Slalom Course on a Wakeboard

I know you are all going to ask why, well since I have a tourny slalom boat that doesn't really make a good wake even when weighted down I spend a lot of time just zipping around on my wakeboard. I was at the lake and someone had a course setup so I tried and made the first two and ran into the third head on! I can make it through on my slalom ski but not a wakeboard yet. Can anyone do it at regular speed and line length? Anyone tried?

Benji Guibe, Honolulu, Hawaii, he's your man! Not only does he make all the balls, he does an invert between each ball! Sick!

any video?.

I believe Ken Bernard holds the world wakeslalom record - what it is I have no Idea but I'm sure someone out there remembers about 10 yrs ago....

When I used to go to the Coors water-ski tour kneenoarding and skiboarding was a novelty they used to use to keeep the people busy while they were in between sets.
And yes they used to go around the bouys, this was back in the early to mid eighties.

I guess I will have try to harder then. At what speed are thos guys making it through at? I can get through at 36 mph on my ski but can't make it through on my board at 28 mph. I can't get it moving fast enough. Any tips? No video, I'm lucky to own a boat and to find a couple of friends to go to the lake, let alone take video. LOL!

at 21mph on a 65foot rope i can get 4 1/2

PB is 5 1/2 ive never been able to hit the 6th though

and i usually ollie the boat exit bouy too

ttt

why?????

Somewhat related I was watching some waterskiing comp on the weekend (trick ski i guess) they were doing some nice flips and tricks but then they started doing the thing with the feet holding the handle and they lost me there. It for some reason made me think of syncronized swimming or figure skating.

I believe... In the early 90's they were running 25MPH. However, they were running behind an unweighted slalomn boat, with a board designed to run the bouys. The Perez had the large fins on it which made it much easier to run the bouys.

Anyway, I remember meeting Ken Bernard in 96. This was post bouy chasing with the wakebaord, but he was pretty crazy. He was riding his highly modified air chair. Ha ha, his entire lower back was one big strawberry from slipping off the front of the air chair seat on a hard crash.

Mike Ferraro trained Dallas Friday to run the course on a wakeboard. This will really work on your edging = speed = big air.

I'd be very impressed if someone ran the course (with gates) at over 24 mph. If you want to try this, I'd suggest a tournament ski boat WITH a normal ski rope. The No-Stretch would actually work against you.

i've heard dallas makes it switch finless at 24

I guess I'm going to fast, I just figured for some reason that I should be able to do it faster. I am using a tourny boat (MB Sports 190 Plus) and a very stretchy rope. I made three bouys last night and almost made the fourth but I hooked an edge and bit it hard! I am thinking about trying it with a Valhalla with the crook fins in.

Would you run off the tower or pylon for this. Also, what line length would Dallas be pulling this off at?

18mph@15off is my best. Only tried it 4-5 times though.

My suggestion would be run the line length at which you ride. On a ski rope, run the entire length (75ft), 15 off (or the Red section) would be 60ft (for all you non-slalomers). I would start at like 18 or even 16. Wakeboards are not made to turn or carve like a slalom ski. My guess a wakeboarder would have a lot of trouble going past 15 off into 22 off.

You could run this from the tower or pylon since your not trying to get air. I'd suggest from the tower so everything feels the same. The only difference will actually be felt by the driver. The driver will feel your pull more from a higher tow point.

A couple reminders about course etiquette.
- Typically a turn is taking 6 passes through the course (keep this in mind if a skier is waiting). Tell them you're working on your technique, my guess is they'll understand.
- Empty your ballast, your wake could rip the buoys off their lines.
- Check the width of your boat before driving through the course. If your boat is wider than the boat guides, don't go through them. If you run over a buoy, you'll probably knock it off.
- If you knock a buoy off, put it back.

We don't even have course that I know of in Arizona so I use on the portable courses on the weekdays when no one is around.

I am running from the pylon at 15 off. I did find that using an ancient Hyperlite 157cm board with big fins makes a world of differance. The board is the dark blue/graphite looking board with the crazy fish on the front, no graphics on the bottom, except hyperlite.

I think I will make it through tonight or tomorrow. I can almost make the 5th bouy. Since I have been trying several other guys have started to try also, it pretty funny to watch actually. They all get pretty mad when I run through on my Maha at 35+ mph and never touch a bouy....

Good info Chris...thanks for sharing. Will have to give it a shot on my parents lake...there is a collegiant team there that has a course.

Wow! Skiing the maha! Is it one of his new skis? Those are some of the most beautiful skis around.

As for skiing the course on a wakeboard. It's definitely possible. Start out at a slower speed like 20-22 mph and work your way up. Long line (75') usually works pretty well and will slow things down. If you're getting too much time at the bouy, shorten the rope to 15' off. So far the best I've ever seen anyone do on a wakeboard was a full pass at 26mph, a full pass at 28mph, and a few buoys at 30mph. Damn impressive. Have to give props to Mike Buckle an ex UCSB waterskier/Core Wakeboarder for putting on an amazing show.

I have a 02' Maha Fastback and an old 87" Longboard. Both skis are the greatest, but that's all on another forum.