Graham Lloyd tells how to get started.

Ski-racing is a wonderful sport that gets you and your friends and family out for enjoyment and exercise in a great environment. You can have as much, or as little, competition as you want, with a never-ending path for development right through to national and world championships if you get really hooked. On the other hand, you can race forever in a category where the emphasis is on just having fun.

Craig and Viv Stamford are typical social skiers who are about to have a go at racing. Craig and Viv bought an 18-foot Force F18 about a year-and-a-half ago and have been social skiing with it at Lower Portland on the Hawkesbury. But Craig has been observing for a while with a race team and as their boat has plenty of potential for racing they have decided to ‘have a go’ themselves.

Craig observed for race-driver Rod Bickerton who designs and builds the F18 and F23 Force Boats, so it was not surprising that he chose one for himself, especially as the boats have already achieved a number of successes across various classes in ski and circuit racing. Rod and his wife Kelly run a small and enthusiastic company that virtually custom-builds each boat and at least one other owner who bought an F18 for social skiing has made the move into racing.

A 21-foot race version of the 23-foot is about to join the F18 in competition. While there are many other boats well suited and well proven for ski racing, the Force Fleet is very appropriate for a mix of social and race activities.

Despite recent challenges with drought-emptied inland waterways and liability insurance hassles across just about every aspect of public activity, ski-racing associations and clubs are pressing on with events that cater not only for experienced racers but also for those who are just starting in the sport.

Many socioal ski boats can be used to try racing, with this Merc-powered Force F18 a good example of a design that can provide enjoyment in both environments. Training runs can find glass-smooth water like this, but you'll rarely have that advantage in a race. The owners, Viv and Craig Stamford, are rigged with apprived helmets and jackets.

While the big events, such as the Club Marine sponsored Southern 80 on the Murray and the historic Sydney Bridge to Bridge classic on the Hawkesbury, get the most publicity, there are many other ski-races at club, regional and state levels that offer an excellent entry-point for social skiers who’d like to see what racing is like. The sport is very competitive, but there are categories for newcomers where they can gain experience and enjoy themselves before deciding if they’d like to progress to race more seriously.

There’s a strong social and family element to the sport as well. Teams compete fiercely on the water, but back ashore after the day’s racing there’s often a barbeque or other event at which tall tales and true are told as everyone relaxes in a friendly atmosphere. Many teams are family based and it’s a sport with as many female competitors as male plus lots of youngsters and teenagers actively participating too. Nor is age a limitation, with seniors and over-50’s in the thick of the racing.

Kelly and Rod Bickerton at the transom of their big new Force F23 ski boat with enough room for a small cuddy cab under the foredeck. Being able to stay overnight sure extends the skiing day.

The 60mph class was recently introduced as an excellent way for social skiers and boats to try racing. The class is open to centre-mount, V-drive, stern drive and outboard-powered boats with a top speed not exceeding 60mph. There are few rules, although entrants are required to respect the spirit of the class and forced induction (super/turbo-charging) is not allowed and inboard boats must have water-cooled through-transom exhaust systems. Common-sense safety provisions are enforced with all boats having to be seaworthy and to pass a scrutineering inspection for items such as lock-collars on rudders and prop shafts, foot throttles, kill switches, fire extinguishers, V-sheets and other safety equipment.

There are other classes too, based on skier age, type of boat, engine-power and similar classifications, that are quite suitable to give racing a try. To find out more, ask at local water ski shops or ski boat dealers, or keep an eye out for a convenient ski-race event and go along to chat with some of the crews.

Just about any social ski boat can be used to have a go at racing. Initially at least, there is just as much fun and accomplishment in competing and getting to finish races as there is in trying for higher speeds or winning. So you don’t need a particularly fast boat to see if you like the sport. However, if you are a bit more serious, or think you’re likely to continue and progressively go faster as you gain experience, then a boat with more speed potential will come in handy.

Shane "Biscuit" Clarke and Dane Kemp are all set for a practice run. Both sliiers also have neck and arm supports. Biscuit has already done quite a bit of racing, while 15-year-old Dane is just about to give it a go after around four years of social skiing.

Before entering a race, drivers and observers need to pass a medical and obtain a licence that requires knowledge of waterway markers, safety regulations and similar topics, with drivers having to answer these questions as well as display competence in a practical test. While some study is needed to gain the licences, it’s not difficult to do so and the knowledge gained is relevant and important.

Approved helmets and flotation jackets are required and will probably need to be specially purchased. Skiers will benefit from wetsuits that provide support for racing and that have in-built flotation. Supports/restraints for necks and arms can also be used for safety in case of a fall. To keep initial costs low, you can probably use and existing social ski and maybe a good existing tow rope, although a longer length may be better and special handles will be beneficial. These use a web material wrap around the skier for comfort and include a grab bar in front to make it easier to quickly shorten the rope if the rope goes slack. Any good ski shop will advise you on what’s recommended, with a range of pricing to cater for choices and budgets from ‘just trying it out’ to ‘very serious’. Check with your local ski-race club too for advice from ski teams as to what they use.

The Mercury EFI 225 has proved a excellent match for the Force and has the flexibility to do well in both social and race environments. craig Stamford uses a hydraulic jacking plate to vary the X-dimension foe best performance in either situation.

You’ll need to look over your boat insurance and make sure it includes cover for race activities. By joining a ski race association you’ll get access to essential public liability cover. The latter is still somewhat of a contentious issue, but progress is being made to sort it out although at higher prices than in the past. It’s important to keep insurance costs in mind when compared with all the other cost of owning and running a boat.

Any existing engine will be fine for trying out racing so long as it’s reliable. There’s no need to look for increased power until you are getting more serious, although easy changes such as a better performing prop can be tried if the budget allows. Outboards rigged for social skiing are fine too and, where appropriate, can be raised for less drag by re-positioning on different holes in the mounting plate. A hydraulic jacking plate to vary the X-dimension (the depth underwater of the prop shaft) can be a useful and relatively easy modification for outboards.

Ski-racing is a tem activity and forming a stable group that skis together as much as possible is the path to both fun and success and it also builds crucial awareness of each member’s abilities. The observer’s position is pivotal and provides communication between driver and skiers, as well as coaching and encouragement role to keep the skiers at peak performance especially in long races or rough conditions. The observer needs to know each skier’s abilities and to continually watch for tiredness or lack of concentration.

Shane and Dane Clarke on a fast training run. Note the classic race stance with the handles held behind the skiier for rediced strain. Webbing rather than rope leads to the handles for comfort around the thighs, and a grab bar in front allows quick shortening of the rope to take up unexpected slack.

Driving in a ski-race needs anticipation and forward planning. The drivers objective should be a smooth and consistent style that uses the full capabilities of boat, engine and skiers and yet never exceeds any of their individual capacities. When overtaking, or being overtaken the driver needs to pay special attention to holding a safe course. A constant watch needs to be kept for skiers who have fallen, as they can be difficult to see in the water when boats are running at relatively high speeds.

Even if the driver is already familiar with the boat, practice runs will build knowledge of how it handles with skiers in tow and how the boat is affected by varying water conditions. Being able to achieve consistent clean starts is a key factor for good results and requires particular teamwork by the driver and skiers. Different boat types and power plants can dramatically affect starting techniques and procedures and these need to be carefully refined and practiced.

If the boat has trimming aids such a ballast tanks, cav plates or trim tabs, trimmable outboards or stern drives, or jacking plates for outboards, the driver needs to know what effect any trimming action will have for both the boat and the skiers. Fuel consumption during a race can affect the balance of the boat also and the driver may need to allow for that too.

Social skiers will usually have at least 18 months experience before they have the skill and confidence to try racing. It’s important to ski to the level of current ability and it’s vital that skiers don’t get involved with a team that pushes them past their limits. If a desire develops to race at more competitive levels, determination and perseverance will be needed. Some teams have been racing for 30 years or more and it simply takes time to build the race-awareness, course knowledge and overall expertise to compete successfully against crews with that background.

Craig has invested in a 28-inch pitch three-bladed "Chopper" prop for racing, while a 23-inch pitch, four blade gives best results for social skiing.

When first racing and even when first practising to race, the tip is not to worry too much about speed itself, but to initially achieve consistency and self-confidence. As the driver, observer, skiers boat and engine settle as a team and as everyone gets to know what everyone else can do, then the speed can be gradually increased, along with the duration of practice runs to build experience and endurance. And, of course, safety must be a paramount concern at all times.

There are other factors that need consideration of course but, if ski-racing has any attraction for you, find out more and give it a try. Anyone involved with the sport will be happy to give you some advice on how to get started.

Contact: Barbara Osborne, NSW Tel: (02) 9651 3516, Steve Minahan, Queensland, Tel: (07) 5437 0166, Col McQuinn, Victoria, Tel: 0418 330 306. You can also log onto www.skiracing.com.au and follow links for individual state and email contact.

In our next issue, Graham Lloyd will look at the gear required to go ski racing.