Powell anyone??? / Pro Ski Coach Water Ski Forum

MChilcutt · #1 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 4:13 AM

We will be set up at the end of Bullfrog bay starting Thursday running threw Sunday. We will have the portable pluged in rippin powell. Look for a 2006 LXI yellow black and white and a 50 ft housboat.If your in the area and want to catch a set come find us.

MC

AndrewBernhagen · #2 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 5:23 AM

I would love too if only I wasn't freezing my ass off in Wisconsin

aslalomboy · #3 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 6:28 AM

Hey MC, I'll be there a week later, so could you kindly leave it set up for me? If that doesn't work you'll just have to take a few passes for me. Aaron

Garn · #4 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 2:35 PM

Let me know how easy (or hard) it is to set the portable up. You got me thinking that maybe I should take it to Mead in a few weeks.

Garn

tjo · #5 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 2:41 PM

Mark,

Watch out for the National Park Service. I had the portable course setup at the end of Halls Creek last month and the National Park Service drove by and noticed us skiing it. Flipped on their lights and came by to talk to us. They told me I had to take it down immediately. They said, "no on is allowed to setup bouys on the lake except for the park service". LAME!!!!! Fortunately for me they noticed it the day before I was leaving anyway and I had a solid week of skiing it already. Also, they did not issue a ticket.

Nevertheless, that won't deter me from doing it again. Just a heads up to put it somewhere that is out of sight as much as possbile and don't set it up if you see an NPS boat driving around.

Travis

Deke · #6 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 4:16 PM

I've seen courses at Powell for years and never thought much about whether they were legal or not. A friend of mine always took one to West Canyon for vacation twice or more per summer. Back in the day, before the water got real low, I'd see one once in a while up at White Canyon. More recently I saw one up at Good Hope Bay. Haven't been to Powell in a few years though.

I can only imagine what goes through the Park Service's minds... something like, "what if everyone wanted to put in a slalom course?" Or maybe, "people might become confused between the navigational buoys and those from the slalom course."

tjo · #7 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 5:00 PM

I have taken a portable course to Powell three times over the past 12-months and was only approached by the NPS this last time, in August. During that week, there were two other houseboats with portable courses up in Halls Creek. It was great for us skiers becuase I would rotate between courses depending on wind direction. However, I'll bet the reason the park service showed up is becuase of the multiple courses. Someone may have complained.

So, MC I don't want to discourage you, just want to share the experience so that you are informed.

I will say that having a course at Powell was the best way to get my 11 year old addicted to the sport. He was doing like 4 or 5 sets a day on some of the calm days. I wish my body could keep up!!

MChilcutt · #8 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 5:44 PM

Ya thanks for the heads up we were originally heading up to good hope bay. but with the weather we might stay closer to Bullfrog or halls thinking there wont be as many people coming to the lake. Its always been a dream of mine to ski a course at powell and i think it will finally happen.

Thanks MC

tjo · #9 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 6:32 PM

If you go into halls call me. I know of two really good places to put the course. Also, I think it would be less likely for the park service to drive by if you are in Halls vs. Bullfrog IMO.

MChilcutt · #10 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 6:36 PM

In the last two years during UEA we never did see one single PR on the lake??

MC

Garn · #11 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 8:28 PM

TJO, how was it setting the course up the first time? Not to bad or a pain in the rear? Are there instructions? What depth should the water be?

Garn

tjo · #12 Tue, Sep 29, 2009 11:59 PM

Garn,

It really is not that hard. With three guys you can have it setup in 2 hours for your first time, 1.5 hours for subsequent times. Take down is a cinch...45 minutes or so. The biggest pain is transporting it to and from the lake. It takes up a lot of room and is bulky. When you are hauling gear down for a week on Powell or Mead space is a premium so be prepared to hear it from the wife!

I set it up in 10' - 20' of water. Feel free to call or email me if you want me to provide detailed instructions on the setup of the club's course.

Deke · #13 Wed, Sep 30, 2009 12:18 AM

Garn, if it's a regular EZ-slalom or InstaSlalom you might just want to watch the video at the InstaSlalom website. They claim you can do it in something like 15 minutes, but it always takes us about an hour or more. I'll qualify that by saying we only set it up once at the start of season and take it out at the end so we don't get much practice.

Deke

Last edited by Deke (Wed, Sep 30, 2009 12:19 AM)