The 12-foot Alumacraft is flat-bottomed, painted dark green, and floating a few feet from the dock. An Evinrude 9 1⁄2 h.p. motor crouches silently on its back end. John-John sits on a faded blue cushion. He is shirtless as he expertly ties a frayed ski rope to the cleat in the back corner of the fishing boat. John-John is 9-years-old. It is a perfect day in early June, 1967. The water is still a little chilly this early during a northern Wisconsin summer. There is a scrawny girl in the water thrashing awkwardly in her struggle with the long, yellow skis. The uncomfortable orange life jacket hinders her attempts to get balanced and her frustration is palpable to the several kids standing nearby on shore. This is a rite of passage for all the lake kids and no adults are present. The girl is 7-years-old and John-John is her brother. A splash and grumble from behind alert the girl that her big brother, Brett (the eldest of the crowd at age 10), is coming into the water to help. He puts the ski handle into the little girl's hands and balances her so that the enormous skis can right themselves. John-John starts the engine; to the girl it is incredibly loud. She sets the ski rope aside--no way. Brett hands her back the rope and reminds her to keep her back straight and her knees bent. even though she has watched lots of people ski, and grew up around boats, even thought about this moment many nights in her bed, she sets the rope aside again. Her brothers grow exasperated. Brett holds the rope as John-John slowly putt-putts forward; the Evinrude sputtering and kicking off gray smoke. Just before the slack is gone, Brett puts the ski handle back in the girl's hands. When the rope is taut John-John twists the motor's handle to full throttle. Brett throws her forward onto the surface of the water. Before she knows it, the girl is sliding across the glass and even sees her reflection. She is in awe of this new sensation. The Evinrude is roaring, her muscles are singing and the girl is exhilarated. John-John grins at her broadly and life is so sweet. Within a week she is on one ski tooling around the lake.

That was my first time on skis. I have never forgotten the thrill and joy of that day. My goal ever since has been to get as many people water-skiing as possible. I have taught dozens of kids and hapless adults to ski. Thoughtlessly I never kept a list of my pupils or their ages; a true regret. although their method was quite effective, my teaching technique is quite different from my brothers'. Looking back, my brothers got the main thing right, I got up skiing. But, wow, the scary things they got wrong (in today's terms) that were perfectly perfect in the 1960s. I survived didn't I?

I start my lessons on dry land, before the lake is even in sight. always talk up the pure fun and joy of being on the water. I find out if my student can swim and if she is comfortable in the water, especially the deep water where wipeouts occur far away from the dock. The student's parents are sent away, lest they interfere with the student-sensei rapport. It is suggested they watch from a distance and come down to the dock with cameras ready in about 30 minutes. now the kids' skis are shorter and tied together so smaller legs don't struggle to stay balanced. The student and I talk through everything: the sound of the engine (now a fabulous inboard with a deep, musical roar), the pull against the boat, bent knees, straight back, tense biceps, strained thighs, heels pressed down, neoprene life jacket zipped snugly, hand signals understood, spotter at the ready, and an awesome ski boom. ah, that boom. It makes teaching future skiers very easy. I can talk to the kids while they're hanging onto the bar. They get a great feel for the water and a grinning, glowing confidence to move onto the next step without being too tired. A 5-foot-rope is looped over the end of the boom. The new skier gets the feeling of being pulled out of the water; they are slightly less stable on the water but they quickly adjust and test out pressing down on their heels, moving left and right, standing up straight, the danger of locked knee joints. after the short rope lesson the new skier goes all the way behind the boat using a standard length rope. Usually she gets up on the first try and the whole lesson takes about a half-hour. We all know that slalom lessons will come soon. With perfect timing I swing the boat near the dock where proud parents are waving. When the water is glass, those grins reflect a long way.

I love that boom and use it to teach kids to slalom, trick ski, wake board and barefoot ski, too. I can teach wake boarding, but am not proficient at it myself, plus my screaming upsets the dogs. I used to barefoot ski, but to be realistic those wipe outs hurt. Who knew water could be so bruising? knee boarding is fun, for a while, but the tubes the kids love now? Totally scary to me. How could kids like tubing better than slicing the water or touching that dropped elbow when water is glass?

A few summers ago I took John-John (now just one John) barefoot skiing on the boom. He really wanted to go because the water was glass. My spotter sat in the back of the boat. John's a big guy now, ex-college football player with shattered knees. When he is barefooting the spray is huge and white. Halfway through his run, John's swimming suit (cut-off jeans held up by a busted electrical cord) slid to his ankles. neither the spotter nor the people along the shore could see beyond the great splashing, oh, but I could. John, then 44, cackled with laughter and refused to just drop off even though I (then 42) begged him to please end my torture. I turned my eyes to the lake, watching to make sure my skier was safe from other boaters, and gradually I slowed down enough to dunk my brother into the water. Spending summers on a lake with my brothers, little sister, countless friends, neighbor kids and cousins, was like a wonderful dream. I'm sure it rained, got windy and the mosquitoes swarmed, but that isn't what I call to mind. Then the days were long, hot and the sky impossibly blue. The lake is flat and calm and the air is sweet. Kool-aide never tasted better. We had picnics almost every day (because mom locked the four of us outside the cabin all day). I call this image to mind when I'm cold or having a bad day. I use this image to defeat the picture I would otherwise carry of the much older John-John barefoot skiing on my boom.

Ski Tips Up; Hit It!

While it is nice to have a ski boat, a boom, and the newest skis, none of that really matters to the person at the end of the rope. The things they need the most are adequate (and safe) equipment, a good boat driver, and a patient and positive teacher. Teaching someone how to ski shouldn't be an unpleasant or painful experience; it's supposed to be fun!

It helps if the future skier can observe a few other skiers in action, from the boat and from the shore. Skiing can be rather intimidating, especially if they are surrounded by a bunch of experts. a few stories of your first experiences (sugar-coated a bit if necessary!) can help to relax them. Start slow. Have them try the skis on while standing on the dock and also in the water. For kids, doing this a day or two before the actual attempt can help to get them more comfortable with the whole experience. Work on position, and explain to them what it will feel like to get tugged out of the water while trying to stand on two pieces of wood.

The mood of all those involved can have a big impact on the experience. The skier should not feel pressured or rushed.

Equipment

While the gear today has changed from when we adults learned to ski, the basics remain. a life jacket, skis, rope and a boat are still all that's really needed. Be sure to learn the rules in your area regarding life jackets, spotter requirements, and the hours of the day skiing is allowed. It is imperative that anyone learning to ski wear a properly-fitted U.S. Coast Guard approved flotation device. even the most advanced swimmer can get in trouble after a tough fall.

For kids, just about any boat with a 50 h.p. engine will be plenty adequate. That may be enough for an adult, depending on the size of the individual. a pontoon is fine, as long as there is a ladder for getting out of the water away from shore. Make sure there is a secure point to attach the rope. An adult can put a large amount of force on the rope when getting up.

The skis should be sized appropriately to the skier; the bindings should be snug, but not too tight. If the water is cold, a wet suit can help a lot. The skier will likely spend a fair amount of time in the water. Don't forget to remind the skier to make sure their swimsuit bottoms are on tight!

Teaching

It is important that the skier receives instruction from one or two people at the most. It is hard enough to understand one set of instructions, and additional voices will confuse them even more. If someone wants to offer advice, they should mention it to the one giving the advice. It is best if the instructor is in the boat, and an experienced person helps in the water. Sometimes the hardest thing for the kids is keeping the skis on, and in the right position. an extra set of hands is a big help.

The old advice of "ski tips up, arms straight, knees bent, lean back" still holds true. It really is hard to adequately explain what it will feel like when they say "hit it."

Driving the boat can be the most difficult job. The right timing and amount of acceleration are critical to a successful attempt. While an experienced skier can adapt to a wide range of pulls, the novice needs the right amount at the right time. The line needs to be tight without dragging the skier, the ski tips up, boat pointed straight, clear path ahead, no big waves near the skier. If the boat has a good mirror, it may be best if the driver dictates when to go. Otherwise, an experienced teacher can do it. The weight of the skier plays a big role in how hard to accelerate. Too hard, and the skier gets the rope yanked away, or worse, does a face plant. Too slow, and the skier gets dragged; 15 to 25 mph is all that is needed, again depending on the skier's weight. Make sure to tell the skier that if they are about to fall, they need to let go of the rope. I have had several people (usually adults) try to hang on a bit too long. That can be painful!

Using a ski boat with a boom is the easiest way to teach. Getting up with a rope is the hardest part about skiing, and the boom gives the skier the feeling of skiing, so they know what to expect when getting up with a rope.

By Laura Westphal