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To reach or not to reach?

WishWish Posts: 8,540 ★★★Triple Panda Award Recipient ★★★
edited March 2012 in Technique & Theory
So was wondering what the thoughts were on reaching at 28 vs 38. Do you reach/extend with the same technique for all lines or is it an intentional shorter reach at longer lines?
>>> 11.25..a different kettle of fish. <<<

Comments

  • Than_BoganThan_Bogan Posts: 7,043 Mega Baller
    My big thing recently has been to be really careful not to "push" on the rope -- i.e. reach just for the sake of reaching. It's all part of the handle control that I am still trying to learn.

    So, at least according to my plan, I reach only because I have to reach because I'm skiing away from the rope handle.

    So I'm not sure I can directly answer your question, but hopefully the above explains the way I try to do it.
    Nathaniel Bogan -- GUT Padawan
    Texas6woolly110
  • HortonHorton Posts: 32,395 Administrator
    edited March 2012
    The less you try to reach (the more you try to not reach) the more your mass will move away from the wakes...

    http://www.ballofspray.com/tech-articles/87-what-the-heck-is-handle-control

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  • Razorskier1Razorskier1 Posts: 3,425 Mega Baller
    What Than and Horton said -- make the boat pull the handle into the reach instead of you pushing it.
    Jim Ross
  • Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,066 Mega Baller
    At 32 and 35 I feel like I stretch more at the ball. I tried to replicate that feeling a couple of times at 28 and it doesnt work for me because I feel like I am forcing it. I can't speak for anything beyond 35 because I have never been there.
    Mark Shaffer
  • jayskijayski Posts: 1,159 Mega Baller
    Stay on the handle as long as possible, as Horton and Than said this creates width and an outward direction (as long as you are strong on the handle) not giving it back to the boat, most people if they reach too early reach to the inside instead of in the direction of your travel which creates a closed or block position at the buoy and a untight, uncontrolled line.
  • Steven_HainesSteven_Haines Posts: 1,079 ★★★Triple Panda Award Recipient ★★★
    I try to create enough velocity to make it easy to carry the handle to the buoy line and then feed the handle as your ski continues outbound. The key word here is "try"
  • brooksbrooks Posts: 215 Open or Level 9 Skier
    The goal with reaching is to get outside the bouy. If your ski is continually going outbound and the line stays tight as you reach you've done it correctly. However if you reach a wide point and then reach back to the boat crating slack you are not doing it right. I try to teach my students to constantly think about going out until you begin to move back in. @Than and @Horton are right on!
    Brooks Wilson- http://thewilsonbros.com
  • HortonHorton Posts: 32,395 Administrator
    @Horton are right on!
    I guess I should not make a t-shirt with this quote but I want to

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  • brooksbrooks Posts: 215 Open or Level 9 Skier
    @horton i'm a little upset it is in writing because i would deny it to the death otherwise
    Brooks Wilson- http://thewilsonbros.com
    MattP
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