newbie question about subbing

CarFanatic

Fiberglassing Newb
Location
Cincinnati, OH
ok, I have a stock sj, all I have done is cut the pole and add xmetal bars and plate. I can get the ski to hop, and I can level out easy, but I cant seem to get it to really nose down into a sub. I dont weight much 5'10 150lbs I need ot hit the weight room haha. No one around me rides stand ups, so I'm trying to learn everything on my own. Any advice?
 

SJBrit

Extraordinary Alien
Location
Bradenton, FL
Do you have footholds? They help, but you can do a sub without. The most important thing is getting the back up and the nose down. Getting the back up is all about lifting with your legs - really crouch into the tray. Use footholds, or push your feet out to grip the tray. I find it easiest to also push my arms forward, which has the double effect of getting the nose down further, and getting your head down between your shoulders (if you don't do that a ton of water will smack you hard in the face as you go under!!)

Once you're getting the nose under, remember not to stop riding the ski just because you're under water. You need three throttle blips to about 1/2 or 3/4. The first takes you down, the second levels you out, and the third brings you back up. When you blip the throttle you have steering, so use the moment to correct any wobbling.

That's about it. Make sure the water is deep enough before you do any of that (and deep enough means 15 feet or more - you can go a long way under when you get it right....)
 

CarFanatic

Fiberglassing Newb
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Thats what I have been doing, I jump, then push, and pull up with the sides of my feet, because I dont have foot holds yet. I've only done it like once or twice, most of the time, the back comes up, and the nose wont go down far enough. I land either flat or on the front of the hull. I think I need to hit the gym.
 

CarFanatic

Fiberglassing Newb
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Its deep enough, I' make sure i'm out in the middle when I 'm trying it. I push with my arms aswell.. I guess i'll keep workin at it. I really need some foot holds.
 

bit

Rider Mod Needed
Location
Catfish, NC
One thing I have not seen mentioned is speed. You will want to be going fairly slow. Get the ski just on plane and no faster.
 

JetPilot

'07 SJ xXx
you prolly need to be goin at whatever speed you can level your ski out in mid air... I found that to be easiest when going a bit faster. Also, its easiest to do in flat water so you can set yourself up for it instead of getting knocked around by small lake swells. When you level your ski out in the air push the pole forward and down and crouch with your feet, hiding your face from the wall of water your about to eat. The key is to fully commit! Dont hesitate thinkin you might get knocked off or fly forward. Make sure the water is deep and dive dive dive. Later, when you get it down... as you enter the water nose first stay on the throttle and see how deep you can go. Fun stuff
 

Shrivel

Requires therapy.
Location
Acworth, GA
Thats what I figued, I need more bottom end! Does worx grate and impeller help out alot?

It's got nothing to do with strength or bottom end - if it did I'd never be able to sub.

Like Adrian said, you gotta get the rear up and the front down. It's about commitment: getting your weight forward and then pulling back so you don't slam your face in the water. Most days I sub with the best. Some days (like this past weekend) I get the yips and won't get my weight forward enough and wind up doing the retarded boat bounce. It's a mental thing - throw your weight forward and spear it into the water.
 

CarFanatic

Fiberglassing Newb
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I guess I keep my weight back because I'm lifting the rear with the sides of my feet. Should I scoot up and hop then slide back as I'm pushing the nose in. I have subbed like twice.. I just cant do it consistantly.
 

Shrivel

Requires therapy.
Location
Acworth, GA
I guess I keep my weight back because I'm lifting the rear with the sides of my feet. Should I scoot up and hop then slide back as I'm pushing the nose in. I have subbed like twice.. I just cant do it consistantly.

Keep your feet back, but your body should lean forward.
 
Keep your feet near the rear of the tray. I tell people to start poping the ski out of the water with just the throttle and a tiny bit of body english. Once you get that down and can land the ski kinda nose first with just handle bar input (a tiny bit of pushing) then the next big hop when your are flat in the air just duck behind the bars. That will put you in the crouched posistion your arms will be straight and you will instinctively pull with your legs.

And do them at what ever speed you like I was doing them at 1/2 to 3/4 throttle on my old ski... The pressure when you go under at that speed will almost suck your eardrums out of your head... :woot:

You will be doing them all the time.. Just make sure you have a way to get the water out of the ski.. I have installed too many cranks beacuse of subs and fountians
 

CarFanatic

Fiberglassing Newb
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I installed a bilge before I even had the ski in the water for the first time! :biggthumpup: I'll keep working on it! I tried a couple fountains too, but I fly off the hood I cant really hop on the hood to good and stay up yet.
 

wayne

wannaroll
Location
Mesquite, Texas
also, as you start your hop push down with your feet and get the back of the ski down and when you blip the throttle pull up with your feet and push the nose of the ski down as if you where trying to jump over the front, but hold on.
 

CarFanatic

Fiberglassing Newb
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Thats what I do. I can hop no problem, I just cant seem to pitch it enough nose down. I land flat, or front of the hull. I can bunny hop up and level out great. Its just gettin the rotation up and foreward to get the nose to nose in at the right angle I need to work on.
 

Danny Kay

SJ + M3 = awesomeness :)
Location
Atlanta
yea man, just baby hop, then big hop. once ur in the air push with ur arms and lift with ur feet. once u see the nose go under, duck ur head, and pull the rest of the way up with ur feet. and nail the gas once u hear the pump hook up again. hang on.
 

sxi steve

Life's short, have fun.
Location
Clinton Twp, MI
Pracice, practice, practice. Since you're a fly weight, you gotta get your weight more forward than normal to achieve proper angle, then quickly return rearward almost instantaneously as you hit the water. You gotta commit. Subs take alot of balls at first sence you are essentially endo-ing yourself. Make dam sure you have enough water depth. I slammed into the bottom at 5 foot of depth without checking..., big time ouch, not fun, trust me. Keep the speed aprox medium, note- the per hops will slow you down. Also you don't need foot holds, I do um all day without. Oh, geezz, eat some food and hit the gym! :smile:
 
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