Kid Skis advice

[ZenMC]

I Bought my kids a set of beginner Skis today. It was a semi-impulse purchase at academy. They're Hydroslide 54" with one RTP.

http://www.academy.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/outdoors/water_sports/skis&start=0&selectedSKU=0140-01956-0382

I'd been looking at some Connelly's at overtons that appear identical except for graphics, and these were only $100 vs $150 for the Connellys.

My boys are 8 and 10 and have never skied so I am hoping these'll be OK for a couple of seasons. Both boys are very similar in size (About 51 and 52" tall, and about 62 and 72 Lbs respectively). Do these look OK to you guys? Like all sports equipment I buy for them, I'd prefer to size them right and replace as needed rather than forcing them to adapt to something way too big and learning bad technique to compensate for poor fit.

I bought them a pretty nice CWB wakeboard at Christmas, since I figure that'll be their main interest, but I want them to have the opportunity to make their own choices. I've always been a skier, but I bought myself a wakeboard too. (...if you're going to talk the talk...)

Also, while on the subject of kid's skiing, what's the best technique for pulling newbie kids? They had never skied behind our old boat, and this is our first tournament ski boat (97 205 Lt1). We do not own a boom, and I'd like to teach them from behind the boat if possible. Advice on pulling kid wakeboarders would be welcome too, however I don't want to commit blasphemy in the wrong thread, so no offense intended!


Thanks

[east tx skier]

First and foremost, pull them slow. Doesn't take much power to pull kids.

Also, since those skis have the bar, one option is to connect the rope to the skis through the bar to a handle that they hold. If you go that route, do not have the other end connected to the pylon. There should be a handle on both ends of the rope. One for the skier, and one for the person in the boat holding it. If they fall, let go of the rope. If they are holding a rope normally, i.e., not connected through the bar, then you can connect the rope to the pylon. But make sure to state what seems obvious to those of us who have been skiing a while ... If you fall, let go of the rope.

Have fun and make sure they have fun above all else.

Good luck.

[chudson]

Personally I'd say just go out and pull them, the skis look great and if you have a rope with lopes I'd shorten it up!!!

[Jkelly]

I used the O'brien version they work well. My daughter , which is ten, know use our community ski now. Heres how I don't it.
I took the bar off the nose, so mine would not have to learn twice, they need to go ahead and learn to keep the skis together. Then I added a two pound to the rear of the ski to help them keep it in the right position so they are not fighting with the skis (the ski tiring to float them up). Put them on a long line and go slow. You have a lot of power and you don't want to pull them over the skis. You actually want them to bog down in the water a little until they get their balance. Tell them to keep their arms straight knee bent and do not try to stand up, stay squatted.
I taught my both of my kids, daughter was 8 and son is 6. I usually started pulling them at 8-10 MPH until they got use to it. I know pull them around 12 MPH. If you have Perfect Pass it makes it a lot easier. But to start out you want need it.

[tex]

Dry land practice first. If you can put them in shallow water and pull them by had that helps. Booms rock. I also put mine(when he was 5) on the plateform and realed him out. That was with the rope attached to his skis.

[jss101]

I Bought my kids a set of beginner Skis today. It was a semi-impulse purchase at academy. They're Hydroslide 54" with one RTP.

http://www.academy.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/outdoors/water_sports/skis&start=0&selectedSKU=0140-01956-0382

I'd been looking at some Connelly's at overtons that appear identical except for graphics, and these were only $100 vs $150 for the Connellys.

My boys are 8 and 10 and have never skied so I am hoping these'll be OK for a couple of seasons. Both boys are very similar in size (About 51 and 52" tall, and about 62 and 72 Lbs respectively). Do these look OK to you guys? Like all sports equipment I buy for them, I'd prefer to size them right and replace as needed rather than forcing them to adapt to something way too big and learning bad technique to compensate for poor fit.

I bought them a pretty nice CWB wakeboard at Christmas, since I figure that'll be their main interest, but I want them to have the opportunity to make their own choices. I've always been a skier, but I bought myself a wakeboard too. (...if you're going to talk the talk...)

Also, while on the subject of kid's skiing, what's the best technique for pulling newbie kids? They had never skied behind our old boat, and this is our first tournament ski boat (97 205 Lt1). We do not own a boom, and I'd like to teach them from behind the boat if possible. Advice on pulling kid wakeboarders would be welcome too, however I don't want to commit blasphemy in the wrong thread, so no offense intended!


Thanks
My wife and I have taught tons of kids to ski. My son is now 15 and is a killer slalom skiier. My best advice is this:
1. Most important thing to tell them is: "If it doesn't feel right, let go!" I've seen kids get pulled under and have a bad experience just because they held on too long. Someone suggested one of those ropes with a handle at both ends; those can work.
2. With the younger kids it's a good idea to have an adult in the water behind them the first time or two they try to get up. They often have trouble with the skiis flopping all over the place and get frustrated. An adult can just help them stay balanced and in position the first few times till they get the hang of it. Also good for moral support!
3. I always find the biggest problem they have is they try to stand up too quickly. They expect it to be instant, since it looks fast from the boat. To a kid it takes *forever* to get up. If you try to get them to be patient and stay in the crouch a few seconds longer they'll have better luck.

Good luck and have fun!!

[BIGBADBLUE]

We always have my wife in the water when they are learning a deep water start. She calms them down , helps them get straight, puts skies on and coach them on every pull. Tip - If you hold the bottoms of their skis down right when you take off it helps a lot.

I will 2nd the go slow part. I pull kids on 2 skies at a max of 1600 rpms or about 14 mph and some say that is too fast. Go slow!!! they learn better body position and do not need the speed.

Have fun as teaching kids to ski is great. We had 20 church kids out last Friday and had a riot

[tex]

Tell them to cannonball. If you have some wideboards used in showskiing, you can ski beside them and help them up!

[ZenMC]

Got it...SLOW and EASY !

We have a 75' 5-section rope. So shorter is best ?

I like the idea of an adult in the water too. We could start them out just off the beach with my wife in the water.

Excellent point also about reminding them to let go of the rope if things go awry. So true... what seems obvious to an adult may not be so with a panic stricken child.

We'd love to have a boom, but I'm trying to budget/prioritize for several rather large ticket items.It seems the boom would become less necessary over time, but perfect pass is high on the list, would be useful indefinitely, and may preserve my current state of blissful matrimony.

Thanks for all the great advice, you're a helpful bunch!

[tex]

It's one of my favorite things to see! Nothing like seeing that kid's face when they are cruising along. I always say, the best day spent is teaching someone to ski! Young or old!

[betsy&david Harrison]

Just an idea for all of you...

John Horton put on trick skis to first get Alicia up on a single since a boom wasn't available. Soon discovered that the ski was too narrow.

[betsy&david Harrison]

Then we used a fat Connelly ski we had for kids and away she went after John helped guide her up from the water.

[Crash]

The best trick to getting begginers out of the water I've found is a short line (22' off or shorter) and a wakeboard tower/extended pylon. The angle pulls them straight out of the water vertically vs. a horizontal pull.

My favorite ski of choice is Obrien Celebirty Jr.

[east tx skier]

It's one of my favorite things to see! Nothing like seeing that kid's face when they are cruising along. I always say, the best day spent is teaching someone to ski! Young or old!

Mine, too. Here's an anonymous relative of mine. The smile/scream was priceless!

I'll second being in the water with them the first couple of deep water starts so the skis don't float them out of position.

[BIGBADBLUE]

Teaching kids to ski is a riot ... like Tex said ... Nohing better.

Wife and I realized last weekend that we are really done teaching our kids to get up. They all can ski on 2,1 and wakebaord. We still have lots to teach them but not the getting up part. We put the boom in the garage until i get up my courage to barefoot again.

[ZenMC]

I hadn't really considered it, but pulling the kids from the tower to assist getting up is an excellent idea, I'll give that a try to start out.

I looked at the Obrien Celebrity when I initially started checking out kid's skis, but I kinda felt that at the kid's height (52ish" +/-) a 54" ski might be a slightly better fit when they transitioned to slalom.

Do you guys think I'd be better off with the 58" Obrien Celebritys?

I've purposely left all the packaging on the Hydroslides til I got "official approval" from you guys, so I could return them easily if y'all think the O'briens would be a better choice. If you guys recommend the change I'm all over it!

Both boys are pretty good at balance type sports. They both are comfortable on snow skis.The eight year old (who is an amazing skateboarder) picked up snowboarding this year like he was born on the thing. The 10 year old wasn't quite as comfortable on the snowboard and chose to revert to snow skis, and truthfully he is who I am really aiming the waterskis at. There seems to me to be a degree of crossover in technique between snowboarding and wakeboarding. If he doesn't like the wakeboard I want him to have a thing. He is also really pumped with the idea of skiing, while the 8 year old barely gave the skis a glance. I am keeping my mouth shut as I do not wish to create any preconcieved bias in either of their minds as to what they will or will not enjoy.

They're funny creatures. The 8 year old is unfazed by the scariest obstacles at a skatepark but is easily intimidated by any remotely technical terrain on his mountainbike (my thing). The ten year old loves to ride with me, and is fearless on the mtb to the point I have to reel him in on occasion, but is comparatively tentative in his skateboard. I relish their differences and uniqueness, and am just excited to get them really involved in watersports....it should be a very interesting summer!

One more question. What should I expect with regard to skill progression? I know it's dependent on the individual, but would it be realistic to see them getting up on one ski by end of summer, for example? I plan on letting things take a natural course, just wondering what people's experiences are. They've watched me ski a fair amount, but not so much in recent years.

That's about to change of course, and a new ski for dad is on the agenda, but that may have to wait for end of season, or over the winter. I am following ETS's advice from some earlier thread and watching the used market on ski-it-again.com and ebay, but have not kept up with the newer skis so will probably have to initiate a "what ski for me?" thread before long.

Thanks again everybody!

[Crash]

My 8 yr. old daughter whose now 44" tall has been using the Celebirty Jrs. for 3 years now. When she was 5 she needed some assistance as they float better then she did.

My only concern is that once they start slaloming, she's had a couple hamstring strains over the past couple years since its only a single boot and the ski weighs more than she does.

Both kids started on old woodies, then went to shapped skis as soon as possible, because they can be controlled much better.

Hope that helps.

[WTRSK1R]

As you said, every kid is different, but my experience with my now 13 year old was this. He learned to ski on two skis when he was 8. I do not remember if it was early in the summer or not, but we did not get past 2 skis that year. The following summer he learned to drop a ski and slalom. He did not learn to deepwater start until he was 11 if I remember correctly. Now, he can pop right up on one ski, but is still tentative at the wake. He loves the big wall of water when he really edges in, but usually it is actually pulling out, away from the boat rather then from carving a turn. He still enjoys skiing, but he is not nearly as obsessed as me.

My 8 year old daughter has gotten up on 2 skis a number of times on a boom, but manages to get herself syched out when she is behind the boat. She is convinced it will hurt if she falls. The funny thing, is she loves the tube, and I pull her way faster on the tube then I ever would on skis. I am hoping I get her up this summer so that she gets past the whole thing. But, if not, I am ok with that too.

Good Luck, and BRING A CAMERA, you will want it.

[Bongo]

As my kids and any beginner who has skied behind my boat in the past 5 years will recall, the most important advice I give them is "Sit back, relax."

"Sit back, relax." to mean:
- When you've got your skis or wake board strapped to your feet, you cannot maneuver as quickly as if you were just swimming. So "Sit back, relax." and make slow movements to get into position.
- When the boat is pulling around with the rope, the boat driver will bring the handle to you. You don't need to churn water and try to get it. The driver will bring it over your shoulder. "Sit back, relax."
- When the boat starts, let the boat pull you up. Don't fight the boat. Don't stand up as quick as you can. "Sit back, relax." The boat is a lot stronger than you.

I've tried a few different styles. What I like best it to leave an adult (usually me) in the water with a beginner. Someone to offer calm, soothing advice. (As you can guess, it is usually "Sit back, relax.") Someone to get the rope and handle in position. Someone to hold the skies parallel at the start. And someone to say to the rider "Get ready." followed quickly by a shout to the driver "Hit it."

I occasionally have to put a muzzle on my wife. You can give someone one, maybe two, pieces of advice that they can remember and execute. Shouting 5 things to them just ain't gonna work.

Just my $0.02.

Bongo

[mdthacker]

I am interested in your idea of adding a couple pounds of weight to the rear of each ski. Why type of weight did you use? My daughter is 8, but medium height and slender. She struggles in the water badly trying to keep the tips up because the skis have more ballast than she.

[WTRSK1R]

I have been thinking about adding weight with my combos for adults since it seems like everyone always struggles so much to keep the skis from floating around. I too would be interested in what type of weights were used, and how they were attached.
I keep thinking that if the tails of the skis were just a little heavy, it would help keep the skis in position and stable making it easier for a new skier.

[TX.X-30 fan]

I occasionally have to put a muzzle on my wife. You can give someone one, maybe two, pieces of advice that they can remember and execute. Shouting 5 things to them just ain't gonna work.

Just my $0.02.

Bongo



I can see how that would come in very handy, on and off the lake. :D :D


Any wife muzzle links? :confused: