Skied the System 8

[UWSkier]

Maybe rutat is out of transition? and into a '90 ski nautique?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I told you guys he'd buy a Nautank!

[Rod S]

WOW. That KCS guy is something. Ok, I undertand it if you are running a couple rope lengths back from normal. Yeah, a good skier can ski just about any set up at a longer than his personal normal length. I've jacked the fin/bindings around to help skiers work out some bad problems just so they could get some decent sets in. As they get better and we work on their form, I start backing off on the crutches/training wheels and get them more to normal stock settings.

I don't know about KCS but I can feel a difference in .010 in length at 22 and 28 off. Sure I can ski it out of wack but why when I don't have to?

[NorCaliBu]

Reviving an oldie....

I've gotten two rides on my System 8 now. Wow. This ski is fast. I never thought of my CDX as slow...but apparently it is. j/k The CDX is a very stable ski with very forgiving characteristics and has helped me progress to a PB of 6 @ 28' off / 34 mph. And I can't wait to get back to that point. Haven't been there since before the knee surgery. But I digress...

I'm running the stock fin / wing setup, the boot location is also stock (middle) but rotated ~ 4 or 5*, oh, and I'm also running with a big, stoopid grin-----> I skied at 32 & 34 mph, freeskiing only, too much debris in the cove where the course is. Ski handled pretty well at 32 but liked 34 better.

If you like the performance of the CDX but want faster acceleration out of the turn...I can recommend the System 8 without hesitation.

The Approach Boots are sweet performance-wise but kind of a PITA to get into with gloves on...maybe I'll get better at it with practice.

Edited February 26, 2006 by NorCaliBu

[skisix@38]

Ski was a 68" System 8 with Animal bindings mounted in the middle position, fin position was stock. Boat was a 1994 Prostar 190, 32 MPH, 22 off. Water conditions were warm river.

First impression: the new Animals are WAY more comfortable than my old ones. The footbed is excellent and the wraps are comfortable without being over-tight or binding in any location.

Skiing impression: This ski wants to be on edge much more than my CDX does. Riding it in a straight line feels like you're standing on a 2x4 with a tennis ball under one end. When you put it on edge, however, you're rewarded with quick, smooth acceleration. It makes my CDX feel like I'm riding with the parking brake on. It's this free-wheeling feel that was giving me some serious slack line problems. I was having a hard time getting the ski to decelerate in the pre-turn. I have my CDX set up to be able to take a ton of speed into the ball, slam a tight radius turn, then come out of the turn with no slack line. It works great for a guy who tends to get late more often than he'd like to. I found that I had to release for the pre-turn much earlier on the S8 to get it to turn well, but when I did, it made a nice carving turn. I did notice that my ski tip was a little high on both sides. HO really did go back to a CDX style ride a little with this ski in terms of how it turns. I messed around with a few "west coast" style turns on it, and it seemed to really come to life when I did that.

I think with some time and adjustments, I could really get this ski to work well for me. It does carve a nice turn when you're patient. I'm sure I could tweak it to turn tighter and faster.

I'm still planning on getting a demo ski later this summer to spend more time with, but at least now I know what to expect.

By all means add more length to the fin, I ended up adding a lot on my demo. It's alright Canuk- I'm a 38off skier. If the ski is hunting you need to add more length or move boots forward anyway to relieve some pressure build up. I wanted to add that that ski does carry a lot of speed by design, you won't be able to do much to change that and may want to learn to ski with more speed around the ball. There are onyl two ways to get a ski to decelerate; one is to ride with the boots back- that sinks the tail of the ski and makes it slower oeverall but it also keeps you going outbound after the second wake. Two, add wing angle to slow the ski coming into the buoy- keep in mind that the ski will also be slow off the buoy.

If you keep that ski get used to and comfortable with you rcalipers because it's a very temperate ski and will require a lot of changing to keep optimal.

[skisix@38]

If you keep that ski get used to and comfortable with you rcalipers because it's a very temperate ski and will require a lot of changing to keep optimal.

By temperamental do you mean it will require changes to optimize for water temp?

Yes, exactly. Although I don't know if it's just water temp. Different lakes ski deifferently and so require small changes to keep the ski doing what the rider expects, deep/shallow, clear/murky. Some skiers are better at adjusting what they do and so don't have to adjust fins and such. Some skis are more tolerant of minor changes in water.

[UWSkier]

I noticed that last year. I'd have the ski absolutely rocking on my northern WI lake with a portable course (cold, dense water). When I'd get it on the local course (warm, shallow, muddy water), I couldn't ski the thing for crap. I was always getting late, getting pulled out of position. I still have the S8, but I think I'm not going to settle on this ski as my new permanent stick...

Edited February 28, 2006 by UWSkier

[skisix@38]

I noticed that last year. I'd have the ski absolutely rocking on my northern WI lake with a portable course (cold, dense water). When I'd get it on the local course (warm, shallow, muddy water), I couldn't ski the thing for crap. I was always getting late, getting pulled out of position. I still have the S8, but I think I'm not going to settle on this ski as my new permanent stick...

I'm telling ya, Carbonworx!

What's happening is that when you go to the warm and muddy water the ski rides deeper in the water and will slow down more readily. This demands that you be more patient in you reach and in your release of your free hand. That allows the ski more time to arc out and then come back under you. Being that you are used to water where the ski rides on top a little more, you have adapted to a style with quick reach and release.

[UWSkier]

Yep. I figured that out with a good coach in the boat. When I went up north to my lake again, I was way off.

[edwin]

I'm telling ya, Carbonworx!

What's happening is that when you go to the warm and muddy water the ski rides deeper in the water and will slow down more readily. This demands that you be more patient in you reach and in your release of your free hand. That allows the ski more time to arc out and then come back under you. Being that you are used to water where the ski rides on top a little more, you have adapted to a style with quick reach and release.

The CWorx doesn't require an adjustment?

[Toby]

check out jager sports.com they have a cool excel program that you put in all your details (ski size, water temp and clarity, etc etc) and it spits out fin no's for you.

pretty advanced, out-there extreme stuff but worth a look.

[skisix@38]

I'm telling ya, Carbonworx!

What's happening is that when you go to the warm and muddy water the ski rides deeper in the water and will slow down more readily. This demands that you be more patient in you reach and in your release of your free hand. That allows the ski more time to arc out and then come back under you. Being that you are used to water where the ski rides on top a little more, you have adapted to a style with quick reach and release.

The CWorx doesn't require an adjustment?

No, the same thing happens but, for some reason, that ski isn't as tempramental to changes in conditions. Which is part of the reason I ride it.