Best way to pick up a falling Boarder or Skier

[RJP56]

Anyone have any ideas for picking someone out of the water without crossing your wake and getting a wave over the bow? Best way I found was to stop as soon as the person drops, put in in reverse, make a slow 180 degree turn and head back to the person. Anyone know how the Pro drivers do it?

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: Best way to pick up a falling Boarder or Skier

That's pretty much how I do it. I have spent some time in Travis Moye's boat (he's the head driver for the Pro Tour), and i try to mimic his driving as much as possible. After stopping (sometimes I do use the reverse bump to stop the boat quicker (I have seen Murray do that too), make sure you're at idle speed before initiating your 180 degree turn. Make sure to keep the rider on the driver's side.

[amwalker]

Re: RE: Best way to pick up a falling Boarder or Skier

Make sure to keep the rider on the driver's side.

Probably the only important thing you should do when driving the boat. Everything else is secondary, but keeping your rider safe from other boaters and making him/her feel safe and in sight once they're down has always been my main priority as a driver.

Beyond that, just popping back to idle and turning once the wake passes works best for me.

[Fatboy206]

Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

Guys
I learnt something new today. It really makes perfect sense to stop asap, let the wake pass you and make a slow turn.
This is a great site, nice to be part of this site.
Thank you

[harddock]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

It is also important that the skier know enough to clasp hands overhead if ok after a fall. If I do'nt see the hands in the mirror I assume something is wrong and get to the skier ASAP not worring about the wake. If hurt the wake isn't going to matter.

[WakeSlayer]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

We require a wave from the skier or we also assume they are hurt and hurry back.

[saceone]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

^^that's a great idea guys. We had a guy dislocate his shoulder the other day, good thing he had a CGA vest.

[Flipside]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

When you stop, and put boat in reverse to initiate your 180, wouldn't you run the risk of getting the line int he prop? Or do you have a spotter collect the line first? I just pop it in neutral immediately after a fall and cut hard starboard.

[morfoot]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

When a skier goes down the first thing I do is chop throttle back to Neutral for a few seconds then idle and make a 180 turn back to skier keeping them on drivers side.(This keeps from sending huge wall of water down the lake which you'll eventually meet up with again and making the water rough) You may have to "gun it" just a tad to cross over wake to prevent a tidal wave from coming over the bow. ( a buddy shorted out a radio display once by NOT doing it).

If my rider is done, (usually with a wave off motion) I'll proceed with picking up rider by keeping a 5ft gap between them and the boat. As soon as the front of boat is just about even with the rider, I'll turn slightly away from skier and put it in Neutral. When rider is even with me or just past me then I'll put boat in reverse for about 2-3 secs to bring stern around and place back of platform 1-2 feet from skier. :grin:

[swooddc]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

+1 morfoot, thats the way i teach to pick up skiers. i hate to have to swim to catch the platform. also important when picking up injured skiers usually I can bump a little reverse, shut down and be on the teak to grab the victim.

[seth]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

Definately DO NOT POWER TURN. It really messes up the water for everyone including the power turner, and really pisses people off who know what they are doing. We have to idle down and then give a little gas right before completely coming off plane because of all the weight we run. Otherwise there is a wall of water coming over the back of the boat! If you come to an idle before turning you should never have to worry about getting rocked by your own wake.

[BigBald]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

I pull the throttle down...at the same time, I turn to the right....barely. That brings the boat down, and starts the right turn. Then I apply some reverse and complete the 180 and I im inside the wake. I then head back to the skier. I don't have many problems with the rope becuase I am not going backwards that hard...just slightly.

Also, in a 216 with several folks in the bow, this keeps them above water with no issues.

I actually saw this at a pro-wakeboarding tournament in Indianapolis many years ago....that's when i started doing it regularly...

[pilotdlh]

RE: Best way to pick up a fallen boarder or skier

My answer is: It depends.
When I'm out on a busy lake pulling the kids, I do a hard left turn, cross the wake with power on, pull back to idle and cross my path with the skier on my right. This keeps me on the high side during the turn for greater visibility and places me next to the skier with the skier on my right. I bring the bow a few feet from the skier (on my side) and turn right just as I pass the skier. This allows me to be close to the skier to talk to him or her, to make sure they are OK, and to see if they are getting in or continuing. If they want to continue, I keep idling past and the rear of the boat swings away from the skier and the rope makes an arc right around the skier. He doesn't have to move at all to get the rope. I head off in the opposite direction, so the wake from the turn doesn't bother us. If the skier is done, when I get to him, I can grab the ski, throw it in, hit reverse for a second, shut off the engine, and the platform is right next the skier.
I've been pulling my brother (who is nationally ranked in slalom and tricks) and others for 30+ years and that's the way he prefers it. When trick skiing, I can make the turn, idle past without stopping, when he gets the handle, hit the throttle, head off in the opposite direction, and he's back up in about 15 seconds. In Spring in Minnesota, you don't want to be in the water for long.
On a private lake, with no other boats, and warmer water, I would do as others have said, slow down, 180, idle back. I still make the left turn first. It pulls the rope to that side, so when you arc around the skier, the rope comes to him.
When pulling in tournaments, if the skier falls, you keep going straight ahead, and let the pickup/safety boat get him.