Please Note: You are using the slalom course at your own risk
The use of a temporary slalom course at Bulshoek has received the green light. To celebrate this as a win for all Bulshoekers we will be arranging a series of special slalom course sessions on a regular basis to assist you in experiencing the thrill of going through a course rather than just free skiing.
If you are interested or wanting to:
1. Teach yourself how to ski through a slalom course.
2. Have your kids learn how to ski through a slalom course.
3. Learn how to drive your boat through a slalom course.
Please send an email to ski@bulshoek.co.za if you are interested or still have some questions.
What will it cost you?
1. Absolutely nothing – To paraphrase Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 1,2 and 3.
We will provide the following at no cost:
1. A boat
2. The petrol
3. The driver
4. The coach (amateur)
5. The observer (You can also observe from the boat if your kids or spouses are learning)
6. The slalom course
What do you need to bring on the day?
1. Your skis (Mono or double skis are cool)
2. Lifejackets (Ski-jackets)
3. The stuff you normally ski in: wetsuit, costume, gloves etc.
4. Sun block
5. Refreshments (No alcohol if you want to learn how to drive through a course)
Requirements:
1. To learn how to ski through a slalom course you must be able to ski on either a mono or double skis and must be able to zigzag across the wake behind the boat.
2. To learn how to drive through the course, you must be in possession of a valid COC (Skipper’s licence) on the day.
Other questions about the slalom course
How old must my kids be, before they can use the course?
The answer is simple - if you or your kids can ski then you are old or young enough to ski through the course. There are three widths of buoys that you can go around. These are 1.5m (just over the boat wake, like training wheels on a bicycle), 8m (your first attempt without training wheels) and 11m (now you are doing the Argus Cycle Tour)
Can I use my boat with an outboard motor through the course?
Yes, providing it has a SAMSA COF number on it and a current Bulshoek licence sticker on it. You also must have your COC on you at all times as per the normal SAMSA rules.
What does a typical course look like?
Read this and then look at the picture below. I am sure it will all make sense then. There are two sets of buoys. The boat buoys and the ski buoys. The boat buoys guide the boat driver to drive in a straight line. 0% alcohol required. There are eight pairs of boat buoys including the gates. There are entrance and exit gates and both the boat and the skier must go through the gates. The ski buoys are the buoys you ski around. There are three to the right of the boat buoys and three to the left of the boat buoys. See the picture below.
Black Buoys = Gates
Yellow Buoys = Boat Buoys
Red Buoys – Ski buoys
The boat travels along the blue line and the skier skis along the black line. Please note that your first red buoy will always be to your right.
At what speed should I go through the course?
Please visit www.WP Waterski for more information regarding the correct boat speeds for the various age groups. You will find that you will ski through a course at slower boat speeds than free skiing. This is normal. Do not exceed 40km/h on your first attempt irrespective of how good you think you may be. The top speed for males is 58 km/h and for females, 55 km/h.
How far away from the course should I pull my skier up?
Just give yourself enough distance to get up to the correct speed and straighten your boat. Anything from 55 meters could be enough depending on your level and the skier’s level of experience. Some skiers take forever to pull their pants straight or out of all the holes and folds.
How should I approach and go through the course?
Wait with your skier in the water (red flag up) in line with the course on the south side with enough distance from the course to get to the correct speed before entering the entrance gates. Once all is clear, no boats, waves, other skiers, ducks or fishermen crossing pull your skier out and through the course. Once your skier has gone though the exit gates (north end) cut back on the throttle and drop the skier (red flag up) and wait for clear water to approach the starting gates following the normal direction of boat traffic on the dam. Remember all boat rules apply whether you are in or out of course. The course does not give you any special rights and or permissions.
What do I do if my skier falls inside the slalom course?
Again this as per normal boat rules. Red flag up. Rope in. Turn around if safe and idle back to your skier. If the skier is OK and wishes to continue skiing you may do so providing it is in the direction of normal boat traffic on the dam. Please take note of buoys around you if you pull away within the course so as not to damage any.
Where is the course at Bulshoek?
In front of Braam Compion’s house in the little bay out of the main boat traffic. This is why we have asked that you do not use the course before 8am on Sundays. See the attached Google map.
Who owns the course?
The cables, pipes, rope, anchors and buoys that make up the physical course belong to Jasper Schutte, Waldi van Schalkwyk and Johan Landman. We do not own the water or land above or below the course. Neither do we have any specific rights other than the rights of all other water users on the dam.
Who maintains the course?
We will maintain the course to the best of our ability but cannot guarantee that it will be functional at all times. You are more than welcome to become involved.
What is a temporary slalom course?
A temporary slalom course is a fully functional slalom course that can easily be moved from its current location to somewhere else on the dam or removed altogether without leaving any permanent structures in place.
What about changing water levels?
Our course is a floating course and it is therefore not affected by changing water levels. As long as our course is floating, this is when there is tension on all the buoys, then it is safe to go through the course. Remember, I mentioned somewhere else that the structure keeping the buoys in place is actually suspended from the buoys itself. The moment you see buoys floating untidily in any direction do not go through the course. It maybe to shallow.
Who may use the course?
All legal users of Bulshoekdam who accepts the risk of using the course and waive any claims against anyone in using the dam and/or the course.
When can I use the course?
When it is up. We cannot guarantee that it will be up at all times when you are at the dam. Please note it is not possible to use the course when there is any wave action as a result of even medium boat traffic in the vicinity or if there are strong winds - typical, of the afternoons at Bulshoek. Spare yourself and your children from injury which could result from attempting to use the course during adverse weather conditions. There is no guarantee that it is a good time to ski even if the course is up. Take note of safe visibility. If you cannot see the exit gates clearly from the waiting area in front of the course then do not go through the course. Visibility can be affected by sun, including the reflection of the sun on the water, mist, wind and subsequent water spray, and low light conditions irrespective of the time of day.
Do all the dam rules apply to the course?
Absolutely. This includes traffic direction, using of red flags, observers on the boats, and times of days except for Sundays where we agreed that we will not use the course before 8am to give Braam the rest he deserves after a weekend of moaning tenants. For more detailed dam rules please read this.....
Can I ski in both directions through the course?
No.
Who has right of way?
As above the dam and normal water rules apply. If you are waiting to go into the course, then anything else does have right of way. This includes people launching boats, boats approaching or leaving the shore next to and beyond the course from any direction. This also includes stationary boats in the course e.g. bass fishermen fishing in the course. Least but not least any ducks with chicks crossing the course will always have right of way.
Can the course damage my boat?
It should not. The course is suspended from the buoys that you drive through and ski through 1.5m below the surface of the dam when up. When it is not visible it is lying flat on the bottom of the dam. The buoys are attached to the course by either 2mm nylon (boat buoys) or 3mm elastic bands (ski buoys). Both of these should break very easily should it get entangled in your boat propeller.
What do I do if I accidently drive over a buoy and it comes loose?
In most cases the nylon clip will come loose and can easily be reattached. Just go the nearest buoy from the one that came off and lift this buoy (while in your boat and engine off) until you either get to a stainless steel cable or an aluminium pole. Follow this till you get to the correct point and reattach the buoy. A skier in the water can be a great help with this. If the nylon or elastic breaks, just make a knot and all should be well. If the buoy itself was damaged, recover it from the water and dispose of it correctly. Please inform us immediately. The current cost to you, for us replacing a buoy you have damaged, is roughly equivalent to two beers depending on how hot it is on the day.
What if my R300 bass lure get stuck on the course structure?
No problem. First ensure that your lure is actually stuck in the course and that it is not stuck in the mouth of a big mamma bass. The feeling will be pretty much the same as being hooked into a large log that moves slowly with your pull. A big mamma bass will move slowly against your pull if you do not yet know the difference. If you are stuck on the course use your normal lure retriever. Remember not even braid is a match against the 316 stainless we used. Gently pull the retriever up until you can grab your lure and unhook it from the course. The only stuff it can truly get stuck on is the stainless cable and aluminium poles we used. Gently will do it with no damage to your lure or our course.
I am not from Bulshoek but I would like to use the course. Can I?
Yes you may, providing you have been given give access to Bulshoek as a day visitor. This access is not controlled by us, neither do we have any rights to give access to you. You can contact me on ski@bulshoek.co.za and I will put you in contact with people who may assist you with accommodation and day visitor rights. Please be aware that if you are given access you will have to abide by all the rules of SAMSA, the dam and the course.
Where can I go if I need more information regarding tournament water skiing?
The www.wpwaterski.co.za website is very informative. Also get involved with the WP League and Mini League tournaments. These have been specifically designed to assist the skier in bridging the gap between a free skier and a tournament skier. More information regarding events, venues, dates etc are available from the above site.
Please Note: You are using the slalom course at your own risk