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We want your photos and stories! We are still finding out about more big attempts over the last 5 to 30 years. Please contact us on
skirecord@skirecord.com if you have photos, videos or stories of any past attempt. We'd love to include it here.
Horsehead Water Ski Club 2008 World Record Attempt
121 Skiers Ready to Go!!!!!!
In 1980 a photo of the then World Record of 30 skiers attracted the interest of Horsehead Water Ski Club members.
In 1983 ski club members skied on the Gordon River alongside the first of Strahan's fast ferries, the James Kelly. Plans began to be made for a record attempt and photos were taken of the back of the James Kelly in readiness to find a way to fit a boom. Assistance from the boat designer could not be readily obtained and the idea was put on hold.
During the following years information about record attempts was compiled along with photos of successful attempts which pushed the record to 50, 57 (Cairns 15th October 1983), 80 (Cairns 13th October 1984) and then 100 skiers (Cairns 18th October 1986). Information and photos were also collected about unsuccessful attempts in San Francisco in 1985, Perth WA, Lake Powell USA, Belgium and Seattle USA in 2000.
7th October 2000 Klondike World Record Attempt In Lake Washington Seattle USA. 
The Nichols Brothers 137 foot Jet Powered Klondike Express Jet Boat tried to pull 120 skiers in 2000. It managed to pull 30 Hydrofoilers from a deep start with 14 of those completing the required distance. Read all about it here
Lake Powell USA Record 29th June 1985 
 Lake Powell 29th June 1985. It is understood that four ropes had 15 people on each side of each rope for 120 starters. Fins were taped and skiers wore helmets. This method of skiers behind skiers was banned from future record qualification due to safety problems. 89 skiers were pulled behind "Nonne Zoshi" for 20 seconds. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=946&dat=19850703&id=9ck0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=SlQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3745,870879 San Francisco 
Do you know more - do you have photos, videos or stories or organizer's contact details?? Please contact us.
Horsehead Attempt History Twenty years after first investigating the idea, in 2003, a video of the current world record holders towing 100 skiers re-ignited interest and a World Record Organising Committee was formed by the Horsehead Water Ski Club. A local retired naval architect and boat builder came on board and ideas began to flow, leading to an attempt to pull 121 skiers on Saturday Feb 2, 2008. Unfortunately rope problems caused the laminated timber beam separating the skiers to fail and the attempt was abandoned. Within three hours completely new material (heavy duty poly gas pipeline) was sources and transported across the state. After working into the night with hundreds of volunteers a new boom was ready for a second attempt the next morning. Unfortunately weather conditions were unfavorable, leading to equipment failure and a second abandoned attempt. Undeterred, skiers and volunteers from around the state began planning for an attempt in 2009. This attempt was thwarted when a critical rope broke just as some skiers started to plane. The boom was damaged and the attempt was halted. Nobody was hurt and the club's 50 year accident free record has been maintained. In January 2010, on our first run for the year we managed to pull 85 skiers from the deep across the full nautical mile distance. That afternoon we managed by far the best result in the last 24 years - 99 skiers made the full distance (110 out of the water the most ever of any boat at that time).
On Saturday 27th March 2010 we pulled 97 skiers across the full nautical mile distance in awful conditions. The water did not settle that day and we had one final chance for the year on Sunday 28th March 2010 - our eighth attempt. We pulled 116 skiers from the deep with 114 making the required distance for a new World Record! |
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