PDA

View Full Version : Videohhh - just for fun



BensonWdby
10-07-2003, 08:45 PM
This link has actual footage of me making a full pass at 15 off at 30mph. Those of you that know skiing will see all kinds of flaws. Especially on the weak side. Can you guess which foot is forward? All criticisim are welcome, in fact solicited.... Not the best quality video, but I just got a new toy and had to try it out.

http://home.comcast.net/~BensonWdby/fullpass30_web.mpg

PS. We had 85 degrees in Minnesota today and I just put the boat into storage last week. Oh well.

Catdog1
10-08-2003, 12:07 AM
Now that is too cool.

Yellowmobius
10-08-2003, 08:00 AM
I agree, cool!

is that a digital camcorder?

moombamania
10-08-2003, 12:28 PM
CONGRATULATIONS on the full pass. And not in the most ideal water as well. Good Job.

I have yet to see ball 6, bad side (left foot forward) is just killing me, as well as spending to much time on the wakeboard.

I see the exact same break in the waist as I. I continually fight keeping my shouldes back and locking that handle into my hip

Again Fantastic Job...

Yellowmobius
10-08-2003, 02:25 PM
Where at in MN?

It is around 85 in Bismarck, unfortunatly I ran up on an embedded log and took off my rudder, bent the drive shaft strut and the shaft. Only good thing is it happen towards the end of the summer. We were in 3.5 - 4 feet of water. I guess I am done until next year.

sextons
10-08-2003, 04:32 PM
What lake are you on in MN, I in the Twin Cities and will be moving to Prior Lake at the end of the month so I'm pumped to actually be on water for next season.
Congrats, that was a great video...

BensonWdby
10-08-2003, 05:07 PM
I am glad you guys liked this. It was taken off of an older HI8 analog camcorder.
I captured it with the Pinnacle Movie Box USB. I renedered it for web so it is a pretty small format and very high def.
This file was about 2 meg, the next step up was 22meg.

I am in Woodbury. The lake is just north of us.

If you are moving to Prior Lake you should check out the Prior Lake Waterski Association. They are a great group of folks, many have been around for decades and have third generation members. They also have acquired permission to use a flooded Quarry in Savage or Shakopee where they have a private course. There are some costs involved and some very specific rules about who and when it can be used but I would check it out. I am thinking of it myself as I work in Bloomington.

I have a 10 minute tape of crashes that I think I may edit and post. Those are very entertaining.

Yet another warm day and no skiing. Oh Well...

Dave

waterboy
10-09-2003, 05:53 AM
Awesome run, on some rough water......good job!

Brian

outback-newbe
10-09-2003, 12:35 PM
Nice pass and even in the chop. We get pretty spoiled on our lake so would not even attempt it inthose conditions. Nice work though! Thanks for shareing the footage. Hell,...no suggestions from me. If you saw me ski you would understand!

sextons
10-09-2003, 03:11 PM
I'll check out the Prior Lake ski assoc.

Where in the cities do you get your boat serviced?

BensonWdby
10-09-2003, 05:59 PM
The only service I have needed in 3 years (not counting windshield spread) has been winterizing. I have a guy come to the house, [email protected].
I have been happy with him so far. He came out to do the winterize and I asked him to check the gland packing. He had to take the clamshell off and remove some screws in the floor, then got a huge channel locks and tightened it up for me.
He was not going to charge me for any of that beyond normal winterizing.

Performance Marine in Wayzata area (where boat was purchased) has closed. Forrest Lake Motor Sports is now handling Moomba, but have not gone up there yet.

You can also take a look at Midwest Waterski in Hopkins. That is where I bought my last two skis and almost a used Moomba, but I got a better deal from a private party.

Prior lake web site.
http://www.priorlakewaterski.org/

About 21 years ago I used to run their Family Ski night which is where I learned to ski the course. Skiied with Dave and Cindy Benzel.
Maybe we will see you there next spring if I decide to pop for a slot on the lake.

ED - My wife is ready to book the trip right now. Although I don't think a couple of passes through the course qualifies me as an instructor.
If you ware interested, I would check out McGinnis Water Ski School ( http://www.mcski.com/ ) in Fort Lauderdale. A great Private Lake facility right in townn off the freeway.
If you are serious about wanting pointers - it may be possible.

Dave

BensonWdby
10-13-2003, 08:12 PM
Kind of interesting. When I first started skiing on a slalom ski 32 years ago, big sprays were my goal. We skied with a guy who was about 6'2" and really cranked and he put up more water than I had ever seen. As I got a little better and grew to understand more about form, that big spray urgency sort of dissipated. But my favorite saying was, "Let's go wash some trees!!"

Since then I have never really considered myself a big spray kind of skier. Not that I don't love the idea of putting up big water, just don't think about it much. What I have found is that if you have a good pre-turn, good angle and good lean, you can't help but put up a lot of water.

I think it all starts with the pre-turn. If you get both feet in the water before you try changing the direction of the ski, then when you get on your edge you are going to have a lot of surface pushing against the water, which is going to translate into big spray. As long as you hold that edge and that lean you are pushing a lot of water and it can't go anywhere but up. It truly is a beautiful thing when it goes way up in a nice continuous sheet.

There are other factors like height, weight, and ski length and possibly even the type of ski itself. I am 5'10". In this 15 off video I am about 210 lbs, about 30 over tournament weight. I am on a 68" Connelly Concept (pre-F1). In the Crash and Burn video, the early days skiing I was about 170-180 skiing on a 65" Jobe at first and then a 65" Connelly Shortline. These shorter skis were more work at the slower speeds and quite possibly the reason for a lot of the falls. You tend to ride lower so when you turn you push a little more water. I had deluded myself into thinking I could approach 22 off at 36 just prior to buying the Shortline. I bought the Concept about 4 years ago when it was clear my weight was probably not going back down. The charts suggest that I should be on a 70 ot 72 inch ski, but not for me..

I know that there are some 'Big Spray' contests where they actually have judges in the water. I thought I saw one in Waterski Mag. but Google is not finding it.

As far as good spray on both sides - my weak side is real if'fy. When I hit it, it is the best feeling ever because a good weak side gets you in even beter shape for a great strong side turn. But as you see in this 15 off video, I don't always hit it. I am about 50-50 on that one. If I ski several days in the same week, it tends to get better. If once a week or every other week, it suffers.

My advice is get out there as much as possible with 4 or 5 serious skiers that can get excited about how you ski and your imporvements. Preferably several consecutive days - all day, not just evenings, and take turns until you can no longer hold onto the rope and can barely get in the boat.

Take a lot of video and watch it. I like slow motion, and sometimes even backwards.

Have fun and maybe some day we will be one of those 4 or 5 in Clermont.

Dave

waterboy
10-14-2003, 02:30 AM
Hey guys,
My wife and I are in for the 4 or 5 in Clermont. We could use some coaching, too!

Brian :)

waterboy
10-15-2003, 03:49 AM
Cool, Ed. We have Thanksgiving off, can't think of a better way to build up an appetite. We're in.

We're looking into taking a Sunday off soon....how busy is the lake on Sundays?

Yes, thanks, Mary Ellen is a slaloming fool....but I need major help. Too much time on the wakeboard, I guess. So are you guys setting something up?

Brian

waterboy
10-16-2003, 04:27 AM
Sorry to hear that, Ed. Give our best to your wife, we hope she has a speedy recovery. Looking forward to Thanksgiving.....in the meantime we'll check the vacation calander at work and see about getting a Sunday off.

Brian