By Mike Seipel
A backward deep water start off the 5ft handle on the boom is the best way
to learn backwards.
The skier should tell the boat driver when he says "O.K." to go up
to 10 to 15 MPH. Everyone's speed, regardless of weight is between 10 / 15 MPH
until they get their feet gliding in the water.
A skier's speed while trying to get their feet to glide in the water is very
critical. If a skier's speed is 13 MPH and the driver pulls them at 14 MPH,
they will bounce. If the driver pulls them at 12 MPH, they will not be able to
breath.
So you can see how close the boat speed has to be, especially when a skier
is learning.
After the boat driver sees the skier's feet gliding smoothly across the water,
he should accelerate up to 25 MPH with a very high boom. The higher the boom,
the slower the driver can pull the skier, after the skier gets up, without the
skier sinking, and the slower the driver goes, the less hard the falls will be.
When the skier reaches the stage when he never falls anymore, with the boom
up high at 25 MPH, lower the boom little by little and add speed as YOU lower
the boom, up to 30 to 3S MPH. This way the skier learns without hard falls and
has a chance to build up slowly.