Water skis for kiting

[Don Monnot]

I picked up a cheap pair of water skis to us to play with on the water with a kite. Just want to try something different. In looking at the skis and re-reading some posts about using skis for kiting:

"I uploaded a video which we made a few years back. It features one of my early outings on skis.
In the video I used some twinskates made by Reflex. The boot-bindings are pretty good for the purpose but the skis had too much rocker, could have been wider, longer and with a little less sidecut.
So after this I made my own which work much better.
If anyone would develop a step in binding and refines the ski design then there could be a chance for this to take off but it needs some people spending time and money on it.
Personally I loved the gybing and I believe with the right equipment and some more practice it is possible to pull some mental high speed carving gybes."

I see some of the problems. They seem pretty narrow compared to a kiteboard. I'd probably be interested in using just a slalom water ski, but two skis might also be fun. If just one ski (stock) I'd really need to be powered up. It's got me interested enough to try a winter "build it yourself" project. As a kid I remember using old, wooden water skis that were straight edges, wide, and long--much different than what I bought. That design would probably work better for kiting. Whaddaya think?

[kitezilla]

There might be some safety considerations and ski-retrieval problems when you loose one or both skis.

If your use 2 GoJos then you could just stay put and wait for the ski to come to you.

How hard would it be to body drag back to the lost ski, while wearing one ski? Also, could you make it back to the launch site with one ski?

I have only seen a couple of kiters using skiis, and they were both really good athletes. Cory R, sometimes wins the big downwind race in the Gorge, using 2 big skis.

[tinge]

hi.
I know some people have tried these skies on the water with a kite.
http://www.stereoskis.com/

[Don Monnot]

In terms of safety issues, I've thought about those. If I use only one ski, that wouldn't be a problem--not any different than a board. With two skis, bodydragging back to the other ski wouldn't be the problem--no different than bodydragging with a board. The problem would be dealing with two loose skis and trying to get one on without losing the other. I'd probably just temporarily leash one while putting on the other, and then put on the second one. I have an extra handlepass leash that I can use for that. I'd also only try this under pretty controlled conditions--no big waves, cold water/air temps, etc.

Bindings are the other problem. They need to be easy on/not-so-easy off. I'm thinking about trying straps with heel straps. Trying to put skis on that have regular water ski bindings while using only one hand and dealing with the kite with the other is probably the biggest challenge.

The stereo skis look interesting. Something like those is what I have in mind.

Don

[skifly]

dude - try get hold of some old jump waterskis - they are long, relatively low rocker (as long as you got older) and are fairly wide. Years ago I tried to ski on some behind a flexifoil stacker kite thingy with handles rather than a bar. I was able to drag myself knee deep (admittedly doing figure 8's and with no idea about power stroke / wind window).

Other option is a trick ski - these are around 43 inches long, 10-11 inches wide but with no fins - unless you can waterski on one I suggest the kiting may be tough. If i get a clean wind day and slightly overpowered I am going to give my tricks ski a go. Will get a video if I do!