter the line gets. Quick summary of my opinion, the VTX felt great from the start, rips turns, really fun ski and easy to adapt to. The PRO is a true short line ski, it really shines at 32 off and shorter. Hope this helps.

I would love to watch it but it doesn't need to be live. A link to the coverage after the event would be great for me.

Take at least 3 days off and come back rested physically and mentally.

@DaveLemons I've been playing on a VTX for about 2 weeks now. I'm at stock fin settings. Started stock binding position, didn't feel balanced. Went a 1/4" forward with bindings and it felt better but I kept blowing out the tail at 38 on my offside. Then went to 1/8" forward of stock bindings and that was the magic spot for me. See you in a few weeks. Justin

Sad to see that jump leave warman lake. Also glad it's getting used. It's a great ramp!

@bigskieridaho Here are the numbers that worked great for me. These were on my 66. Look at the HO recommendations, I think my binding distance was stock so I would try these fin #'s with your stock binding position first. My ski was super fin depth sensitive, if it got any deeper it wouldn't finish the turn well. Also ask Dave Bashista how these #'s worked for him, I gave these to him last year. 29 6.875 2.490 0.725

I can't justify the time and money it takes for a nationals trip every year, but the few times I've gone I sure haven't regretted it. To me a local tournament has no comparison. If you're qualified and have never been it's definitely worth the experience!

For people who only want ZBS (whatever version gets approved) approved for class C, please explain why it makes sense to allow ZBS in tournaments used to qualify for regionals and nationals, but then change the rules once you get there.

Whatever parts of ZBS get approved should be approved across the board. Approving it for some tournaments but not others just creates more confusion to our already fattening rule book. Also, most of us don't have time to practice 2 speeds.

@MISkier I understand you aren't forced to ski 36, but to remain competitive at tournaments such as regionals and nationals you will have to ski at 36. Also, what I currently like about our sport is everyone has the same factors at a tournament such as conditions, boat, driver speed etc. Level playing field and person who skis farther down the rope wins. Now you'll need to be on the starting dock trying figure out who is skiing what speed. I believe we are messing with an element of the sport that doesn't need to be changed.

I just completed my USA Water Ski survey on this subject. Seems the main concern is to increase membership and pull more collegiate skiers into post college ski tournaments. I really like ZBS for juniors and novice level skiers. It makes tournaments way more fun for someone who can't run a max speed pass, but I feel strongly the max speeds for age groups should not change. Don't make it a everyone needs to ski 36. Then you have other inconsistencies like big dawgs still max at 34, international won't recognize it, to set a record it needs to be done at the "old" max speeds. To me creating all these inconsistencies is foolish. Use ZBS where it's beneficial with juniors and novice skiers but leave the max speeds alone.

I have mixed feelings on the max speed rule changes. I like the idea of juniors and new tournament skiers having the ability to shorten before their max speed to help them get the excitement of shortening the rope. For the M3,4, 5 etc being able to now ski 36 is what I'm not sure about, particularly at tournaments like regionals and nationals. I've always liked idea of an even playing field (same boat, driver, course, speed, etc.) for everyone. The guy in front of you gets 2 @ 38, you know you need to get to 3 to beat him, and so does everyone onshore watching as well. As a new to M3 skier I was having fun at 34 in the fall, now I'm not sure if I'll start practicing at 34 or 36 come spring.

@TWB I was having the same width issue with my ski. I found the front binding placement really helped this, and my ski was very sensitive to the front binding adjustment. I have a reflex front and using the standard holes, one hole forward and the ski would turn hard but wouldn't cast out from the second wake, and one hole back it wouldn't turn hard enough but would cast out well. I slotted out my plate, split the difference and it's been getting me wide and early, and turning great since. You may want to try playing with the front binding placement.

Same settings for me as above. At 36 mph I was consistently getting 2-4 at 38 off. After nationals I moved to Men's 3 and I'm trying to figure out how to ski 34 mph. After a couple weeks my ski feels good at 34 with the same ski settings, I haven't changed anything. 2 @ 39 is my best so far and getting more consistent at 38 off. So far I have really liked the ski at both 36 and 34 mph.

Yes, still running those settings on a 66"

I wanted to post my latest update with my VTR. I have been getting some assistance from @savaiusini to get my ski dialed in. The ski felt great to me at pretty much any fin and binding setting through 32 off, at 35 and 38 off I was having difficulty (36 mph). I could scrap through a 35 but it felt like the ski wasn't working with me. After some fin adjustment it felt really close. I have a reflex front binding and one hole forward felt too tip heavy, the ski would turn hard but I couldn't hold angle across the wake. One hole back felt too tail heavy with slow turns. I slotted out my reflex plate and split the difference with a distance of 29.25" and left my rear bindings the same. They ski felt much better but I was a little unbalanced. Next set I moved my rear binding a hole back and ran right down the rope to a new PB of 1 @ 39. The ski now feels great. It turns hard, but with little effort. Holds the angle with no tip rise out of the turn, and creates great space before the buoy, 35's are getting easy. I haven't been on a ski that has felt this good for a long long time.

@Horton what length VTR are you on?

Thanks, I always like to ask. Last year Dave W had some numbers that worked way better for me then the stock V-Type numbers at the time.

I'm picking up a V-TYPE R to try out this weekend. Are people having the most success with the stock settings, at least for a good starting point? I'll be on a 66", 36 mph skier getting into 38 off. Any insight is appreciated!

Cayman2 I would disagree. From the days of short skis and no speed control I believe jumping is now much safer. The old style was wait as long as possible for a hard quick turn, and have as much angle as possible out of the turn and then try and manage in the air with short unstable skis. With long skis your flight is way more stable, and now the style of the approach is a slow patient turn, start light on the rope and progress/build into the ramp. Compare some early 80's jump video to a current jumper, the current jumper looks way more in control at all times.

We have a sport that is already dwindling in numbers, and now you want to split this into smaller, more specialized nationals. This doesn't make sense to me. Personally I grew up a slalom only skier, I started tricking and jumping later. I can't tell you how much more fun tournaments are once you start three eventing. If you have a bad slalom ride, oh well, 2 more events to think about now. The fear of getting hurt jumping, sure it's there, but how many slalom skiers do you know that have missed significant time from a slalom injury. You play hard in almost any sport an injury will happen at sometime. It's a lot easier to get burnt out on water skiing when all you do is slalom ski when you go to the lake. I don't think focusing on one event is the answer for our sport, and I challenge you only slalom skiers to strap on a trick ski or ride over the jump, you will probably actually have some fun. Live a little and add some variety to your time on the water.

Thanks @Horton those are definitely the magical numbers for the V-Type. I couldn't get the ski to feel consistent or symmetrical once I got to 35 off, but with those numbers my 35's were skiing great.

@Horton Are Dave's measurements above for a 67"? I have a 66 inch and curious what numbers people are having success with.