Hop-dock

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Hop-dock in motion

Hop-docks are an essential part of a water ski show. A hop-dock is where someone jumps off of the pier and onto the water as the boat pulls them away. The hardest part of a hop-dock is the timing and balance for the skier, but the reward is staying dry. The point of jumping off the pier instead of doing a deep water start is to keep the show running faster. It’s more entertaining for the audience, and it’s easier to get up if someone is wearing a costume. When a show skier is wearing a costume or anything heavy, it’s easier to be dry and ski than be soaked and weighed down by a bunch of wet clothes. The trick for mastering the balance and timing on a hop-dock is three-fold. First, the skier should jump once the rope gets taught. Make sure to hold the handle at the hip and let the boat pull the handle out as the tension becomes greater. This will eliminate the chance of being thrown forward off of the get-go. Second, as the skier steps off the pier they should be keeping their eyes on the horizon in front of them. It’s important for the skier not to look down as they jump off because they will most likely fall forward. It’s important for the skier to keep their leg rigid and flexed in order not crash once they hit the water. Their weight should be back a little, but not too far back. Third, the skier should have all their weight balanced on the leg that the ski is on. If the skier has only half their weight over their ski leg, they will collapse to the side where there is no ski. One more thing to help visualize what to do is to step off the dock instead of jumping. If the skier steps as the boat pulls him, it should be efficient enough for the back of ski to clear the dock. If the skier focuses on “jumping” instead if stepping, their balance and timing can be compromised. Ultimately, it takes practice to make it perfect. The more someone practices their hop-dock the better they will become.