Powerturns

[dogbert]

One more thing, we always counsel our riders to wave their arms at both our boat and any oncoming boat to make sure they get everyone's attention. It's easy to lose a fallen rider when they splash down during their crash. We tell our riders it's their responsibility to look around them for other boats. This includes holding off on risky tricks in close quarters. This boat driver reserves the right to lecture any careless rider who he feels is riding irresponsibly in close quarters.

[Matt Garcia]

Good explanation dogbert. The main reason(s) you don't need to power turn is because 1. it makes the water choppy 2. it burns more gas.

It's also a good way to piss a lot of people off. When I see a wakeboard boat that power turns my first thought is they aren't an educated driver or wakeboarder.

Jason, the explanation will be next weeks topic.

[dogbert]

Well, the gods have intervened again. We were punished out on Lake Austin last night by a bunch of people doing power turns for no apparent reason. It was less busy than a couple of days before, yet the water was way more chopped up.

[jwanck11]

[*]In Texas, I actually have the right-of-way and this guy in front of me is not granting me a viable course that doesn't endanger my boat or my rider. This really pisses me off and makes me wish they required this lesson in boater's safety class.

I believe this scares me if I am understanding you correctly.

If the boat ahead has dropped a rider, the rider takes precedence - not you or anyone else.

Secondly, stop your boat (drop the rider if you have to). That is a viable course and always the safest bet. It is hard to hit anything/anyone if you are stopped.

[dogbert]

I believe this scares me if I am understanding you correctly.

If the boat ahead has dropped a rider, the rider takes precedence - not you or anyone else.

Secondly, stop your boat (drop the rider if you have to). That is a viable course and always the safest bet. It is hard to hit anything/anyone if you are stopped.

If you are towing a rider (or anything for that matter), you are presumed to have less control and therefore are less burdened (from a right of way perspective). It's still your responsibility not to run over swimmers, fallen riders, stationary objects (such as other boats).

It's not as scary as you might think, but it does make sense. To me, it's one more reason why power turns are a bad idea.

Ever watch the movie "Hunt for the Red October"? It's one of my favorites. In this movie, the Russian sub does a move called a Crazy Ivan. It's basically a full circle power turn under water. The reason they do it is to make anyone tracking them avoid them even if it means breaking out of their silent run. They're willing to risk a collision.

To me, the power turn is the equivalent to a Crazy Ivan.

So, if I'm following you, I won't run over your rider and if you come off plane, 180 your boat like I described, you're actually protecting your rider better from my perspective because your rider is on the same line as your boat, both of which are in my way. If the situation were reversed and I, after doing my 180, felt that you didn't see my rider because you weren't looking at me (that's another thing, by facing directly at you, I can tell if you're paying attention), I might speed up a bit to put myself in between you and my rider.

I can get in between you and my rider with my boat much faster using my technique than you can with a power turn. Think about it a bit. It's hard not to understand the logic. I think they should include a driver's video with every boat they sell, especially a tournament wake/ski boat.

Spread the word and we'll eventually all end up with better riding conditions.

I was at a wakeboard competition this past weekend and one of the drivers insisted on doing power turns...on a lake where they are the only tow boat. After a while, the advanced riders talked to them.

[Matt Garcia]

I am glad this poll had some dialog behind. I find it way too often that a lot of inboard boat owners don't know how to correctly turn when a rider falls.

Also what dogbert said, it is true. I can get to my rider quicker than you can while you power turn. As soon as my rider falls I drop the throttle, idle and turn within the same line I was towing. Now if I feel a boat is coming towards my rider I may speed up while I am still in idle, but never the full circle motion of a powerturn.

One thing I learned from an old barefooter was to quickly drop the throttle as soon as you see your rider about to fall. This lessens the impact on the rider and closes the gap between the rider and the boat.

[Jason B]

I've been doing the turn left-throttle down-idle back to the right w/ minimal rollers tactic I read on here. It works good for keeping the bow dry, but it ain't none to expeditious! Seems like it takes forever to get to a rider.

[dogbert]

Seems like it takes forever to get to a rider.

I bet you'd be surprised if you actually measured the time. It helps if you're actually stopping as soon as the rider falls. The longer you drive on, you're right, the longer it takes.

I usually like to have at least one spotter in the boat who's job it is to yell "Down" at the moment the rider falls and has dropped the rope. That way I can be concentrating on what's in front of me and what's to the right of me (because that's where I'd be turning). My turning radius is never more than the length of my boat. Compare that to a power turn, which is a combination of factors, such as speed, weight and water conditions.

So, don't do the Crazy Ivan

[dogbert]

I am glad this poll had some dialog behind.

Hey, it's the one thing we're all really good at...just look at our post counts

Actually, you're right, this is a good discussion. Jason is bringing up the various rationale people have for doing power turns.

It's all part of a learning process.

[Duncan]

I've been doing the turn left-throttle down-idle back to the right w/ minimal rollers tactic I read on here. It works good for keeping the bow dry, but it ain't none to expeditious! Seems like it takes forever to get to a rider.

Was this explained further in another thread? If so, could you please link? So the turn left is initiated prior to throttle down? Is that to avoid a wash over the stern or to shift lateral so on turning right you are now on the exact same line? I have usually stayed straight, de-throttled, and idled back right. Be glad to change that but would like to understand benefit. Thanks!

[dogbert]

The technique I was shown by Chris Bischoff, was to pull the boat all the way back into neutral. As you are just about to drop off of plane, or as the bow begins to drop down after deceleration, turn the wheel all the way to the right and give it a little bit of forward thrust (no more than 1K RPMs). Then back into neutral. Wait for your wake to pass you by. This will literally spin your boat 180 even if you have a lot of weight in it (especially while surfing where my wake will actually hit me from the side and not the transom). Now that your facing your rider, you can drive back at slow speeds (I'm usually right at 1K or 1.2K RPMS depending on how fast I need to get there). It's a great maneuver in cramped quarters and it's surprisingly fast. It's also a must if you're wakesurfing because you will have very little steerage due to the list of your boat. I wish I had a video.

[jwanck11]

One thing I learned from an old barefooter was to quickly drop the throttle as soon as you see your rider about to fall.

This is the mark of a mindful driver - and one that is using the mirror effectively. However, once the driver has dropped, I will make my way quickly to the vicinity of the rider and then slow to make the circle around them assuming they are wanting to go again.


Dogbert, we also have a person in the boat calling man down and communicating with the rider for all other purposes too (other than the turn around signal which I give) as the spotter can ensure there is recognition of the communication from the rider better than a driver looking into a mirror.

[dogbert]

This is the mark of a mindful driver - and one that is using the mirror effectively. However, once the driver has dropped, I will make my way quickly to the vicinity of the rider and then slow to make the circle around them assuming they are wanting to go again.


Dogbert, we also have a person in the boat calling man down and communicating with the rider for all other purposes too (other than the turn around signal which I give) as the spotter can ensure there is recognition of the communication from the rider better than a driver looking into a mirror.

I think teamwork is the key. And, if everyone follows the same set of rules, we all know what to expect...I guess that was my main, albeit longwinded, point.

[phirates]

It's a great maneuver in cramped quarters and it's surprisingly fast. It's also a must if you're wakesurfing because you will have very little steerage due to the list of your boat. I wish I had a video.

Exactly what I do, and ditto on wakesurfing.

[Fit to be Tige]

Exactly what I do, and ditto on wakesurfing.

x2. The cool thing is if you do it correctly, your own wake will push the back of the boat around and you essentially do a 180 in your own tracks.