Building Homemade Water Skis

Commercial water skis are found in sporting goods stores around the globe, but skiers with the do-it-yourself spirit may prefer the satisfaction of making them at home. However, as most modern skis are manufactured from a fiberglass or a carbon/graphite mold, the process of obtaining the necessary materials and means to create a usable ski may be prohibitive. Still, making some old-fashioned wooden water skis can be much easier, with the proper tools and skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Solid wood -- mahogany, alder, ash or other
  • Polyurethane varnish
  • Paintbrush
  • Water ski bindings and fins
  • Table saw or jig saw
  • Power sander
  • Drill and screwdriver
  • Paint (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the desired length for the ski or skis, which will depend on the weight of the skier, and purchase a section (or two) of wood that has the necessary length, width and thickness. As a general rule, a 160-pound skier should use 66-inch skis, with 2 inches of length added or subtracted for every 20 pounds above or below that.

    • 2

      Prepare a section of wood roughly 2 inches thick and trace an outline for the ski on the wood, using photos of other water skis (or even an actual ski) to create the shape. The ski will have a somewhat cigar-shaped form, tapering a bit toward the rear, and should be roughly 8 to 9 inches wide at the center, wide enough to support the ski bindings that will hold your feet.

    • 3

      Cut the wood into the shape of the ski according to the outline with a table saw or jig saw. Create an upward curve at the front end of the ski by sanding the upper surface down up to the point of the tip and cutting out the excess wood underneath the tip until the remaining wood is roughly an inch thick from front to rear. You may also choose to use a small sander to create a slight tunnel or concave shape to the underside of the ski to improve stability.

    • 4

      Paint the ski into the color and design of your choice and treat it with a coat of polyurethane varnish to make it water resistant.

    • 5

      Line the water ski binding up in the center of the ski and mark where the holes will need to be drilled to secure the binding to the ski. If you are making a pair of combination skis, one adjustable binding per ski will be attached. For a slalom ski, an additional binding will be added behind the main one allowing you to insert the other foot as well. Also, mark holes for the fin at the tail end of the underside of each ski.

    • 6

      Drill the holes necessary to attach both the bindings and fin to each ski and secure both to the ski using screws and a screwdriver.