Learning to water ski successfully depends on two things; what you do while you’re in the water, and while you rising out of it. Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as strapping on two skis and hammering down the throttle. But if you can follow a few tips listed below, I can assure you that you’ll spend more time out of the water, than in it.
Starting Position Guidelines:
-
Sit in a chair The chair position is the most crucial part of getting up easily on skis. When in doubt, sit in a chair position. Even when skiing on top of the water, sit in a chair position to absorb bumps.
- Skis Position The tips of your skis should be about 6 inches out of the water, pointing towards the boat.
- Handle Position The handle should be placed between your knees when you are in the starting position. Your arms should be out, but slightly bent at the elbows.
- Don’t fight it The trick is to not try and pull the boat, but rather follow it up out of the water and let it work to your advantage. When you fight it, it’s you against the boat. And the boat always wins.
- Don’t over think it Getting up on two skis should be a stress-free activity. Don’t over-think about the handle, skis, position, what can go wrong…etc. This will just clog your thinking. Clear your mind, and tell your driver to “Hit it”.
Once you’ve told the driver to push down the throttle, here are a few more things to consider.-
As the boat begins to move, gently push forward on the skis and lean back slightly. Don’t worry if your knees get close together; just make sure that the skis stay shoulder width apart.
- Stay in the chair position until the skis are on top of the water. This is the most common mistake when learning to ski, standing up too quickly. Standing up too quick will cause the skis to sink down, making it harder to hold on and will force you to fall forward, sideways, backwards.
- Let your arms and handle stretch out, don’t pull the rope in close to your body
Keep in mind that every person is different when learning to ski. Some people grasp it quicker than others, but don’t let that hurt your confidence level. Drivers should increase speed gradually so as to not rip the handle from the skiers’ hands. Smaller people and kids will have an easier time getting out of the water because they weigh less, and typically follow rule #5 with ease. The time that’s hardest to hold onto the handle is right before you’re out of the water, so stick with it. And most importantly remember that water skiing is supposed to be FUN!
Phil Davis is the General Manager at Wake Tonka – School of Wakeboarding & Water Skiing
952-486-7353
