How to climb onto a Ski in the water, without it tipping??

[Parrothead757]

So my buddy and i were taking turns on the tube the other day, and i got tired of going back to shore everytime we wanted to switch out. So i tried hoping off and having him climb on in the water to take over driving. It was damn near imposible!! We both tried from the back, and both sides. Finally after like 10 mins i held onto one side of the ski so it wouldn't flip, and he climbed on the other side. But i realized quickly if i was by myself without someone to hold it, i'm not sure how i could do it without capsizing!!

P.S. It' a 96XP without the fold down step on the rear.

 

[kustomkarl]

well, if your a kinda large person...it might take some practice in shallower water to get the knack of it. You should practice and learn this skill so as not to get stranded in the water by yourself. If you can't master it you'll have a hard time getting friends to master it. They should know how to get on it too if they want to ride. I used to have 4 stand-ups at my house years ago for friends to use. If they couldn't master getting on it at the dock...it got parked. I got tired rescuing friends that fell off. I used to race competition Stand-ups on the pro circuit in the 80's and 90's, it was second nature to me.

Karl

 

[Parrothead757]

Thanks! Soooo...any tips?

 

[kustomkarl]

uh....grab the handle on the rear and pull yourself up in rhythm with the seadoo bobbing in the water. After you knees are on the rear, lean forward,( not to the sides)and than reach for the handle bars, while straddling the seat... it should be one fluent motion. Practice practice practice.


If you think this hard get a look at an old kawasaki X-2 they were a real challenge.
Karl

 

[Parrothead757]

uh....grab the handle on the rear and pull yourself up in rhythm with the seadoo bobbing in the water. After you knees are on the rear, lean forward,( not to the sides)and than reach for the handle bars, while straddling the seat... it should be one fluent motion. Practice practice practice.


If you think this hard get a look at an old kawasaki X-2 they were a real challenge.
Karl

Great, thanks!

 

[StarfireMarDiv]

any tips for how to get on 3D with the cart seat? It seams like you have to levitate out of the water and into the seat, otherwise it rolls over, dumping you in the water. Yes, I am a big guy, 6'3 and 300lbs, so I know I am over the weight limit, but I can't stop riding the thing, it is too dang much fun.......

 

[kustomkarl]

uh...well...uh at 300 lbs and 6'3...uh...you can ride anything you want. I won't dispute it.:rofl: I have no advice to help either to be honest...just practice.

Karl

 

[StarfireMarDiv]

Lol
It's ok, thats why we have 2 skis. If I crash, the other can tow me to shore so I can get back on.

 

[scooper77515]

Good question...

I learned to get on in as fluid a motion as possible, starting by grabbing the back seat rail, pulling up to my stomach, then grabbing the seat strap, pulling up to both knees while resting my chest and stomach on the rail, then grab the handlebars with both hands simultaneously, and pull/slide my torso across the seat, so I am still in a somewhat laying position. Pull my feet up and under me simultaneously, and then sit up as far forward as possible until the ski stops rolling and I have balance.

My dad is a bit older, less limber, and a little chubbier, so I made a nylon strap with stainless spring loaded shackles at both ends (carbiners?). I connect each end to the tie-off loops on either side of the handlebars. This gives him a "handle" to grab onto halfway between the seat strap, and the handlebars. He could not do it without this strap unless I held onto the ski to keep it steady.

 

[gshx]

try an HX...

i have a '95 HX and it's always a treat getting back on it in deep/rough water, look up sideboarding/powerboarding. i've been practicng it but cant quite get it

 

[xrider]

hit the gym! lol

its a bit hard but not impossible.

 

[JPX]

i have a '95 HX and it's always a treat getting back on it in deep/rough water, look up sideboarding/powerboarding. i've been practicng it but cant quite get it

As an HX rider, I can also attest to this rather strenuous reboarding technique. The notion of a "running start" to get on a PWC is a mind bender.

But the concept for any of the more unstable craft remains - get on QUICKLY. To do this on the HX from the rear rather than sideboarding is the ultimate challenge (although now that someone brought up the 3D cart, I may be totally wrong now).

For the XP - and even the GSX, you have to step in the MIDDLE of the rear board, right above the jet.

Climb on and kind of hop onto both feet on each side board - kind of like hopscotch from 1 to 2-3. This swiftly make your way to the front of the seat in hops. Any attempt to step on either sideboard without stepping on the other makes the boat more unstable.

Second rider concept is similar. A more adventurous way to accomplish this (from my HX experience with TWO riders) is powerboarding the second rider. First person gets on. Then with some crazy timing, the boat is powered as the second person scrambles on. It is scary and not for the weak at heart as a jet of water aimed right at you is a bit intense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edNOe1V74eg

 

[gshx]

Powerboard/sideboard

as in a previous post i said try powerboarding/sideboarding, it is well worth it i have an HX and is probably a lot more tricky to get on then an XP, but i finally got the hang of it, i've seen people do it on XP's as well

 

[jeretv]

hey parrot and star,
try this ladder out. i'm thinkiing of getting one for myself. i busted my knee last weekend trying to climb up on mine and had blood all over my leg:

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...der&cname=Ladders&aID=10N&merchID=1009&r=view

definitely cheaper than buying the perm. install ladders...

 

[scooper77515]

Not sure if this is what you are talking about, but a couple times, I have boarded by hanging on to the handlebars, off the side in the water, start the engine, then give it about 1/4 throttle or so while I am dragging beside it. This basically stabilizes the craft while I start to float up toward the surface. Stick a foot on and pull myself up while turning a bit in the opposite direction to pull me up and out. Kinda like those trick horse riders that hop off and drag a little, then get back on while the horse is still running.

I use this when I am taking off in surf and can't stay on long enough to get it going because of the waves knocking me off. I have also used it a couple times to correct myself after having fallen off the side during a "trick". Rather than falling and letting go, I just hold on, wait for all the motion to stop, and then gun it and get on while it is moving.

Another thing, if you cannot get on, is do this without boarding and drag yourself back to shore or shallow water. Keep your feet away from the intake grate and just drag yourself along the side of the craft at a slow to moderate speed. I did this once in alligator infested water, where i didn't want to spend a whole lotta time attempting to reboard the XP...

 

[xrider]

I dont know how different are other skis but I finally fell of for the first time ever. It wasnt my fault but leave that to side, I went from the back and had no problems getting up there at all.

I dnt know if it has anything to do with my height, weight or whatever. Im 6'3" and 210lbs. I do have long arms and legs. I used back handle behind seat, pulled it with left arm in downward motion while pushing the back side of the ski with my right arm. that kinda pushed the whole back of the ski down and I boarded easily.

I have boarded it from back side when taking of the shoreline. I have the ski anchored some 15 feet away and I push it futher away deeper in water.

I am 31 and I work for fedex delivering packages so Im not that bad of a shape even tho I need to get my butt in gym.

I havent tried side boarding but I have a feeling it will tip.

 

[scooper77515]

Your 08 is probably much bigger and stable than the older "2-seaters" like the 96XP, which in actuality is a "one-seater" unless both people are smaller than 150 lbs....The XP will tip over if you close one eye while sitting on it:reddevil:

 

[xrider]

well my RXTX is 10'8" long so yeah it is a big ski. When I fell off that time I hadto swim back to the ski and I havent swimmed in years man! haha so I kinda got tired when I got back to it but still I havent had problem getting on. Everyone I saw that had to board the ski did it from backside and I didnt see anyone have problems whether was it a newer ski or old.

That ladder someone posted above, I dont think that would be usefull when your alone. it says tat you store it under the seat, how are you gonna get to it then if your in water? If you can open the seat out of water then your 2/3 on the ski anyway!

 

[picklert]

If there's two of you, turn the ski upside down go under it and sit on the seat and hold the bars. Then your friend turns the ski rightside up. Sooo easy!:lols: