I'm like Nascar...left turn king!!

[hugh jair]

so i got my new ski home, spend a day peeling pink and purple stickers, making sure the bilge works, engine tuned etc etc etc.

last night i finally got to ride my ski. its been over 14 long years since i have played with a stand up and man i have no clue why i waited that long..

put in near my home, nice evening, some wind and 2 or 3 ft chop.

spent the first 10 min on my knees, getting familiar and also just running the ski trough the revs since its been under a tarp for many years.

then i decided it was time to stand...played on the chop a bit, doing the porpoise, and it was time to start turning in the chop.

if i cruise at mid throttle i can make large gentle sweeping turns, but then my brain started thinking it could do what it wanted...obviously my body did not agree and made me swim back to my ski lol.

left side seems natural ( i ride left foot forward)
ease off the throttle, turn it in, lean accordingly, back on the throttle..hang on...shoot out the other side in new direction..

the right side, i usually tip myself into the turn then try to pull myself out with power and end up with my chest in the drink trying to hang on ..feet slide out, things level..i get back on and start over..lol

back at the beach joking with my buddies that if it was nascar style racing i'd be set....

god i missed playing in the water, and had not realized just how much until last night...

i'm gonna ride the P!ss outta that ski every night after work ..i will master the right turn..lol.

just thought i'd share my first ride adventure..and subsequent progress.

just told i have the next 3days off..guess where you can find me

 

[steveyz250fpilot]

Welcome back to the water! I got away from it for about 10 years....and have loved it since I got back!!! Have Fun!

 

[Big Kahuna]

so i got my new ski home, spend a day peeling pink and purple stickers, making sure the bilge works, engine tuned etc etc etc.

last night i finally got to ride my ski. its been over 14 long years since i have played with a stand up and man i have no clue why i waited that long..

put in near my home, nice evening, some wind and 2 or 3 ft chop.

spent the first 10 min on my knees, getting familiar and also just running the ski trough the revs since its been under a tarp for many years.

then i decided it was time to stand...played on the chop a bit, doing the porpoise, and it was time to start turning in the chop.

if i cruise at mid throttle i can make large gentle sweeping turns, but then my brain started thinking it could do what it wanted...obviously my body did not agree and made me swim back to my ski lol.

left side seems natural ( i ride left foot forward)
ease off the throttle, turn it in, lean accordingly, back on the throttle..hang on...shoot out the other side in new direction..

the right side, i usually tip myself into the turn then try to pull myself out with power and end up with my chest in the drink trying to hang on ..feet slide out, things level..i get back on and start over..lol

back at the beach joking with my buddies that if it was nascar style racing i'd be set....

god i missed playing in the water, and had not realized just how much until last night...

i'm gonna ride the P!ss outta that ski every night after work ..i will master the right turn..lol.

just thought i'd share my first ride adventure..and subsequent progress.

just told i have the next 3days off..guess where you can find me

That is a typical, your going to turn on one side better than the other, learn to switch feet, this helps, that way your are back side turning every turn.

 

[swanny]

HJ- Any other stand ups around? With the massive amount of Mt bikers, dirt bikers, rock climbers and all other outdoor activities its hard to imagine many stand ups around but I am curious.

Is there more chop at Horseshoe or is that where you rode?

You need to check out the film "coastal rage" from up there in B.C. Cool jet ski film-

 

[hugh jair]

Swanny.. i happen to be one of those mtn biker/dirt biker/ climber/skier guys.. so many toys..so little time.
but at least in the water i dont break my collarbone on a regular basis.. being injured is highly detrimental to my job. and cant afford to get "grounded" due to medical reasons..
so i've switched from dirt bike to jetski.

horseshoe is on the vancouver side of howe sound and rather well protected but its on the opposite side of the sound from me. being my first time ridding a ski in 14yrs and a new to me ski i chose to ride it on the inlet in my backyard....just in case of mechanicals i wanted to be near home..and all my neighbours boats as opposed to being in the pacific.lol

theres always "some" surf in the georgia straits, weather and wind depending. the inlet is generally more sheltered from the offshore winds and tends to be calmer.

google earth my location, you'll see theres no lack of places to check out and ride.

in the 6 months i have lived here i have only ever seen 1 guy ridding a stand up in my area...now that i have one as well i been on the look out for his truck..say hi, maybe make a ridding partner..

have no issues going alone, but its always more fun when there are others there to help you, laugh with you and so on.

will look for that vid, and if you make your next trip to whistler, maybe i can join up and show you some spots ...ever tried it there on a mtn bike??? just as sick as on ski's

 

[hugh jair]

oh i forgot to add, i live down the road from a place called skookumchuck rapids...its a narrow part of the inlet and greatly influenced by tides( over 3 meter tides).. world famous with kayakers. if i remember correctly its one of the..if not "the" largest salt water rapids../standing waves inthe world.

catch it at the right time in the tide and theres 6 - 10' standing waves...if you bail..you and your ski end up downstream to start again..

not too sure how the padle crowd will react to a guy on his ski playing in the wave..but i guess i'll find out soon enough.

here have a peek...tell me what you think...playground? or stay away?

http://www.hightidetours.com/skookum.htm

http://www.tranquilitybay-bc.com/skookumchucknarrows.html

 

[keefer]

I know if I lived anywhere near something like the pictures of those skookumchuck rapids I would be all over that. Looks like some great fun if you can coexist with the paddlers. I wonder how deep it is around the standing waves? I would not want to pull a big stab and find a rocky nose cruncher under the water.

 

[stanton]

nice evening, some wind and 2 or 3 ft chop

how is that a nice evening?
3foot chop that must be insane!
what kind of ski did you get?
pics!!!

 

[hugh jair]

pics to come soon,

its a 93 sj650, sn, works intake grate and rideplate, hydroturf mat and everything else is pretty much stock. which will eventually change as my skill improves.

being this far north by nice i ment the water wasnt freezing, could ride without wet suit.

the chop i could do without, preffer steady surf, or calm water, that being said if my choice is watch the ski on the trailer, or ride in the chop...i'm going in the water..lol

besides if i can learn to stay standing and turn/carve in those conditions then calm water will let me improve quicker..

found myself riding in the throwel beetween waves..then hop over, turn and repeat..i smiled and giggled the whole time.