Adapting to Two Foot Slalom Starts

[yippikaiyay]

After skiing for years with a one foot start, my new ski is with double high wraps, a good example of an old dog learning new tricks.
Any quick reminders to make it easier on me?

[#47of100TeamMC]

Don't forget to "Hunker" That's our word for bending the knees and staying low.

[billr]

I use a deep start handle, V-shaped and fits over the ski, to get up. I wish I had stuck with the rear toe plate.

[123src]

If I remember correctly, FWIW, when I switched for 1 to 2 feet in starts, the biggest difference was that with 1 foot, I leaned forward on the start and just left my back foot drag. I was taught with 2 feet in to keep knees to chest (crouched), arms straight, and lean back(instead of the forward i was used to).... I am not so sure I do all that now when getting up, but those peices of advice stopped my frustration and got me on top of the water.

[Brent]

I've been starting with both feet in with a RTP forever, I always worry when I have to drag a leg as I do it so seldom .

Pointers
1) look in the boat until you are completely out.
2) bend your knee's & keep most of your pressure on the front foot
3)keep your forearms locked on either sides of your knee's
4) keep it so a fair amount of the skis tip is out of the water when the boat starts & let the boat do all the work.

Good luck.

[dmayer84]

I have never tried to get up with 1 foot in, is it easier?

[BriEOD]

A deep water, 2 feet in start is challenging.

- Get in a crouched position and pull your knees to your chest and your ankles to your butt
- Keep the ski straight up and down as much as possible with about 6-12 inches of the tip out of the water
- As the boat takes off you want to attempt to keep as much of your body behind the ski as possible
- Keep 90% of the pressure on your back foot until you are up on plane
- Stay on the back foot, don't lean foward, and don't try and stand up to fast
- Keep your arms locked out

[Hoosier Bob]

Forget the back foot and stand hard on the front foot! Make it quick and pop!;)

[Leroy]

Put on a RTP!

[Farmer Ted]

the key to my success has been

boat in gear to get the ski lined up

once ski is lined up yell, "hit it"

close eyes and hang on

I'm 2/2 this year and got up the first time after a 6 month layup
If I had to ski on a short lake, I might be half way through the course before "hit it" is yelled

I know, I'm a slalom god

[yippikaiyay]

Thanks for the info!

[André]

Thanks for the info!
Did it work for you?

[yippikaiyay]

Did it work for you?
Yeah, it's feeling more natural now after keeping some of the pointers in mind......definitely a big change.

[Upper Michigan Prostar190]

good advice here.

Here is mine that several people taught me here on this board when I started, and this is how I teach people to do it with success.

try to "hide" behind the ski. Crouch up, bring the tail of the ski as close to your butt as possible, knees to the chest as close as possible, ski at about a 45 deg angle in the water. Get the ski straight up and down, Have the driver put the boat in gear, as soon as the line gets tight, HIT IT! close your eyes and hang on, keep your weight back, the boat will pull you out of the water, you dont need to help it. once you feel the water start to break away from your body, step down on your rear foot and your up!!:)

[CBergerson]

I got my first double boot ski, an HO Mach One, back in 1985. We were skiing behind a small runabout with a 40 hp outboard that was owned by my girlfriend's dad. I couldn't get up right away and was really frustrated.

My girlfriend, being smaller and lighter, was able to get up right away and got to enjoy my new ski before i did!! :mad:
Later on, we begged for a bigger motor and he bought a 50 HP.

Back then, if you didn't have perfect form, you didn't get up. Now, with 300-plus HP inboards, getting up any method (one foot, two foot, no foot) is very easy for me.

[yippikaiyay]

good advice here.

Here is mine that several people taught me here on this board when I started, and this is how I teach people to do it with success.

try to "hide" behind the ski. Crouch up, bring the tail of the ski as close to your butt as possible, knees to the chest as close as possible, ski at about a 45 deg angle in the water. Get the ski straight up and down, Have the driver put the boat in gear, as soon as the line gets tight, HIT IT! close your eyes and hang on, keep your weight back, the boat will pull you out of the water, you dont need to help it. once you feel the water start to break away from your body, step down on your rear foot and your up!!:)

Yeah, I like that point, 'hiding behind the ski'.