Need help finding a ski. I'm still pretty much a newb, & the hand-me-down isn't right

[Beejwest]

I make plenty of mistakes, and almost eat it a few times!

[trayson]

http://www.amazon.com/Connelly-Water.../dp/B00DDV0NSW

There are those bindings I was talking about.

Those look sweet. I have a very similar binding on my wakeboard. Not surprising, they are the CWB "hinge" wakeboard bindings!

And yeah, i see what you mean in the video. your v-drive wake is like a mountain compared to my DD. hahahaha. I guess I better appreciate that I have a board that can pretty much do it all! From slalom to surfing!

I think I'll give it another go with a higher speed and see what that does... But it'll have to wait until I get good water of course.

[iwaterskihard]

There are many things I question or would ask you? I would like to see a video of you skiing taken from the boat so we can actually see you ski vs watching the boat drive and you go for a tug behind it. Please don't take what I am saying as insult but rather it's hard to give you any advise without seeing you actually ski.
The ski you are on is old skiing technology. There are a ton of newer skis out there now that will help you get out of the water easier.
Here is a few things I would suggest:
1) Fix your grip - you need to offset your hands with one foot ahead of the other (pure simple balance)
2) If you're LFF then get the ski sitting at 10' o'clock prior to the boat pull, contrary if you're RFF get the ski pointed towards 2 o'clock.
3) What line length is that rope? You look like you're a long way away from the boat.
4) How fast are you skiing? Going too fast for your ability when trying to improve is worse than going too slow.

If you can get someone to shoot a video from the boat it would be a whole lot easier for some of us to give you better instruction.
Do some research on ski sites and find the right size ski for you based on your size. Look at HO, Radar, O'Brien, Connelley as they all have sizing on their sites. Then check out ski-it-again.com there is some good ski's on there that you could upgrade to.
Ok I will leave it at that. Too much info isn't a good thing either!

[trayson]

Honestly, treat me as a NEWB. I've probably only slalom skied 20 to 30 times ever. And all but a few of those were literally 10 years ago. I really don't know what I'm doing other than I can get up if I work at it.

As far as speed, I have no clue what speed I should be at. I already know that I was going way too slow on Saturday... I was in the mid or low 20's IIRC. I really don't remember what I set the PP for. I was told on the Supra forums that going too slow might have made it even harder too.

I don't have a true ski rope, so I grabbed my wakeboard rope that is actually rope, not spectra or any of that other non-stretch stuff. IIRC I was on a 65' line and I was being pulled off the stern of the boat because the previous owner took out my ski pylon and the hole had enough rust in there that getting it back in was going to take some work.

My aspirations are to become a comfortable recreational skier, maybe intermediate at best. I really don't see myself skiing a course or anything like that. Just cruise around on the ski and cut around a bit. Heck, if I got to the point where freeskiing I could crank a nice turn and throw up a rooster, I'd be giddy. I don't need bouys.

On the Supra forum they pointed me towards skis like an HO Freeride, Radar Senate, or a Radar Theory in a 66 or 67 length (I weigh 169). And some bindings that are comfortable to get into would be great. something that at least has the laces.

On the Supra forum one suggestion was this package: http://www.wakehouse.com/products/ra...kage-blem.html But honestly, I don't have $300 burning a hole in my pocket to spend on basically a new discipline, LOL. I know I sound like a cheap ass, but I've slalom skied twice since I got my boat a year and a half ago... I want to do it more, but I know wakeboarding and surfing are going to still be my primary go-to items...

[SupraLaunch21V]

[QUOTE=trayson;251300]
On the Supra forum they pointed me towards skis like an HO Freeride, Radar Senate, or a Radar Theory in a 66 or 67 length (I weigh 169). And some bindings that are comfortable to get into would be great. something that at least has the laces.

Looks like you're having a ton of fun. That is the most important thing for sure. A few years ago, when I got back into slalom skiing, I bought an O'brien Synchro ( front boot & rear toe plate ). I even did up to 30mph -15 off on the course. You can find them cheap since most skiers eventually upgrade from this ski. Just my recommendation. I am on the Supra Forum obviously and I have an HO Triumph and it has been a nice upgrade from the Sychro. But when I lake ski, the O'brien comes back out. Its a great ski, affordable, and would serve you well I think.

Keep it fun - iwaterskihard has given some great tips. Waterskimag also has a Connelly How To Section from Joel Howley. Pretty interesting. Have fun with it, keep videoing and compare with others on sites like skiallsix. Even though y ou're not doing buoys, the technique from buoy chargers is the same. And if you can adopt this style of skiing you can ski longer with less effort and more efficiently ( much less recovery too ). Very important for me since I'm in the 40+ bucket skier. JY

[kaneboats]

Here you go.

http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/spo/4627350113.html

[skiyaker]

Hey no shame in slower speeds if it's fun! My wife and dad like to ski slow with an easy get up so we bought the appropriate ski (radar satori) and the wife skis the mini course at 23 mph. My dad and brother (who has bad wrists) Have a blast on it. It's as easy to get up on as a wakeboard but fun to turn like a ski. Based on your goals I agree with the HO freeride or Radar Theory. I'm a radar guy but really the freeride is designed for recreational skiers who want the thrill of carving and spraying with a ski that's easy to get up on and low resistance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7qwwY1L_UI

[trayson]

Well, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Radar theory package with double highboots.

I hope this will be the ski for me! I'll have it in time for the PNW Supra/Moomba Jam on Jam on Labor Day weekend...

http://www.wakehouse.com/products/ra...kage-blem.html

[skiyaker]

looks great- good choice! let us know how you like it

[kaneboats]

Never heard anyone complain about radar products. Do let us know how she rides.