Kids training ski

[SBR]

So we are buying one of Obrien training ski's for my son. Any tips on rope length....speed...etc. Have any of you used these? Any input? Thanks

[sabre]

We use our surf rope and feed it from the platform. With the right coordination between driver and rope person, the kid doesn't get their hair wet and always has fun.

[SBR]

We use our surf rope and feed it from the platform. With the right coordination between driver and rope person, the kid doesn't get their hair wet and always has fun.

On our last river trip, I saw a guy tryin that but gave up and just started with his son starting on our neighbors beach.

[G-Mack]

doesn't it come with a 40-50' rope with a handle for the parent on the boat. You don't want to start your kid with a rope attached to the boat... they may panic and hold on too long ... the fun will be washed away as quick as you can blink. The ez-ski trainer we have is limited to 10 mph

Edited September 18, 2011 by G-Mack

[REW]

If it doesn't have its own rope use a section 40' or so with two hadles. Totoal should be 50' or so. As mentioned above do not attach the rope to the boat until the "learning" and frear have gone and thekid can remember to let go. The speed will depend on the size of the kid. I have seen them in the cove (no wake) going like 6 mph. literally just over idel, kid looked about 3.

Have fun

[CumminsBu]

We use the ez ski trainer and tow them about 10 mph with about 20ft of line. There is a "V" begins to form in the prop wash that keep the trainer right in the middle of the wake in a turn.

[Michigan boarder]

Here's my daughter on our ski skimmer at age 4. She actually started on it the year prior, at age 3. At age 3 the boat was in idle, and she was asking to slow down. So it doesn't take much of anything. In this pic I think I was barely above idle.

We just tied an old ski rope to the handle of the skimmer. Then ran the rope around the transom grab bar a couple of times, and then mom held the end inside the boat. There was about 40 feet of rope out behind the boat. We started her from the beach, standing on the ski in 6 inches of water. Just lean back, bump it in gear, and off we went. It is pretty much impossible for it to submarine, based on the shape of it and the weight displacement.

It's been a great thing for her to learn on, and she now gets on a wakeboard off the boom. Pretty sure she will be behind the boat on the wakeboard next year.

[mibarefooter]

Those are a great tool. We have one. Our oldest boy started on the Skimmer at 2 1/2 yrs old. At first he started out on the boom with me out there dragging in the water. The nice thing is that it will work with the boat at an Idle speed.

Then he went behind the boat and would cut really hard across the wake.

[sabre]

On our last river trip, I saw a guy tryin that but gave up and just started with his son starting on our neighbors beach.

The trick is that the boat driver has to start a lot faster than you'd expect, and the person handling the rope controls the skier's speed for the first 30-50 feet.

[SBR]

Alright, thanks for the input.......and cool pic Michigan boarder! I can't wait top see that same look on my sons face!!!

[ct77]

We opted for deep water start to get the kids used to being in the water and feeling the boat pull them up, however it took two boats and Mitch Buchannan (Bay Watch) to accomplish the task. Dad in the water, with kids bottom on the shoulder, holds them steady and they are up and sking. Boat two pics up Dad in water and flanks them until the kid is done. Dad jumps in water and all is good! Best thing ever watching your kids get up for the first time. I like the idea of two boats because if the kid falls and you are on a busy lake (we go to Lake Havasu) it feels safer when you can block the skier when down.

[Danno]

We taught a lot of kids to ski on similar devices. For 4 year olds, we tied the rope to the front of the ski trainer and held the other end with our hands in the boat so they did not get dragged under. Too much fun for the young ones and the parents watching.

[canski27]

We have a very similar ski but it has a bladder and nylon cover over top of it just like a tube. It floats and the kids can sit down on it as well (it looks a bit like a seadoo). We started them at about 8mph but they both always want to go faster. We now run them around 13 mph and the love it, especailly when they hit wakes from other boats. It came with a rope attached and a handle at the boat end so a passenger can easily hold it and keep them in tow.

Works great and they love it.

[G-Mack]

We have a very similar ski but it has a bladder and nylon cover over top of it just like a tube. It floats and the kids can sit down on it as well (it looks a bit like a seadoo). We started them at about 8mph but they both always want to go faster. We now run them around 13 mph and the love it, especailly when they hit wakes from other boats. It came with a rope attached and a handle at the boat end so a passenger can easily hold it and keep them in tow.

Works great and they love it.

I believe this is the one you are talking about http://www.ezski.net/about.htm this is the one we run and it is great!

[canski27]

I believe this is the one you are talking about http://www.ezski.net/about.htm this is the one we run and it is great!

Exactly!!

[Soon2BV]

Key safety point - if the rope is tieds to the skis - NEVER hook the other end to the boat - always keep it in someone's hand.

If the kid falls and does not come out of the ski's (they usually don't) you will drag them under.

We always found a quiet cove and had one adult (usually me) in the water to assist, my wife driving and another adult holding the handle in the boat. I would just float around after they took off.

[aldawg1234]

my advice, skip the training ski and get two skis with a bar that connects the two skis. I was up on one of those when I was 6 years old. just be sure to put weights on the back of the ski so the kid can control it. Its always cool to see people trying out new stuff though, good luck

[Nitrousbird]

How young can you start kids on the training skis.

My daughter (now 11 months old) loved being in the water this summer, and she loved being on the boat (especially when we were moving). I will likely take her out on the tube with me next summer, just going slow/straight, so she can used to being out there with the boat going, which I imagine she will love. I was thinking summer 2013 perhaps getting her on a training ski, but is that too young?

[davemac]

Nitrous,

This summer my buddy was pulling his daughter (who had just turned two) around on that inflatable EZ Skier. She couldn't get enough of it. Rope was out about 20 feet, and boat going at about 1000rpm, with mom holding end of the rope. Just make sure they are comfortable being alone in the water (if need be) for the few seconds it would take you to get back to them in the event of a mishap.

With the regular wooden skimmer, prior to going behind the boat, I was able to pull my daughter by hand (quickly reeling in the ski rope) parallel to shore along a beach. Those things plane off and need barely any speed to go.

Edited November 26, 2011 by davemac

[Danno]

We started our kids at age 3 on kids training skiis in our basement pulling them across the carpet. By the next summer, they could not wait to have a pull behind the boat. We taught other kids by pulling them by hand down the sandy beach. Good way to get their conficence level up.