barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

[78LS2]

I want to try footing in the spring, but have no clue where to start. I assume that I need a barefoot suit/shorts, and/or a banana pole. How fast should I go?
6' 170lbs

[Quinner]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

37-38mph Long Line, slower if you are on a boom. Do yourself a favor and get some lessons or hook up with some people who can teach you, if not a training video and a boom would be a good start.

[DanielC]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

Find a show ski team in your area. They would love to teach you to barefoot. A boom will save you lots of pain, unless you enjoy 38 mph faceplants.

[jeepn]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

too bad your not in tx, we'd be happy to teach ya. it's always fun taking new people out. you should definitely look into getting a boom. even after you know what your doing, having the boom is nice.

[78LS2]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

Is it impossible to learn to foot on a long line? How much is a boom?

[darrel409]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

All of us old school guys learned long line. We were, BBB, Before Barefoot Booms and whats worse is the fact that we were BBS...Before Barefoot Suits.

[PopUp]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

However, a boom and suit are highly recommended; going without could be considered self-abuse today.

[ffmedic74]

RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

Get a good barefoot suit, some barefoot shorts or some 5mm thick shorts, and a cup!

[Quinner]

Re: RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

Is it impossible to learn to foot on a long line? How much is a boom?

Nothings impossible, self taught long line and taught my son that way as well.
If you are a solid skier and can take a few (hopefully only a few) hard falls then give it a shot. Take some passes at 37mph on a slalom and start planting one foot, practice that until you feel strong enough to step off or sit on a kneeboard and again get up to speed then slowly start planting your feet with more and more pressure until you are in a sitting in the chair position, at that point the board should be gone and you are footin.

[78LS2]

RE: Re: RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

well, i can't step out of a slalom, as I have double animal bindings....
so I'll either try the knee board trick, or get a good barefoot suit and have at it.

thanks guys

[Andrew]

RE: Re: RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

the last time i tried w/a kneeboard, i was porpoising like flipper........ the water was pretty smooth, but i couldn't ride that bull up to 30mph much less 37...... what was i doing wrong?

[j2nh]

Re: RE: Re: RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

well, i can't step out of a slalom, as I have double animal bindings....
so I'll either try the knee board trick, or get a good barefoot suit and have at it.

thanks guys

Hit up garage sales and find an old flat bottom slalom ski. Pop off the rear cup of the front binding and then practice riding on it at 35 or so. Believe it or not these things can get squirrelly at 35 plus. Once you get stable then practice riding with your foot out of the back. Next step is plants. Get comfy riding with more and more weight on your foot in the water and the next thing you know you will be barefooting. Remember to keep your plant foot in front of the foot in the binding and BEND your knee. When in doubt just remember it is better to fall backwards than out the front.

Don't try any of this without a good barefoot suit, rope and shorts.

Learning this way is definitely old school and the way I learned many years ago.

[j2nh]

Re: RE: Re: RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

the last time i tried w/a kneeboard, i was porpoising like flipper........ the water was pretty smooth, but i couldn't ride that bull up to 30mph much less 37...... what was i doing wrong?

Did this a couple of times a long time ago. Key if I remember correctly is to get a plant with your feet fairly quickly. Bent knees and some weight on your feet will keep the kneeboard from bouncing. At 30 you should be able to pretty much have all of your weight on your feet, then very slowly stand up and the kneeboard will drop away.

When I was a kid we used to do it by sitting on old wooden slalom skis. Man am I getting old!

[Quinner]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: barefooting off a 196 w/ an ecal

Andrew,

Probably too far back on the board, get further forward and the board will ride fine and composite boards ride and start better. Don't be in a hurry, , as you slowly apply weight/pressure toward your feet the resulting wake will actually lift the board and assist you to the proper "sitting in a chair" position.

Regarding the garage sale ski's, the longer the better, some width never hurts either (yes that could be read many different ways).

Greg,

You definitely need a barefoot suit, do not try footing with a life jacket! If you take a hard fall and hit feet first, after a somersault or two, the jacket can ride up your torso, not good.

[tomdarcy]

This thread brings back memories! Memories of coming home from the lake after every weekend and not being able to turn my head in either direction! None of my friends or I had a clue and we were all stubborn enough to learn to foot. The best advice I got - and what finally got me over the hump was referring to body position - it should be like sitting in a chair with your arms straight out in front.

The other piece of gear that we were missing for a long time and is only mentioned once above is rope. A static (non-stretch) line made a world of difference over the slalom lines we were attempting to learn with. A barefoot line or even a wakeboard line is the other piece of gear you should have.

Good luck - stock up on motrin.

TD