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From: hogg@utcsri.UUCP (John Hogg)
Newsgroups: net.rec.boat
Subject: Setting/locating waterski course
Message-ID: <1338@utcsri.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Aug-85 09:49:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsri.1338
Posted: Wed Aug 21 09:49:50 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Aug-85 23:29:55 EDT
Reply-To: hogg@utcsri.UUCP (John &)
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Lines: 26

T. Jones was wondering how best to set a slalom course.  While I am not a
waterskier, I have to recover various permanent moorings and anchors every
spring soon after break-up, and have found a simple answer: tie them
together!  You seem to have your anchors well set, so when you take in your
floats, replace them with something that sinks, and run a light cord to
each sinker in turn.  Now you have a long line lying on the bottom
connecting each mooring line.  You can grapple for this very easily, or
even run the end of the line ashore if you're close enough.  (But see
below.)  I find the easiest sort of grapple to use is the 5-kilo Navy
pattern anchor sold by Canadian Tire and its ilk; the design is so
inefficient that it can pick up a line on the bottom, but will not dig
itself in.  They are easy to come by if you dive in popular fishing spots.

Now, in exchange for these pearls of wisdom, please set up your !#&%?!
course somewhere where I'm not - and if you're not using a course, stay the
hell away from shore!  Even in glassy weather, skiers seem to prefer to
demonstrate their (in)competence 20 metres off the end of our dock.  I am
not impressed.  My family is not impressed.  Our neighbours are not
impressed.  And the narrow-minded laws of this country take a dim view of
the purchase and employment of a small brass cannon loaded with grape, so
there's not much that we can do except ask you to be civilized...
-- 

John Hogg
Computer Systems Research Institute, UofT
{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsri!hogg