Aurora Lake Water Ski Club (ALWSC)

Slalom Ski Adjustments

• SKI ADJUSTMENTS

The best way to refer to the two turning sides of the course is toe-side and heel-side. If the skier is making a turn that results in the hips and front foot instep being open to the boat, it is a heel-side turn. When the skier is turning and the feet are crossing over, it is a toe-side turn.

When thinking about a ski and its setup, think of it as an oversized lever. The fulcrum point lies somewhere under the back foot. Any adjustment you make to the fin will have an effect on how the whole ski rides in the water.

BINDING LOCATION

The first thing to look at is the binding location on the ski. The general rule is forward for beginners to create easier turn initiation, center holes for intermediate and back for expert ( 35 off) for quicker speed off the buoy. Some of the latest thought is to think of the two boots more independently to balance out of the turns by weight distribution.

DISTANCE FROM TAIL (Tail measurement/forward to back)

This adjustment can be summed up as the initial attitude of the ski. The further forward the fin is, the more the tip will be free of pressure. The further back the fin is, the more the ski will level out and put surface area into the water. As the fin is moved back (toward the tail), the fin gains leverage over the front of the ski and pulls the nose of the ski downward and will ride more flat.

The further forward the fin is, the easier the skier can manipulate the ski and turn harder and faster (shorter fulcrum). The further back the fin is the more the ski will make a longer carving turn. The ski will also hold better angle with the fin back (longer fulcrum).

Fin forward will create more speed. Fin back will take away speed.

Remember: The water should be breaking under the heel of the front foot when riding flat in the water. This is a tail measurement adjustment.

LENGTH (Tip/Tip Pressure)

The length of the fin also creates a pressure for the length of the ski. A shorter fin allows the ski to ride more free and loose. A longer fin creates more drag pulling the whole ski deeper into the water. On our toe-side, we ride further forward on our front foot allowing for tip pressure adjustment from the length of the fin. Too much length causes the tip of the ski to grab too soon and the ski will overturn. Not enough will cause the ski to wheelie because there is no commitment from the front edge of the ski into the water. This is the adjustment that will allow the ski to have symmetrical turns in the course. Beginners will want to run more tip than advanced skiers to stabilize the ski. Too much tip will sacrifice width in the course and cause slack turns on the heel-side turn.

DEPTH

This controls the aggression level of the ski setup. The torque on the lever. A deeper fin will allow you to hold more angle through the wakes by creating the power of the lever. This translates to speed but is often a little more difficult to ride. The downside of a fin that is too deep is slower turns. Less depth will allow a skier to make quicker tighter turns often.

TAIL

Monzas and System-8s will leave the factory with the wing blades down (below the mounting screws) at 9 degrees. This is the ideal position for maximum speed control and stability.
I
If the bindings are forward: 7-8 degrees
If the bindings are neutral: 8-10 degrees
If the bindings are back: 9-11 degrees

QUICK GUIDE

Remember that a small adjustment make a large change in the skis performance. Never move the fin more than 0.020” in a single move for someone free-riding. For a competition skier, a move of 0.010” is a huge adjustment.

Always record the settings of the fin before you move it and record the new settings to keep track of the progress.

FORWARD BACK ADJUSTMENT

A horizontal adjustment FORWARD to the tip of the ski lifts the front and drops the tail during an onside turn. A horizontal adjustment BACKWARD drives the front into the water and raises the tail.

DEPTH ADJUSTMENT

A DOWNWARD adjustment (deeper) improves stability and holding power. Shallower makes it easier to turn.

TIP ADJUSTMENT

Pulling the tip down makes the fin fuller, and drives the tip into the water. Taking away tip (shorter length) raises the tip of the ski.

PROBLEM SOLUTION

- Ski is too responsive Make deeper, or move fin back
- Ski changes edge to slowly Shallower fin, or move fin forward
- Ski overturning or falling away into the wakes Move fin back, or move front binding forward
- Tip is riding high in heel-side turn Fin Back
- Ski is overturning on heel-side Fin Forward
- Ski diving into turn on toe-side Take out tip
- Unstable or too fast into turn Increase depth
- Breaking at the waist on toe-side Take away tip
- Difficult to initiate turn Shallow up fin
 

• Goode Fin Adjustments

• HO Monza Optimal Fin Dimensions
  
  Below you will find the dimensions we have found to work well for each individual ski size.
  
  This is the most consistent setting for all sizes. Length is measured with the jaws of the caliper (not the tips). Measuring the length of the fin using the tips will add approximately .090” to the total length.
   

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