Finally got back up on a ski after 10+ years. Should I take off the wing on the fin?

Now that I have my own boat, I can justify taking some Slalom runs again. When I didn't have a boat, I just didn't get enough water time to justify spreading myself across activities.

It took about a zillion pulls before I went online to find out what the heck I was doing wrong (I had my head down and shoulders forward, which was a recipe for FAIL). So today, I got it right.

• Shoulders back
• Knees bent
• Sitting on my rear ankle
• Leaned back
• Looking up towards the sky

It felt good to be up, though the water really wasn't smooth enough to have much fun. So I just rode it until I got tired and then did some wake surfing!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j...0943-00_01.jpg

I am using my Step Dad's old ski. It's a 69" Connelly Legend. I'm sure it's plenty dated, but it's free for me to use, and it has double high boots which is what I like. I can't stand a rear slip.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--...907_170928.jpg

My skiing ability is that on a good day, I can ride around and I enjoyed cutting towards the outside. I was never all that great at making the bit turn and throwing a rooster and cutting hard in towards the wake.

That said, I'd like to get this ski set up so that it's a little easier and more forgiving. I don't need the upper echelon of performance!

Should I change the rear fin at all? Should I take off the wing from the fin?

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-j...907_170943.jpg

Glad you are back! Not too sure about the "sitting on the rear ankle" comment. A stable position is to be 50/50 both feet, aligned head to feet over the ski.

The fin adjustment is science in and of itself. Unless you have caliper and factory specs, I'd leave it (assuming still set at factory spec). The wing is another thing. Personally I dont have mine on. Helps me maintain a nice carving speed and pattern off the second wake. For open water skiing, the wing is not necessary. Mark it, remove and try it. Can always put it back on. Happy wakes!

what you were doing wrong is how to do it right behind a underpowered boat like the one I learned behind.

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Originally Posted by CornRickey

what you were doing wrong is how to do it right behind a underpowered boat like the one I learned behind.

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Well, I'd skied 10+ years ago behind a Sport Natique and a MB Sports Boss 200 and would get up on 1st or 2nd pull. Leaning too far forward made me bend at the waist and put my ski more perpendicular to the plane of the water and it pulled the rope out of my hands after I drank a ton of water. Miserable. For whatever reason, those tips that I read online allowed me to get on plane and succeed!

Heard that Harbor Freight has a decent caliper that will not break the bank. Was out on Friday with another Supra forum guy that I pull for since I can't ski at the moment but that is another story... Anyways, he completely readjusted pretty much everything on the ski and used the caliper to adjust the fin. He said he has never felt better on the ski than he did that day and I can say that he was definitely looking much better in his cuts.

How much do you weigh? 69" should be for a 220 pound skiier. The point of the wing is to slow you down coming in to the ball, but most of us aren't generating enough speed cross course to need it. I took mine off when I bought the ski, and I was having a hell of a time with my off side turn so my instructor told me to put it back on.

As for the deep water starts, I feel your pain, when I switched to double boots I was stuffing half my starts. The big key for me at least was way more back foot pressure and knees to chest. Arms straight is also important, but you're getting it now so all is good.

Welcome back to the ski side. I wish could ski right now but alas I've messed up my knee (I was skiing twice a day during August vacation and 3 times/ week for the rest of the summer and I think the 50 year old knee finally had enough. I'm getting physio now and doing all my exercises so hopefully I can get back in the water before the boats come out.

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Originally Posted by chris young

How much do you weigh? 69" should be for a 220 pound skiier.

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I weight 169. But then again, the ski is free for me to use and I don't ski enough to justify getting something for myself. Heck, I went out on the water today and didn't even bring it with me in the boat...

x2 on leaving the fin. I actually wouldn't recommend tweaking this until you get to the shortline stage: at or beyond 28 off. Just keep it fun and work on body position. Soon you'll get to free ski all day or at least back to back running the course 4-6 runs and not get tired. If you're getting sore or tired before you run through the balls 4 times, have someone video your wake crossings and body position. I had to re-invent my skiing which took some time, and is still a work in progress, but wow, its paid off well.

Glad to see you on the stick, keep ripping it!

JY

I agree with Chris Young. If you are just open water skiing and trying to regain form, I would take it off. Work on form, e.g. "Stacked" head to foot over the ski, not bending forward or back, arms straight at waste level, generating speed from the turn to the wake, and then setting up for next turn without that second speed pull. That long ski for your weight may compromise regaining form, because you'll probably find yourself standing on the tail to turn it. That's a lot of ski for someone your weight. However, you can compensate somewhat by reducing speed. Forget 28 or 30. Go for 24 to 26. If you are just open water skiing, longer can be better!

Deep water starts with double boots shouldnt be a problem unless you have them too tight. Stay tucked in the ball position and keep your arms straight and down by the front binding. If too high on the ski, you cant leverage it out of the water.

Most of all have fun with it, and show the lake that slalom is still alive! Oh, yeah. Always put it in the boat. Even if you dont feel like skiing, just hold it up and lean on it for the boats passing by :)

The fin will help with slack on your cutting if the rope is slacking move it forward. Also if the ski digs in on turns the front of the fin needs to go up. Dow. Brings the ski down Into the water