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Son wants a slalom course


88Skier

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14 yo Son got pretty good at slalom this past summer. We're on a big lake with only 1 course about 8 miles away. We made the trek one morning and for the 1st time in 30 years, it was not out. Now he wants his own. Our section of the lake is too busy for a permanant one. Is there such a thing as a temporary course that is easy enough to set up so that we could put it up during the week and take it down before the weekend without a major hassle? The water is about 10-30 feet deep where we would put it.

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2 thoughts:

1) I have an insta slalom that goes in pretty easy. It's well-made and very comparable to UW's ezslalom (except mine's better.....)

j/k

2) you may be able to "drop it". In other words, attach a buoy to the mainline (and that will always "bob"), when you wnat to use it, pull that rope up to get to the mainline, and attach the buoys. When you're done, just detach and "drop it". Thats a heckuva lot easier than actually putting it in and out.

Check out instaslalom.com. Call and talk to Lisa. She has been awesome to work with. I hear great things about the ezslalom guys too, but instaslalom is simply the best customer service/technical help/product help I have ever received...and I needed a lot of help!

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2 thoughts:

2) you may be able to "drop it". In other words, attach a buoy to the mainline (and that will always "bob"), when you wnat to use it, pull that rope up to get to the mainline, and attach the buoys. When you're done, just detach and "drop it". Thats a heckuva lot easier than actually putting it in and out.

That's a good idea.

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Ed has the best product out there

Does Not! Tongue.gif

That's probably not one you're going to win. Everyone on this site who's ever dealt with Ed would never buy from anyone else and has been pleased with the quality... myself included. :)

The poster asked for slalom course info and I gave him my experience. It was a joke with Martho. I've had a great experience with instaslalom, and feel as compelled to tout their product as ezfolks tout theirs. Peace, it was just a joke, I wasn't trying to win anything.

Edited by JohnDoe
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Thanks for the info. It sounds too easy. Believe ot or not, I've been skiing slalom behind an inboard for about 37 years and have never skied a course. The things kids get you into.

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Thanks for the info. It sounds too easy. Believe ot or not, I've been skiing slalom behind an inboard for about 37 years and have never skied a course. The things kids get you into.

They are very simple and very straight forward to install.

A couple important points.

Water depth of about 10' is great. A little less or a little more is no big deal. Anything over 20' or so would make it more challenging to get the anchor to grab as the line from the gates to the anchor is not overly long. You could do it, it just adds another element to the equation.

In deploying the course, develop a system for install and removal. I always work the swim platform position. I could not tell you which arms went into which other arms as they came out of the boat. We have a system which works and we will leave it that way and not change it.

If there is a breeze, always start going into the breeze. The driver can keep the boat in position much better that way, than they can when the wind is blowing them down course. You will find it easier to remove in the same manner. If the wind is blowing you in the direction you are deploying, it gets tough.

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If there is a breeze, always start going into the breeze.  The driver can keep the boat in position much better that way, than they can when the wind is blowing them down course.  You will find it easier to remove in the same manner.  If the wind is blowing you in the direction you are deploying, it gets tough.

Huh? Always go WITH the breeze. Otherwise, you end up getting blown over your mainline. The anchor rope will end up at the downwind end of the course, and unless the wind shifts during the day, you'll be pulling against the wind when you pull up, again, keeping you from drifting over your mainline.

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If there is a breeze, always start going into the breeze.  The driver can keep the boat in position much better that way, than they can when the wind is blowing them down course.  You will find it easier to remove in the same manner.  If the wind is blowing you in the direction you are deploying, it gets tough.

Huh? Always go WITH the breeze. Otherwise, you end up getting blown over your mainline. The anchor rope will end up at the downwind end of the course, and unless the wind shifts during the day, you'll be pulling against the wind when you pull up, again, keeping you from drifting over your mainline.

That's what I had heard as well - with the breeze.

Also keeps the mainline taught.

What the hell does Mark know about slalom stuff anyway???

Tease.gif

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Ed has the best product out there

Does Not! Tongue.gif

That's probably not one you're going to win. Everyone on this site who's ever dealt with Ed would never buy from anyone else and has been pleased with the quality... myself included. :)

We had the pleasure of removing a fellow skier's Insta-Slalom from the lake a few weeks ago. The basic concept is the same as Ed's but the rope is like dental floss in comparison. You could use a fishing reel for the mainline, for god's sake. With how often we deploy the course, I've come to appreciate all the little intelligent features in the EZ-Slalom course, such as the clip design/stowing, robust parts, high quality thin-walled PVC, rope, anchor connection, anchors (30 lb tri fluted river style), etc. Having dealt with both courses PERSONALLY, there is no comparison- the EzSlalom is the clear winner in design and quality components. If anyone had personal experience with both courses and said otherwise I'd be amazed.

Edited by M3Fan
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  • 1 year later...

anyone put an ez slalom in more depth? up to 100 feet?

I may be able to to it and have 1 anchor always in the water (its caught so badly there is no way to pull it up) 4 cinder blocks - 40lbs each or so...

also, how do you tighten the course at the other end when you drop the end anchor?

Edited by H20ski Dude
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I put an EZ-Slalom in about 50 feet of water. You could do 100', but you're going to be hoisting an anchor for a long time when you pull the course out!

To tighten, there is a separate line and buoy attached to the anchor that floats at the end of the course. To set the anchor, you just keep tension on the anchor line as you drop the anchor as the boat slowly idles away from the course. Once the anchor hits the bottom, pull on the anchor rope a few times to get the course straight, then set the anchor back down. Repeat this process a few times and the course should be anchored nice and tight.

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I put an EZ-Slalom in about 50 feet of water. You could do 100', but you're going to be hoisting an anchor for a long time when you pull the course out!

To tighten, there is a separate line and buoy attached to the anchor that floats at the end of the course. To set the anchor, you just keep tension on the anchor line as you drop the anchor as the boat slowly idles away from the course. Once the anchor hits the bottom, pull on the anchor rope a few times to get the course straight, then set the anchor back down. Repeat this process a few times and the course should be anchored nice and tight.

thanks dude,

100 would be the max. the anchor I have down now is around 60-70 feet I suspect, with more let out for the angle needed. I have an old accusink ( I think ) and like many people, having a permanent is next to impossible. My lake also drops 6 feet from spring to fall and gets very windy/wavey/insane with boats often... add fishermen who like to troll around the course (guess the fish like it), random ball cutters, and a slough of other anti slalom course people to the mix...

I am only there on the weekends so it would be great to drop it in on friday night or saturday morning and pull it out on sunday. like I said I have 1 anchor already in, so I can see that being one of the toughest parts.

the course I have, does not have a tension line which makes complete sense. how does it work exaclty? I suspect you would want it to "lock" at the anchor like a zip tie.. and then pull the tension like up to get the anchor out, undo the gates and start pulling the course out.

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To start, you simply hook your existing anchor to your mainline and start driving. Once you reach the first set of loops, install the first gate. The anchor line goes at the END of the course and is used to straighten out and lock your course into place. It's also the first line you pull up when you want to retrieve your course. The anchor line floats freely once you're done tightening the course.

post-25-1185222097_thumb.jpg

Edited by UWSkier
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I am going to order the compact course in the off season. Do you guys have the STANDARD or COMPACT EZ-slalom?

It looks like the best bet! insta-slalom is more $$ and I don't see what you get for it.

I have an old accufloat that I would like to sell first. a few hundred $$ will take it; will try locally for shipping reasons.

Edited by H20ski Dude
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Don't discount the sinking course design. If you have a location that can tolerate the course floating about 10 feet below the surface when not in use it is worth consideration. We have had an Accusink underwater for over 20 years and have been extremely happy. We are currently replacing it with the Wallysinker (Wallyskier), a redesigned version of Accusink.

When you are ready to ski, you inflate it with a 12v air compressor in about 10 minutes. When done, use the same compressor to suck the air out and let it sink. Much easier on your boat, as you are not hauling all the pieces every time you want to ski. Much easier on the course as it stays assembled all the time. Much easier on you because all you are doing is plugging a cord into your cigarette lighter.

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Don't discount the sinking course design. If you have a location that can tolerate the course floating about 10 feet below the surface when not in use it is worth consideration. We have had an Accusink underwater for over 20 years and have been extremely happy. We are currently replacing it with the Wallysinker (Wallyskier), a redesigned version of Accusink.

When you are ready to ski, you inflate it with a 12v air compressor in about 10 minutes. When done, use the same compressor to suck the air out and let it sink. Much easier on your boat, as you are not hauling all the pieces every time you want to ski. Much easier on the course as it stays assembled all the time. Much easier on you because all you are doing is plugging a cord into your cigarette lighter.

I would love to have a sinking course, but because the lake is multi use - especially fishermen!!! I don't think its an option. they will undoubtedly get snagged on it and I've found many lures on the anchor ropes over the years. also the water drops 6 feet from spring to fall as its dammed to feed a canal system down stream. the lake is also quite deep - anywhere from 40-100 feet and varies where the course normally is. the portable course will allow us to install where we want as well (although we have a permament anchor already installed in 1 spot).

I had never heard of wallyski. it looks like an exceptional design. If I ever get a site where it is needed I would do that in a heartbeat.

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