How to Water-Ski Barefoot Using the Step-Off Method

Get up on a starter ski and step off one foot at a time to begin skiing barefoot.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Safety Flags
• Life Vests
• Ski Boats
• Water Ski Ropes

1. Get up on a starter ski, or free-board ski, behind a boat traveling 22 mph.
2. Note that the pressure of the moving boat will hold the ski to your foot as you start out.
3. Ski outside the wake. Left-footed skiers should go outside the left wake; right-footed skiers should go outside the right wake.
4. Bend your knees and sit back as if you are sitting in a chair. Your arms should be slightly bent and holding the rope in a baseball-bat grip.
5. Give your driver the signal to accelerate to your recommended barefoot speed (34 mph for regular feet, 36 mph for smaller feet, usually).
6. Step off with your free foot and set your foot in the water heel first, 18 inches apart from your ski. Keep your toes curled up.
7. Slip your other foot off the starter ski, or free-board, when you feel your bare foot beginning to carry more than half of your weight. Step off to the outside of your ski and dig your foot in heel first. Lean back hard as you step off.
8. Stay low and gently straighten your arms and back to improve your form.
9. Let go of the handle and sit back when you are done.

Tips & Warnings

• Prepare to learn to barefoot ski by riding a slalom ski and taking one foot off and digging it heel first into the water. If your slalom ski begins to ride higher in the water, you're doing it right, because some of the weight is now riding on your bare foot.
• Barefoot ski with a 75-foot standard ski rope behind a boat that can pull a slalom skier at least 35 miles per hour.
• Learn on calm water with an experienced driver and observer.
• Be prepared to take a few good falls as you learn to barefoot ski. If you can, sit back into your falls. More often than not, you will fall forward, however. Curl yourself into a ball and close your eyes as you hit the water.
• You should not attempt barefoot skiing until you are a very competent slalom skier and fluent with the other technical essentials of water skiing.
• Waterskiing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.