How Do Trainer Water Skis & Rope Work?

Training water skis are an effective tool to teach children how to get up and stay up on water skis. They make it much easier to keep your balance through the turbulence of being dragged through the water.

  1. Keeping Skis Together

    • New skiers typically do not know what to expect when moving through water and they inevitably let the skis point in different directions, splitting them apart. Trainer skis are fastened together with two pieces of rope or bars, such as the Hot Shot Trainers from HO Sports, that keep the skis in the correct parallel positioning.

    Wide Tail Construction

    • Trainer skis are built with wide tails giving them more surface area, which allows them to plane at lower speeds than traditional water skis. This means that less effort is expended on the beginner's behalf in getting out of the water. According to Water Outfitters' Buying Guide, "Wide tail skis maintain speed and reduce drag."

    Training Ropes

    • Training ropes have handles at both ends, allowing an observer stationed in the boat to control one end while the skier holds the other. For skiers learning to start on one ski, a deep "V" shaped rope handle keeps the ski steady while it's being pulled through the water, as recommended by proskicoach.com.