Curious about CABLESKI

[Age Fighter]

I saw Cableski mentioned in another thread, and I can only assume this refers to boatless skiing, etc. Seems to me I saw a set up for this traveling on business around Charlotte NC many years ago -- before I had gotten back into boating -- so I didn't pay attention to it much.

Would love to hear some comments from folks who've done it or know something about it.

[jamica joe]

I saw Cableski mentioned in another thread, and I can only assume this refers to boatless skiing, etc. Seems to me I saw a set up for this traveling on business around Charlotte NC many years ago -- before I had gotten back into boating -- so I didn't pay attention to it much.

Would love to hear some comments from folks who've done it or know something about it.
I remember seeing one in the Orlando area years ago down near the airport... But I was recently in there for a show and could not locate. That area has changed so much. Is it still there?

[coz]

I saw Cableski mentioned in another thread, and I can only assume this refers to boatless skiing, etc. Seems to me I saw a set up for this traveling on business around Charlotte NC many years ago -- before I had gotten back into boating -- so I didn't pay attention to it much.

Would love to hear some comments from folks who've done it or know something about it.

There's the OWC in Orlando http://www.orlandowatersports.com/

Or there's DIY with a winch http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=34288

[shepherd]

OWC (Orlando Watersports Complex) is the place you saw in Orlando.

I've never done it but I've been to OWC a few times and watched. The overhead cable gives a high angle of pull which helps the wakeboarders get some serious air. There's no boat wake to "pop" off so maybe that's a disadvantage (???), but the guys at the cable park get a lot higher than I've ever seen anyone do behind a boat. The cable helps to pull them up higher I guess. If you fall/wipe out, there is no boat to come back to pick you up so you have to swim to shore and walk back around to the starting dock, which can be a long walk.

I slalom ski and decided not to try it with the cable. I figure the high pull angle from the cable and the lack of a boat wake and the lack of slalom course wouldn't come close to replicating skiing behind a boat. But I talked to one skier who told me he and his buddy "trained" at OWC to keep in shape for slalom skiing.

[Cary K.]

There are numerous cables around the country now, and countless ones overseas. I have ridden at OWC, and it is a blast for hitting the sliders.

I have seen some slalom bouys up on the big lake at OWC before, but it has been a while. They can adjust the cable to pull at slalom speeds as well.

[vision]

Rode a wakeboard behind a cable for the first time a few weeks ago at McCormicks in Tampa. It was a blast! I highly recommend it if you get the chance.

I wonder how you would start if you were trying to slalom behind a cable? You could probably deep water start behind a System 2 cable. But with a std cable I suspect you would have to jump start or slide off a ramp.

[dstone124]

there was an article in WaterSki mag a few months back about a guy in Europe that had developed a cable system that propelled a catamaran with a pretty serious tracking fin and pylon. He was able to run the course and shorten the line length because the pull was similar to that of a boat. It looked pretty cool.
I can't imagine that with the winch systems that are out there this would be all that difficult to accomplish at one of the parks mentioned above for those of us that just want to carve around some bouy's.

[atlfootr]

This was from 2006, parks completed lots more by now.