When water skiing the boat operator and the skier must work as a team. They both need to learn safe skiing skills. Before you hit the water, you should know your equipment, general and local boating laws, and the basic fundamentals of the sport. What the Boat Operator should know All boats should allow a minimum of a 100 foot ski area. This means, that if two ski boats are in the same vicinity of each other they should be at least 200 feet apart. Before pulling a skier up carefully check the path ahead for obstacles and make sure the towline is not caught in the propeller or wrapped around the skier. Never accelerate until the skier is holding the towline handle, with the ski tip or tips showing above water. Skiers should have a smooth acceleration as they come up on a plane. As the boat operator, you should ease the throttle at first with a slight increase in speed. You should never attempt sharp turns with the boat, especially if the skier is cutting sharply outside the wake on either side. If you have to make an unexpected turn, throttle back as you turn. Signal to the skier, that you have to turn, remembering that it is safer to dunk the skier than risk an accident. If a skier falls, return immediately. Other boaters may not notice a skier in the water, and the presence of the tow boat may keep other boaters away from the general area. You should approach with caution from the driver's side so the skier is always in view and on your side of the boat. Never back the boat up to someone in the water. Shut the engine off when you are near the skier so there is no danger from the propeller. Be aware that when boat engines idle, even in neutral, the propeller may still turn and injure the skier or entangle and cut the tow lines. If a skier falls and is injured, you must proceed with caution. Any injury might be aggravated by pulling the person aboard. It is best to get into the water to support the skier until the nature of the injury is known. What the skier should know A skier should be alert for cross-wakes, partially submerged objects, swimmers, or anything that might come between them and the boat. It is recommended that you wear a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device designed for water-skiing at all times. This will allow you to rest in the water while waiting for the boat, it protects the rib cage and cushions falls. Its bright color will make you more visible to others in the area. Ski belts are not Coast Guard-approved and do not offer positive protection to a fallen or injured skier.
You can't beat a nice hot summer's day with the spray in your face and a fast boat beneath your feet - unless it's a fast pair of skis under your feet! Water skiing has been around for over 80 years now since Ralph Samuelson of Minnesota first tried a pair of snow skis and a rope attached to a boat.
To ski on water you not only need the right kind of skis, but also the right kind of boat. A good should have small wake and have nippy maneuverability and turning capability, and in this case biggest is not best. The best skiboats have inboard engines although it is not cast in stone, and while many people ski using general purpose deck boats, the best are purpose built.
It difficult to single out any of the popular skiboat ranges in Australia since there are so many of them and quite frankly they tend to be great boats. It would be easier to single out those slightly less fabulous than the rest than to pick the best, and you can't go by price. Australia is a country perfectly situated for water skiing, and they know how to build the right boats to do the job.
If we were to name a few, then of the popular skiboat ranges in Australia, Lewis must be amongst the most favoured, being one of the major ski boat builders in the world. Anywhere there is water skiing you will find a Lewis boat, built by Australia's oldest manufacturer.
Although the original Lewis boats were made of wood, they are now fiberglass that provides a strong but very lightweight boat. Even though the internal stringer system is generally wood, Lewis boats are very maneuverable and very fast. The 2280 and Revolution are typical of the Lewis range with their zippy Mercruiser engines that produce a small wake at speed for a smooth slalom ride, and nice big wake for wakeboarding at lower speeds.
Their well designed Wake towers can be pimped any way you like them, with speakers, lights and board racks. However, the trade-off in having a dual purpose ski and wake boat is that you can get a bumpier ride on skis. It isn't always ideal to have a dual purpose boat, but if you enjoy both sports then you should get enough performance from a good ski and wakeboarding boat to satisfy you. If it's championship performance you are seeking, then purchase a specialist boat.
Bayliner is another boat builder with very popular skiboats in the 16 - 22 foot range The Bowrider 205 is typical of a great ski boat with a fabulous Mercruiser Alpha 1 engine with 220 horses of pulling power. This boat comes with space under-floor for ski storage and great entertainment from its stereo controller that allows you fit a CD player, iPod or MP3 player. Bayliner know how to build boats: they should, having been in the business over 45 years. These boats are quality, and respond to the helm perfectly. With rapid acceleration, they can also turn on a cent piece, and are perfect for skiing.
If it's more power you are looking for try a . These boats exude class and quality, and the Bowrider 240LS is great for skiing. You can choose your colour and your Mercedes engine up to a maximum 425 HP. Add to that an optional fantastic Social Swim Transom? entertainment system, and a head with sink and shower, and this baby is great for all day fun. If you prefer a deckboat to a bowrider for your skiing, then the Crownline 252 EX has much the same appointments with the same engine, and a Sony Marine stereo system as standard. Crownline sell on quality, and are not cheap, but if it's the best you want they can deliver. Again, though, they are multi-purpose and while very popular and great for the recreational skier, they are not specialist ski boats.
If you want a specialist championship standard skiboat, then Skicraft must figure in there somewhere. Skicraft, based in Bayswater, have been making championship skiboats since 1969, offering very reliable turning and maneuverability, but is also very safe. From the sleek and fast 202 to the new V-Drive eXV Skicraft are true championship boats. The ExV is an upgrade of the popular eX2, with a good weight design to switch from skiing to wakeboarding at the flick of a switch.
Skicraft generally build specialist boats, and the V-Drive is generally better for wakeboarding. However, can be expensive because they have to be heavier to generate a good wake. Skicraft have developed a wake control technology whereby you can adjust the size of the wake to switch between skiing and wakeboarding, and all at a price well below that of a purpose-built wakeboarding boat.
However, the boat that everybody is waiting to see is the new Mustang. Since being taken over by Standard Bank, Mustang is back, and is going from strength to strength. Their latest boat, still to be unveiled, is the Mustang 2008 430 Sports Coupe. How good this will be for skiing we don't know, but it sports Volvo IPS 600 engines as standard, with 418 HP each so is going to be fast enough.
These are among the more popular skiboat ranges in Australia, but there are many more and it would take several pages to do justice to even a fraction of them.
Both Victor Epand & Carloanwizard are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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