The "Hot Pick-up"

[BensonWdby]

In my opinion, this was used on the dogbone and "P" slalom lakes due to the tight space needed to drop a skier and get them set up for the next run quickly and efficiently and with minimal rollers on the course.

It works - you don't need to goose the trottle if you do it right. It shouldn't tire the skier out, its a small pull and the skier pulls out ahead of the boat and the driver can see the skier at all times. Once you've done it a few times its pretty easy.

And if you think about it, it reduces the huge rollers vs a full stop and having to start from 0 mph with those HUGE 2' swells at 6-7 mph picking up the skier on the way back.

This is the best way to intentionally drop a skier. But I think the question was more toward picking up after falling.

[chawk610]

Yea... that is the question. Sounds like pretty much everyone here shuts it down and idles back (which is what I do). I reckon I will report back after I see this dealio take place.

[Stazi]

Not really. the rope is goin to lay behind the boat. Just make an arc back to the rider, not a bee line and watch the rope. It should naturally follow the wake of the boat like a train if you do it right.

[iwaterskihard]

No, he is serious. I test drove the new MB he is getting last week and he spent 30 min taking tight turns at speed. I am missing something I guess... I cannot figure out how he would do that and re-start the skier with never slowing down.

Chawk - your bro in law is an idiot plain and simple. When someone crashes they need a minute to adjust their marbles or assess what just happened. As such he should slow the boat down and come back to the skier at an idle. This was something I used to nag at my wife about when I was an open water skier. She quickly changed and now that we live on a ski lake it has made her that much better of a driver. Stick to what you're doing. Your riders will appreciate it, and lastly - IT'S SAFER!!!!!!

[moombadaze]

don't do it, just asking for something to go wrong

[New Guy]

[KG's Supra24]

What are ya'll talking about?

Hey man, I'm gonna drive by you at 22mph ... all you gotta do is grab that handle and stand up. The trick is in the timing, you got this ..... ?!?!?

[PatL]

This whole discussion really sounds like what you to do intentionally drop a skier at the end of the slalom course. We do that all the time. However I cant imagine why in the hell you would roll around under power to pick up a skier that fell. I'm in the "confusing 2 different conversations" camp. I will say that once I learned how to intentionally drop a skier while they keep the rope it made us a lot more efficient with sets in the slalom course.

[Mikey]

I,m assuming this is all done for a specific reason, Doing a HOT pickup... I've been to ski school twice , which uses a lake that at one end pretty much dies so its either power turn with skier or stop drop and roll again. I'm not sure about you but most skiers including the PRO,s i was with one day , take advantage of the short breather after a pass through the course , as short as it may be.

I know for me i was running 2 passes using the turn island at the other end as my Giddy up go pass, then once at the other end it was a Stop and rest.You guys must be in AMAZING shape to want to Hot DROP... Can;t really see the point.
Even with a Stop and drop with skier hanging on and a brief rest only really take a few more seconds, yet to me seems way more benefitial.

If a skier is down and hurt, yeah turn and burn and go see whats up but other than that ... Whats the true benefit to this???

[chawk610]

I think I will ask this evening... will be seeing their new MB. Maybe I confused this whole thing by stating something incorrectly. Will update when I find out!