How to Make a Homemade Water Ski

Before the advent of fiberglass and other composite materials, water skis were commonly made of wood. Making your own traditional looking, yet well performing water skis is something you can do in the comfort of your own home with some commonly found materials. Only minimal woodworking skills are required for this application, so do not worry if you are not thoroughly experienced. Utilize an existing ski to simplify the building process to be used as a template for your new ski.

Things You'll Need

  • Water ski
  • Pencil
  • Spruce wood plank (5/8-by-6-inch plank, 5 feet long)
  • Jig saw
  • Large pot and water
  • Stove
  • C-clamps
  • Sandbags
  • Sand paper
  • Water ski bindings
  • Urethane sealant
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Instructions

    • 1

      Trace the outline of your existing water ski onto your spruce wood plank. Then cut it out using a jig saw to obtain your ski blank.

    • 2

      Heat the tip of the ski blank. Boil a large pot of water on the stove and insert the tip of the ski blank into it to heat it up and moisten the wood. This allows the wood to become slightly flexible, allowing you to bend the tip upwards.

    • 3

      Turn the ski upside down so that the tip faces downward and the tail faces upwards, and clamp the tip of the ski to a flat, vertical surface using some C-clamps. Place a sandbag on the edge of the tail of the ski and allow the weight of it to bend the ski over slightly. Ideally, you will want to obtain a 20-inch radius bend in the tip, but adjust to suit your preference. Leave the ski to dry with the sandbag in place for 24 hours. When you remove the sandbag, and the ski has dried, the bend in the tip will be permanently transferred to the ski's tip.

    • 4

      Sand the surfaces of the ski smooth starting with 220-grit sandpaper around a sanding block, then move on to 400-grit to finish.

    • 5

      Cut out two strips of wood from the excess you cut off in Step 1, measuring 5/8-by-5/8-by-6 inches. Sand and shape either end of the two strips round, and then attach them to the underside of the skis, 1 inch from the rear, side by side, using short wood screws. These two strips will act as rudders to keep the ski traveling in straight lines when in use.

    • 6

      Varnish the skis to waterproof them. Use a polyester based urethane finish applied according to the specific manufacturer's instructions. Apply a number of coats to ensure the skis will not need to be repaired due to water damage in the future.

    • 7

      Screw a set of water ski bindings, readily available at many sporting goods stores, into the ski. Set the bindings by comparing your new ski to the existing ski, or customize the placement as you like. Get out on the water and enjoy.