carving questions

Tips

This isn't nearly as easy as it looks, so progression and practice is needed, don't get discouraged at some point it will just click and you'll never look back.

It does depend on what part your having trouble with, are you finding that your falling over all the time or is it that your having getting the sled to start the turn?
First of all probably the most important, you need to find an area with a large open area, 100m sq would be ideal, but half that is reasonable. The second thing is the more snow ( powder untracked preferably, its easier top maintain balance ) that ya have the easier it will be, 30 cm or 12 in is a good place to start.
I guided neverever tourists in the backcountry for a couple of years, so i have a bit of experience with this. I can tell ya the way it was explained to me. Think of a roulette wheel( wheel with # spins in one direction, little white ball is sent in the other direction, if in doubt google it ) at a casino, only when that ball begins to slow down will the ball begin to fall down off the rail. What that means is that the slower your moving the easier it is to pick up that outside ski. BUT this is a balancing act that your attempting to preform, so there is a sweet spot between the speed your traveling and the arc of the turn. A very tight turn is done at a low speed and vice versa. Remember that in the middle of a carve if I let off the throttle I'll most likely fall into the carve but at the same time an slight increase at the same point could pull you out of that carve and back to both skis.

After that it's all body positioning. When your practicing have somebody film a few of your attempts. I can't say this enough, LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO! If you look at the ground you'll fall over and if your looking directly in front of you that's where your gonna end up. Its soooo important, you NEED to be looking over your shoulder where you want to be at least 2-3 seconds from that point, over exaggerate it at first.
This is why I'd video a few attempts, mostly to avoid the arguments of where the guest was looking during the attempt. Usually just past the end of the sled or directly in front of where they where headed.
Standing tall ( increases leverage ), on flat ground, traveling at low speed (5-10 ) keeping your head up and your eyes looking where ya want to go, sometimes a small blip of the throttle can help with the weight transfer to the one side. As well counter steering ( turning the skis in the oppisite direction that your turning ) can also help.

Also turning in one direction is always easier to one side more that the other , I found most people liked left turns but don't hold me to that.

Whew....
Know this, this is MUCH harder being smaller and lighter than a guy that you see doing this, generally a guy doesn't have to worry as much with the proper form B/C they can just refer back to strength to muscle the thing around.

Hope that broke it down for ya. Let me know if there's a specific problem with your progress, I'll check back.

Good luck, its fun learning.

Wow, great post bburrap!

I think it is tricky to figure out, but once you pull a carve successfully you'll have that big ahh haa moment!

When I started I had to really over exaggerate my moves.....and for me, I stood further back, and just really shifted my body. Don't be afraid to go too far...in fact I think it helps you find the sweet spot! I fell over many times!

Snow conditions are a big thing, ruts will really get you so make sure when you set out to carve...to tell them to leave you a practice space and not to tear up your meadow!

Have fun with it!!

good points above,

also with the doo summit 6.9 pilot skis, to aid in carving, side hilling, and to get up on one ski better, it would benefit most to swap the skis from right to left sides. the outrigger on the pilot (on the outside when installed from the factory), hampers the sled from being able to roll up on it's side easy. when you reverse the ski to the opposite side, the outrigger is on the inside and does not limit the sled from rolling on the outer edge of the leading ski.

ski

counter steer and momentum... if the pow is deep enough, you can try this sitting down (just try it, you'll know) Open area is a MUST! turn skis one way... lean the other. You need your speed around half-throttle, if the powder is deep... you'll have your rpm's up anyway. Turn one way...lean the other.

Think of carving similar to walking on a tight rope - if you lean to the left the rope will go to the right, if you lean to the right the rope will go to your left -just like weight and balance is crucial to walking a rope the same principle of weight and balance are the baseline to carving along with countersteering.

If you are leaning/carving to your left then you'll want to turn your handle bars to the right and vice versa with leaning/carving to your right. Like others have said though the key to learning how to carve is by going into a big open area and practicing - get a feel for what your weight does to your sled by shifting it from side to side first. Both with standing and sitting and then start experimenting with your turns/carves.

It takes some time to learn how to countersteer but once it "clicks' you will be amazed at how easy it really is.

Good luck! I know you can do it!! :beer;:beer;