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Home Made Vert Air

wildone

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So after years of searching and loosing bid wars or just not wanting to pay asking price for a vertical air, i decided to cut one out of a Ho TNT. I know a few guys who swear if done right these things are better than the real thing.

Anyways I started with a $40 72" HO TNT that i found on Ski it again. The bottom had some surface scratches, but over all the ski was in great shape with HO Bindings in perfect shape, not a single tear in them. I do not have a pic of my actual ski (because i didn't think to take any), but the ski was the same as the one pictured here, with double boots.
TNT1_ea9704cbf0951acfaa0a6a30de44f1e6.jpg


First thing I did was strip everything from the ski, boots & Fin. I filled all the holes with fiberglass, and sanded smooth. I then flipped over the ski and brushed clear acrylic over all the small scratches and sanded them smooth (not pictured) They are still visible, but at least they are filled. I may paint the bottom eventually but i figured its going to take a beating anyways.

Next I cut the ski to 63" and rounded out the corners. I than started the fin cut 1 inch from the tail. Getting this thing straight was a bitch. I had my buddy who does custom Ferrari bodies line it all up on his machine and get it all straight for me.
photocut2.jpg


Once I had the ski cut i painted the foam that was exposed on the tail black and brushed a few layers of epoxy on it. (again probably doesn't look the best) But it should work.

I than covered the ski deck in carbon fiber vinyl, dropped the fin in and put the boots back on (back of front binding is 29" from tail)

FINISHED
vert.jpg


I know this wasn't the most professionally finished ski but i am stoked on it. I only hope it works, i may use this as a test to adjust binding placement ect... and if i can find another TNT i would most definitely look into having some more body work done, refinish the bottom, paint, fiber glass the tail maybe newer style bindings... But for now I am just looking forward to 4 days at discovery bay this labor day playing with my new toy.
 

Boat211

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That's cool. Anxious to hear how it rides.
 

wildone

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Well be up labor day weekend. John has my number, your welcomed to come try it out.
 

Crazyhippy

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Keep us updated... I have come close to doing the same thing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
 

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Nice ski...good luck with it.
 

hallett21

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That's awesome can't wait to see how it turns out!!!
 

wildone

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Where you staying? Just coming to hang out on the delta?

we rented a place on discovery bay blvd. we go up once a summer or so. we usually stay at the tingley's, or in a condo off lido bay. love it up there
 
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Stapo

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TNT's work well they usualy have a little less rocker than a Vert so they turn better with out popping the fin so you can hit the wake harder ... 71 mack 1s are another good cut down ski to use and are the next closest to a tnt that will ride like a Vert ... Be carefull with Verts for Braking , remember they were made back in the day when Wakes wernt to big , now days with bigger boats and bigger jumps you will snap them easily..
 

muttsnuts52

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TNT's work well they usualy have a little less rocker than a Vert so they turn better with out popping the fin so you can hit the wake harder ... 71 mack 1s are another good cut down ski to use and are the next closest to a tnt that will ride like a Vert ... Be carefull with Verts for Braking , remember they were made back in the day when Wakes wernt to big , now days with bigger boats and bigger jumps you will snap them easily..

Hi how did this go?
looking to do it to a sabre, are these the same sort of ski to the TNT?
Thanks
 

stevo13

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I have a cut down magnum / TNT and I love it I like riding it better than my vertical air
 

muttsnuts52

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Sounds like it would be brilliant, trying to learn to helicopter at the moment, have a maha 360, taper flex wakejumper and a F44 craze, but vert airs just aren't accessible in the uk really
Is a sabre equivalent to a TNT/ mack 1?
Thanks
Chris
 

boat527

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I have a cut down magnum / TNT and I love it I like riding it better than my vertical air

Im working on my second.. Got a pattern off of my cousins and made one from a Connelly Eclipse, the new one will be from a HO Extreme-Carbon Fiber w/ Aluminum top... Should be great!
 

wildone

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Sounds like it would be brilliant, trying to learn to helicopter at the moment, have a maha 360, taper flex wakejumper and a F44 craze, but vert airs just aren't accessible in the uk really
Is a sabre equivalent to a TNT/ mack 1?
Thanks
Chris

Don't know what a saber is. I was told to find a magnum, Mach one, or TNT. I love the ski I made, I recently bought. Magnum and plan on making it even shorter.. Right around 60 inches. This one I'm going to patch the fiberglass, spray it and wrap in in white carbon vinyl. Need to find some animal bindings for it as well.
 
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muttsnuts52

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Don't know what a saber is. I was told to find a magnum, Mach one, or TNT. I love the ski I made, I recently bought. Magnum and plan on making it even shorter.. Right around 60 inches. This one I'm going to patch the fiberglass, spray it and wrap in in white carbon vinyl. Need to find some animal bindings for it as well.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=251156882250

There is a link to one

I've done some side by side picture comparisons to a TNT an they look pretty much identical, not sure whether this was a predessor of the TNT, mach1 or maybe the same ski, badged up differently to be sold in Europe? Any help/ measurements Im looking for would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
Chris
 

coz

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So after years of searching and loosing bid wars or just not wanting to pay asking price for a vertical air, i decided to cut one out of a Ho TNT. I know a few guys who swear if done right these things are better than the real thing.

Anyways I started with a $40 72" HO TNT that i found on Ski it again. The bottom had some surface scratches, but over all the ski was in great shape with HO Bindings in perfect shape, not a single tear in them. I do not have a pic of my actual ski (because i didn't think to take any), but the ski was the same as the one pictured here, with double boots.
TNT1_ea9704cbf0951acfaa0a6a30de44f1e6.jpg


First thing I did was strip everything from the ski, boots & Fin. I filled all the holes with fiberglass, and sanded smooth. I then flipped over the ski and brushed clear acrylic over all the small scratches and sanded them smooth (not pictured) They are still visible, but at least they are filled. I may paint the bottom eventually but i figured its going to take a beating anyways.

Next I cut the ski to 63" and rounded out the corners. I than started the fin cut 1 inch from the tail. Getting this thing straight was a bitch. I had my buddy who does custom Ferrari bodies line it all up on his machine and get it all straight for me.
photocut2.jpg


Once I had the ski cut i painted the foam that was exposed on the tail black and brushed a few layers of epoxy on it. (again probably doesn't look the best) But it should work.

I than covered the ski deck in carbon fiber vinyl, dropped the fin in and put the boots back on (back of front binding is 29" from tail)

FINISHED
vert.jpg


I know this wasn't the most professionally finished ski but i am stoked on it. I only hope it works, i may use this as a test to adjust binding placement ect... and if i can find another TNT i would most definitely look into having some more body work done, refinish the bottom, paint, fiber glass the tail maybe newer style bindings... But for now I am just looking forward to 4 days at discovery bay this labor day playing with my new toy.


I ride an HO Burner and it looks exactly like the shape you created, nice job :thumbsup
 

Stapo

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The old school TNT / Magnums are hard to find now days . The only trouble with vert airs is they break easily... another ski i was looking at that ill try is a 69 Radar P6 cut down to a 64 like a vert , they have the same bottom and almost identical mesurements ...

The Cotto Air is a great ski Cotto gave me one to demo for a few weeks and i liked it , it rides just like a vert but is much stronger ...


Muttsnuts52 , the sapre is a very different ski , the concave goest all the way to the edges so it will never jump like a vert but the plus side is it will turn better ...the old TNT and the radar P6 are the only ones that have similar bottoms with the P6 having more rear rocker similar to a Vert
 

muttsnuts52

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Muttsnuts52 , the sapre is a very different ski , the concave goest all the way to the edges so it will never jump like a vert but the plus side is it will turn better ...the old TNT and the radar P6 are the only ones that have similar bottoms with the P6 having more rear rocker similar to a Vert

Thank you for that

is there any real point to me cuting it down then?

i was just looking for a fun ski, that you could still pop the wake on?

used to ride and F-44 craze but found it very twitchy!
 

MrWarpath

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I was sking for HO when they made the Vert Air and all Herb did was put a block out in the mold of the magnum. So if you can get a magnum and then cut it off and move the fin up you have a vert air. Just remember to seal it real good, just because they are not wood does not mean they cant get water logged. I jump wakes behind offshore boats all the time and I have only broken one in over 20 years. Hell I like to leave the 70 magnum alone and ski on it that way as well. They are great skis for sure and you can find the magnums on e-bay often.






Thank you for that

is there any real point to me cuting it down then?

i was just looking for a fun ski, that you could still pop the wake on?

used to ride and F-44 craze but found it very twitchy!
 

wildone

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I was sking for HO when they made the Vert Air and all Herb did was put a block out in the mold of the magnum. So if you can get a magnum and then cut it off and move the fin up you have a vert air. Just remember to seal it real good, just because they are not wood does not mean they cant get water logged. I jump wakes behind offshore boats all the time and I have only broken one in over 20 years. Hell I like to leave the 70 magnum alone and ski on it that way as well. They are great skis for sure and you can find the magnums on e-bay often.

I actually picked up the magnum this summer when i was up there at the yatch harbor for 30 bucks. The tail is pretty beat up and has a crack at the back so cutting it down is the best bet with this one. You can see where its let water in by the back of the fin. Hopefully ill find a newer one to slalom ski with. you guys definitely have more skis on your Craigslist up there then i see down here.
 

Stapo

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Thank you for that

is there any real point to me cuting it down then?

i was just looking for a fun ski, that you could still pop the wake on?

used to ride and F-44 craze but found it very twitchy!

the only reason realy to cut it down is to do Helli's and tickers . a ski of a full Magnum size is very hard to spin , and doing a Mule kick or a whip would be very hard to pull off ... .. If you just want to do straight jumps then the long ski is fine ....
If your not a large person , a HO Ventura is a great option with out any mods done ..
 

muttsnuts52

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Currently trying to heli a maha 360 an a taper flex wake jumper finding it very difficult!
I'm 5 7', about 12 stone and like long walks on the beach, just kidding
I'm also currently looking at a radar senate, looks a very wide ski and being carbon sure to be light? But again the bottom could not be what I'm after atall
Also just to get a feel, I've seen some vert airs with an some without (Chester fins?) basically a fin either side of the skeg. Does this help, or hinder air?
I will stop asking questions soon I promise,
Thanks
Chris
 

Stapo

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Currently trying to heli a maha 360 an a taper flex wake jumper finding it very difficult!
I'm 5 7', about 12 stone and like long walks on the beach, just kidding
I'm also currently looking at a radar senate, looks a very wide ski and being carbon sure to be light? But again the bottom could not be what I'm after atall
Also just to get a feel, I've seen some vert airs with an some without (Chester fins?) basically a fin either side of the skeg. Does this help, or hinder air?
I will stop asking questions soon I promise,
Thanks
Chris

A Maha 360 is a good ski as long as its not full length (i think there 72 arnt they ?) i used to run a glass/carbon 360 years ago , it was cut down to 64 from memory and that seemed to work well (i learnt Hellis on that ski back in the 80's) ... Its not always the ski thats hard to Helli its mostly the boot possition that makes it hard ... Im not to sure on a Radar Senate , if its like a P6 then it would work ok ..
Extra fins on a Vert would be interesting , id say they only do it so you can cut harder , the vert has a tendancy to pop the fin with hard cornering (wide with lots of rear rocker..)
 

muttsnuts52

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Mine Is full length, might cut the taper flex down though?
An the sabre arrived today, is in immaculate condition an believe it's a 68"?
 

hallett21

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What do you guys think about cutting down an HO triumph? I've noticed it is slightly similar to the radar p6.
 

Stapo

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What do you guys think about cutting down an HO triumph? I've noticed it is slightly similar to the radar p6.

I think a Triumph could work for sure , i dont know of anyone doing one yet so i couldnt say for sure .... The triumph dose have a wide and deep concave so it wouldnt jump as well as a tnt/Vert , but it would turn a hell of alot better
 

hallett21

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I think a Triumph could work for sure , i dont know of anyone doing one yet so i couldnt say for sure .... The triumph dose have a wide and deep concave so it wouldnt jump as well as a tnt/Vert , but it would turn a hell of alot better

So wide and less concave is what you are looking for?

Im thinking of picking up a radar p6 and cutting it if enough people think it will work lol
 
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Stapo

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If your going to go and Buy a ski to cut down id recommend a Late model Magnum/freeride 71 and cut it down ... Thats what i skied on in this Video [video=youtube;BixlnOfVilo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BixlnOfVilo&feature=plcp[/video]
 

djunkie

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If your going to go and Buy a ski to cut down id recommend a Late model Magnum/freeride 71 and cut it down ... Thats what i skied on in this Video [video=youtube;BixlnOfVilo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BixlnOfVilo&feature=plcp[/video]

Fuck. Nice work. I'm just happy to get up on a ski let alone do all that stuff. LOL


Sent from my iPad using Tap That Ass
 

hallett21

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What about using an HO Mach 1 or HO turbo? Either of those have enough rocker/ right shape?
 

work2ski

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What about using an HO Mach 1 or HO turbo? Either of those have enough rocker/ right shape?

I've never cut down a ski so I don't have a lot of experience with it, but I can't imagine a Mach 1 or Turbo working out very well. They're both bouy chasers, not real as great for cut and jump like others mentioned.
 

hallett21

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Has anyone skied the maha air one? Is that a similar ride to a vert air?
 
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hallett21

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Do you get the same kind of pop/ does it have an advantage over a vert air? Or are you better off with the vert air?
 
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