Skyski

[hattric73]

I have been looking at getting into the skyski/airchair sport...I have never done it and don't know anyone that does, so I can't try it and see how I like it...Does anyone know where we could pick up some cheaper starter equipment...I am not real excited to spend $1K+ on a sport I have not tried, but I would really, really like to give it a run!

any suggestions?!

[CTSunsetter]

Check out www.foilforum.com. Maybe someone in your area that will take you out for a try. You will find most foilers willing to do this. You could also go to a Fly-in to give it a try. Check with Lonnie at www.cinchmax.com as he often has used skis. I'm 100% biased to Sky Ski and think it is the better product.

Also do a search as this has been discussed many times.

...and they will look cool on your boat!

Edited May 31, 2009 by CTSunsetter

[Pistol Pete]

I'm biased toward Sky Ski also but, I started with an Air Chair.

You can usually find them on ebay. The older they are, the cheaper.

Here's how much cooler my SS looks on my boat 'cause I made the mounts myself and saved ~$500.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Pistol Pete

[Gatoraider]

I've seen these foils on the lake we're on here in AL and they look very dificult to master.... True or not?

[Pistol Pete]

Very difficult to learn how to get up but, once you've figured that out (about a day) it's the best thing to ride out there.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Lots of talent in MN riding SkySki these days, including the reigning women's rider, MJ. Put the word out on FoilForum.com or the Yahoogroup & you will find numerous people who would love to have you join them.

I can't say enough about how much fun we have riding a foil over any of the ski/board sports. The feeling of flying over the wake, the jumps, inverts, etc.

[99response]

Very difficult to learn how to get up but, once you've figured that out (about a day) it's the best thing to ride out there.

For sure, I've had more friends try and ride the thing (it's pretty good entertainment), takes a solid day to be able to get it up and not ride it like a cowboy at a rodeo.

I started riding last year, now trying to get into some inverts - tons of fun.

[TalleyHo]

There's a couple of guys that ride these out on our Lake. The guy I met was really cool - and took me for a spin. I will say I consider myself fairly adept at learning things, and it was pretty easy for me to get up. I didn't want to burn his $3.50/gallon gas at the time, so I took just quick lap around the run.

It is a LOT of fun. I'd get into it if I could afford it. I figure once my knees and back are shot from boarding, then I'll either have to sell the boat (not happening) or get a wheel chair, er, SkySki

It is incredibly smooth even on the rough days. And quiet - it was really cool to be behind the boat, and have it be sooooo quiet riding. Getting into the sport is prohibitively expensive for me now - I just can't afford the $$ its going to cost for a ski + rack.

[skyskier]

When I started in 1994, I bought a 1000.00 set up and split the cost with two ski buddies. Very affordable. All three of us quickly gave up on all other water sports and focused on hydrofoiling. Most riders are able to get up and ride in control within a few sessions. Jumps in the flats and at the wake are easily within grasp in the first season. If you ride a lot or have lots of natural talent, you could be hitting inverts by season two. Somewhere in between you will be tossed like a rag doll and experience every splat known to mankind. Serious fun no matter which end of the rope you are on!

Also, make sure you have a few basic safety items before your first ride. Secure foot wraps, a helmet, and a line release are mandatory. Don't even think about riding without them. I am not saying hydrofoiling is a dangerous sport, but I am saying you will be 99% safer with those three items.

[MalibuTime]

When I started in 1994, I bought a 1000.00 set up and split the cost with two ski buddies. Very affordable. All three of us quickly gave up on all other water sports and focused on hydrofoiling. Most riders are able to get up and ride in control within a few sessions. Jumps in the flats and at the wake are easily within grasp in the first season. If you ride a lot or have lots of natural talent, you could be hitting inverts by season two. Somewhere in between you will be tossed like a rag doll and experience every splat known to mankind. Serious fun no matter which end of the rope you are on!

Also, make sure you have a few basic safety items before your first ride. Secure foot wraps, a helmet, and a line release are mandatory. Don't even think about riding without them. I am not saying hydrofoiling is a dangerous sport, but I am saying you will be 99% safer with those three items.

From watching The Secret Spot, I would say the 4th is deep water/don't ride too close to shore!

[Bill_AirJunky]

When I started in 1994, I bought a 1000.00 set up and split the cost with two ski buddies. Very affordable. All three of us quickly gave up on all other water sports and focused on hydrofoiling. Most riders are able to get up and ride in control within a few sessions. Jumps in the flats and at the wake are easily within grasp in the first season. If you ride a lot or have lots of natural talent, you could be hitting inverts by season two. Somewhere in between you will be tossed like a rag doll and experience every splat known to mankind. Serious fun no matter which end of the rope you are on!

Also, make sure you have a few basic safety items before your first ride. Secure foot wraps, a helmet, and a line release are mandatory. Don't even think about riding without them. I am not saying hydrofoiling is a dangerous sport, but I am saying you will be 99% safer with those three items.

From watching The Secret Spot, I would say the 4th is deep water/don't ride too close to shore!

That was Ted Freeman. He hit a small stick in the water...... one of the hazards of the sport. Even the smallest weed or piece of plastic will drop you in a hurry.

Like SkySkier, I use the Cinch FootStays & quick release from http://www.cinchmax.com. Very inexpensive & worth every bit of additional safety they offer.

I've been using a Protec Ace Wake helmet for years. Recently I saw some cool ones on http://www.shredready.com. They have headphones available for some of their helmets too. Could be cool.

[water_junky]

When I started in 1994, I bought a 1000.00 set up and split the cost with two ski buddies. Very affordable. All three of us quickly gave up on all other water sports and focused on hydrofoiling.

That was Ted Freeman. He hit a small stick in the water...... one of the hazards of the sport. Even the smallest weed or piece of plastic will drop you in a hurry.

Like SkySkier, I use the Cinch FootStays & quick release. Very inexpensive & worth every bit of additional safety they offer.

I've been using a Protec Ace Wake helmet for years.

I originally went in on thirds on my first SkySki, now I'm on my fourth SkySki! Cinch FootStays a must, we use a CompTech release, Gath helmet, and a neck brace. We have basically given up wake boarding and sking for the hydrofoil. The hydrofoil community is small and pretty tight, all of the hydrofoilers on our lake tend to hang out together between our runs.

It is probably one of the hardest things to learn, but once you learn it is one of the easiest things to ride. At Lake Powell I have pulled my wife for over 13 miles in one run, try that on a slalom ski We do still slalom ski once in a while and I'm dead after five minutes, on the foil we can go all day.

Fish are also a good hazard, one second your riding, the next your in the water and never saw it coming!!

Terry

[99response]

Ok bringing this thread back up to the top so the Sky Ski experts can chime in.

Started trying a few dismount gainers last year, landed a few but ended up with a few more headaches than anything else.

So last couple weeks have been alot better, pulled off like 5 attempts (out of 5) last weekend. Trying to hold onto the rope finally but seems to just load up and pull right out of my hands every time. Because nothing is any good without pictures here it is...

Seems like I'm not looking to the horizon, but I'm definitely seeing the landing and making the rotation. If I look further back just seems like I keep going around once I hit the water.

[Bill_AirJunky]

OK, 1/2 the issues is nutting up to throw it. So at least your over that hump & realize your still walking & talking even though you crashed.

But let me ask a few questions to try & illustrate how to do a back flip on a foil. Imagine your on the swimstep & want to do a back flip into the water. What do you do? Throw your head & shoulders back? Or jump & then throw your feet/knees up over your head?

It's the same on a foil.

Also, I usually tell people to separate the two steps a bit. Jump, wait, then flip. This will make you do a high, slow rotation, which is much easier to land than a low, fast rotation. Not that you can't land them, but their tough to slow down & ride out.

[skyskier]

It looks like you are almost there. You need to keep the handle in close to your inside hip. That allows you to give some line back to the boat on the landing. If you land with your arm straight out you have nothing to give and you will get pulled over or just lose the handle. Also, make sure you have both hands on the handle when you land. My gainer coach is probably reading this right now and thinking "glass houses dude".

When you pull out into the flats, make sure you go all the way out until you are even with the boat and then square up with the boat just a bit. (turn in so you are traveling with the boat, not away from it). The idea is to take the load off the line so you have time to go around without getting pulled sideways. Do not hesitate or coast. That will scrub off your speed and create too much slack. Also keep in mind that letting go with your outside hand will lighten the line a little as well. Square up, let go with the outside hand, and get a good jump. Do it fast. It is almost one motion. Later you can use line tension to get more air, but that is not something you need to be thinking about or trying right now. Try to keep everything smooth and fluid. With this trick, less is more.

It is important to know that once you are in the air, you can control your rotation. You can slow it down by opening up (laying it out a bit) or speed it up by crunching in (knees to chest). It is EXTREMELY important to spot the landing ASAP. You should be looking at the horizon when you initiate the jump. That gives you a reference point. As soon as the tip of your ski has a blue sky background you need to tilt your head back as far as you can and spot the landing. The sooner you spot the landing, the sooner you will know what correction (if any) is needed. Spotting the landing early is the key to landing a gainer on a consistent basis. If you try to control the rotation by getting the perfect jump, you are going to get lucky now and then, but mostly you will be taking a beating for no good reason. I cannot stress enough how important it is to know where you are and make corrections.

In the photo above, you should have your head tilted all the way back and already know if corrections are needed. If you find that tilting your head back makes you go around too fast, try laying it out a bit. That will slow down your rotation and help you to spot the landing even sooner.

Boat speed for learning gainers should be 18-20. Good luck..........and post photos!

[99response]

OK, 1/2 the issues is nutting up to throw it. So at least your over that hump & realize your still walking & talking even though you crashed.

But let me ask a few questions to try & illustrate how to do a back flip on a foil. Imagine your on the swimstep & want to do a back flip into the water. What do you do? Throw your head & shoulders back? Or jump & then throw your feet/knees up over your head?

It's the same on a foil.

Also, I usually tell people to separate the two steps a bit. Jump, wait, then flip. This will make you do a high, slow rotation, which is much easier to land than a low, fast rotation. Not that you can't land them, but their tough to slow down & ride out.

The jump, wait, then flip is what has actually allowed me to start making the rotation consistently. Looked at an old video attempt and I was starting the flip before I even jumped, now I make sure to get a good pop then initiate rotation.

Looks like I need to lay out a bit and get my head back to see that landing sooner....and keep that handle in tight.

Thanks guys!

[RLXISD]

Skyskier and Bill, how do you get a good "POP" on your initial jump before the flip?

[Bill_AirJunky]

I had landed a ton of one handed gainers out in the flats & wake rolls when Murphy told me to think about initiating with my feet. Do the dip by pushing down a bit, then jump by lifting up on your feet, and do the roll or gainer by pulling your feet up & over your head. It didn't meke a ton of difference right away, not even the first year. But after a couple years of doing it this way my consistancy on air rolls, wake back rolls & front rolls has gone thru the roof.

Combine that with things like a strong progressive cut to load the line, good line control/handle position and timing to hit the front wing right at the lip of the wake, and the air gets crazy!

[Bill_AirJunky]

Oh yea, one more thing..... when your able to keep a tight line all the time, go longer. I'm at 80' now days & it definitely makes things interesting.

[Big Mac]

I started out with an Air Chair Stealth. I found the learning curve steep, but short. By the second season I found that the performance of the Stealth was holding me back and switched to a Sky Ski B-39. Huge difference in performance between the two. I still remember the first jump I attempted on the B-39, thinking "holy ****" as it literally launched me across the wake. However, I am a little skeptical about learning on one of the higher-performance foils. I taught several people on the Stealth with little problem, but my success rate on getting people up on the B-39 has been much, much lower.

When I bought the B-39, I sold the 2-year old Air Chair on ebay for about $150 less than I paid for it. Watching ebay, I see that these things tend to hold their value pretty well. I wouldn't be too reluctant to buy an entry-level foil with the plan of selling it once your skills improved. I think the standard Air Chairs tend to run cheaper than the entry-level Sky Skis. I really like my Sky Ski B-39, but if I were starting over, I'd do it the same way - start with the Air Chair and move up later.

One of the things I miss about the Air Chair is its ease of disassembly (foil from board). Much more cumbersome on the Sky Ski. I could easily store the Air Chair in my boat and assemble it on the water. Not so with the Sky Ski. It's a problem for me since I don't have a tower or hydrofoil rack, so I have to load the assembled Sky Ski in the boat every time I use it (I actually store it suspended under my boat lift canopy). It's a heavy bugger - heavier than the Air Chair - and cumbersome to move around. It's worth it at this stage of the game, but I would have found it a nuisance when I was starting out.

I agree totally with the Cinch Foot stays. And Lonnie Marchand is a GREAT guy with utterly reliable service and support.

Anyway, that's my take on beginning hydrofoiling. Other's may have a different take, and I certainly would take their opinions seriously as they may have a lot more experience with the teaching/learning process than I do.

Hydrofoiling is a total blast, and I don't think I've been on a ski or wakeboard since the first day I got up on the hydrofoil.

Note : if you go the used Air Chair route, I think you'll be much happier with the Stealth-or-later models.