I wonder if this event could get revived. Not as a regular event, but as a special event maybe just once a year. With a proper site and plenty of time for training. At least a week-long deal, with lots of practice and even coaching. Thinking of initially just for Open Men and Open Women. FYI, the ski flying records are 312' men and 228' women. An interesting comparison is with standard jumping and snow ski flying. Waterski Mens jump record: 254'. Snow ski flying record: 253.5 meters. Now, if we could only find a lake with a hill in it.
1
Comments
Slap a blower on a 6.2 and I think you would be good to go.
Be interesting to see if there are many mumpers out there intrigued by this.
When we started the program sometime in 97 I installed a Python 502 in a bubble butt. did three more in 98. Then in 99 Ford Marine and PCM teamed up and provided us with 2 Metric 5.4 Lightning engines we ran those for three seasons until in 2002 we ran supercharged 6.0 LS engines till the end of the ski fly run.
Plenty of supercharged LS marine products and even some natural aspirated high HP marine applicable power plants that would suite the purpose..
Drive it by hand!
That said, after a little reflection, it's important to balance this against some rationalism:
1. How does this work for the jumpers? once or twice a year we'd like to change the specific conditions you train for in your already-incredibly-dangerous sport. We'd like to make it even more dangerous, and practice for this once-or-twice-a-year thrill-fest requires you to find a specially-built ramp.
2. Yes, waterskiing needs some innovative ideas to grow the sport and build excitement. That said, if you're not a hardcore skier, e.g. a new spectator... is it really that much more exciting to see a guy go 304' vs 254'? It's already an incredibly exciting sport to watch. Except to a few of us, I'm not sure it adds much.
Imagine once a year, there was a NASCAR race with the usual drivers, but they have to bring a rocket-powered car with skinny tires. It would be really interesting to some die hard fans, not particularly interesting to others, arguably financially silly, but above all... irresponsibly dangerous. NASCAR is exciting enough. You don't need to work harder to set the athletes up for failure.
@andjules : NASCAR actually does it 4 times a year - Daytona and Talladega, that is where the term 'the big one' comes from which usually takes out about 25% of the field.
50 mph is usually kind of a special prop for these boats even to reach it footing.
@Edbrazil I believe they let the boat go full throttle after the ramp for skifly at throwdown
ski fly boat!!
Not a mechanic but I play one at home
Boats and ramps could be built but at 45mph, 90' spectra ropes and massive cuts the falls will be horrendous. I love jumping, can't do it anymore given my back and knees, but like slalom the thrill is in the competition and not necessarily in the distance or buoy count.
If you don't get a chill seeing someone jump 200+ @35 off a 6' ramp then I don't think you appreciate the skill, danger and dedication of the athletes doing it.
One of the big advantages was, and again this is just from memory, was the angle was reduced for the ski fly ramp vs the traditional at 6'. Much easier on the knees.
It was an interesting experiment and I believe they even did it at the Masters one year.
All I can say is just because you can doesn't mean you should. The falls in Open division jumping are vicious. Add speed, add height, 90" skis, thin margins for error. Late cut, wind gust, any one of a million variables and big injuries can happen. My personal opinion is I just don't see the need.
I like reese's pieces
"Leave nothing on the dock"~AM