Installing a Slalom Course

[east tx skier]

We're talking about putting in a slalom course in front of my father-in-law's place. Anybody done this. There's a great article on aquaskier.com about installing courses, but I wanted to hear some of your thoughts on the subject. We've only got about 4.5' of water so it will probably have to be a drop-in course.

[MarkP]

Doug I cant offer any first hand info on the slalom course but when you say “in front of my father-in-law's place”, does that mean he has a place on the water. How cool would that be to walk out of your door to your course…

[east tx skier]

Yup, he's got a place on the water on a fantastic ski lake and is planning to build a house out there and live there permenantly. It's about 1 hour 20 minutes drive door to door.

[John B]

Doug, I have A InstaSlalom course. It takes about 30 min. to put it up.(with three people)and 20 to 30 min to take it down.
I put it up on Monday and pull on Friday.
If you check that other site you can see what mymc had to say about the accu-sink courses and the InstaSlalom.


http://www.mymastercraft.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=184

[André]

Doug
If you're installing it in only 4.5 feet,it's gonna be real easy.Mine is in about 10 to 12 feet deep and i built it myself,just more troubles to moves around when you're in more water.
For the boat path,i used 3/4 inch steel pipe,mine are 8 feet wide,with weight welded on each end,about 40 pounds each ends.In only 5 feet you won't need sub bouys,i suggest tying each bouys at the end of each pipes with 1/8 bungee cord.I drilled a 3/8 holes at the end of pipes and secure a peice of plastic tubing of about one foot in it and insert my bungee cord in it so it won't cut against the steel .
Individuals anchors are gonna be the best for your 6 skier's bouys,mine are concrete blocks,but in only 4.5 feet of water,might be risky.Something flat and heavy should do it.I simply measure everything with a pre measured rope with markers on it at the needed distances.
Will post you pictures tomorrow...

[east tx skier]

Thanks, John. Is there a minimum depth required for the portable courses?

Thanks, Andre. We've just started talking about it. Are you using the pipe as an arm out to the turn bouys? Did you use surveying equipment to keep it straight or is it interconnected like the portable courses you can buy?

[John B]

Doug,
The Insta Slaloom course can be used in 5 to 40 feet of water.

http://www.instaslalom.com/advantage.php

[east tx skier]

That's going to be close on depth. I'm not sure if we've got 5 feet where we're thinking of putting it. Of course, we're not locked on that location, but it's a nice cove, right in front of the house, and it rarely sees any boat traffic other than the occ***ional fishing boat.

[BriEOD]

How much do you figure it will cost?

[André]

All my turn bouys are individually anchored,not connected to anything but with the weight of the concrete block nothing move from an inche.Everything is lined up by eyes but with great care and i beleive my course to be quite accurate.We measured everything carefully and it will be real easy for you in such depth.
The reason i use 8 feet pipe is to be sure that my boat path bouys are always 8 feet apart.
The 1/8 bungee cord is perfect because the bouys will stay tight with ± 6 inches of play in water level.Also the bungee cord will easily give if caught by the fins or prop and you don't want the anchors to move.