Barefoot Skiing

Can't get enough of cross country skiing or alpine skiing in the winter? Barefoot skiing or jet skiing in VA beach may be the perfect summer sport for you.

A barefoot water skier slides along the water behind a boat completely barefoot in the water.  A motor boat will go faster in the water when pulling a barefoot skier as opposed to a conventional water skier.  This sport often results in more injuries than water skiing with skis because when the skier falls they hit the water extremely hard due to the excessive speeds.

Barefoot water skiing was first showcased at Cypress Gardens in the great state of Florida in 1947.  This sport, which started out as a daredevil stunt, soon turned into a full blown competitive sport. New tricks were added such as the beach start, two ski jump and backwards barefoot skiing.

In order to participate in this relatively dangerous sport, certain types of equipment are required. A barefoot wetsuit is the first item every skier must have to perform most tricks safely.  This wetsuit consists of padded neoprene which provides the correct amount of floatation so that a life jacket is not needed.  Special ropes are made just for the purpose of barefoot skiing.  

Poly E and spectra are the materials used to make the tow ropes for the barefoot skiers.  The handles of these ropes are covered with plastic tubing so the skiers do not get rope burn when they wrap their feet around them.  Of course the barefoot skier must have a boat to tow them through the water. Fast boats with small wakes are the boat of choice and some boats are made specifically for this one of a kind sport.

The method of starting used mainly in barefoot skiing is the deep water start. This happens when the skier attaches a five foot long rope bridle to a long line.  The hardest way to begin is to be towed behind a boat only holding onto a rope.  These two methods are the most common way to start a barefoot ski.  

There are some easier ways to begin a ski and these include jump outs, a method in which a person is water skiing and jumps out of their skis in the middle of the water and proceeds to ski barefoot in the water. Beach barefoot is another method in which the skier starts on the beach and just steps off onto the water.  These methods are a much easier way to start, but they all achieve the same goal...barefoot skiing.

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