It may be a dramatic term but if you are a tetherer you’ve probably seen a death wobble. It is problem which afflicts quad skis (a.k.a dual ski with pontoons / fixed outriggers) when traveling straight down the hill on flat terrain. The sequence goes something like this:
- The ski starts to lose momentum
- The ski tips randomly (to the right in this case) and the right pontoon touches the snow.
- This causes a braking on the right side of the rig, and the skis twist 15 degrees off the direction of travel.
- But the skier’s momentum is still straight forward, now 15 degrees left of where the skis are pointing, so the rig flops over to the left side
- Now the left tide pontoon touches down on the snow
- This causes a braking on the left side of the rig and the skis twist to point 15 degrees left of the directing of travel.
- Now the ski flops to the right and the whole cycle continues, etc.
Continue reading “The Ins and Outs of the Death Wobble” →