The Skis - The Sport

In recent years the tendency has been for shorter water skis. When the sport was first started, in the 20’s, the skis were about 10 feet long and flat bottomed. Modern skis- except for special “trick” or “turn-around” skis have one or 2 fins toward the rear and are seldom much over 6 feet in length.

For comfortable skiing, the foot binding should fit properly. Some skis come with fixed-size binding, others are adjustable, and many water skiers prefer to make their own, using pieces of truck tire or soft rubber. In most adjustable bindings, the unit consists of 2 pieces, with a fixed toe piece and an adjustable heel binding. Some types of permanent bindings consist of the rubber piece or pieces attached to a metal plate which is affixed to the ski. All ski bindings should be made so that they will release readily when the skier falls or wants “out.”

While some water skis have been made of fiberglass or fiberglass-covered wood, most water skiers prefer wooden skis, with ash and hickory as first choice, although some are made of mahogany, teak or walnut. Generally the skis are enameled or varnished, and experts claim that the varnish finish gives a faster ride, since it creates less friction than enamel. Like snow skiers, many of the water fraternity wax the bottoms of the skis with paraffin to further eliminate friction drag.

The toes of water skis are pointed upward to prevent the ski from digging into a wave and performing a toss similar to the “pitchpolling” of a boat.

SKI SELECTION CHART*
(Weight of skier in pounds; minimum ski length required. Experienced skiers may use smaller skis and less horsepower than indicated.)

! Courtesy: Evinrude Motors

Among other differences in water skis, some have tapered trailing edges, others run full width. Some experienced skiers prefer the tapered type which they feel gives them better control on fast turns. The better grades of water skis are made of laminated woods which reduce the possibility of cracking or splitting, although most skis will have a tendency to warp after much use and should then be replaced.

Tags: water sports

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