ski wing fin...

[jmvotto]

My ski came installed with the wing opposite of this pic (upsidedown). Is this why it could be unstable straight be hind the boat, works fine at 15 off at 32mph while turning???

[Sled491]

Unstable behind the boat how? Do you mean it darts and moves back and forth? If so you need to move forward on the ski, how much face spray? I don't believe the upside down trick, but I do blieve in changing the angle to suck the tail of the ski deeper into the water.

[maxpower220]

No, the wing can be mounted in either direction. The angle is the only thing that matters. Check the position of your bindings while you are riding in a straight line behind the boat at speed. The water should be breaking at your front heel. If that is correct, your fin may be too far forward. If this is a new ski, the factor set up is usually pretty good for most people.

[BensonWdby]

I have noticed squirelliness going straight behind the boat on a variety of high performance ski. Especially if going straight in the bubbles. If you go just outside the bubble path but still inside the wake I would think you miht get different results?? I am inclined to think that what you are feeling is more a function of bevel than the fin/wing. From what I have seen lately it looks like 9 degress is pretty standard for wing angle. Schnitz even makes a fin now with a fixed wing at nine degrees - and he 'invented' the wing (according to him).

Some folks seem to think that the upside down wing can produce different results. The whole idea behind the wing is to produce drag through the ventury effect (sort of) by changing the speed at which the water flows between the bottom of the ski and the top of the wing. By having the wing above the screws you are closer to the bottom of the ski and thus you are probably increasing the velocity over the wing causing lower pressure - 'sucking' the tail down. It is my understanding that the wing really is designed to only really have an impact as you apply foward pressure on the ski in the preturn. Otherwise the other forces on the ski overshadow the impact of the wing.

Besides - who really cares what a ski does going straight?

Get your swerve on !!!

Dave