You On Water Skis: What a Picture!

By Jody Smith HERWriter

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The picture of someone -- like you -- on water skis, holding on to a tow rope while being pulled through the wake of a boat is indeed a perfect summer picture.

And it can stay perfect as long as you learn the ropes, so to speak, before you climb on those skis.

First off, you'll need to know how to pick out the right water skis for your weight (and please don't lie about your weight!) as well as your level of experience.

Your body mass is supported by the surface area of your skis. You will be kept above water by the surface area of your skis.

People as light as 80 pounds will go for skis that are between 62 and 64 inches in length. People who weigh more than 200 pounds will want skis that are 69 to 72 inches long, according to Ehow.com.

If you have experience, smaller skis may be big enough for you to stay in control. Wider tips are good for beginners. You'll also want to add up to a couple of inches to your ski length if you're new to water skiing.

This is a good idea if you will be going 30 mph or less, as well. If you have lots of experience, and plan to move faster than 35 mph, you can knock off a couple of inches from your ski length.

There's a few things to do before you go out. You shouldn't put on your skis unless you're also wearing a lifejacket. And you'll want to get your signs straight for starting, stopping, going faster, going slower, and danger.

Hand signals are essential between the person on skis and the people in the boat, especially the spotter. The spotter is watching the waterskiier, letting the driver know whether to change pace.

You'll be hanging on to a tow rope. Colored areas on many tow ropes make shortening of your rope easier.

Take your time getting acclimatized and getting your balance. Start out doing some basic skiing while you take in the wind, waves and sky. If your balance starts to go, get your skis facing forward, and stay that way till balance is regained.

Don't try to cross the wake of the boat unless you're very experienced. If you cross the wake, do it after you feel like you're at a good steady speed.

Angle your skis at about 30 degrees. When you want to turn, lean into it slowly, going with the waves and the boat's pull, rather than trying to work against them. You won't win.

Signal to slow down if the wake is higher than you'd like. You decide when the boat should stop. As long as you are holding the tow rope, the driver must keep going.

Otherwise, you'll find yourself thrown into or onto the boat. So when you decide you've had enough, or if you're having problems on your skis, let that rope go.

Sources:

How to Size Water Skis.Ehow.com. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5669190_size-water-skis.html

Water skiing gear: What you will need. Yahoo.com. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-8884717

How to Waterski. Ehow.com. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2217749_waterski.html

Visit Jody's website and blog at http://www.ncubator.ca and http://ncubator.ca/blogger

Reviewed on May 10, 2012
by Maryann Gromisch, RN

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.