Water ski behind a 8hp?

[Rizzo]

Do you think its possible for a lightweight child? Just got some trainer skis for my 7 year old and 9 year old...think they could ski behind an 8 hp on a tinnie?

[leaf4]

Unlikely unless it's just you in the boat, and whatever you need to keep the bow down.

[Rizzo]

ya I was thinking about weighing down the bow. Years ago I had a 12 year old waterskiing behind a 9.9 on a jon boat. This is a smaller engine, slightly heavier boat, but smaller kid as well. I'm thinking might be close! If they knew how to ski I bet it could be done. Since this is there first shot I am not sure

[John Bacon]

Unlikely unless it's just you in the boat, and whatever you need to keep the bow down.

 

You need to have a spotter in the boat too.

[GBW]

when I was a kid (yeah a LONG time ago) I could ski on kids/trick ski's but the best thing to use was those big styrofoam surfboards and we used a 12' springbook with a 7hp Johnson. So if the two in the boat are light then yes give it a go!

[Rizzo]

nice! 7hp Johnson is pretty small. This is a 8hp Nissan on a 12 footer. I imagine the second child in the bow as spotter should be enough to way bow down

[bigbuck]

Usually, for kids learning too water ski, there is an adult spotter holding the ski rope in his / her hands. The rope is not attached to the boat until they get the hang of it. This is because the first few times they go down, kids tend to have a death grip on the rope's handle and end up getting dragged. As soon as they go down, the spotter should drop the rope immediately. I've gotten close to 10 kids up on skis in the past 3-4 years, just this past year did I buy an actual ski rope to hook onto the boat.

[manitoubass2]

That's how I learned

 

I'd look for calm water though obviously.

 

We use to do this while pops made shore lunch

[GBW]

nice! 7hp Johnson is pretty small. This is a 8hp Nissan on a 12 footer. I imagine the second child in the bow as spotter should be enough to way bow down

and it was a 60's to 70's unit... so label could have been over or under powered.

 

Usually, for kids learning too water ski, there is an adult spotter holding the ski rope in his / her hands. The rope is not attached to the boat until they get the hang of it. This is because the first few times they go down, kids tend to have a death grip on the rope's handle and end up getting dragged. As soon as they go down, the spotter should drop the rope immediately. I've gotten close to 10 kids up on skis in the past 3-4 years, just this past year did I buy an actual ski rope to hook onto the boat.

I did the 'underwater drag' with the bowrider when I was a kid going from the tinner to the big boat. 1 and only time and then the very next try i was up and skiing. However your post is a great idea to not have the rope secure to you don't drag a child like I was as a kid. In the 70's we didn't think of those extra safety steps to be honest... Hey I'm still here however and I got right back at at try 2 right after that cause I was a kid and willing to prove I can do it. Man I miss wakeboarding and skiing

[fishindevil]

I learned to waterski behind 12hp Gale .....lol....from about age 10 till age 14 I could do it no problem ....on 2 skis of course.... ahhh the memories

[BillM]

Used to wakeboard behind a 10hp, it would take a bit to actually get up and out of the water, but it's doable.

[grimsbylander]

Same here...learned behind a 12 footer with a 9.9

 

It should be noted that back then I could have showered in a shotgun barrel though.

Edited September 22, 2017 by grimsbylander

[Sinker]

I learned to ski behind an old 14 ft cedar strip with a 33 1/2 johnson. It seemed like it flew back then....lol

 

Then we upgraded to a 14ft glass runabout with a 50....it seemed like such a hot rod....lol

 

 

Boy the times have changed, eh?

 

S.

[Rizzo]

well I think at least my 9 year old will give it a shot tomorrw...he's skin over bones so might just work. 7 year old might be the heavier of the two

[Henricus]

Learned on a 6hp Viking!

 

In fact, after the 6hp came a 10, then a 33, then a 60. All tolled they don't add up to what I run now, lol.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Henricus

[Rizzo]

Well apparently Dad was more excited than the kids about this....they each gave it a couple of half hearted tries (and only because they were bribed with promises of ice cream). Neither got up but I would think it was more due to lack of interest than speed of boat

[Raf]

Attach a cell phone to the rope handle.

[Acountdeleted]

We used to water ski behind a 16ft springbok with a 9.9 with my mom and dad in the boat. It's a little tricky to get going but it can be done.