J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by pavelski

As Christians we have this cultural reference; Before Christ ( BC) and After Christ (AD)!


As skiers we also have these "reference" points!

Ha the "before Monocoque days", life was simpler.

It was the "stratified sandwich" ski core in which the great techno revolution was if the layers were at 30 degrees or 60 degrees!
The top layer was just for show.

Now the top layer is what makes the difference.

First it was the "cherry" at the tip by Dynastar. The famous anti-vibration cherry!

Then it was the Rossi VAS plates at top.


The top ski now is the strength of the ski as much as the ski core. The marvel of all of this is the top ski edges. Take a look at them!

Rarely do they delaminate yet look at the surface and stress factors. That is the great secret of the modern ski and that Salomon you have started it all!

It is a keeper!

You have a treasure.Those Salomon S9000 are the very first skis made by Salomon. The also changed the way skis are made since it was the first "monocoque" ski.

Keep it since it will have great value soon. It is a classic.

Before Ptex?

Well it was painted bases.

Before that in the pre-1900s it was bare wood!


Pav

We all start as neophytes, but how we progress to becoming experts is dependant on knowing what you do wrong.

There are some simple techniques that just seem to "stop" skiers from progressing.

Here are 5 of the most common.

1. Looking at skis while skiing.

Some skiers are mesmerized by the graphics on their skis, so they focus on them. Others believe if they "will" their skis to turn they will. Others ( of the opposite sex) use the "wife look". You know THAT look all husbands know. It seems tp work with men, so women get that look and stare at the ski tips. Seems that skis are dumbmer then men!

Never look at your skis. Look 5 meters ahead.


2. Trailing arm

Look carfully at skiers going down ski run. 99% have this common ski disease, the dreaded trailing arm. What is it!
After every turn, the arm that initiated the turn, ie left turn is left arm,,,right turn is right arm this arm is "forgotten" and falls behind body.
Seems a silly point, just for looks you say! Well what you are doing is causing your body to rotate and be "behind" the ski rytm. That is why some skiers seem to ski well, but as the speed picks up or the slpe gets steeper, they can not link more than 3 turns. They fall behind each turn.
The cause is that forgotten arm. It feels abandoned and sulcks a second or two causing the skier to realise it needs that arm for next term.

Parents with two children know well this problem thus accord equal attention to both children. So should you.

3. Leaning back.

This is the most common problem for many skiers from experts to beginners. It is a mental thing.
We want to get away from "cliffs" , high edges so we lean away from fall zone. So it is in skiing. We perceive "steeper" sections as dangerous so we lean away ( back) from the void!
Even if this void is a "beginner slope".


4. Forcing the ski. ( mainly a male problem)
For some skiing is a battle of wills. THe skis are like wild stallions which must be dominated. For some by brute force.
For some with that "wife look"!
Skis are your friends. Get to know them, let them show you what they can do. All they want to do is please you. Give them a chance and yes they will bring you levels of pleasure your lover can't.
Be soft of them and they will respond. Force them and they will resist. Remember Newton's Law of action and opposite reaction"


5. I have left the most important mistake for last. This is the one which will cause you grief!
It is beliveing you have mastered skiing. One person on this site asked," I am going on a ski holiday for 5 days to Davos, will I master skiing during this holiday!"
You never master skiing. By humble!
Skiing will always throw you a "curve" when you thin you are great. There is always something to learn!
So have fun learning. That is the essence of skiing ...learning!

That is why I feel so dumb when I ski , but I do hide it well when I take Corbett's Dive!

In Northern Hemisphere skiing is over in 90% of resorts.

Now is the time to get all that surplus wax left over at; ski resort shops, ski racing clubs, ski shops , and importers.

All do not want to "hold" in warehouses waxes so you can get great prices.

In my area we get together about 50 serious skiers and buy in bulk from an importer CASH sale! It comes out to about $6 CND for a 1 kilo bar of wax. That is great savings.

So if you are racer, serious tuner set up your ski network and buy ski waxes now!

In order to provide frank, honest and grassroots information about Canadian skiing let me introduce Mike from Nova Scotia and James from Alberta.

I recommend them to any skier that wants true information about local conditions, local customs, hints on where to go and other local trivial.

They are not selling any ski resort. They are just true skiers!

They will be your "guides" in your search to that "perfect" ski holiday.

Hope you all enjoy their advice.

Pavel

Soft wax also has much more "water repellant" properties and thus flows better.

You are on the mark as far as salt.

Actually it is not true salt but a combination of chemicals ( skiing is really getting to technical) which melts upper snow surface. Then freezes it to create a hard even surface.

Racers hate to ski on soft snow!

Imagine!!

You have pre-empted one of my 2008 classes. Lets see if I can "teach' this correctly. Tell me if you understand!

If you look at new fallen snow flakes in cold temperatures they are fine pointed beauties with razor sharp needles! There points dig into the wax and base and actually cause "resistance".

If the wax is soft, it allows this flakes to "dig in" and retard the ski. The glide becomes a series of jerks and release motions.

If ever you ski in very cold weather, eg -30 or -40 ( yes there are some fanatics who still like to freeze their noses ) and you have applied soft wax , you will feel the ski base "stick" to slope. I had to take out scrapper in middle of run and take off wax in -40 weather. My hands and fingers were hurting for three days.

As the flakes "melt" or transform the points become rounded, dull and the edges on snow flake become less pronounced.

That is why serious racers look at not only temperature but the "age" of the snow.

Hope this answers your question.

I will also in this class have pictures of various snow flakes, which will illustrate this point.

Now a question to you.

Why do they place "salt" in World Cup ski race courses!

Does not salt melt snow!

I have opened a another method for us to communicate via SKYPE. We will be able to "speak" via this medium since I will not be able to view computer screen for some time. ( operation to eyes).

Hope this helps some of you to get better information due to my poor writing and frequent spelling mistakes. Feel free to contact me about any tuning issues.

Pavel