A daunting task [Archive]

Leroy

06-09-2005, 12:09 PM

Do you have a friend that can teach her? :D

Teaching pulling driving and snow skiing are both very challenging.

2. Have a perfect pass.
3. Let her drive around the lake and get used to driveing and looking for other boats, etc.
4. practice some starts with you in boat.
5. Practice with PP set and driving (straight lines, etc)
6. Just do it! Part of the fun is learning.

Last week we were out and my wife saw a boat and pulled out of PP control as I was cutting, fell like a rock, but I'm skiing, so shake it off and enjoy!

JEREMY79

06-09-2005, 12:09 PM

Do not teach her. If you know someone else. Let them do it. When I tried to teach mine all it did was start fights.

1. Be patient
1. Be patient

ski_king

06-09-2005, 12:10 PM

east tx skier

06-09-2005, 12:14 PM

2. Be patient.
3. Do you have a friend who could teach her? What kind of driving? slalom, foot, course.....

Very important one. I think it's best to let someone else teach her, preferably someone older who she can't get mad at.

Just let her drive without a skier for a while. Most of it is just a level of comfort behind the wheel.

1. Gentle consistent starts.
2. Idle back to a dropped skier unless there's an emergency (boat bearing down on the dropped skier).
3. Always approach with the dropped skier on the driver's side of the boat.
4. Visual scan. Don't just watch out the front; don't just stare into the mirror.
5. Don't get frustrated with her. Even if she doesn't get it just right, smile. Remember, you're not at work and you're getting to ski. There's plenty of time to drop hints at how you like to be pulled.
6. Perfect pass cruise saves marriages. Digital Pro makes friends.
7. Work on hand signals. Comes off better than yelling from 60' back.

I'm lucky to have a wife in that 10%. She's been driving boats and pulling skiers since she was 9 years old. But as we both improve, we get pickier about stuff that wouldn't have mattered 5 years ago. Just be gentle when you "offer tips" for the next pull.

starman205

06-09-2005, 12:17 PM

After buying my first ski boat (MC of course), I taught my wife how to drive. With my wife in the drivers seat, I crouched behind her and gave her tips and instruction as we would simulate a ski run. We simulated everythig from the hole shot, to acceleration, to how to make the turn at the end of the run to minimize boat wake, and how to find the smoth water again after a turn when free skiing. After about 4 or 5 sumulations she seemed to get it so I got in the water and she repeated all of the above. By the end of the day she was driving like a pro. By the way she is my favorite driver as I can predict, most of the time, what sheeis going to do in any given situation. :wavey:

Granite_33

06-09-2005, 12:18 PM

The things I always remind my wife about.......for what its worth.
#1 Easy on the up. Constant, but steady and quickly. No need to ram it home off the bat. (She can practice this with you in the boat)
#2 Pay attention to the speed. Play the throttle to keep the speed where it needs to be (absent of Perfect Pass)
#3 Pay attention to the skier. My eyes usually go....Mirror, speedo, mirror, ahead, Speedo, gauges, Mirror, ahead, etc. Nothing too regimented, but the need to be fully aware is necessary both in front and behind the boat.
#4.....DRIVE STRAIGHT. ( my pet peeve, as I have a father in law that likes to turn around in the seat all the time and we snake around the lake)
#5 Make turns with authority, and get back on track quickly. Nothing worse than a slow left hander when you are trying to find a groove.
#6 Approach a fallen skier slowly. No need to zoom up to them and cut the speed when you are next to them.

There are more, I am sure........

LakePirate

06-09-2005, 12:20 PM

Don't have perfect pass. Just dropped 1500 on parts to get it running the well is dry.

We are currently riding around with her driving, she is practicing starts like she is pulling a skier.

I have though about jumping on combos to just get her used to it. (If I can still get up on combos).

Only have my brother as a regular ski partner and he is too large to try and teach her with. (6' 280)

I have been working on being able to control the excitement when she is driving around the lake.

u29460

06-09-2005, 12:22 PM

I had my wife go through the motions as I sat behind her as well. I would periodically toss a life jacket into the water to simulate a downed skier. Having a point of reference in the water is a key part of her training and extending your life. Better to lose a life vest then....well you know.

Granite_33

06-09-2005, 12:23 PM

One other thing..........

Pile on the praise for what she does right!!!!!!! :headbang:

She will be much more likely to listen to what needs to be improved on.

Ric

06-09-2005, 12:29 PM

I think also that SHE has to want to do it
You can teach her yourself but it'd be better and she'd be less apprehensive if someone else taught her.
PP is worth EVERY penny pirate. Especially in this case
The key is to never get mad at her for a bad pull while she's learning.
My girlfriend drives better now in the course than some of my old buddies do.
I had her do plenty of runs thru the course and around the islands before even thinking about her pulling a skier.
Remember if driving is too intense for her, then the lake won't be so much fun for her anymore.

rick s.

06-09-2005, 12:43 PM

Ben

06-09-2005, 12:47 PM

Agree, PP is a must for this case, actually for any case.

If PP cannot be in the summer plan, I'd advise to ditch the speedo gazing & figure out what RPM you like. Use the thumb up / thumb down to figure that out & go from there. That is easier to set and monitor. Also make sure the hand / arm is pressed against something while adjusting the throttle, this will enable "fine tuning" without swinging the whole thing. No touching the throttle once RPM is set. Let it be ok to slow in a turn, you'll get the benefit when you are at correct speed quicker after the turn.

I also highly advise someone other than yourself to instruct the spouse. Somehow that changes everything. After all the "discussions" we had, it was much simpler to finally get a good driver to teach while I was behind the boat. Watch the snippy remarks too, that was one of my main problems. Like Leroy said, you're still on the water... Offer to pay gas for someone to drive over and ski with you. In my book gas (and possibly even flight) money would have been worth eliminating the "discussions".

If you do have to teach, just remember to break everything down, and be polite. As you said, a lot of stuff is common sense to you, but a new language or thought process to others.

By the way, PP is the way to go.

Farmer Ted

06-09-2005, 12:48 PM

if your wife doesn't have much experience pulling anyone or anything behind the boat, show her how you do the starts the let her do it a couple of times with no one in tow

Get her to pull you around on a kneeboard or wakeboard or God forbid a tube to get familiar with getting started and getting the boat up to RPM

I have a hard time getting up on a slalom, conditions have to be optimal, put it in gear and drag me around so I can get my balance blah blah blah but my girlfriend pulled me up the first time she ever tried and I knew right then and there I had a keeper so now she's my wife... :worthy:

I agree with what many have said, make it a positive experience for her and she'll keep coming back, make it negative and she'll probably become the biggest anti boating person out there.

Good luck

WakeSeeky

06-09-2005, 12:56 PM

As a wife who had to learn to drive.... went out for a day, just my husband and I, and did the pretend start/pickup/etc. Of course, he's the best, real patient with me, so that helped me a lot. I think IS important to want to learn. I know too many women who find driving the boat frustrating, so they do it as little as possible. Makes it hard to improve.

But the main thing I wanted to pass along, I found it much easier to watch the RPMs instead of the spedo when pulling someone out. I had a hard time gauging when to start easing back on the throttle, and my brother in law actually passed along the RPM advice. Made a huge difference for me, not to mention anyone I was pulling. :D

LakePirate

06-09-2005, 01:16 PM

and see there you go. I learned to drive using the tach. Now I use it with out even thinking.....I guess I should start saving my confederate dollars for a PP.

Maybe we can get the toolman to come out and let her pull him on the toob.

tex

06-09-2005, 01:51 PM

April, H20girl-care to chime in with some female insight?

X2M

06-09-2005, 02:15 PM

-When we got our first boat, my husband took me out in the off season to practice. Practiced starting pulls, dropped skiers and just about everything else you could think of.
-Positive reinforcement works really well. Being patient works good too.
-Remember guys, that you have been driving for a lot longer than most of us ladies. We cannot learn everthing in a couple of sessions that it took you 15 years to perfect. :)
-I don't have perfect pass, so I can't comment on that.
-I didn't want anyone but my husband to teach me to drive (without anyone around to witness the yelling). I would hate to embarrass him.
-I am not perfect at driving for him. Still a work in progress. I get repremanded (sp?) at least once everytime we go out. But I learn from the mistakes. :)

tph

06-09-2005, 02:36 PM

After lots of observation, 90% of wives cannot pull their husbands skiing to their satisfaction.
Hope yours falls into the remaining 10%.
Mine dosen't.

Just be real, real careful what you say after a bad pull.

If my wife ever sarts to read this board, I need to remember to edit this post.

I'm lucky. She falls into the remaining 10%. I think being a skier helps alot too. She knows the difference between a good run and a bad run.

Thrall

06-09-2005, 02:41 PM

Lake Pirate,
You may be suprised at how quickly she picks it up. My wife actually just skiied for the 2nd time, this spring. Spent all last yr fretting about not being able to get up because she tried once when she was 10 yrs old blah blah blah.
Now she'd never pulled a skier before, and we tried it a couple weeks ago. I decided to get the combos so she could start slower. Pulled me up easily. After I wiped out, rather than go back for the kicked ski, we tried to pull me up slalom. She nailed it pretty good first time.
Part of it was, I had her use the tach for reference, and told her what rpm to throttle up to, to get me out of the water, and then what rpms to hold once me and the boat were on plane.
Good luck, and remember what would you rather do? Spend some time on the lake teaching your wife to be the driver, or sit at home wishing you had a driver?

LakePirate

06-09-2005, 02:44 PM

I am exactly where you were Thrall. The lake should be pretty open this weekend. We will have lesson 3 there. I might even brave the combos.

Thrall

06-09-2005, 02:48 PM

Havin' open water where she doesn't have to worry about other boats will help quite a bit.

LakePirate

06-09-2005, 02:51 PM

She if fine when she is out there on her own. She just freaks out when boats are near. And to make it even better I try to teach her the right way to do things and when people who don't know what they are doing do what ever it is they are doing it freaks her out.

Ric

06-09-2005, 03:20 PM

I am exactly where you were Thrall. The lake should be pretty open this weekend. We will have lesson 3 there. I might even brave the combos.
be sure and post pics

WakeSeeky

06-09-2005, 03:25 PM

-Remember guys, that you have been driving for a lot longer than most of us ladies. We cannot learn everthing in a couple of sessions that it took you 15 years to perfect. :)

No kidding! Those of you with daughters, do 'em a favor and teach them to drive too. I grew up around boats, but it never occurred to anyone to teach me to drive, and it never occurred to me to ask.

Another thing I thought of, I'm quite a bit shorter than my husband, so what was fine for him put me down too low to feel comfortable with the visibility. I sat on the throw cushion floatie (my "booster chair" :) ) until we got the flip up seat. If you don't have it, the bigger mirror (the extreme, I think?) also helped. I felt less anxious when I had better visibility.

starman205

06-09-2005, 03:31 PM

Using the tachometer was one of the keys, I believe, that helped my wife learn faster. She still uses the tach exclusively. Oh yes the CIPA extreme mirror that I bought last year also has made her feel more comfortable. My philosophy is that anything that I can do to make her feel comfortable will make her a better driver. :wavey:

Workin' 4 Toys

06-10-2005, 10:57 AM

[QUOTE=east tx skier]Very important one. I think it's best to let someone else teach her, preferably someone older who she can't get mad at.

This is the best advise I have read on this thread.
And after reading thread start to finish, it seems there are alot of people trying "NOT" to give constructive criticism in fear of someone else getting mad. I just find that amusing.

mbeach

06-10-2005, 11:08 AM

After lots of observation, 90% of wives cannot pull their husbands skiing to their satisfaction.
Hope yours falls into the remaining 10%.
Mine dosen't.

Just be real, real careful what you say after a bad pull.

If my wife ever sarts to read this board, I need to remember to edit this post.
amen to that. also, pick a day when the water body is not crowded so mama has plenty of room and mistakes are more forgiving.

phecksel

06-10-2005, 11:25 AM

My wife is quickly becoming one of the clubs best drivers. She had someone else talk her through the course, while I skied. For the first several times, didn't say a word, she could tell from my skiing if she did a good job driving. WRT slowing down for the smokers, I'd tell her if she feels there's a danger, then stop. Safety first! Her comfort level may be a lot different they yours or mine. Don't forget smokers are highly unreliable and very dangerous. I almost got hit (18") by one who did something really really stupid. I would have been better taking your wifes approach and slowing down as he got closer and closer.

Be nice to her, praise her, and swallow your tongue. As she gets more comfortable with the driving, then you can offer a suggestion or two.

pilot02

06-10-2005, 11:28 AM

Install either perfect pass or Accuski. I have an Accuski and with it my 11 yr old son can pull me. Oops shouldn't have admitted that since it's illegal in Georgia for him to do so.....

MarkP

06-10-2005, 11:34 AM

Let her drive the boat, even when you are in it. I'm the same way...do everything, even with alot of other people in the boat...as I like things done a certain way, so it's easier for me to do them rather than ask others to do it.

I'm a safety nut - call me anal about this - and the only way to impart this to my wife and kids is to be a passenger and help instruct, rather than a driver that wants to do everything.
Yep I agree. Get her driving more. With no skier she can more easily get used to how the boat reacts. Once she is a decent boat driver she will take to pulling a skier like a pro with even less instruction..

It worked for me. The hardest thing was having someone else drive the boat with me in it..

east tx skier

06-10-2005, 11:39 AM

The hardest thing was having someone else drive the boat with me in it..

Ain't that the truth. :o

LakePirate

06-10-2005, 11:40 AM

It worked for me. The hardest thing was having someone else drive the boat with me in it..

Those are pretty much my feelings.

She had a big time just driving around. :love:
She was getting more comfortable, pulled out a throw cushion and was sitting on it

Of course she was getting a bit close to the shore for me in a shallow area so we talked about the differences in water color to try and guage the depth of the lake at that point.

Sometimes it frustrates me that we (team talk) in general spend so much time and effort in doing things the right way and so many morons just jump in a boat and take off with blatant disregard for others around them.

She just told me how much fun that she had last sunday when we were out. That rocks. :banana:

JEREMY79

06-10-2005, 11:47 AM

....She just told me how much fun that she had last sunday when we were out. That rocks...

That will make it a whole lot nicer time for the both of you.

If mama aint happy, aint nobody happy

jclose8

06-10-2005, 12:21 PM

Wow. This thread is un-freakin'-believable! You guys sound like you are giving tips on how to coach the special olympics. Maybe my wife is an exception, (she's a great driver) but we aren't talking about rocket science here. It isn't all that hard to pull a skier well.
Do you guys trust your wife to drive the car? ..... A looooottttttt of testosterone is flying around here.....

east tx skier

06-10-2005, 12:34 PM

Did you teach your wife to drive the boat, or did she know how to drive it when you met her. I, too, am lucky as my wife was talking about MC before I'd ever laid eyes on one and was pulling skiers at age 9. So I didn't have to train her (and someone else got to train me). But I know plenty of people who have not been so fortunate with teaching their better halves to pull skiers.

I'll put forth the notion that it might be more about estrogen than too much testosterone in most instances. Lots of hurt feelings when things don't go right. Lots of unnecessary tension and the feeling that you can't suggest a better way to drive the boat for fear that your student won't ever want to attempt it again. It's rarely plug and play and I recognize, having witnessed perfectly happy couples come to blows over one teaching the other to drive the ski boat and pull skiers, how fortunate I am to have met a die-hard skier who already knew her way around a throttle.

Now if I could just get her to read the Perfect Pass manual. ;)

Ric

06-10-2005, 12:58 PM

And after reading thread start to finish, it seems there are alot of people trying "NOT" to give constructive criticism in fear of someone else getting mad. I just find that amusing.
ever been married?

Mosaic13

06-10-2005, 12:58 PM

I had some experience driving boats, but very little pulling skiers/boarders up until I bought my boat. My wife and kids (they're 19 & 21) had none. Learning all the safety & communications related stuff came first, obviously. But when it came to pulling, it was about getting used to the throttle and turning on the PERFECT PASS. Honest to God I think it's the best thing to happen to a boat since the prop. All four of us were pulling each other and driving comfortably by the end of the second weekend out.

captkidd

06-10-2005, 02:38 PM

A lot of really good advice. Only thing I can add is that if you feel the need to offer "constructive criticism", first tell her all the things she did well. Really pour on the praise, and then slip in an "Oh, by the way, next time...."

My wife is my absolute favorite driver. She had never driven a boat when we met, so it took a lot of instruction, and I didn't always follow my own advice. :(

Leroy

06-11-2005, 01:52 AM

I could have used you last summer! My wife had never been around boats, little alone understand pulling. But this year she is doing great!

Wow. This thread is un-freakin'-believable! You guys sound like you are giving tips on how to coach the special olympics. Maybe my wife is an exception, (she's a great driver) but we aren't talking about rocket science here. It isn't all that hard to pull a skier well.
Do you guys trust your wife to drive the car? ..... A looooottttttt of testosterone is flying around here.....

Cloaked

06-11-2005, 06:58 AM

......She just told me how much fun that she had last sunday when we were out. That rocks. :banana:That's what it's all about... Most excellent..

Got nothing to do with rocket science or testosterone..... Great to see so many here with regards to patients and consideration for such an important factor.

Thanks again Pirate for the package in the mail.... :urock:

lakes Rick

06-11-2005, 02:06 PM

ever been married?

NOW AINT THIS THE TRUTH..

Another site I frequent ALWAYS has 17-20 year olds giving marital advice... They just don't get it.....

milkmania

06-11-2005, 02:10 PM

NOW AINT THIS THE TRUTH..

Another site I frequent ALWAYS has 17-20 year olds giving marital advice... They just don't get it.....

yeah.....especially when you've been married longer than they've been alive:rant:

Bongo

06-11-2005, 03:51 PM

Lake Pirate, You've gotten the good stuff. Here's my list - most of which has already been covered:

1. Be Patient.
2. If at all possible, have someone else she respects and is a decent driver along to advise her as she pulls you. Of course, this may not be practical.
3. Until she is moderately comfortable, ski when there is little or no boat traffic.
4. Never raise your voice to offer advice.
5. Never, ever raise your voice when there are other observers within earshot.
6. Don't complain about the run. Not to her hours after she pulled you. Not to your buddies.
7. Let her know what you liked about each run first. Then one or two helpful suggestions. Much like you don't overload a new skier with too much to think about, do the same with the driver.
8. Let her know which trade-offs you prefer. When my wife gets into too much traffic for her tolerance, her instinct is to slow down and start turning. While I try to get her to continue her line, I've made it clear that I much prefer turning to slowing down. So if you "have to" (want to) start altering your path, do it with turns and not on the throttle. BTW, my wife likes the steady easy start - when skiing or pulling. I like a strong jerk. Until I realized we were both erring further into how we'd like to be pulled, getting up became more and more painful. I like button-hook turns. She likes gentle, wide turns and hates a tight button-hook. After she's become competent, start letting her know how you like to be pulled differently than how she likes to be pulled.
9. When you ski, you be ready. When you jump into the water, have your ski(s) set, everything adjusted and ready to say "Hit it!". When she comes around, make it easy on her by always being ready and being prepared to take off at odd angles, etc. Be observant when skiing. If it appears she's going to get into a bit of trouble (too much traffic, too close to the shore, etc.), drop.
10. Show your confidence in her driving abilities by having her pull other skiers while you sit in the passenger seat. Plus, this is practice and you might be able to subtly offer some of your advice.

When we first met, my wife hadn't driven a boat. Now, she is the third best boat driver I've ever had. (First two are my brother and a buddy, both of which have MasterCrafts, ski at about my same level and have similar styles.) Even still, the first couple runs each year have a few helpful reminders.

Just my $0.02.

Bongo

USC8791

06-11-2005, 04:46 PM

I've always found that the straight line and pull-up was easiest for the girlfriends/ex-wife (or any new driver for that matter). What was most frustrating for them (and me while in the water waiting) was manuevering around the skier and setting the boat for the pull-up. From moment one in the driver's seat, get them used to using small bits of in gear power. Have them turn the wheel prior to engaging the throttle. Make sure they understand that the boat continues moving once you take it out of gear. You only need a little bit of throttle. I usually ride along beside for a bit telling them "in-gear, out of gear" etc... You can also call out the recommendations (commands if it's a friend) from in the water. Every newbie over steers and over pulls a direct drive when at idle power. We all hate to be dragged half way down the lake prior to the pull-up and after we sit down.

Oh yeah; I guess you need to do all that lovey dovey positive reinforcement crap too!

LakePirate

06-14-2005, 10:53 AM

Update

Well I threw her behind the wheel and let her loose. J/K

Took her out this weekend, between the storms, and let her go at it.
I left her in the boat with her mother-in-law (who has been driving boats since she was 5 and taught me) and jumped in the water.
At first I got up on combos and skied around a bit. That was miserable. The bindings hurt my feet, the skis were unstable. What ever happened to Dick Pope's? I am going to have to buy some on ebay this week. Said to he!! with it and had them throw me the slalom. She got me right up and did an excellent job. I had told her to pick a spot on the horizon and drive to it. She did great. She even got the thing onto the boat lift.

Later I drove another brand of boat and it had PP on it. That was the first time I had driven a boat with PP and it was way cool. It will be getting purchased in the near future.

I might put up two boat guides along side of the driveway so she can practice driving between them with the car during the week.

Thanks for all of the advice.

JEREMY79

06-14-2005, 12:05 PM

glad everything worked out. I still have a set of the Dick Popes :D

LakePirate

06-14-2005, 12:53 PM

all of ours were either stolen with the boat or casually picked up at the lake after somebody dropped one.

JEREMY79

06-15-2005, 10:36 PM

I have a Dick Pope combo set and a set of Pope trainer skis.

east tx skier

06-16-2005, 10:12 AM

Later I drove another brand of boat and it had PP on it. That was the first time I had driven a boat with PP and it was way cool. It will be getting purchased in the near future.

Now thar's a good lad. :)

Glad everything worked out.

H2OGirl

06-20-2005, 09:11 AM

I read this thread a while ago, didn't have time to respond. Seems you got it worked out though. I am still learning to drive our boat myself, this one handles and drives way different than any of our others. I am Okay just driving the boat, even pretty good in reverse now, I can trailer and untrailer the boat, just practice and a patient husband with a calm voice. As far as pulling people, we have the MC version of PP so its fairly simple for me, I am learning the finer details now, all I can say is practice, and if you are the one she is pulling be patient and don't expect perfect pulls until she has more practice, she will only improve with time. My dearest husband usually is the one who has to deal with my pulls until I am comfortable, I still get really nervous when the lake is really busy, so I prefer not to drive just yet then, until I am more cofidant with myself. I would say the key is practice, patience, and she has to want to learn to drive. If she doesn't want to and you are pushing, it's going to probably create problems. In your case with no perfect pass the biggest advice I can say, is make sure she is resting her arm on something when she is pulling and tell her not to grab the throttle with her whole hand, just two fingers and very small adjustments to maintain speed. You could also try this approach, tell her that learning to drive is also a safety issue, which it kind of is, if something should happen out on the water and you were unable to drive, who would get everyone back to shore or to the hospital. The safety issue is why I insisted on learning to handle the boat by myself, okay that and I want to be able to have "girls" night on the water too.