FX-1 Turning tips...

[AndyL]

I am having the worst time ever turning on this thing... How shouldI even stand in the tray? Seems like if I keep both feet equal I just drink the water. If I have my right foot forward and make a Left turn I manage but struggle. Either way I have an EASY 50 foot turning radius and its embarrassing! After heading back in to the boat launch today my dad walked down and goes... "Why are you practicing getting back on so much?" I reply "... what ... are you kidding this thing is like walking on ice..." SO, I figure ide ask to see if there is a secret stance I should be using or if I just have a STEEP learning curve that im working on.

 

[DirtyJ]

Turning on an fx1

I would say put your stronest foot forward in the tray and weakest foot back to the edge. They are tricky to get the hang of at first but you will get the hang of it. Also once you commit to a hard turn you have to follow through with it, or else your going to bail for sure. Thats just my 2 cents.

You had to crawl before you could walk, at least you got a wicked machine to learn on. Ive said it before and I will say it again, once you master the FX1 you will kick a$$ on a super jet!!!:headbang:


Good luck Bro:barrel:

 

[Smokin'FX-1]

practice, practice, practice. I found a stance similar to what I surfed with works well for learning the feel of the ski. Ride around with your body in different tray positions and just feel the way it handles differently with each. Bending your knees /squatting a little bit helps too. I don't think FX-1's were really meant to cruise around on, they were built to be abused I think and the squatting helps because of that.

I haven't had much ride time on my FX-1 since I got it in late november, but coming from a 550 I love it and laugh whenever anyone tells me to get an SJ or SXR, just not my style right now.

Falling isn't bad it may seem embarrassing, but it happens to us all and eventually it will happen less often and and much higher speeds, hehe.

 

[special fx]

FX-1s turn great but it takes a while to master it (and that's half the fun). It's almost an art form to really be able to rail out wide open 90 degree turns on an FX, but when you do it feels great.

Here's some inspirational vids....(the 2nd one is following my bro and it was his 1st season on an FX, so watching his form might help)

 

[AndyL]

Thats rippin. How deep of water were you runnin? That looks soooo much fun!

 

[special fx]

Anywhere from 2" to several feet.......it's a blast when the surf sux! And you actually learn to "ride" your ski not just huck it.

 

[Idok]

we have a couple of spots like that here as well......tons of fun til you hit an oyster bed

PS..vid 3 looks insanely fun!!! I'd run it with ya!!

 

[ger87410]

I would say put your stronest foot forward in the tray and weakest foot back to the edge. They are tricky to get the hang of at first but you will get the hang of it. Also once you commit to a hard turn you have to follow through with it, or else your going to bail for sure. Thats just my 2 cents.

I'm the opposite.

I keep my strong leg all the way back in the middle of the tray because that's where most of my weight is. I keep my left leg forward and use it almost exclusively for balance.
The only time both legs are forward in the tray is when I'm trying for top speed.

It's a little aggressive of a stance, but works well for me.

 

[AndyL]

Are you using foot holds when your just cruzing around?

 

[special fx]

Never use them.........I don't have them! They're not real condusive to good turning style.

 

[ger87410]

I don't have footholds yet, but hope to someday.

 

[BruceSki]

i use my footholds a lot when riding in the marsh... not to hold me in but to get my toes further towards the side of the tray.

i find myself with one foot forward and the other foot back with it sideways and my toes in the foothold... it gives me much more control in the turns.

the riding doesnt start until about 45 seconds in

 

[curt248]

More tips would be great. I just bought an fx=1. I've only ridden a modded jetski 440 for about 40 minutes about 8 years ago. I picked up turning both ways pretty good after about 15 minutes. My buddy gave me some tips.

He said in order to turn, put weight on the front of the ski and slow down a bit to initiate the turn. It worked on his ski.

Is that how the fx-1 works? Any tips will be helpful as I know nothing. Everyone has to start somewhere though right?

 

[AndyL]

Well Curt248 you and I are in the saim boat. :wavey: A big help for me in turning was commitment and getting getting low. If I stand straight up and turned, it seemed I would always fall off. However, if I were to bend my knees, stay low, lean and keep the throttle up, I would be fine. I just recently added an aftermarket ride ride plate and intake grate and that made a big difference in the way it handled. Hope this helps.

 

[WaveDemon]

the throttle is your friend. when you're starting to lose it give it more gas.

 

[spazzit]

i went from a sq to an fx1 it was tricky but the tubbies helped and i also widened the tray for more stability.mastering it is half the fun

:Banane09:

 

[tipafew]

Like Wavedemon said, when you feel like you are going to fall you actually want to gas it. Also get LOW. Drop your but right down in the tray if you have too.

I tell most people to spend more time riding on your knees. Everyone wants to just stand up and master it right away. The best thing you can do is ride around on your knees and really get the feel of how it turns. Learn some hard tight turns that way first.

Turn the direction you are falling. If you are falling to the right you need to turn to the right in order to get the ski back under you. It seems like common sense, but I see a lot of first timers that won't even move the bars as they fall.

Most of all......practice.

 

[curt248]

Thanks for the tips guys.

How do you widen the tray? Do you have to add footwells? The tray does seem awful narrow.

I've raced motocross for 12 years so maybe that will help.

Dancewithsuperjet, what is the earliest we can go riding in this weather (I live in Chicago)? What type and thickness wetsuit or drysuit is necessary? I have no idea what is necessary to stay warm while riding in the water.

 

[tipafew]

A couple of years I actually rode every month of the year(pretty much just to say I did it) I usually ride Lake Michigan until late November or first of December. In the spring I probably don't hit the water until late April.
I do have a dry suit and head gear. I also run the hot water off my motor up the pole and out on my hands. The dry suit extends your season a good month either direction in the spring and fall.
People always think I'm crazy out there on 40 degree days. I am honestly warmer in the water on 40 degree days than I am riding the street on my 636 at 60 degrees.

By widening the tray, a lot of people will actually cut into the side of the tray and re-glass it wider. Footholds would be a lot easier, but they only give you the extra width in the rear of the tray. It really depends on how handy you are. The footholds alone are fairly easy.

PM me if you want to come ride with us in the spring.
Cambokid is in Chicago. He comes up and rides waves with us in the fall.