Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Crossing the Wake


VinRLX

Recommended Posts

Ok fellas, I need some more BF instruction. I've finally ordered some shoe skis, which should make the learning curve a little flatter and keep my face a little rounder. Biggrin.gif I'm standing up directly behind the boat, but I don't always make it out of the wake before using my eyelid-brakes to stop for a yardsale.

How about some helpful hints on crossing the wake? (Yeah, I'm thinking keep my toes up) I'm sure better steering control would help.

Link to comment
Ok fellas, I need some more BF instruction. I've finally ordered some shoe skis, which should make the learning curve a little flatter and keep my face a little rounder. Biggrin.gif I'm standing up directly behind the boat, but I don't always make it out of the wake before using my eyelid-brakes to stop for a yardsale.

How about some helpful hints on crossing the wake? (Yeah, I'm thinking keep my toes up) I'm sure better steering control would help.

Normally when I foot I "cheek out" of the wake then I plant my feet once outside. Ever try this? Glad to explain if you never have.

Link to comment

Basic steering on your feet....

Pull on your left arm and put your weight on your right foot to go left and the opposite to go right.

I would also shift my knees and hips in the direction that you wanted to go towards.

Keep your feet close together and good knee bend and that should put you in good position.

Cheeking out should be similar as above, just make sure you not going to fast until you get outside the wake.

More pressure with your right foot on the rope will drive you to the left.

John

Link to comment

I've got an idea Jack...make a trip out here to St. Louis. We'll road trip up the Mississippi to get some instruction from Tom Sawyer behind his new RLXi. He (along with martho) helped me a bunch learning to foot a couple seasons ago, making the eye-lid peelers a very rare occurrence.

Link to comment
Basic steering on your feet....

Pull on your left arm and put your weight on your right foot to go left and the opposite to go right.

I would also shift my knees and hips in the direction that you wanted to go towards.

Keep your feet close together and good knee bend and that should put you in good position.

John

Hey Jack!

Excellent advise by 1footer... that's going to put your feet on edge just like when you're on skis... Chicago is closer then St. Louis, I am on vacation this week, come on over and we'll do some skiing!... :)

Link to comment

Thanks for the advice guys. I crossed for the first time this morning. Took a couple of runs--NO FALLS! Though, I'm ashamed to admit, it was behind our partner's MC PS190. Getting the hang of cheeking out, or I just have the boat go to speed and stand up inside the wake, then steer out. Shoe skis should arrive tomorrow afternoon. :)

Tough problem to have here:

post-30-1154478475_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Thanks for the advice guys. I crossed for the first time this morning. Took a couple of runs--NO FALLS! Though, I'm ashamed to admit, it was behind our partner's MC PS190. Getting the hang of cheeking out, or I just have the boat go to speed and stand up inside the wake, then steer out. Shoe skis should arrive tomorrow afternoon. :)

Tough problem to have here:

post-30-1154478475_thumb.jpg

Yes tough one.....Good thing you have the BU on the lift !!!

If your crossing behind the MC your going to love your boat....should be a huge difference !

Way to go....practice make perfect

John

Link to comment
If your crossing behind the MC your going to love your boat....should be a huge difference !

Are you saying that my wake should be better for crossing than the 95 MC? Did get behind my boat this morning, but did not go across. :(

Link to comment

If your crossing behind the MC your going to love your boat....should be a huge difference !

Are you saying that my wake should be better for crossing than the 95 MC? Did get behind my boat this morning, but did not go across. :(

I would say Yes ...Mastercrafts are notorious for horrible footing wakes... atleast everyone that skied behind.(Not Bashing here :) )

I have skied behind quiet a few Response's and the wake, although slightly larger than my flightcraft was a joy to cross.

You should have a nice smooth curl into the middle and the table has only a small dish in it.

Not to turbulent, sort of soft compared to the outboards.

An extended pylon would make things a little more fun for you too...didnt see one on your's.

The higher pull will make things a little easier, kind of less drag.

Its amazing going from a Skylon back down to the original hight, you feel like you gained a 100 pounds :)

So yes to the original question...your Respone has GREAT wakes for footing...

John R

Just looked at your pics in your gallery.....look at you wake..!!!! Very smooth.....should be cake !

Edited by 1footer
Link to comment

Thanks for the replies, fellas, and the invitations! Believe me, if/when I am ever out that direction I will let you know.

SHOE SKIS!!! Worth every penny. First stand up was a bit strange, like I didn't have to try as hard or something. Conditions were deteriorating rapidly, but I took several runs anyway. Stood up behind the boat; cheeked out and stood up; crossed the wake several times. NO FALLS! I am psyched that I will be able to get more experience and practice while the shoes make things a bit more forgiving.

How difficult is it going back to the feet after using these things??? I was going roughly the same speed, even with the shoes on--how much speed should I scrub while wearing them? Or can/should I stay at the same speed?

Link to comment

Jack, I'm not sure what shoe skis you're using but THIS should give you an idea.

It sure makes me happy to see someone taking up the sport. If you really want a nice wake for crossing, you should consider the SSP.

Edited by Tom Sawyer
Link to comment

Hey Jack!

I am going to second what you been told about your RLX wake being better then MC's... Assuming you bought the small cut downs from Scarpa's slow the speed down to about 38 and bring the rope in 10 feet, this way the wake is going to be about the same when you go on your feet at about 40+... I suggest you go on your feet first and then on your shoe skis then back on your feet... ski 60% if not more on the shoes, when you go on your feet don't change your mechanics, do exactly the same what you do when on your shoes.

Good Luck!... :)

Link to comment

I've been 'taking up' the sport for 3 1/2 seasons now. A bit slow going with no other footers nearby. Imagine trying to learn how to foot behind a driver who is trying to learn how to drive for a footer? Crazy.gif Yeah, the SSP would be nice at this point, but not cost effective I'm afraid. Unless I wanted to dump a bunch of cash into the boat and get the STE tips and plate at the same time. :)

How long is your BF line, Tom Sawyer?

Are those speeds on the Scarpa site for LL?! What's the drawback to going at normal footing speed, other than the shoes being 'slippery'?

Anybody want to go to Scarpa's place next February? Biggrin.gif

Link to comment

I slalom with a 70 foot line behind my Response (which is tournement regulation 70 feet plus handle for a total lenght of 75.5 feet) and I agree about adding the SSP. Without the SSP, at 70 feet the wake behind the Response cavitates (...is that a word??) which would trip me on one foot crossings once in a while. Much better with the SSP. Before I put on the SSP (I wanted to wait after break-in... but was fed up after 5 hours), it maid me regret having sold my Sportster. But know I have gotten use to it and am satisfied with the Response. Personally wakewise, I prefer the Sportster, boat wise the Response and overal I would say the Response, but not by much. If Malibu had made Sportsters in 2006, I would have gone with that. Sorry if I got a bit off topic, but I haven't got over the death of the Sportster... it still hurts sometimes... Cry.gif

Good Luck!

Link to comment

When I had the Rlx I usually skied 85' back, sometimes longer if the water was rough and I wanted to stay inside the wake. I'm still playing around with the line lengths behind my Lxi. IMHO the Lx has the better footn wake of the two. I agree w/ the others in that the Lx wake is better than the mc. That said, without the plate there's still a dip back there that will take you down (or will take me down anyway) if you're not careful.

Good question about the speeds on the chart. The answer is I don't know Dontknow.gif I don't usually ski with the shoe skis on the long rope because I can't get up backwards. When the boat takes off the shoes catch too much water and start heading for the bottom rather than the surface. I don't really need to use the shoes for anything going forward. I would try adding a couple to the chart for long rope and take off a couple for the boom.

You want to slow down on the shoes for two reasons....One, the idea is to simulate barefooting. The more speed you add, the more the shoes will behave like trick skis rather than your bare feet. Slowing down will create more drag making the feeling similar to barefooting. Two, when learning new tricks the shoes will allow you to take the falls at slower speeds..this is the best thing about them. Clap.gif

Link to comment

Thanks guys. I'm going to play with the rope length a bit. Also, did not know about tournament regs requiring a 70' line. Not that I'm entering any tournaments!!! :) I just like to play by the rules for my own improvement.

Dan, long live the Sportster!

Tom, I think we may have a connection:

I grew up where he spent time. Though I am no longer there, he still is.

Link to comment
Tom, I think we may have a connection:

I grew up where he spent time. Though I am no longer there, he still is.

I'm not sure I follow Dontknow.gif

Link to comment

Tom, I think we may have a connection:

I grew up where he spent time. Though I am no longer there, he still is.

I'm not sure I follow Dontknow.gif

Clue #2: You live in Hannibal, MO and your name is Tom Sawyer.

Link to comment

You saying you grew up in Hannibal? No way. Maybe I'm still not following. I make a point of not wearing my thinking cap on Fridays. Crazy.gif

Link to comment
You saying you grew up in Hannibal? No way. Maybe I'm still not following. I make a point of not wearing my thinking cap on Fridays. Crazy.gif

Nope, didn't grow up in Hannibal, but the person I'm thinking of did. Where/how did you come up with 'Tom Sawyer'?

Link to comment

Well, Tom is from Hannibal and liked to go barefoot, so, I thought Tom Sawyer was a good fit for me. We get quite a few tourists here to visit the boyhood home and other sites. I fact, they just constructed a replica of the home of the person on which Huck Finn's character was based.

Anyway, I apologize for being so slow. I still can't find our "connection".

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...