Driving Clinics and Tips

Driving Clinics provide driving instructions on how to drive for different types of ski disciplines for safety and a better ride for the skier.  

General and Slalom Driving Clinic:

Click here to sign up for a driving clinic (Maneuverability, Steering/Docking, How to drive inboards at slow speeds, driving for waterskiers, driving for the Slalom Course, Barefoot, etc.)  I’ll provide a document(s) that you can keep in the boat for reference, and we will use your boat, of course.

  1. Steering & "In Gear" - Cars steer from the front, and Boats steer from the rear. Therefore, these clinics let you practice how to drive your boat around objects like other boats and skiers in the water. When to put the boat "in gear" to turn right vs. when to put it "in gear" reverse to go left (Ex of Mastercraft boats, Nautiques are opposite).

  2. Maneuverability – Slow speed driving, backing up inboards, how to approach and drive around a fallen skier/tuber are very different in a boat. These clinics also let you practice how approach a dock. For ex., Mastercrafts always backup to the right, so approaching a dock from the right and putting the boat in reverse, forces the bow into the dock and typically a crash. It's the responsibility of the driver to land the boat on a dock, not the passengers to use their hands as it is very dangerous for a passenger to use their hands as they may get caught between the boat and dock causing injury.

  3. Course Driving – How to avoid cutting bouys, the turn around, how to enter and leave the course when you’re in the middle and people are waiting, how to pull up a skier in the middle of the course to avoid creating rollers (waves that travel end to end through the course).

 Please contact us to schedule a clinic, and let us know if there is something specific that you want to learn to keep your boat and passengers safe.

Driving Tips:

SMOOTH WATER (6-730 AM)

Let's be polite on the lake for the betterment of all of our skiers.

  • We have Slalom Course skiers who have made a big investment of time and money to offer our communities the great opportunity to ski an Official Slalom Course at next to nothing cost.  For example, Joining other Clubs with courses may cost up to $1,200 per year.

  • We have National Barefoot Champions, practicing to keep their titles. 

PROBLEM: Rollers are boat wakes that travel at present height across the lake without reduction.
1. Boats - It's nice to have the lake to yourself, but it's not always possible.
2. Power Turns - Turning the boat around to go the other direction. This is best to get the boat back through the wakes just made by the boat, and seems to be good for the skier. Unfortunately, this creates the largest rollers for other boats, and sends rollers back affecting your skier.
3. Driving at slow speeds generates the largest and longest of rollers. These actually bounce off the shore and back over the lake again. On busy weekend days, this is one reason why the lake gets so rough and takes so long to calm down.

SOLUTION:
1. To provide all skiers with smooth water during the week, Mondays and Wednesdays are set aside for Barefooters from Sunrise to 730am, and Slalom Skiers are Tuesdays and Thursdays from sunrise to 730am.  Other days and times are open for first come first serve basis.  These are not rules, but guidelines to be considerate for all of our skiing community.
2. Remember that 6am skiers are very passionate about their sport, very talented and very knowledgeable. Please slowly drive over to them, say Hi. Tell them what skiing you'd like to do, and discuss boat paths so both boats can ski on smooth water. There are different boat paths posted to facilitate 6am conversations.
3. Avoid power turns, and drive straight.

To allow skiers to have their time on the water Tues & Thurs. before work, we are publishing driving tips which allow our many Slalom Skiers smooth water. Slalom Course skiers to run the course safely by avoiding rollers The Slalom Course has been slightly aligned to minimize "rollers" across the lake and special driving is trained to be as polite as possible to give everyone smooth water.  Unfortunately, there is little more that can be done.

6-730 am Lake Map.

HAND SIGNALS

The driver is responsible for reviewing signals with the skier before the skier enters the water. Thumb up = faster, Thumb down = slower, one hand on top of the head while skiing means the skier wants to stop, and two hands on head after a fall means the skier is OK.

It's always polite to ask if the skier has any specific preferences.

THE PULLOUT - Getting the skier out of the water safely.

  1. Align the boat so the skier is directly behind the boat. Point the boat away from the course to prevent the roller created by the bow to miss the course.

  2. The skier should say "gear", and the driver should take the engine from neutral to forward.  At this point the driver makes sure the steering wheel is straight forward and boat is traveling straight forward.

  3. The skier says "pull" and the driver slowly pushes the throttle forward.  The skier should never say "go" because it sounds like "no" and if the drivers pushes the throttle when the skier doesn't want to, injuries could result.

  4. Smooth forward motion of the throttle, depending on the horse power of the engine, should pull the skier smoothly out of the water.  Often drivers give too much power, so it's best to start slow, especially with beginning skiers.

  5. Pulling the throttle back when the skier is up and the boat approaches the proper speed.  This is delicate and should be done slowly.  For a skier on one ski, start pulling the throttle back at about 22 mph because the boat is still accelerating and you want to keep the skier below their top speed.  The common mistake is to pull back too late, causing the skier to ski upwards of 30 mph and risking a bad fall.

Note: Depending on weight and experience, a skier on two skis should be skiing between 18 mph to 22 mph; Single ski about 25 mph, barefoot formula is weight divided by 10 plus 20.  Skier at 130 lbs = 130 / 10 + 20 = 23 mph

After the skier is done, the driver should ask for feedback.

DRIVE STRAIGHT

  1. Skiers need the boat to be traveling straight so they can concentrate on their skiing.  If the boat is turning, the wakes are different sizes and skiing is more difficult.

  2. Signal to the skier when you're going to make a left turn.

DRIVING THE COURSE - This is best shown in person.

 

DROP OFF

  1. Skiers put one hand on their head signaling the driver that they want to stop. When in a safe area, the driver turns the boat left at a 30 degree angle and simultaneously points the skier to pull right.  When the driver feels the skier whip right. When the skier pulls right, the driver pulls back on the throttle and turn the boat right.  This will result in the boat being close to the skier.

  2. Review the run with the skier to see if they want and special driving changes.

Wakeboard Driving Clinics:

Click here to sign up for a wakeboard driving clinic.

  • The Pullout
  • Driving in straight sections around the lake and signaling turns.
  • The double up - Driving hard right or left and then perpendicular to the wake to allow the skier to hit both the new wake and the upcoming wakes (double wakes, thus the double up) for extra height for the skier.

Barefoot Driving Clinics:

Click here to sign up for a barefoot driving clinic.

  • Driving for smooth water
  • The Deep water start
  • Driving with a boom