New Water Skier

[BriEOD]

Well, my 6 year old, Cody, finally decided he wanted to ski yesterday. He has been kneeboarding for several years. I dug the boom out of the attic and he took 3-4 runs off the boom. He had a ball as did my wife and I watching him. Since the boom was already on, I took a few barefoot runs. I hadn't foot'd in several years...boy was it fun. Finally, let me just say, it was refreshing that he asked and then water skiied. If I get one more kid to ask me to teach them or tell me how great wake boarding is I'm gonna puke! I like to board, but wakeboarding has turned into a freaking panacea.

[chawk610]

Awsome... looks likes a great time!

[east tx skier]

Absolutely great, Brian! Way to go, Cody!!!!!!

[BriEOD]

Thanks, Doug. It was fun to see him get up, and a long time coming!

[KnoxX2]

Congrats Brian. That is a awesome feeling!

[east tx skier]

Thanks, Doug. It was fun to see him get up, and a long time coming!

Cameron goes back and forth between wanting to ski and riding the zip sled. We just let him tell us what he wants to do and go with it. Just a lot of stuff to bring along, but who cares! :) Andrew still is content being an observer, which suits us fine, too.

[BriEOD]

Cody has been kneeboarding for several years now, and loving it. We bought him a ski skimmer and he rode that with much delight for a season or two. However, as he is soon to be in first grade, he wants to do more of the bigger and cooler stuff. I don't push him, and figure he'll ask when he is ready.

[76S&S]

As long as it's time on the water with the kids, it's all good.

congrats on the new skier!

[TxsRiverRat]

OMG someone under 40 waterskiing and not wakeboarding! sweet!

[BriEOD]

OMG someone under 40 waterskiing and not wakeboarding! sweet!

LMFAO!! Well said....

[KnoxX2]

Cody has been kneeboarding for several years now, and loving it. We bought him a ski skimmer and he rode that with much delight for a season or two. However, as he is soon to be in first grade, he wants to do more of the bigger and cooler stuff. I don't push him, and figure he'll ask when he is ready.

How did you like the ski skimmer? My son is almost 4 and has been surfing with me for a few years now and I was thinking about getting one of those for him. (Very slow speeds)

[TxsRiverRat]

How did you like the ski skimmer? My son is almost 4 and has been surfing with me for a few years now and I was thinking about getting one of those for him. (Very slow speeds)

Ski Skimmer was how i got my daughter started... She wanted nothing to do with skiing till she saw another kid do it and how easy it was, then she was all over it.

MC

[BriEOD]

The skimmer was good and pretty easy. The only challenge is, you need a flat sandy area to start. It is really difficult to do a deep water start. You need to put the. On the beach and slowly drag them off.

[KnoxX2]

Cool I will start looking for one. Thanks Brian

[TxsRiverRat]

The way i got my daughter to ski skim:

1. have her get on the skimmer in the platform facing forwards.

2. I held the rope

3. Had the driver start driving at a slow rate

4. Pushed my kiddo into the lake and the speed caught her...

MC

[KnoxX2]

About what speed did you guys pull them?

[TxsRiverRat]

10-12 mph...

[KnoxX2]

Thanks....

[jamisonsbrodie]

How do you have them start on the boom? I want to get my 6 y/o daughter on the boom this weekend. She did the skimmer at age 4 and last year was on 2 skis tied together with the rope tied to the skis.

[TxsRiverRat]

have you tried using a wider rope 1st? eventually they wont need the rope at all.

;)

[mayo93prostar]

Go Cody, congrats Brieod. I feel lucky when I asked my two boys , 13 and 15, last week if they wanted to wakeboard some when a neighbor offered us a used board. They said "No, they would rather slalom, it is cooler." They both get up regularly on double high wrap slalom skis on a long line and do quite well in open water. Now need to get them to the course.

[BriEOD]

How do you have them start on the boom? I want to get my 6 y/o daughter on the boom this weekend. She did the skimmer at age 4 and last year was on 2 skis tied together with the rope tied to the skis.

I have a set of trainer skis that are tied together in the front and back. I help him put them on on the platform. Then I take both of his hands and lower him in the water. I keep holding his hands and walk around the side of the boat until he is at the boom. Then he "monkeys" out to the end. Alternatively, you could get in the water and put them on the end of the boom. Once they're set, you could quickly swim back to the boat and go.

[BriEOD]

Go Cody, congrats Brieod. I feel lucky when I asked my two boys , 13 and 15, last week if they wanted to wakeboard some when a neighbor offered us a used board. They said "No, they would rather slalom, it is cooler." They both get up regularly on double high wrap slalom skis on a long line and do quite well in open water. Now need to get them to the course.

That is good to hear! If they're doing deep water starts, that is great!

[BriEOD]

A shot of the old man taking a barefoot run yesterday after Cody's ski sets.

[jamisonsbrodie]

I have a set of trainer skis that are tied together in the front and back. I help him put them on on the platform. Then I take both of his hands and lower him in the water. I keep holding his hands and walk around the side of the boat until he is at the boom. Then he "monkeys" out to the end. Alternatively, you could get in the water and put them on the end of the boom. Once they're set, you could quickly swim back to the boat and go.

So I guess they just hang on and go? that is what I thought, but wasn't sure if there was another way.

[BriEOD]

Pretty much. Just tell them to keep the skis in front of them and the tips up. They can almost stand up at idle, really. Cody is about 45lbs. We set the perfect pass for 10mph.

[bcampbe7]

Good stuff Brian, and congrats to Cody!

[east tx skier]

With Cameron, we started off with one person in the water with him to keep the skis stable under him. 5--7 miles per hour and he can get up deep water pretty regularly. But recently, we only had two people, and one has to hold the other end of the rope so we can let go if he falls. So I put him in the water and, with a long reach and stiff arm, held the bar that holds the skis together to keep the skis out of the water. My wife put the boat in gear and when he stood up, I just reeled him out. I don't like starting this way, but it works well.

Of course, with the zip sled, he just jumps on and goes.

[barefoot]

I'm waiting for the day my daughter asks me to take her skiing! She skis on an inflatable flat bottom skier that we picked up at the boat show. She loves it...great for teaching balance and being behind the boat...but I want to get her out on some real skis.