Learning Water Skiing
Just like any other sports, water skiing is something you need to practice to learn it. Water skiing is about getting the mood and developing your body, your intellect and your instincts through continuous practice. There is a significant value in understanding and reading the fundamentals of water skiing because it will definitely help you in those uncomfortable first days on the water.
But the fastest way and probably the best way to learn water skiing is to be taught personally by a qualified water ski trainer. Many people even children learn and master the fundamentals of water skiing in less than an hour through personal and practical approach. Aside from this, water skiing is truly an exciting and fun activity that allows any people to learn it easily in no time.
A relaxed and stressed free skier learns faster. Do not try stunts or maneuvers beyond your ability. Study each stunt carefully but progressively. Do not push yourself to do fancy tricks at once because you need more time and regular practices for those complex maneuvers. Do not ever wrap the towrope around any portion of your body or place your arms or legs through the bridle. Holding the towline too hard and being tense are not ideal in water skiing.
The skier needs only two audible signals: In gear and hit it. The skier shouts “in gear” during the starting position for the boat operator to take up the slack position in the towline. Then the skier will shout “hit it” when the skier is all set to begin skiing and for the boat driver to open the throttle.
But although water skiing involves lot of fun and can be learned easily, it is still considered as risky water activity wherein the skier needs to observe proper safety precautions to avoid any injury. The skier must learn the proper and safe water skiing maneuvers and movements. He must know how to get up on skis while keeping his balance, how to hold the towline, how to control the skis and how to communicate through proper hand signals.
The water skiing activity is not a one-man sports, it entails a team work of a skier, a boat river and an observer who must understand each other. It is important for all of them especially the skier and observer to know and to execute proper hand signals. Many skiing accidents happen because of miscommunication.
The general course of the boat must be plan ahead and agreed upon by the skier and boat driver. They must match up with each other especially when it comes to directions. It is the aim of the boat driver to ensure that the skier steers away from any unsafe areas such as docks, shore, and any other obstacles in water. The boat driver should not only mind the boat he is operating but should also consider other boats as well. The boat driver ensures that the coast is clear when turning and that there are no downed skiers or boats on the way.
The function of the observer on the other hand, is to be alert and focus on the hand signals of the skier. The observer serves as the lookout and the communicator because the boat driver cannot look at the skier and drive the boat at the same time.
Aside from the team work effort and hand signal knowledge, there are still several factors that the skier must take into consideration to ensure safety such as the ski area, weather, equipment, and the physical and intellectual readiness of the skier.
Before water skiing, make it a habit to check your equipment, and whether you a good swimmer or not, wear a personal flotation device and ensure that it fits properly and in good condition. Pay close attention to the tightness of the ski binders and ski only in water that is deep enough. Your skis should not touch the bottom and make sure the water is free of floating objects and any other obstructions. The obstruction-free water must be at least five to six feet deep. This will avert the skis from dragging underneath the water at the start of the course. It will also prevent the skier from hitting the bottom as well as obstacles under water in case of a fall.
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