From one skier to another since 2007.
I didn't have a way to post this in fu-man's thread, so I put it here. Eric and I went to Whitestone a couple of years ago to watch some of the Pro's practice and the Masters compete the day before.
Here's Lucky running 39.5off.
Standing next to me was Karrina (I think) - though I had no idea who she was at the time - and Parrish cheering for Lucky.
My video skills weren't quite as good back then, so it's not as clear as it could be.
Printer-friendly versionMissed quite a bit of skiing the before, during and after the Memorial Day holiday. Been trying to make up for it this week.
Skied Monday, Tuesday and Thursday so far. Not sure if I'm going to ski today.
Picked up a 1.5 buoys last night - ran 5.5 at 34mph. Basically, rounded 5 and caught a bunch of sun glare in the late evening. In panic I overpulled to 6 since I couldn't see it - and didn't know if I was early or late. Ended up overshooting the ball big time and had more slack than I wanted to hold through the end gates.
Seth Stisher comes in tonight for a two day clinic over the weekend. It's going to be a blast.
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SA,
Going to see Jodi Fisher next week. Was glad to watch the interview you did with him that is posted here under the video tab. Seems like a nice guy and a great coach. Will be my first time in the course this year. Hoping to be able to apply some of the things I've been working on this spring.
Jodi has a great set-up and is a great coach.
He has a couple of guys working with him now - Matt Page and Brent Triplett.
One of the skiers here Larry (aka TheLegend) has responded really well to his coaching and is skiing better than ever.
I've said before Jodi is one of Disney's best kept secrets (he's right next door).
I bought a couple pairs of his new 69 Slam boardshorts at the Masters - actually 3, two for me and one for my wife - they are pretty sweet.
Of the 3 ski lakes in Netwon Falls - Glassy Waters (formerly Ski Utopia), Ski I-80 and Bellalago - I've never skied on I-80. All that changed last night as I caught a quick set after work with Dave and Todd.
I-80 is literally right next to Glassy. You can see it on Google Maps (41.198742, -80.943489). Bellalago is just a short distance away (41.252839,-80.941064). I-80 has a really interesting set up at 1 ball when coming back from the island - there is a huge rock that has the appearance of being right behind 1 ball even though there is more than enough distance for safety. Screwed with my gate multiple times coming that way.
I skied OK, not great. Ran a couple of 32's which I was satisfied with since I was on a different lake. Also found out how spoiled I am with the SN200 wake - I noticed a "bump" behind the 196. The 196 is SO QUIET compared to the 200 as well. CC needs to do something to fix this.
I'll ski again tonight (Wed), tomorrow afternoon (Thu) then hit the road for after my son's soccer practice for Pine Mountain, GA to watch the Masters.
I'm not too thrilled to miss the entire weekend of skiing - especially since it's going to be 90* here at home - but I've really wanted to go see an entire pro tournament for a long time now and this is as good as time as any to go.
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Looking forward to hearing about your experience at the Masters.
Week of 5/14
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I usually don't ski on Monday's, my son had a make-up soccer game on Tuesday so I didn't get to ski that day.
On Wednesday I drove to the local MC dealer and picked up the replacement fuel filters for my boat. It was cloudy, windy and a little rainy so it was the perfect day in my mind to fix the boat and not worry about skiing.
Eric came out and he and Dave replaced the FCC filter while I "supervised" and said things like, "I read about this on the internet..."
It was pretty straightforward and only took about 1/2 hour. We added some Stab-bil and dropped the boat in and started skiing Eric's family.
On the 18th pass, it cut out again while Eric was skiing. We pulled a couple more kids without incident and thought the issue might have resolved itself.
I thought about skiing, but it was windy and cool and just didn't look like fun - I bailed.
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On Friday I decided to play hooky and ski. 75* air, 70* water and pure sunshine was just too tempting. Too bad I skied really bad. Didn't even run 32.
I think fatigue caught up to me as I worked out pretty hard during the week and that morning. It could also just be that some days you don't ski as well as others.
We ran the boat for another 12 passes (w/o a skier) to see if it would act up again, and sure enough around the 18th pass, it cut out again. So we brought the boat back to the boathouse called Silver Spray for some troubleshooting - specifically the location of the inline fuel filter.
We got our information, took another 1/2 hour to replace the 2nd filter and haven't had a problem since.
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As for my poor outing, I can recall from 2 years ago when I was slamming P90x hard. It was difficult to work out hard all week, then ski well on the weekend. I think that's what happened here.
The thing is, I'm fat and out of shape (I call things as they are), so I HAVE to work out to get in better condition so I can ski better. The trick is finding the right balance - I'll keep you posted.
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Saturday was super fun. After morning soccer games with the kids, I took the family out to my old lake Glassy Waters (formerly Ski Utopia) to hang with Jason (NineGoodToes) and Larry (TheLegend).
This time the air was in the mid-80's and more glorious sunshine. Joining the fun were Dave (Neo) and his wife Joan (ThePrincess), Ken (Cannonball) and his wife Liz. Our kids were playing at the beach and we were skiing, hanging out and having a blast.
Too bad I skied like crap again. This time I just blame it on myself. Glassy has a funky setup - a dogleg turn going into the 55's on the way down, and a very short setup on the way back - but no excuse.
In any case, I got to ski behind Jason and Larry's new-to-them SN200 (2010) and it was awesome. We all had fun in the sun and made great memories.
Larry has been getting some consistent coaching from Jodi Fisher and really likes his style - and his skiing has improved tremendously.
[Yes, this is the boat they drove 7 states away and paid more money for than for pretty much the exact same boat I had for sale last fall. And be sure to ask them about the lift they bought - and whose lift their boat is currently on now.]
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Today I was back at Bellalago with Dave after church. I did get a couple of texts from Jason while I'm sitting in the worship service..., (While praying), "Jesus, can Jason put his boat on my lift?" Wait. What!?
Another glorious day - 85* air, 75* water and more sunshine. I skied "naked" for the first time this year and I felt like my old self.
First set - 3@34 up the line, then came back for 4 on the next pass.
Second set - skipped my 28mph opener, then had a binding malfunction on my first 32mph, then took 6 shots at 34mph.
I'm "this close" to running 34mph. I think I'm pulling too long into 2ball as I always seem to be turning into a slack line. I need to get some video of this to have you guys analyze. Seriously, I meant to take it out today, but I just forgot.
Of the 6 attempts at 34, there were 2 where I really thought I was going to run it. The first, I just didn't let the ski finish at 4 and pulled up narrow to 5. The second, I had an amazing 2 ball, only to misgrab the handle out of 3. Ugh.
Until next time...
Printer-friendly versionHmmm...my boat seems to have a mechanical issue.
Dave and Eric were skiing yesterday and the motor started to sputter / lose power in random moments only to come back up to speed.
It happened once last week and I didn't think much of it b/c it didn't happen again after a lot of skiing.
A quick call into Silver Spray Sports and Jeff Smith (the owner) tells me it likely to be a fuel filter issue. He recommends changing them annually now b/c of the ethanal in the fuel at regular gas stations.
After doing some research on Planetnautique - it seems like a good place to start. I'll probably drop in some Marine Sta-bil while I'm at it.
(BTW - where did name "M3Fan" originate anyway?)
You can find an interesting read here from While Lake Marine (a prominent Correct Craft dealer in North Carolina) about the problems with boats and ethanol gasoline.
I do have a couple of compounding issues...
1 - Even though my dad is a mechanic, I didn't get that gene and my knowledge doesn't go much beyond a typical Handy Manny episode.
2 - I don't have a local Correct Craft dealer around. We do have a great Mastercraft dealer (Boathouse Marine at Tri Lakes), and they do have the filter for the Fuel Control Cell (FCC), but I don't think they have the inline filter in stock.
Wish me luck.
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I'm a huge fan of the BMW ///M3 automobile, so that explains that. If I wasn't so addicted to this sport and all the stuff that comes along with it- boat, tow vehicle, frontage, etc. I'd be driving one every day.
As for the cut-outs- could be fuel or electronic. The only way to tell for sure would be to have a fuel pressure gauge attached to the fuel rail on the motor during the cut-out times.
Be sure you're not just brushing up on the emergency stop/cut-off switch/lanyard. Also make sure battery connections are CLEAN and TIGHT. Start with the basics.
Changing the fuel filter is pretty straightforward- you'll be fine on that. Ask away on http://www.correctcraftfan.com . Lots of solid help over there. They have the knowledge you seek.
OH- and I ALWAYS run Sta-bil in my boat. Always. Just the standard red stuff works fine- season 13 on the boat and no fuel issues yet.
take a sample of the fuel that is in the tank, and a 2nd sample from the filter. there are plenty of great and easy testing proceedures for ethanol or phase separation, just look on youtube. Briggs&Stratton has a great little fuel tester.
Once the ethanol seperates from the gasoline, it will sit on the bottom (ethanol is heavier/more octane) of the tank, and thus your pickup and fuel pump get this wonderful shot of high test ethanol (alcohol), which causes detonation and a lean fuel condition.
Modern motors have knock sensors which will pick up the detonation, but only to a certain point. In your case I'd guess the knock actually retarded the timing so much that the engine wanted to shut down.
I'd be draining ALL the fuel, and running a good high test non-ethanol fuel if you can find it in your area.
These motors will run on ethanol blend fuels, but the problem is the shelf life of ethanol is incredibly short, with reports of phase seperation in extreme environments in as little as 3-4 weeks.
i prefer Seafoam to Stabil brand FWIW
Hey Killer, tell us more about SeaFoam. Heard great things about it but, of course, there are the "never use it" stories as well. Since you have experience, can you share it? What engine? How long have you used it? What got you started? Did you use it as a clean out or for fuel maintenance? Anything you can share would be helpful. I just bought some of the Marine Stabil last fall to winterize and was thinking of using it over the course of the summer as well.
Ran 4 at 34mph on Sunday - a new PB for the season.
32 is starting to feel easy and automatic - I ran my best of the year on my 3rd pass. Even though I was feeling really confident, I followed it up with another 32 before bumping to 34mph.
I'm a big believer in consistency and reinforcing good habits when things are going well - rather than trying to force the issue when on days when it's not clicking.
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I really have 3 keys I'm working on
1 - Allow the ski to finish the turn.
This phrase has become the next "hips up" - i.e. overused to point of losing it's meaning. However, I think it's my number 1 problem. Watch how Seth free skis, and watch any video of any 15off skier and observe the radius of the skis turn. I do this by trying to properly counter-rotate, and when I do, everything else just works. My hips are up, I'm balanced on the ski, I have good angle out of the buoy, etc.
2 - Consciously feel my inside elbow touching my vest off the 2nd wake.
My theory is that you can run 15off with 2 hands on the handle through the whole course. If you feel the need to have a long extended reach, you are only losing speed and direction. I try to "ride the handle all the way to buoy" by keeping my inside elbow tucked against my body. This gives me a tight line, better direction and a smooth easy turn.
3 - Don't pull to long when bumping the speed up. It's a challenge to not increase the intensity so much that I swing too wide of 2 and 4. I should probably rephrase this into a positive.
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I made another adjustment to my Strada bindings - I've started dipping them in the water before putting them on.
Previously I would put them on dry, but I found that the liner would expand after getting wet and I would have to adjust on my 2nd and 3rd passes. I think it's working so far.
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The ankle continues to hold up well. I've found that 2 days of exercise with one day rest is a good formula.
My PT is on hold until I meet with the doctor again at the end of the month. I'm doing some light jogging and lifting at the gym (leg presses, squats, calf raises) to strengthen my leg and ankle which is atrophied pretty good.
Printer-friendly versionThis is very good news. Let's see some video!
Do you have any thoughts on, or have you tried being open to the boat?
In the debate between open to the boat vs. square to the ski, I subscribe to the former.
Interestingly, if you speak with Seth Stisher (open) or Jodi Fisher (square) on their particular theories - they both have the same end goal in mind, staying balanced on the ski. They just have different opinions on which way is best to acheive that end.
In my mind, there are two "snap shots" - or specific moments in the course - where you want your shoulders open and facing down course.
The first is at the finish of the turn, and the second is at the centerline behind the boat.
I think each skier has their own little "trick" or cue for getting into this position at the right time.
For me, this involves keeping my head up and catching sight of the drivers head at both points (finish of turn and centerline).
There are a few other body movements I concentrate on that help me get into that position, but my sightline is the easiest and most effective way to measure my openness.
I wouldn't say being open is something that I focus on - I consider it more of a byproduct (effect) of other aspects of good technique (cause).
You apparently have given it some thought. What do you think would happen if you took it to the extreme? In other words you're trying to twist in a manner that would put the handle on the other side of the trailing hip. Trying to be as square down the course as possible (which would require some core torqueing)
Anthony- I remember a couple years ago when you were really rocking it you had a great, casual, upright offside turn. Two handed almost the whole way with just the slightest release of the other hand. Sounds like you're getting back to focusing on that by riding the handle out into the arc. I believe this is the biggest problem with my skiing- I release early, causing an unbalanced, high-body-angle turn on loose line. I'm going to try to combine my newfound love of being open to the boat WITH some better handle/line control out to the buoy- can't wait to ski next.
What would happen? Not sure.
I like the imagery of trying to put the handle on the other side of the trailing hip.
I think Seth would say that keeping my shoulders open and level through the wake would allow me to make an easier and earlier transition at the wake centerline.
I think he would also say that it would allow my ski to naturally carve during its turn.
I think the key when trying to exaggerate a movement or position is to do so with precision in the timing and body mechanics without crossing the line into being out of rhythm or sloppy in form.
When I do cross this line during the turn, I tend to load early and pop the handle or over turn and spinout; and during the wakecrossing I tend to get back on the ski.
Several years ago, I skied in a tournament where my required starting speed on my first pass was 26mph - it was so slow (for me) that I was afraid to take my hands off the handle going around the buoy (I made it BTW).
This is an example in the opposite direction - I needed to keep both hands on the handle so that I could maintain enough speed and outbound direction to the buoy. If I had taken my hand off the handle at any point (except at the apex of the turn), I would have stalled out and not made it to the next buoy.
In fact, I had this same scenario repeat itself later that year and I missed the 26mph pass!
The only reason why we should be taking our hand off the handle at 15off (in my opinion) is so that we can...
- reach up
- which elevates our inside hip
- which put weight on the front of the ski
- and allows us to rotate our outside shoulder back
- so the ski can carve its turn and the ski can slide into position underneath us.
Why else would we reach at 32mph 15off? Certainly not to extend our body to get around the buoy.
Exactly. I watched April ski -28 2-handed at Coble's.
When ever I think I have found something, I usually try to exagerate it to see if it gets better or worse or maybe it's just to test the extremes. I have found this one very hard to over do. When I do over do it, it becomes to wide and to early or the release snaps out quickly and you're extended but you have to much space to cover to turn yet (to early).
Is it possible to be too early to the next buoy?
Absolutely - I wasn't sure I could be anymore, but I'm figuring out how to do it. Now that I,ve been playing with this for month or 2, with widely varying results depending on how I was thinking about it that particular day. I'm able to be more fluid and gentle at times which seems to amplify the results. When it stops being mechanical and starts to cross over into habit and muscle memory, you can feel a difference.
So does too early mean needing to turn before buoy? Upstream of buoy with enough width or speed to reach buoy?
In this case it means the rhythm of the pass puts me right on intersecting path to the ball. I've hit the apex with a tight line and if I don't delay the finish there's a good chance of impact.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that I've made an adjustment to my binding - I've moved the rear binding forward one hole.
Previously, I've had my rear binding as far back as it could go. I think that helps with stability on the ski, but no so much in getting more of my weight on the sweet spot of the ski (forward). I think this has contributed to me having too much weight on my back foot (as others have observed).
I've taken 2 sets so far without much issue. I may bump it up one hole further to the first.
Printer-friendly versionI know that many people separate their bindings quite a bit. I've even tried it myself unsuccessfully since my rear ankle does not flex enough. Actually I think I can't get mine close enough. My opinion would be to approach this the other way around. That is, to start close and move back as needed. The idea being to stand on the sweet spot of the ski and then adjust as needed to compensate for body shape and balance (large/small feet or long/short femur, etc.). Schnitz did a good article on this years ago about how to deal with adjusting each boot separately. What does your coach think?
I've always taken what I've felt is a more conservative approach - meaning it's easier to stay balanced if you're feet are further apart, but harder to stay on the sweet spot of the ski.
Seth has a totally different binding setup (Reflex), but his rear toe is touching the back of his front boot.
I've always been amazing at how effortless his stance seems to be on the ski while maintaining proper balance and equal pressure.
I think rear his binding placement helps.
Physical therapy on the ankle this morning. I'm gaining range of motion and strength everyday. I can now hop on my right foot, which was impossible as recently as 10 days ago.
I'm trying to take short jogs from one driveway to the next in my neighborhood to help build up strength. mobilitywod.com continues to be a source of inspiration. Here is today's video (link).
Took a set this afternoon with Dave. Water temperature has dropped a few degrees since last time out - it has to be low 60's. Just brought my wetsuit, I would have preferred my drysuit.
It's that time of year in the midwest when you have to be real opportunistic because they weather changes day-to-day and week-to-week.
I skied 28, 30, 32 (2), 32, 32 (2), 32.
2 out of 4 at 32mph is not bad right now. I'll probably keep this pattern until I can run 28, 30, 32, 32 - then start hitting 34.
Eric, Jason and Larry showed up later, but I had to scoot and pick up my kids from gymnastics.
Printer-friendly versionAnthony, I'd be interested in hearing what you are actually doing for PT on your ankle. I have been battling achilles tendonitis since mid-winter and additionally have an anterior impingement which limits ROM. It's always good to hear what others are doing for rehab.
Initially my physical therapist put me through the routine ankle stretches and strengthening exercises - bands, bosu, calf stretches, etc.
She also has done manual therapy from the beginning, where she rubs the affected area. It hurts like heck, but it works and is probably the most important part.
I also do the standard icing and shock therapy (or whatever they call it) at the end of each session.
Lately, I've been doing more strength exercies - calf raises on a leg press machine, one-leg hops, etc.
My achilles just isn't strong enough yet to absorb the shock of the impact when running.
My ROM is affected by continued swelling the achilles and top of the ankle area - which is where the Ortho punctured the skin (4 in all) to remove the scar tissue.
I could probably do a better job of icing my ankle at home, but I hate sticking it in a bucket until it goes numb.
I've latched on to mobilitywod.com just because I felt the particular stretches I was doing was not aggressive or specific enough.
I try to do mobilitywod about a 1/2 hour each day and add a new stretch each day.
I might just have to schedule time with the PT. Been doing much of the same that you mentioned, stretching, calf work, trigger point therapy, and balance work. The Achilles prevents me from doing anything plyometric so I can't run or jump, and from time to time, it will just flair up on it's own. I am going crazy just waiting and wonder if there are any treatments that will help get rid of the inflammation.
On other thing that I've been doing with the PT is what's called a "Graston" treatment. This is where they rub some wax-like skin lubrication on my ankle and then use a specially designed metal tool to dig into the tendons. It really, really hurts, but as my sports medicine doctor said to me, "PT shouldn't feel like a spa session."
(Above: Arnie's parking lot is always full)
You don't mess with Arnie's West Branch Steakhouse. I love steak at the high end places just as much as anyone, but nothing beats a steak dinner at a local joint after a hard day of skiing and Arnie's is an American classic.
West Branch is a popular Ohio State State Park in the Tri-Lakes region (West Branch, Milton, Berlin) where most of us learned to ski "back in the day". Like most public water today, it's too crowded to ski unless you are out there at 6 a.m. or some non-descript weekday. It's official name is the 'Michael J. Kirwan Resovoir & Dam' as the Army Corp of Engineers dammed up the west branch of the Mahoning River in 1965.
I have no idea who Michael J. Kirwan is, and probably wouldn't care even if I found out - but this is the place of my best childhood memories.
Since Arnie's sits north I-76 on Rt. 14, it's tucked away and hidden from the weekend wally traffic. But the locals know it and love it, and this year the Bellalago Boys - me, Eric, Dave and Jason - are putting their skiing skills and endurance on the line for the chance to be Arnie's Slalom Endurance Champion.
During the winter doldrums I thought up a new format for the four of us to compete against each other, even though we all ski at different levels. The idea was to create an all-day backyard skiing event with a fun format that would get our competitive juices going and a prize at the end worth chasing 180 buoys.
So here's the plan...
- A 1 day, 3 round tournament.
- There are 3 private ski lakes within 5 miles of each other - Bellalago, Glassy Waters (formerly Ski Utopia), and Ski I-80. Glassy Waters and Ski I-80 are literally side-by-side. Each round will be held at a different lake.
- Each round we will ski behind a different boat - we have 2 SN200's, a SN196 and a Centurion CP to rotate.
- Rounds 1 & 2 will be held at Glassy and I-80 in the morning, we will break for lunch on the deck and then have round 3 at Bellalago in the afternoon.
- Each round will consist of 10 passes - no more, no less.
- A skier who starts at their current starting tournament speed and/or line length (their "opener"), gets 1 point for a completed pass. Their second tournament pass is worth 2 points, the third is worth 3 points, etc.
- So, for example, if I run my normal opener 28mph, then 30, then 32 - I would get 1 plus 2 plus 3 points.
- I can ski any pass any number of times that I want (up to a total of 10 passes). I can move up or down any time I want.
- If I miss any pass, I will have a 1/2 point deducted from my score.
- If I make all 10 passes, I will get 1 bonus point at the end.
Points will be accumulated and then all four of us (8 I guess since our wives will come) will head to Arnie's for a steak with the losers picking up the tab for the winner.
Printer-friendly versionOk - not sure how to title these Ski Journals. I could come up with a catchy title, but that seems like too much work. I could just let the software use the first few characters, but that seems too lazy. I could look up the stardate, but that would be too trekkie. I'm not going to be able (or desire) to log every set continously, so a numbering system may give a false idea of how much (or little) I'm skiing.
Eh, whatever, I'll tweak it as I go.
Like johnseed, I had back-to-back days of skiing Thursday and Friday. Not bad for April, not bad for my ankle. I'm happy, life is good.
Conditions were pretty windy when I arrived at the lake at 3:00. A stiff wind coming out of the west, southwest as a cold front was approaching. Dave, Eric and Joan had already skied, which was perfect b/c then I can just jump in as soon as I'm ready.
We found that the wind presents a little challenge when backing the boat out of the boat house. The boat already wants to pull left, and since the wind primarily comes from the southwest it wants to push the boat left even further. Of course, it's too shallow to allow for that sharp of turn out of the boathouse, so we have to be cautious to not ding the prop.
This was actually my 7th set since surgery - 5 at Seth's plus the two at home Thursday and Friday. Each set has been a bit of an experiment with my ankle, making sure to build off the last time out, but not getting too confident too soon.
I took a total of 8 passes - 28x2, 30x2, 32x4.
I managed to get 4 at 32mph on my second attempt - which means I'm only about 3.5 buoys off my pre-surgery high of this season.
As I've mentioned in other write-ups, I'm taking a pretty disciplined approach to the number of passes I take in any one set. 8 will pretty much be my limit all year - no need to risk injury again.
(thought this rule will be broken in a special tournament we are hosting this year - more on that later)
The wind was strong enough (not sure of its speed) to really change the conditions, affect my skiing and my physical conditioning.
I was pretty winded after just my third pass from having to pull harder/longer, and it was difficult to keep a tight line with the tailwind.
In all, it was a fairly typical spring set and the ankle held up well.
Printer-friendly versionI ski, therefore I am.
Last year (as previously documented), I went on a mission to move away from my Wiley bindings to something lighter and a bit more modern in design. The short version is that I spent the better part of April, May and June forcing my new binding setup to work without ever acheiving success.
On the first weekend in June (2011), after much frustratation of not being able to complete -15/34 I ran 13 consecutive passes trying to get it right. On the 14th pass, I took a nasty OTF, gave myself a nice concussion and severely sprained my ankle.
Even though I tried to ski afterwards, my season was basically over. Combined with my ankle injury and my obstinance in continuing with my new binding setup, I couldn't ski at all.
I would struggle to run 32mph, flame out in tournaments and be at a complete loss as to why I couldn't make passes that were once routine.
Towards the end of the season (as previously documented), I started experiementing with other binding alternatives and after much reading, research, trial and error and a lot of money later I've come to a couple of conclusions...
1 - There are a lot of great binding choices out there today (compared to just a few years ago), but they are not cheap and it's hard to get it righ on the first try.
2 - Binding placement is huge. The reason why I wasn't skiing well last spring was b/c I had been measuring my new bidning setup wrong. I found it very difficult to get a definitive answer on how to correctly measure the Radar Vector bindings, but once I did, my skiing improved instanstly. In hindsight, I should have been more aggressive with this earlier and probably could have saved myself a lot of grief, but I was going with the theory, "it's me, not the equipment".
3 - I prefer a closed toe binding setup, so I switched to the Radar Strada. I tried the first generation of the these bindings (RS-1) and they were uncomfortable on my achilles, but they seem to have corrected that issue. In both generations of these bindings, I don't seem to come out (I don't overtighten either).
4 - I think the RTP is a superior setup, but I'm not about to make another change with my binding setup. I tried 2 - 4 sets with this arrangement last fall. It takes a bit to get used to your back foot not being locked in, but you do seem to have more freedom with your hips.
4 - My left foot must be slightly bigger than my right. I fit into a size 10 Strada on my right (rear) foot no problem. Size 10 on the left - problems. I must have tried 10 different combinations of new/old liners and size 10/11 shells. What works best is a size 10 shell, with a size 11 liner (old style - the new ones are way too thick) and a size 10 footpad. This may seem overly complex (certainly) not off the shelf, but compared to some other setups I've seen (e.g. Kris LaPoint), it's pretty tame.
So to start the 2012 season I've now skied for 3 days at Okaheelee in West Palm, FL and 6 days in Ski Paradise in Acapulco, Mexico. I'm back on my old ski (CustomX), skiing well (32mph is almost automatic) and no issues with my binding.
Printer-friendly versionBindings are a bigger change than skis (most of the time). I've been down a similar road as you with a binding switch and then having the bindings in the wrong spot and ski like crap for an extended period thinking it was me and not something like binder/ski/boat/driver/etc.
One of the toughest things about skiing is staying with it long enough to be able to sort out what the problem is without getting frustrated and walking away. Think about it. Ropes change, skis change, boats change, speed controls change, bindings change, rules change, dedication changes.
I've skied with some people, when they are skiing poorly, it's ski, boat..whatever, it's never something they do, it's always equipment. I tend to blame myself more and don't pay enough attention to equipment. The ones at the top of this sport usually have a pretty good idea which one is the problem and can address it quickly.
Well, I made it out on Monday - against the forces of nature (tropical depression Lee) - and lived to tell about it.
Some (random) notes...
- I couldn't get up on my first two starts! Maybe the layoff, fear, new binding setup...whatever, I eventually got on top of the water.
- Conditions were pretty windy and cool (the heatwave was gone by then), so I actually had to don a heater top.
- The front Strada binding felt great! Amazing how much of a difference it feels compared to the old RS-1 (which painfully cut into my achilles).
- Plus, having it in the right hole position (all the way forward 29.5" [factory] in my case) made the ski turn effortlessly. Stinks so much of my frustration all summer has been attributable to something so simple.
- The lesson here is to not trust the holes - trust the measurement from where your heel actually is inside the binding.
- The RTP on the other hand...whoa. I didn't think it was going to feel as drastic of a difference as it did. Took me about 6 passes just to get comfortable.
- I think I could "relearn" and get comfortable on an RTP, but I'm not sure. I'll probably give it a couple more sets before deciding one way or another.
- No full passes, conditions just a bit too tough to try and grit one out. No crashes though so I consider it a successful trip.
- The ankle / foot felt great. No pain issues so I think I'm good for some more skiing the rest of the fall.
- The only pain I seem to get is when I run. I'm in a bit of a pickle here as I've already signed up and paid for 4 different 1/2 marathons this fall and I have to start training ASAP. I think I'm going to miss the first one on the 24th.
- As I project out on the calendar, finding time to ski is going to be a challenge. Work is getting really busy - which is good as the company keeps growing, football season is here (I've hardly watched any), and hunting season is just a couple weeks away. The days of cutting out of work at 2:30 to ski in the afternoon are dwindling rapidly.
Printer-friendly versionI hear ya' on that last paragraph. Looking out the next few weeks I just don't see a lot of opportunities to ski. This summer really slipped away from us. Like a 1-2 punch, the amount of available daylight is also being drastically reduced. Good news on the business, though!
My season only has 3-1/2 more months left (assuming I get all the holes patched in my drysuit...or get a new one) If our water will stay above 45ish. Then 2012 starts in January....hopefully.
There's snow on the peaks here this morning and that's a pretty good indicator of where my season is headed. I always get a little frantic about missing opportunities to ski at this time of year. We'll pull the course out in a few weeks!
Our weather here changed Labor day weekend. Like someone threw a switch - literally! Saturday was like 100 degrees but Sunday was only like 65 degrees and windy. After about a week of Seattle like weather here in Kentucky we finally had sun and low 70s this past Sunday. Our ski season usually goes into October but it already feels kinda like October. The water temps have fallen and with nights dipping into the 40s they will only get lower. That coupled with our lake's water drop- we ski on our city's water supply lake- and with the drought it has now dropped about 2-3 feet since spring, our season maybe ending sooner this year. Last night the starting end of our course was about 4' deep!
Well after about 6 week of being off the water...4 weeks of PT...I went back to the orthopedic today (worst experience of my life - but's that another story) and got the OK to get back on the water.
Sort of a "take it day-by-day" approach. So I'm going skiing this weekend for sure.
Since I'm effectively starting over at the end of the season, I've decided to throw caution to the wind and experiment with a few of binding setups.
- Double Stradas (figured out that these run small for me)
- Strada front w/ RTP
- Double Vectors (I had been running this all season, but in the wrong hole position)
- Vector front w/ RTP
- Double Wiley (this is what I ran all last year)
- Wiley front w/ RTP
You might ask why I moved away from the Wiley when they were obviously working for me last year? Well, my front was cracking badly so I was at least in need of a replacement and I thought this would be a good time to try something new. I thought it would be good to get something lighter and more modern in construction.
I'm not against going back to the Wiley's, but I would like to see if I could make something else work.
I'm concerned about the Radar measurements (if you've seen my posts on other boards). No matter what I do, it just doesn't come out to 29.5" even if I run the plate all the way forward. I really believe this was a big part of my issues this season, my bindings were as much as .75" too far back and consequently the ski just never turned the way it did last year.
I'm curious to see how I might do with a RTP. Why? Well, for starters that's how I learned to ski. I only switched to double boots b/c that's what everyone else was using. I have quite of bit of heel lift in my rear binding and so I question the need to restrict it.
I've come to find out others have the same experience with heel life in a double boot setup, so maybe it not as big of an issue as I think. However, my rear Vector runs so loose after a couple of passes that it seems almost useless.
Printer-friendly versionI use the Vector on the front with a RTP. I like that set up. I think it is always a matter of preference...being comfortable while maintaining control of the ski. I tried the double boot and did not like the way my back heel was so restricted. I figured if the RTP was good enough for Maple (and really a good handful of other pros) I wouldn't have to feel like a dork by sticking with it. I like the way the Vectors give a lot of side support to help the ski stay on edge while also allowing foe some forward flex in the ankle. Some people like that locked-in feeling, but I like that little bit of give.
Not sure about the positioning. I had the boot all the way forward because that is what I read..beginners=boot forward=less speed, more brakes, easier turn. It felt comfortable, but I figured as my skiing has progressed I should try to move them back to "neutral". I just moved them a slot back and will see how that feels next time out. SA, you think they should be all the way forward? I didn't catch your other posts. Will try to find.
I've always wanted to try a Reflex front + RTP- might be the time to try it out! Just throwing another random variable in your equation :)
If I could get away with a rear toe loop, I'd go Reflex and a toe loop.
On my skis (D3), the factory settings for front binding is 29.5" - which for the Radar plate is all the way forward.
I like the Vector front a lot, but the bungee on rear binding always seems to come loose after a couple of passes from my ankle flex. It just feels too sloopy at that point.
I kinda wish they would put the same hooks on the Vectors as they do the Stradas to wrap the bungees around and prevent them from loosening.
I've wanted to try it too, but that's a real pricey setup! I probably won't have to try a RTP with 3 different fronts...I think I'll know just from experimenting on one.
SA, 3/4" is a lot regarding binding position! Really, modify that plate to get to factory setting for starters. I've played around with forward and back binding settings and although I have had some great rides right after changing, it is never the same the next day. You'll never know how "factory" feels without modifying, so you're missing out. If the Radar plate can't be made to work at all, there is a guy out there who makes G10 plates to whatever you want. I'll see if I can find his email.
The Wileys are completely repairable but can be a pain.
I have RS-1's (Strada) and think they work well. Lots of adjustability and they release reliably. Some people don't like the forward lean that's built in but I think it was addressed in the later Strada.
One other thing... if your ankle is still tender, it might not be the best time to make radical changes.
Ah... I'm on a Radar so the holes on the ski would match the slots on the plate as intended. That has got to be really frustrating when you mix and match sksi and bindings from different companies. I undersatnd why each company drills them different from each other. They want you to use their stuff. None the less... still frustrating.
Buddy of mine got a Carbon Works (apparently a defunct company) ski blank for free. The problem is there is no fin box on it. No other companies fin box holes match the ones on the ski, but the holes are not far enough away to be able to drill new ones. Not close enough and not far enough.
I could see that problem with the back vector boot. I wonder if you could cut it and tie the knot so the bungee is shorter. The knot would only allow it to loosen to a certain point. Not sure if that would work, Still might be too loose.
Agreed on the significance of the measurement.
I put the Vectors on for my first ride in the spring and was never able to turn the ski properly all summer. At first I thought it was just me getting used to new bindings...then maybe the wrong plate (I started on Sequence)...then maybe my form, then maybe my conditioning, then maybe (you get the idea).
To think I had could have solved so many problems just by moving my binding one or two holes in one direction!
I think the big issue is that I was measuring from the heel part of the boot (furthest point back) instead of the seam.
Scott Chipman (from BOS) said that I should measure from the seam (or threaded part), which would give me something much closer to what I need.
I did actually have my Vector bindings on this hole setting at the end of July when I went on vacation (lots of free skiing). I just haven't tried course skiing since then because of PT.
I saw Scot's post and went back and checked an email I had from Eddie Roberts describing the "lower seam" which is essentially the same. Hopefully I didn't steer you wrong earlier. At least it's all figured out now! Good luck and let us know how the comparison goes.
I have an issue that is similar. Last week I tried a new ski and set it up to what I thought was factory. Skied great but since I wasn't positive about the binding measurement I tried half hole back. Didn't feel great so I went back up and it seemed better. I have now had the chance to remove the rear binding from the Sequence Plate and actually check that measurement as described above. I discovered that the half hole back position was right. So I guess I will try again this weekend and see which suits me better.
What do you mean by a half hole back? Do you sometimes not use the middle hole on the on each side of the plate?
The Sequence Plate has 2 sets of holes in the middle of the plate that can match up with the inserts for either the front or rear normal plates. They are offset by about a half hole so you can get a finer adjustment depending on which set you choose for the middle screws.
My little guy skis with a Reflex front and an RTP and I have a Strada front with an RTP and both work well for us. I don't have any issues getting the Strada front in the right place on an HO ski. Make sure where you measure from on the Vector corresponds to where it would be on a regular rubber binding. There might be a lot more materiel behind the Vector.
This has not been the year I wanted. I took a bad crash about a month ago - front foot came out, rear stayed in. Thought I had a sprain and was just trying to fight my way through it, now I find out that I've got 2 fractures. I go see the orthopedic tomorrow...I'm hoping to get back on the water by Labor Day.
Printer-friendly versionGet well soon! We need you back in the game. I was wondering where you've been.
I was just wondering where you've been. Hope that heels up fast. You may be better off with the fractures than stretched out ligaments.
Sorry about those circumstances though! That sucks! At least it's not a rib...
Got a bit of good news from the orthopedic on Friday. He thinks a good 2 - 3 week of PT will fix my issue. He seemded confident, but if it's not better we'll do an MRI and go from there.
Pretty much same injury that I had back in 2004 playing indoor soccer - I think it's called an "avulsion fracture"? I'm no doctor, but it's where you have a really bad sprain and the ligament tears away from the bone taking some small chips with it.
This is one is far less serious than what I had previously. I had all the signs of a break back then - couldn't walk, bruising, etc. Now it's just been a month of swelling and a sever loss of flexibility...anytime I do something athletic - run, jump, ski, etc. I'm toast for 2 days.
I plan on skiing much later into the fall this season, so I'm still pretty optimistic that I can turn this around and end on a high note.
SA, that's good news. Don't skip the PT!
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You don't say! I never
You don't say! I never noticed this was your video. I've watched this a thousand times because it is the only good video of Lucky on youtube. I keep searching for some footage of him from the boat but there isn't anything out there. In fact, I'll be referencing this video in one of my later posts.
I've got some somewhere, I
I've got some somewhere, I just have to find it.