Big Wave Skiing?

[Ottime]

This is a curious adventure. What plays into it more? Surf or ski skills?

My few experiences with tow in on board left me a little, not so into it. Still, I was in waves that I could also paddle into at the time and that had a much bigger rush.

Of course you can't paddle in with skis.

Solid project. Does all that salt screw with your bindings? And when do you plan to hit Mavs and bring it local. Or even a big day at 3 Mile? Last Sat was for sure tow in worthy there.

[ill-advised strategy]

someday somebody will ride it switch to the beach.

[jstarrski]

We're developing a line of tow-in and kite skis that can take skiers where they want to go on waves. After the feedback from the big wave skiing trip, we realize we need to solidify things. But keep in mind, you don't need a jet ski to ski waves. We have a paddle in model too. Some of the high-end water ski bindings available are DIN-settable and come pretty close to snow-ski performance. Of course, I haven't been in the big surf that the guys were in last month. Binding comes down to personal preference, with safety and performance the big factors. For the waves I ski, I prefer hardshell water ski bindings. There will be more discussion once the footage is released I'm sure.

[splat]

That's old fleming with honolua outside, yeah?

[carpathian]

My ideas on the subject:

1) maybe a water ski binding with addition of rear calf support. Like high backs on snow board binding. Having your feet free would be sweet in the water, obviously.

2) Are you using ski poles? It would be sick to make pole plants if instead of pole baskets you had little floaty bobs the size of a soft ball on the end to plant.

3) Maybe a pair of skis with a split board concept. So when you hit the water you could kick off skis and slam together into one board that you could then float on and/or duck dive to safety. Imagine paddling on to a wave!~ That would be tough.

[thefrush]

Should be in tomorrow's episode of Salomon FreeskiTV.

[Crampedon]

That's old fleming with honolua outside, yeah?

Nah, gotta be Maliko gulch.

[jstarrski]

Poles would be rad but a lot to deal with when you wipe out in the surf. The split board idea has a lot of potential as a stand up ski.

[rickd]

I think a lot about kite surfing with skis. When's someone going to do that.

Corey Roseler's been doing it for years. He's won the Blowout a bunch of times on them. He's using regular waterskis though I think.


Which brings up my question...why use ski boots? I don't know enough about wateski bindings but I would assume that there are some fairly stiff ones if some of hte shit I have seen in waterski videos is possible. It seems like they would be safer than getting tumbled on a big wave in ski boots.

Why tow? My boy Jonny did it all summer at kitebeach in Maui this summer.

http://mauikitebeachreport.blogspot..../agitator.html

Oh yeah and you use ski boots and bindings because they have to release in waves or your done for.

[tylerjames]

[BCSNOWBUM]

what do you do when you have to wait for waves brah ? Always though surfing was more about patience