To gate or not to gate - 2/27/2009
… that is the question. But before I begin— have you ever been in traffic behind an old carburated car, or a car that's obviously not tuned properly and had the smell of that exhaust remind you of boating? It smells identical to carbe'd boat or open-loop EFI (non-cat) ski boat exhaust. But I digress. Back to gate talk: Whether or not to focus on gates as a beginning course skier is something I'm still not quite clear on. I suppose this argument is probably best divided into two skill levels:
1. People that have never completed the course at any speed/line
2. People that are struggling at trying to increase boat speed to their tournament speed and/or looking to cut the line at all from 15 (me, in other words)
Let's start with skier type #1. Generally at the ski schools I've been to, brand new course skiers are taught to ignore the gate completely, even starting on the right side, at 1 ball, and trying to round that ball in order to begin the course. These schools train skiers every day and have done so for decades so they've got to be on to something here. Makes sense— why get them stuck on timing the gate properly when they haven't even rounded a set of buoys yet? In my experience with brand new course skiers I've had issues with them turning right on 1 ball rather than before 1 ball using this technique, causing gross late-ness and ultimately an inability to get past the next few turn balls and/or establish any rhythm. Then we try to get them initiating the turn earlier, but of course they're initiating a turn on a flat ski that the've been hanging out on on the right side of the boat since the turn island. So, rather than starting way right and beginning the course at 1 ball, we've also tried starting on the left and gone with an "early" gate— just passing a few feet before the gate to at least establish a nice "swing" into 1 ball. I do know that a few of the older skiers I've skied with will get these new skiers working on the gate immediately, harping that speed and angle to 1 ball is the key to the whole shehbang. These guys are gate-crazy- all you hear about from them is the gate. After years of struggling in the course, I'm starting to believe them, quite candidly. A couple skiers I ski with regularly are type #1 skiers and we've tried every type of gate/no gate/ early gate/1 ball start/shadowing/etc. combination out there with mixed results. I don't know if there is a right answer here, but I'm open to any ideas you all have.
Now, for skier type #2. This skier is nailing the course at 30 and 32mph, 15 off. Still struggling with 33-36mph. I've had older, nationally competing skiers watch me from the boat and mention NOTHING but the gate. No butt-out, counter rotation, shoulders level, eyes level, look ahead, reach for your pocket, line tight, elbows in, handle to the hip, soft knees, let-the-ski-finish, straight arms, loose arms, don't-pull-with-arms, ski-in-front-of-you, chest up, chest out, navel-forward, open-to-the-boat, etc. Nothing else. Nada. Not one other tip. These are not professional waterskiers, but they are pretty damn good at slalom skiing and have done it for longer than I've been alive in several cases. We're talking about people who were cutting line in the 70's and 80's behind boats with wakes the size of Mt. Everest, on fiberglass EPs. So, regardless of all the terrific advice we talk about here day in and day out, are we not even giving ourselves a chance in the course because of our gates? I usually never think about gates. Ever ever. I know when I really concentrate on a good turn-in and gate, I usually get a spectacular 1 ball and I hurtle toward the wake en route to 2 ball like a bat out of hell. I typically don't get much further than 3 or 4 ball because I don't even know what to do with the speed. It's a much different feeling then my typical gate, which I really don't think about specifically and end up crossing the wake about 2-4 feet early of the gate. I typically enter the 1 ball turn with pretty minimal angle. Is that causing problems all down the line? Forcing the turn, not finishing, crappy wake cross positions, etc.?
So what do we say to type #1 and type #2 skiers regarding the gate and why? You'll hear newer skiers talking about forgetting the gate completely, and highly respected old salts that have skied the course since time began and can hand-throttle a carb'ed boat through the course with perfect times (at night, blindfolded, in reverse) tell you that the gate is everything regardless of your level. Discuss.
Comments:
sethro, 3/1/2009: Let's see...for skier #1, I would say don't worry about the gates for the first few times through the course. That skier is simply trying to figure out how wide they need to be to get around the balls and work on some timing from ball to ball to see what it's like.Skier #2...Should be using the gates in my opinion and experience. From day two in the course for me I've always tried for the gates. It really does dictate the rest of the pass (for me anyway) and something I rarely have trouble with. But when I do get a bad gate it throws everything out of whack...even when I miss it to the outside of the right hand gate ball which should be to my benefit I guess.
h2odawg79, 3/2/2009: Maybe like most things in life, there are no absolutes... (Always or Never...) And since we may never know which came 1st, (the chicken or the egg...) We could just enjoy both, the Chicken and the Egg! Maybe For #1, forget the entry gate until full passes @ 28-30mph are automatic. Then begin to gradually incorporate the entry gate and shadowing #1 if needed w/o sacrificing the rest of the pass and never fully abandoning the gate-less runs until good gates and #1 are automatic... Also, NEVER increasing the speed to 31mph until full gated passes are automatic. For #2, I would suggest the same kind of approach. do not add speed, cut line and try to learn gate technique hap hazardly all at the same time... (Every good Business has a Good Business Plan...) I am a fan of someone making Full, Solid technique passes @ 30mph as opposed to Sloppy, injurious 1-4 buoys @ 34mph...
Blackdog, 3/3/2009: There is no right answer, but if I were learning the course now I would start on the right hand side of the wake, edge out as the boat hits the gate and ski around one ball to start. If i were learning a new speed or line and already could run the course, i would try to be close to the gates without stressing whether i "made" them or not. If i were preparing for a tournament, i would concern myself with the gates.
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