Teaching Kids to Ski -- Advice Needed

[TBMsNautique]

I have a 2000 Super Sport and have purchased the V-Drive boom. The boom works very well for kids learning what it feels like to actually "stand up" on the water. I use the trainer skis tied together in the front and back for the really little kids -- I have been successful with some 3 year-olds enjoying the thrill of their life!

I have seen a few boats with kids literally skiing right behind the rear platform with "Dad" hanging onto the rope. The kids aren't more that a few feet behind. Does anyone have experience with this approach? I suspect this might be a really good way to "graduate" a youngster from the boom to holding onto a rope? Deep-water starting, even with a short rope, is fraught with difficulty and frustration on behalf of the child. I was wondering specifically how to get them started off the platform and how fast to go. With kids, you've only got one shot before they sour on the idea! So, I'd like to do this right the first time. Thanks for any advice offered!

[BSBell]

RE: Teaching Kids to Ski -- Advice Needed

The best way to do it is to in this order:

Start out on the Boom

Add short rope to the Boom

Long rope behind the boat

[CAN'TSKI]

I hook the kids to the tower on my 211. The most important thing I have seen is a slow, really easy pullup. These kids are almost up as soon as you take it out of neutral.

[AirTool]

I meant to post this last week when the thread appeared .....and we were on vacation.

Pic below is FIRST pull with the trainer skis....bar in front with rope that attaches to skis and has handle to share the load.

The boy is 7.

AirTool

[AuMDLST]

Kids

It is all going to be up to the ability of the child. I have had great success getting kids to wakeboard or kneeboard by allowing them to have fun and try as long as they want. It does make for some slow hot days but when they get the hang of it ( usually less than an hours time ) they have a blast. The picture included is of our daughter, just turned 6, really boarding for the first time this summer. She wanted to try last summer but kind of freaked out being in the water, she would kneeboard all day long though. She wanted to try again so we set it up and off she went.

[Mikeski]

RE: Kids

Used to teach about 10 kids/week to ski when I worked at ClubMed in Florida.

1. Make it fun, the more kids the better, they will feed off each other motivationally
2. Go slow, start in a pool or drag them off a sandy shore running with the rope, no need for a boat if they weigh less than 50lbs
3. Always hold the rope with your hand so you can let go when they fall, for some reason kids tend to hang on after they fall. Afte getting dragged by a boat they won't want to do it again until next year.

Smile, don't push them too hard. If it stops being fun then try again another day.

[AirTool]

RE: Kids

AuMDLST - what is the boat speed in the photo of the 6-year-old? Also, what is her weight and how long is her board?

AirTool

[AuMDLST]

RE: Kids

Boat speed was 13 mph, riding a hyperlite 119cm board with micro bindings and she weighs around 40 lbs. It takes a nice slow acceleration to get her up, I believe she was out of the water at around 5-7 mph.

[AirTool]

RE: Kids

Thanks for the info. Our board is a body glove 122 with kids bindings. We'll try it again later this week....starting slow then getting up to speed.

AirTool

[AirTool]

Fin placement on kids wakeboard???

Okay...trying to get the 8 year old kid up on the wakeboard. (The same kid that barefoots from the boom already.)

QUESTION - This body glove board has the following feature "6 removable fins allow the rider to customize their ride from tight and true, to loose and fun."

There are two big fins...one in the center on each end. Or, four smaller fins....two spread out near the edges on each end.

Okay....which set up gives "tight and true" and which gives "loose and fun".

Which set up should I put on for the beginner? One suggestion from a neighbor was to just take them all off.

He is popping right up....he has the start and turn down pat. Then in about four or five seconds he looses control.

HELP ! He is almost there and getting tired of crashing.

Is it the fins? Am I too fast? ...too slow? Too much rope? I gradually moved him very close to the boat.

AirTool

[AuMDLST]

RE: Fin placement on kids wakeboard???

Our kids ride with the two center fins on (only option on the boards we have). Make sure they are riding with more weight on the back foot, knees slightly bent and the hands low (trying to keep them at the hip).
How fast are you pulling him? I have seen the out of control (the real fast turning - heal,toe,heal,toe action?). Usually goes away with the extra weight on the back foot.
I would say the larger skegs are the tight and true.

[harddock]

RE: Fin placement on kids wakeboard???

Some suggest that the skis tied together are too buoyant in the tail and make controlling them prior to taking off more difficult. I have seen success with the skis cut loose. I have zip tied a ski handle to the boom because the boom diameter was to big for little hands. I have taught four year olds wake boarding and skiing from a boom with great results.

[HS]

RE: Fin placement on kids wakeboard???

AirTool:

I am pretty sure the "tight and true" setup is the center fins on each end. This is how the kids sized Hyperlite Motives are set up (109 and 119). We have the 109. Removing the fins will make is more loose. (My old State model is the same way with big center fins.)

Your speed might be a liitel fast -- has he tried it on the boom and then a short line from the boom? He's obviously got the skill, my guess is he just needs time and reps to get steady and learn his weight control.

H.

[CradGen2]

Re: RE: Teaching Kids to Ski -- Advice Needed

The best way to do it is to in this order:

Start out on the Boom

Add short rope to the Boom

Long rope behind the boat

I'm with Bell but before I go to the long rope behind the boat. I use about 25 feet of rope off the tower. still helps with pulling up. After that, 60 feet out.

[AirTool]

Re: RE: Fin placement on kids wakeboard???

I have seen the out of control (the real fast turning - heal,toe,heal,toe action?).

Yeah...almost like going downhill too fast on a skateboard.

We have not tried on a boom yet because we don't have one. Should be here Friday or Monday, though. His boom experience is on his barefoot coach's boat.

I'm thinking to leave him on the 30+ long line and slow down. Another trick a buddy at work told was to have him try to hold the handle with only one hand so he can lean back more. I bet we get it on the first try. Pics to follow next week. They've got VBS all week and Mom said no lake trips this week.

Note my post from July was last year....as was the ski photo.

Some suggest that the skis tied together are too buoyant in the tail and make controlling them prior to taking off more difficult.

I don't think it is related to being tied. Main reason is that they are composite....not wood.

I put HO weights on the tail of my HO trainers and nobody has failed to come up on the first try.