Conference vicki::boats

    Back in about 1964 or 1965, my parents bought a used boat, and the guy
    selling it threw in everything he had: skis, jackets, etc. AND
    something called a HYDROFOIL.  It sounds much like you describe except
    it had no chair.  You just clamped an old pair of skis to it.  I had
    never seen anything like it and have never seen another since.  But
    what an incredible ride it gave once you made it up!!  And the wipeouts
    were even more incredible.  It didn't come with any instructions so
    my brother and I just went by trial and error to learn it.  One of
    our early attempts was to lean back and try to jump it up.  Since
    the 'wings' are essentially 'flying' under water, this effort resulted
    in a  270 degree backwards somersault, landing face down in the water.
    But as you pointed out, at 15 mph, no damage was done.  Repeated
    attempts finally taught us that just a subtle shift in the center
    of gravity was all it takes to get up.
    
    Over the years, I lost track of it, as the boat and our cottage
    were sold.  Probably went with one or the other.  Now that
    you've pointed out that they are back, I'll probably start
    looking...
    
    
    Chris

    
    Ski Magazine has been promoting the air-chair since early
    spring.....and I've seen them demo'd on TV during the "Hot
    Summer Nights" series.
    
    They look like fun, but you're right Mike, $700 is just
    too much....wonder why they're so expensive?  
    
    Jeanne
    

We had a guy ride one in our ski show this year.  Looks like a nifty toy,
although I didn't get to ride it.  I did check it out while it was lying on the
beach during the show.  Pretty neat design.  Lots of physics and hydrodynamics.

But I'd spend the $700 on a pair of jump skis before running out and buying an
Air Chair.  To me, it's kinda like a Jet Ski/Waverunner...lots of fun to ride
someone else's, but I wouldn't go buy one myself!  :-)

...Roger...

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Note 801.0                   air chair or air heads                    3 replies
SNOFS1::BOWMAN                                       12 lines  26-FEB-1991 04:42
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    were wondering if anyone has any information or has tried
    the air chair.
    
    we just saw it on tv and it looks great.
    
    its a kind of large ski you sit on with hydrofoils a couple of feet 
    underneath which you can rise up on.
    
    where are they available?? how much please
    
    tks reg
    
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ROGER::GAUDET "Nothing unreal exists"                 8 lines  26-FEB-1991 11:48
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Someone on my lake has one.  In fact they rode it in our ski show and the crowd
loved it.  The guy tried a wake jump but fell.  It looks like it takes some
superb balance and lots of practice to do tricks.  I've never tried it, but it
looks like fun.  The exact price escapes me, but it's either $695 or $795!  No
need to do a double take, you read that right!  It's at *least* $695.  I've seen
it advertised in "Water Ski" magazine.

...Roger...
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TOTH::WHYNOT "YNOT"                                   7 lines  26-FEB-1991 11:56
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    Rog, Reg is from somewhere over some pond-UK or OZ - I can tell 'cause
    he has one of those funny accents like the other Reg.  :^)
    
    The NE rep for the Air-Chair is, I believe, Dan Lemieux in Danvers,
    Mass at 1-508-777-1721.  Maybe he can give you a good deal on a "demo"
    and we can ship it to you I/O mail.  :^)
    Doug
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SNOFS1::BOWMAN                                       24 lines  26-FEB-1991 20:31
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    yep your right i just forgot to sign the basenote (the other reg)
    
    ill try and give the number a call in the next little while.
    
    i know these things arent available in oz yet.
    
    as for price if its 600 or so its not too bad (i wonder what retail
    here would be 1000+ most probably)
    
    whats i/o mail ??? i couldnt see it fitting in an internal envelope
    
    i reckon itll be one of those really fun things to ride
    
    thanks for your help
    
    the other reg
    

    Gang,
    
    I must have one of these toys.  One of us Brits will be over in new
    England soon.  Can you please advise the best way to buy one, since
    they cost around $1400 here (huh, and *you* thought they were expensive
    :-) )
    
    -anywhere local?
    -or are they in the mailorder magazines yet?
    
    Excitedly yours,
    Ken

Hey Ken...

I just got off the phone with Monica at RBM, Inc. (makers of the Air Chair).
Here are the dealers in the New England area:

	East Coast Flightcraft
	Danvers, MA
	1-508-777-1721

	Zor Beach & Ski
	East Haven, CT
	1-203-469-1364

She also gave me the name of the dealer that they "deal" with in the UK.  It's
Hot Shots in Essex.  Given the string of numbers she gave me, I think their
phone number is [44]-(11)-277-899676.  You might want to verify that before you
call and get some irate resident in the bowels of Essex!  :-)

...Roger...

P.S.  The place I called was: RBM, Inc.
                              665 South Lincoln Ave.
                              San Bernadino, CA 92408
                              1-714-383-0474

    
    Hey Rog,
    
    	Were they willing to send out a demo model for us?
    
    Rick

RE: Rick ... I laugh, ha ha!  :-)

Nah, the lady was nice on the phone, but no offers of "Hey, wanna get your
friends together and test-ski one of these things?"  Oh well, maybe I can talk
to the guy on my lake that has one and weasel a few runs out of him.  Then we
can have a gumball down there and I can say "Hey *buddy ol' pal*, how 'bout
lettin' these here rookies have a shot at that air chair?"  :-)

...Roger...

    When I was talking to Dan Lemieux a few weeks ago, (the N.E. Air-Chair
    rep/Flightcraft (by Malibu :) rep )  he invited me to test fly the air
    chair at there next demo session.  At the end of our chat, (about an
    hour-and-a-half long, he was offering to loan it to me for a weekend!
      Waddya think, should we take him up on it??
    
    On a related note, anyone see the picture in WSki Magazine of the guy
    kneeskiing?  Backwards!?  That picture was submitted by Dan Lemieux,
    except they mistyped the name of his town. (Danvery rather than
    Danvers, Mass.)  They are from the Flightcraft (by Malibu) Promotional
    Barefoot Program.  (probably should be in the Barefoot note...)
    
    Doug_by Malibu

Take the "chair" for the weekend!  I suspect we'll enjoy it for a while, but us
"need for speed" skiers (both "stick" and "feet") will grow tired of it fairly
quickly.  But heck, it'll be fun to check it out.  So, when do we go?

I saw that picture in "Water Ski" and was wondering where "Danvery" was.  Maybe
we'll see a "Oops, we goofed" topic in next month's issue.

Did'ya also check out the Super Sequence on pp. 36-37?  Mike Seipel and "Banana"
George Blair doing the barefoot human towrope off the boom.  Neat stuff.  I
guess with Mike's strength there's not too much fear he'd let go!

...Roger...

    My friend is seriously considering buyiny one of these.  The price is
    up to $750 now but I'm sure someone could be talked down this time of
    year.  I want him to get the hydroplane advertised this morning (I'm
    good at spending other people's money!).  Has anyone ever been on one
    of these "air chairs"?  Does the interest stay or is it an expensive
    toy that one grows bored with?
    Thanks, Wayne

    
    It is a lot of fun for a while and matering it does take time. The only
    reason the interest drops is becuase it is such a pain to drag around
    with you in the boat. It takes up alot of room even if it is taken
    apart. If you have a dock or houseboat to leave it on when your out
    skiing it's a little better. 
    
    I'd try someone elses out for a few days if possible to really see if
    you like it and worth the money.
    
    Craig
    
    

    There's an article on the Air Chair in the May issue of Trailer
    Boats.  Looks fun, a little on the expen$ive side though.
    
    Rick

    Look's dangerous to me.  The last thing I want is to be strapped into
    something that has a metal fin on it that looks like it could cut you
    in two.  
    I'ld still like to try it.  
    Wayne

    Wayne,
    
    You'll never (probably) go far enough or fast enough to have to worry
    about getting hurt on it. They are,from what I have found,to be
    very very VERY difficult to master. 
    
    It was the most sensitive,hilarious contraption I ahve ever ridden!
    I never got frustrated because I and my friends were laughing too
    much at the ridiculous falls. It would shoot into the air,and then
    just nosedive and visa-versa,it would weave back and forth and dart off
    into all different directions very quickly and without notice. It was
    like riding a bucking bronco except at a very mild 10-14 mph.
    
    We finally went to the ol' boom DIRECTLY. Do not use a 5 ft.extension
    because you could quickly be kissing the side of the tow-boat as
    the air-chair darts much too quickly for a 5ft line to be used safely.
    
    But,the boom helped us get a grip of "how to pilot" an airchair.
    basically,you got to learn to do just the opposite of what you
    would normally think of as corrective action. :-)
    
    crash

    
    Matt,
    
    I am sure you all were real careful when using the Airchair
    while on the boom but I must say/warn people that it is highly
    recommended that you do not use it on the boom.   You did say that
    you did not use the 5 ft leader which is very true that you could
    crash into the boat. That aside.
    
    When I first saw the Airchair, and how you strapped in it I too
    was a little concerned, but once you get in it and crash a few
    times you find it to be quite comfortable(?).   I found that just
    changing the handle position was often enough movement to adjust
    my height off the water.  I also found listening was improtant,  
    generally I could hear the hydrofoil's fin/wing when it was starting
    to get too close to the surface to maintain lift,  it would begin to
    make a girgling sound.  I found the key to just riding the Airchair 
    to be that you have to make very small movements/adjustments.  I
    believe it took me about 6 trys to get up and just riding on the
    ski and then just a few trys after that to be able to "fly".
    Now jumping it is a whole nother ball game which I am far from
    mastering.
    Once you can get the cruising a couple feet off the water down 
    it is a real fun toy.  Especially in rough water since you are 
    pretty much immune to the waves below you.
    
    Mike
    

    Mike,
    
    I'll have to give er another try,we were probably trying to muscle
    it too much and were making radical adjustments trying to master it.
    
    I too heard the gurgeling when the foil got too close to the surface.
    
    I still,no matter how much fun I have on it,refuse to pay the big bucks
    they want for them. I've got enough problems.
    
    ski ya in the air,
    
    Crash