Water Ski hints for beginners

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Happy1

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Just to follow on from a conversation on another thread kindly contributed to by Observer, sjw & PGD, I would like to expand a little.

I have just bought our first pair of Water Ski's from our local Chandlery, it is a smallish shop and we did not really have mauch choice of Water Ski's, well two choices in fact, take them or leave them as there was only one pair /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif. So we bought them, they are Wetline duo's. a basic entry level Ski, unfortunately we have had to order the rope to pull them and that will not arrive until next Wednesday, so thought I could do a bit of research so my first attempt does not result in any foolish injury.

I would appreciate some basic advice, I will contact ajw for advice and I also have Canboria from the forum who is assisting at the marina. I am sure there are some lessons to be learnt from some unfortunate errors made by others, I would like to learm from these to try and minimise the ones that no doubt I will make anyway.

Any help would be appreciated (Oh! and I have bought a rear view mirror). I have a curly Ski hook at the centre at the rear of the boat (above the bathing platform), but I have heard about people using bridles that need two connections, I have two other U-bolts just above the leg, but under the bathing platform, anyone know what they are for, and if I should use them?

Cheers,

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
hi,check your insurance,some exclude towing/skiing before you start.You may have to pay a little extra on your current premium.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/stamfordian>http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/stamfordian</A>
 
I am with Mardon insurance, I have cover for Ski's but it reduces from normal £2 million to £1 million for Ski incidents, also limited to two people on a toy being pulled. (apparently some have drowned after banging heads and sinking!)

Thanks anyway for the tip off,

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>
 
learning to ski is fun if you like getting wet head first and arms pulled from sockets :-) kidding

Learn off the bar as has been said before much much much easier than deep water start.

If you are doing deep water start then, ski tips up, both hands on the handle and keep your knees tucked up against your chest use your arms around the outside of your kness to keep it all tight, don't be in too much of a hury to stand up. Stay low then slowly ease you self up, once the skis become more level it gets easier, also remeber when you cross the wake to edge the skis and cut through the wake else itis head first into the water - ow!!! Also that cutting from one side of the boat to the the other can double the forward speed of the boat, so if you are skiing at 20 mph boat speed your skier can be doing twice that.

Glad you have a mirror, better to have a mate to watch out rear facing. Always waer bouyance aid, if you land belly first at 40 pmh you stand a little less chance of getting winded. And don't wear loose shorts unless you like you back passage washed out !!!!

Blunt but practicle advice - I skied for about 2 yrs.

Hope it helps and stay safe.

Peter

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance
 
Use the curly ski hook,take the ski,s back if possible ,new technology has even reached skiing ,beginner skis now have very wide fronts try (wwwjustwatersports.com) a good pair will have a back binding on one ski and can be used as a mono when the time comes.With this type of ski coming out of the water is much easier ,slower and more controlled with a much higher success rate.IMHO when there is more than one person in a ringo helmets should be worn especially children."More skiing insurance claims are made from the use of ringos than any other type of skiing accident" source the Uk,s leading ski boat insurer.!!

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Hi,
all the advice so far is ok, just want to add a couple of bits....

when you get to a suitable water ski area try your tow rope on the back of the boat first and see what it does, get some practice in snagging a bouy with the ski rope just to get the feel of what its like picking up a skier, your aproach to a skier in the water must be dead slow and to one side, then a turn after passing the skier the rope should then cut the corner and the skier will be able to pick it up.
Sound simple but all boats handle differently and a couple of practice goes could save a lot of grief.

One more....... if you get your skiers to practice on land . just standing up holding on to a ski rope handle, you can hold the rope to keep it taught, make them use their legs NOT pull in with their arms (arms straight). Also to help with balance... just sitting in shallow water with skis out in front and the legs tucked up, trying to stay upright and not turn to one side, sounds easy... try it!


have fun

poter.

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You are going to fall off, so make sure you have a shortie wetsuit on, especially children and women, a high speed enema is not what is required!! If you get my drift! Wide tipped starter skis are a good idea, I would take those back and get a decent pair of starter skis, it will make life so much easier, keep the knees bent and crouch, until you build more confidence to lean back a little, remember lean forward for snow skis, lean back on water skis, have fun and welcome back!

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water ski driving certs???

I assume there must be some formal course for waterski boat drivers
anyone know anything about it??

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>
 
Re: water ski driving certs???

Ski Boat Driver Award & International Certificate of Competence.

As a service to its members, British Water Ski runs a scheme to test drivers of ski boats and to issue both Ski Boat Driver Awards (SBDA) and International Certificates of Competence. (ICC) The tests are similar in concept to an ordinary car driving test and are meant to show that a driver has met minimum requirements for driving a boat towing water skiers for recreational purposes only.

The test comprises a practical driving test of not more than 10 minutes duration and a written multi choice examination of 22 questions. Candidates must be over 16 years of age and in good health.

The scheme has been approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which has authorised British Water Ski to issue the ICC. Any holder of the SBDA is eligible for an ICC valid for coastal European waters. For an ICC valid for European inland waters an additional written test on European regulations must be passed.

The ICC is internationally accepted and has been adopted by Region EAME of the International Water Ski Federation as the format for all European countries to adopt.

ICC candidates must be citizens of the U.K. or normally resident in the U.K. to qualify.

Candidates for the SBDA and ICC must be current members of British Water Ski. Certificates are of ski pass size with the holders photograph and laminated in plastic. The cost for processing the laminated photocards is as follows:


SBDA £ 9.00

ICC
£13.00

SBDA / ICC
£16.00 (2 photos)




Tests are conducted at over 80 centres situated throughout the UK, the majority being affiliated clubs, although there are several British Water Ski recognised commercial centres.

Charges for the courses and the use of equipment vary and are the responsibility of the centres. British Water Ski publishes a list of registered Test Centres that follows this information.

Prior to a course or test all candidates will receive a manual which outlines the syllabus for teaching basic boat handling and driving for skiers. The written test questions are based on the manual and the precise form of the practical driving test is described.

All candidates must take the written and practical tests and there are no exceptions or "grandfathering". However centres are allowed to assess a candidates previous driving experience and to adjust the length of any training course accordingly. The test may be taken either in the Centres own boat or, if allowed by the centre, in a boat supplied by the candidate.

Amongst the topics that are covered by the syllabus and which are outlined in the manual are:-
Types of boat for water skiing
Equipment to be carried
Trailers and launching
Basic boat handling
Collision prevention rules
Summary of European regulations
Equipment for water skiing
Standard skiing signals
Driving for water skiers
Detailed description of the practical test
All BWS rules and safety recommendations
Safety recommendations for inflatable equipment



International Certificate of Competence - Renewal form.


If your ICC has expired you can renew it through British Water Ski.
Print off the form from the downloads page and send it with a copy of your original ICC and the fee shown to us and we will renew it.

NOTE - you must be a current member of British Water Ski.


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Re: water ski driving certs???

Good point raised here by Sailbad. Driving the boat for a water skier is as much of a skill as water skiing, takes a lot of practice and requires a delicate touch, got to give 3/4 throttle on my boat to start, dead straight before you hit the throttle and just as the boat starts to fully plane throttle back before it shoots away. Make sure you apply more throttle in the turn without accelerating but to stop deceleration and dropping the skier, all whilst looking out for other boats, objects and skiers in the water. Make sure you become familliar with hand signals especially to make other boats aware you have a man in the water. You should get a little orange flag to indicate you have a skier, something to use you bloody huge aerial for at last /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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Couple of points...

1) you don't need a bridle - they're meant to attach around an outboard, and as you have a sterndrive, just use the centre mounted ring/hook.

2) don't bother trying to learn on your own boat - there's too much to take in. Get someone to teach you and the missus on the back of their boat - that way, you get an experienced driver (which will make the difference between getting up and getting wet while you're learning), and someone who can observe and coach. Once one or both of you are confident, then transfer to your own boat and learn about the driving side of it.

3) without wishing to tread on anyone's toes, you do not need to undertake a six week residential training course and become a qualified instructor/driver. BUT you do need to know what you're doing, so either learn from someone who knows, or go to a ski school to learn.

4) never ski with only one person in the boat - you need eyes everywhere, including a pair watching the skier - a mirror is a must, but you cannot rely on it alone, you must have an observer with you.

5) you will need a wetsuit and an impact vest (they used to be called bouyancy aids/lifejackets, but they call 'em impact vests now) - seawater at 20mph is hard. At 25-30mph it is like concrete.

6) enjoy it - it's brilliant fun

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Use a proper skiing bouyancy aid. The ones with just zips are no good, they burst open when u hit the water hard and try 2 pull your arms off. They need to have the straps as well. Give up after half a dozen attempts 2 get up, and let someone else have a go, its very tiring being dragged underwater. Never pull your arms towards u when the line goes slack, u will fall over backwards. When u stand up keep your hips forward or u will b in agony after a couple of minutes. Finally don't spend ages getting good on 2 skis, kick one off and learn 2 monoski, its so much more fun. I taught loads of people 2 ski when I had my Mariah, its really not that hard. I'll be in the UK next weekend if u want some help.

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Re: water ski driving certs???

cheers duncan have cntacted british water ski and they are emailing all the stuff across

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>
 
Seeing as how we are discussing water skiing here, anybody want a pair of skis? Solitaire is unlikely to make use of them. I had them when I had my ski boat and they have been used perhaps 4 times at the most. Complete with tow rope, the one ski has all the right bindings for mono skiing. They are in perfect condition - offers and I mean perfect, they have been in the loft for ages and there is not a mark on them.

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how much?
pm me
we are after entry/ beginner level skis
we can all ski tosome extent at a novice level ( me not now due to eyesight ) but i would want to be able to get something that novices could use

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>
 
Am I in the do do/forums/images/icons/blush.gif SWMBO has gone ape at me about selling the skis. They have not been used for at least 5 years and now she says that no way am I to get rid of them. Poor old sailbad had all but bought them and the deal was done. and there was me thinking I'd got some "free" drinking vouchers. And I thought I was bad at hording things/forums/images/icons/smile.gif Sorry all for the false alarm.

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not dissimilar position to you, but different route. 11yr old son and I been once so far to waterskischool, for 3*15min sessions each. Started on bar for 10 mins and after that on rope-with mixed results! Think the advantage was,having a pro tutor to save getting fed up,no need immediately for all the equipment til we know far we want to take this,by the time you calc their-your fuel, its pretty cheap, warmer water and dead flat in a lake. Had huge fun, and falling into fresh water must be alot nicer than sea (when learning). In fact, I can almost see the sense in just doing the waterskiing at the school, instead of own boat in the sea. Or at least getting to good enough level at school first,meeting talking,getting advice from dedicated shop and club members. I m not sure,for semi casual waterskiier, how often crew,weather,conditions,location etc really enable you to do it.I like the idea of skis in the locker for when conditions turn out right, but suspect you need to get good enough first to be able to do that !

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Pretty much how we did it - learned to ski in a day on a lake, starting on the bar, then going on the rope. Took a few goes, but pro instructors, and they know when you're too knackered to carry on. Once confident, gave it a go on our own boat. Excellent fun. The gear's cheap enough - you can pick up a set of ratty combo skis for not a lot, and they'll get you started. Once the bug has bitten, you'd be surprised at the conditions you'll ski in at sea. And the distance. Once towed the wife from Studland to Hegistbury Head on a mono behing a 12 foot boat, and a friend regularly skis from Christchurch to Alum Bay and back...

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Skiing, been there done that got loads of bruises and buggered knees.....................Kneeboarding, now that looks fun.

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