slalom course

I have heard there is a permanent slalom course that can be submersed when not in use. It's supposed to be about $1500. I haven't been able to find anything on the net though. Has anyone heard of them?

Accu Float made the course I think. The product was called AccuSink as I recal, but I think they might have gone out of business.

My friend made one out of a standard course, truck tires, and a pump on shore. It's a great idea but you have to live right in front of your course. Since I live on a canal I have to take mine out during the weekends. I'm working on a deployment/retrieval device for the front of my pontoon boat that just scoops up the arms as I drive over them. We'll see how that goes.

Accufloat is still in business, but no longer making the courses. Not profitable. You may be able to buy remaining stock, however. It takes a large air compressor to work.

I use an EZ-slalom. Takes about 20 minutes to lay in and take out after you do it a few times adn color code the connections with spray paint.

Has anyone used accusink, did it work well? How long does it take to float/sink? I'm trying to avoid the removable course because a group of us want to share it.

I've contacted accufloat to see if it's still around, thanks for the help.

EZ-Slalom courses are definately the way to go! They are of superior quality and design over the accufloat courses. The guys from EZ-Slalom continually test thier courese every week and Ed makes changes continually to make his courses better. Plus they have designs to fit any budget and all size and use requirements. Plus they are fast to put in and easy to take out. 10-15 minutes tops! Call Ed and talk to him, he will answer any questions you have and more. He knows his stuff!

I agree that E-Z Slalom is the way to go. I would love to watch a crew actually ski it 20 minutes, however. My best time is over an hour to get it right and straight. 20 minutes to get it in the water can be done. I usually have to tweak it.

If you have a shallow, sand bottom you can weight down the course so it sinks and put in sub buoys.

(Message edited by boarditup on July 12, 2004)

a month ago at a tournament in Garnett, Kansas me and 2 other guys put the course in the lake in 13.5 minutes and pulled it in 10 minutes 20 seconds (we were timing ourselves for fun). Of course this was from a pontoon boat but an hour seems like a long time Karl... Are you doing it by yourself?

EZ-Slalom has been great to work with. I tried to save money and only bought the main line from them and I'm putting together the arms myself. Ed really knows his stuff and he'll help you even find dealers in your area for the PVC. For those who bought from them, did you get the 30 lb river anchors that they recommend? Those are about 50 bucks a piece. I have a couple 40 lb cinder blocks laying around and was just going to use those. Anybody forsee any problems with that?

(Message edited by tacosupreme on July 12, 2004)

The Cinder blocks might work but they may move a bit more than the river anchors. The river anchors work great! Plus they allow you to get the course really tight and straight! We've also used 5 gallon buckets filled with concrete that work well...

If you have a muck bottom, the cinder blocks hook up well. On sand or hard bottoms, you need the anchors.

As for my course installation time, I usually have a boat driver and myself. It just takes time. If I had one person to hand me the stuff and another to help handle the arms, it would go quicker. The other problem is that our sites are shallow and have weeds at the level of the arms. It makes it a challenge to straighten it out. My latest strategy is to lay in the main-line and add the arms after the boat guides are straight.

Last weekend I put in course on the Grand River in Grand Rapids, MI. It took 12 hours the first day and two hours the second day. I have rarely been more frustrated in my life. The course kept dragging down with the current. The next time I will wrap a hawser around the bridge caisson instead of an anchor. I don't think the bridge will move. I also had some debris discharged by some upstream activity settle on the boat guides, dragging them around. In the end, I had over a dozen concrete blocks on the bottom holding the course in place in the water in addition to 6 holding the upstream main line in position.

I don't usually have this problem in lakes, but it still is an hour for a boat driver and one guy. If you want to help, I will be in Whittmore lake near Ann Arbor, MI on Friday night setting up for Saturday's INT competition.

(Message edited by boarditup on July 14, 2004)

sounds like a chore Karl. Wish I could help you out Friday night but I live in kansas and have no reason to come to Ann Arbor, MI. Although I hear its beautiful up there and Grant Harbor is the place the be in the summer?

Are you puting sub buoys on every ball? Are you using magnets with the added weights? Did you build your own poles and just buy the mainline from Ez-Slalom? Let me know what your set up is and maybe I can offer some advice to help you get the course in faster and easier.

Full E-Z slalom course; using magnets; using weights; no sub buoys. It is in the water for only the duration of the event.

This time I am taking along my kids and one extra adult. I figure the kids can hand us the painters and magnets and the other adult can help me with the arms.

I have gotten the course in and adjusted in 30 minutes with me driving and three experienced guys putting it in.