Barefoot skiing
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Barefoot skiing is water skiing on a motorboat without the use of skis (i.e. barefoot).
This type of water skiing is commonly referred to simply as "barefooting". Barefooting requires the skiier to travel at higher speeds than those of conventional water skiing and is generally more dangerous. Barefooting requires many barefoot skiiers to don padded, full-body barefoot suits. It is usually practiced in one of three ways.
The barefoot boom
Barefooting is most easily learned through the use of a barefoot boom. The boom consists of a long, metal pole extending from the center of the boat (usually connected to the ski pylon in inboard ski boats) over the water opposite the boat driver. Wires also extend from the tip of the pole to the bow of the craft for added reinforcement.
Barefooting from the boom usually requires the skiier to start with his or her body half-submersed in the water, holding on to the boom above. As the boat accelerates, the skiier's legs are forced out behind him, and he brings his legs and torso around front so he is in a sitting position on the water. He then dips his feet in to stand at a speed between 30-35 miles per hour (depending on the weight of the skiier).
The short rope
A more difficult method of barefooting is accomplished by attaching a short rope (about 1m in length) to the barefoot boom. The skiier hangs on to the handle at the end of the rope. The lack of vertical support provided by the boom makes this technique significantly more difficult than simply holding on to the barefoot boom directly.
This technique usually requires the skier to start, rope in hand, sitting in the water with his feet around the rope. As the boat accelerates, the skiier is dipped underwater for a short period of time and eventually can sit up on the water moving below. He slowly dips his feet in and stands at a speed between 34-38 miles per hour (depending on the weight of the skier).
One of the best barefoot skiers ever, Mikael Grabowski from Denmark, was a pioneer in the discipline of Slalom on one barefoot, which requires even higher speed than barefoot skiing on two feet.
Long line barefooting
The most difficult way to ski barefoot is while holding on to a rope behind the boat. At rope lengths exceeding 75 feet, there is little to no vertical support and the boat must travel at higher speeds to facilitate skiing.
Skiiers generally begin skiing this way either in a manner similar to that of the short rope described above (a deep water start) or by simply jumping out of a normal pair of water skis to land on the moving water below. In order to stay standing, the skiier must be travelling at a speed between 36-40 miles per hour, and the speed increases as the skiier attempts various tricks (including standing on only one foot).