What the heck am I doing wrong?

[Livindadream]

First of all, been a while. Good to see this board growing.

Now my point. Been slalom skiing since I was five, am now an old man of 43. All my life, have done nothing but ski on a slalom out of a combo set. Can actually run the course on these pigs, so I do pretty well. Get up with both feet in bindings. Finally decided to try to pick it up, and bought a slightly used F2, high wraps. I can't even get out of the water on this thing. Is there a different technique here? Seems my tip immediately sinks and I can't get it out. Has been an after thought for me, never had issues on the old skis. Its the biggest one they make (6"5, 215lbs.), so don't think thats the issue. I can certainly return it, as I bought it from a local shop with a 60 day trial. Any thoughts?

[maxpower220]

First, your combo set ski is probably a lot wider, especially at the tail. This helps getting up easier. When getting up on the new ski ensure that you are putting you weight on the rear foot to get up, but don't let the tip drop under the water. You should probably be on a 70" ski for your size. Cross check that also.
IMHO, I recently purchased and sold a Connelly Concept (F3). I didn't like anything about that ski, though I bought it based on many good reviews. Perhaps you should try a different brand or ski. My wife skis on a Connelly FX, it is a shaped ski. It is a great ski, easy to get up on, and can ski into 36mph. Ask your local shop about shaped skis.

[Sled491]

Dream, Max is right, you may not even be suited for the ski. But that doesn't change the fact that you should be able to get up on it. I am 42 and have similar background to yours except I've been on HP skiis for over 2 decades (quiet in the peanut gallery). Your big difference as was stated is your rear foot. In a RTP you can use your toes and move that foot all around. Now with the boot, your exit is going to be differnet. If you think about it you will realize when you are about to go over the front. It is at this point that you need to almost lock your back and pull with your body, not your arms against the boat. This will pop you up right at the very same point when you were going over the front. Also remember to keep your knees tight to your chest. I have also on occasion had problems with boarding shorts pulling back into the water due to a parachute effect. Look at all these things, one of them is it. One last thought, you said this was a used ski, correct? Did the previous owner move the bindings way forward from center? Worth a look.

[kaneboats]

Good advice. I thought of everything Sled said except the possibility that the previous owner moved the bindings. Sounds like something my brother would do to me. LOL.

[Reese350]

Dream,

Just a reference point. I'm 6'4" 215lb and just want through a similar transition from an Obrien Worldteam to a 69" Connelly F1X with double Wiley high wraps and absolutely love it. It's basically an F1 with a little bit wider tail. The guys at Wiley's were great in helping me select the ski based on skill/size/intent. I think it was around $450 shipped to my house.

I hope you get it dialed in...

Scott

[Livindadream]

Thanks guys for all the replys. Kind of baffling, and certainly humbling if not an all out embarrassment. Have taught many to ski over the years, now teach can't even get up. Tough.

[Laz]

Hi my dad just went through the same process. For years he used to get up with two and drop one. Mostly this was to protect his back as our old I/O took a long time to plane with a skier.

Now we have the Outback and he decided to try again. He is 62 y.o. and 175 lbs and his having no trouble getting up on a Connelly Concept with both feet in and no back strain.

He swears that the two most important things to do is to keep your knees tight to your chest with your arms around them and to keep you back up straight to prevent you from being pulled over.

I would add to that to make sure that your ski is leaning about 30 degrees towards the forward foot side before the boat starts to pull.

Good luck.

[cutnh20]

I'd second all the tips so far - especially the knees in chest but, here's another angle to consider.

I had the same problem when I went from my old EP with a RTP that I had been skiing on behind my parents big 'ol I/O Cobalt to my Connelly Concept with double boots behind my Outback. I have found that if the driver hammers it out of the hole I get pulled forward and under. What we changed was to take a steady progressive pull up to about 5ish mph and then hit it! This pops me up almost every time. I am quite a bit smaller than you (5'10"/175lbs) but I think the same "inertia" principle applies.

[Sled491]

Cutnh2o, excellent point. When we went from our Fish and Ski, to our Outback my wife was killing me, and I have skiied behind plenty our DD's. It took her a whole summer to get the feel of easing into the throttle. Now she is an expert. Funny you mention this though as we have recently taken up Surfing and now she needs a whole new type of feel. And my 8 yr old is deep water starting on his slalom and the requires another touch as well. Our boats are very versitile and as such require versitile drivers.

[kaneboats]

I have an older brother that goes about 265 lbs. He's a pretty good skier. He normally skis behind his bayliner with a 90 hp outboard. He was here earlier this summer. I yanked the rope out of his hands a couple of times-- and I thought I was going slow and taking it easy. I wasn't able to get him out until I simulated the pull from his outboard. It was the longest- slowest- most painful drag out -- but it worked. My wife likes to take off real slow-- I mean REAL slow. I'm barely out of the water on a wakeboard and BEGGING for more power. Oh shoot, did I just slip into driver complaints? Better shut up.

[maxpower220]

Moomba cruise always gives a slow pull up on the wakeboard, but does a pretty good job on the slalom. Although, it takes a little longer to get to the set speed on the slalom.

[cutnh20]

Sled491, I agree on the versatility - I've skied about every DD also. Driver technique never mattered in the past (15 years and 25 lbs later is a different story)!

My Dad and I perfected the progressive...progressive...hit it (that's why he's still my preferred driver after 25 odd years skiing).

I tried to explain this to my brother-in-law and he took it to mean a high, long drag and I about drowned. I was back there yelling "Go...go..go!" Luckily I'm pretty good at just haning on for a while and got up anyway and he got it perfect the second time.

Bottom line is there (at least for me) is a somewhat fine line between too much and too little power. Play around with it a bit and you'll quickly find the sweet spot. Waterski mag had a good article on how to get up slalom that had some good tips - I'll see if I can find an post link.

[MrsZ]

NOW I know what you are talking about! Zachary won a 66" Obrien Comp at the Tampa Jam. I tried it this weekend. I have never ever had any trouble getting up but it took me about 6 or 7 tries to get up! Maybe the boots are in a different place or something. Surely it is not the age of the skier!

The kids could not believe it and kept asking me what Daddy was doing wrong? :p

[zegm]

And to be honest I can not remember her never getting up on the first try for over 20 years so certainly I thought "man what am I doing wrong.

[zabooda]

I am 240lbs using a 69" HO and I can get up with any type of pull but the quick and fast yanks are the best but I have to hold on real good. I found that I set my ski the same as a wake boarder with the ski resting on the side about 45 degrees, back side facing the boat with the legs tucked in. I've never seen a skier start with the ski in line with the boat using double wraps and be very successful as they drag the whole way. Also, I have had lousy skis myself as they are made for a particular stance and if you ski differently then the ski can be unstable. You can call around or check with someone who uses your ski and verify the binding settings but it shouldn't be an issue until you get up.

[Sled491]

Zabooda, I ski a 68 and come in around 190. I take the straight up pull every time. Once my wife figured out what cosistant application of the throttle meant, I am up every time asap. With this technique you have to allow the boat to plane your ski. You end up way forward, then it's just a matter of yanking back with you upper body and all is good.