[net.rec.boat] The serious water-skiers are listening

tj@utcs.UUCP (tj) (08/06/85)

The serious water-skiers are alive and well here in Canada...
Well, I am at least.

I just spent a long weekend up at my lake skiing till I hurt. It was
an excellent weekend with little wind and lots of sun. (And the
marina (ie gas) wasn't too busy).

I used to ski without gloves, but after trying them I find they help
LOTS. For a while there was no problem, but now as I am pulling harder and
harder I find I am getting serious calouses and blisters on my palm at the
base of each ring finger. I have started holding the handle closer to
my finger tips to avoid the palm. Anybody with any suggestions as to how to
avoid this problem? Anybody tried those foam palm protectors they advertise in
Overtons catalog?

BTW I just sent away for catalogs from all the mail order places in the states.
I got Overtons and Melos and the Grip so far. Overtons has to be the nicest
catalog I have seen in a long time. Melos has some good prices. I was less than
impressed with The Grip. I am going to order an HO ski boot soon, will wait
for the other catalogs I ordered to come first. There are goodies advertised
in these catalogs I never knew existed.

On Slalom courses, has anybody tried those "accufloat" type courses? Are they
as easy to set up as they tell you? Does it take 2/3 of your ski weekend to
set them up and take them down?

There...
t.jones

mem@bubba.UUCP (08/15/85)

> 
> The serious water-skiers are alive and well here in Canada...
						      ^^^^^^
						      TEXAS!
> 
> I used to ski without gloves, but after trying them I find they help
> LOTS. For a while there was no problem, but now as I am pulling harder and
> harder I find I am getting serious calouses and blisters on my palm at the
> base of each ring finger. I have started holding the handle closer to
> my finger tips to avoid the palm. Anybody with any suggestions as to how to
> avoid this problem? Anybody tried those foam palm protectors they advertise in
> Overtons catalog?

I've always skied with gloves, but I have the same problem.  I haven't tried
the palm protectors, but have considered it... maybe next time I have to 
place my order.  I like Overton's the best as far as the catalogs, but then
again, I haven't seen any other ski catalog!  Do you have the addresses?

> There are goodies advertised
> in these catalogs I never knew existed.

Isn't that the truth- I mean, do you have your New Jobe Vest T-shirt yet?

> On Slalom courses, has anybody tried those "accufloat" type courses? Are they
> as easy to set up as they tell you? Does it take 2/3 of your ski weekend to
> set them up and take them down?

I have yet to ski on a slalom course.  Now, you may be thinking, this person 
isn't really a serious skier, but that's where you're wrong.  I'm just
starting to get serious.  I just recently acquired a ski boat, and this has 
been training season for me.  There's a big ski tournament held here (Austin)
every year, and I'm aiming to ski in it next year.  There are a few slalom
courses set up almost year round, so hopefully, I'll be attacking them soon!

Unfortunately, the boat has been out of service for the last two weeks - the
cam was bent, and it's not easy to find people with parts for Mallory 
distributors around here.  I just got the distributor back this afternoon,
so it sould be running by tommorrow afternoon.  

It sure is nice to hear from some other skiers!  What's the ski season up
there?  Last year, we were still skiing in December, one week before heading
up to Colorado for a snow ski trip, if you can believe that!  Wet suit season
is great around here -- most people try to avoid it, and being that Lake
Austin is rather narrow, the less people, the better.  By March, the water is
still pretty cool, but not too cool!

> There...
> t.jones

Yes, I am making a great effort to live up to the name -- ski bum.  And, hey,
leave the glass for me. (-;

M.E. Middleton

tj@utcs.UUCP (tj) (08/19/85)

I will post a list of the places that I sent away to for catalogs as soon as I find the water ski
magazine (now lets see, was it under the bed..)

This last weekend was a bit of a disappointment to me as fas as slalom
courses go. I went up to a friends cottage where I set up a course
2 years ago. It was set up underwater so you attach surface balls
when you want to use it and only annoy the occasional fisherman (snag)
when you aren't around. We set it up in winter when we could measure
carefully on the ice, then we used it that summer. Last winter it
no, the winter before last, it survived but we only got up once to his
cottage to use it. Last winter it also survived but for a while we didn't
know. We couldn't find a single underwater marker. After a weekend of
searching we found 2, they were so green we couldn't see them. Even
snorkeling we didn't find them.

We are getting tanks to find the rest of the course later this year, 
just in time for winter....

I have learned a few things from this. Clean the underwater markers
off in the fall before the ice comes in. at least then you have a chance.

We used good underwater markers and that really helps them survive I think.
We used a really poor method of attaching the surface markers to the under
water markers. We are working on different methods. I am now almost convinced
that these floating gixmos like acufloat are the way to go. 

Will keep you posted...

Our season goes from May to November here, and from may to july
and september to november there is very little competition for lake space.
It is cool (the biggest problem is finding someone to drive the
boat when it is that cold.). Wetsuites are in for these times. I hate
wetsuits. They are not too comfortable.

t.jones