The Complete Guide to Water Skiing

I appreciated that this isn't a sales pitch. The cost breakdown was refreshingly honest — I was expecting the usual 'you need this $1,200 package' nonsense. That said, I found the first chapter a bit long on description and short on the kind of step-by-step instruction I was hoping for. It's more of a "should I do this?" guide than a "how to do this" guide, which is fine, but I wish I'd known that going in.

Solid, no-fluff intro to water skiing. I've never been on skis in my life and always assumed I'd need my own boat and about five grand to even try it. This book set me straight — turns out I can take a $60 lesson and borrow gear from the ski school. The chapter on typical sessions made me feel like I'd already done it, and the FAQ chapter answered everything I was too embarrassed to ask. Knocking off one star only because I wanted a bit more photos or diagrams, but the text itself is spot-on.

I'm in my 50s, not in great shape, and was genuinely worried I'd wasted my money on this purchase the minute I opened it. Turns out it was the opposite. The self-assessment checklist in chapter 2 is the most useful thing I've read in any hobby book — it talked me out of some unrealistic expectations and into a realistic plan. I took my first lesson last week, and because the author told me exactly what to expect (including the face-plant on attempt one), I actually got up on the third try. Worth it for that alone.

This is the book I wish I'd had two years ago when my husband started dragging me to the lake. Every claim is specific, every number is real, and the tone is like talking to a patient friend who wants you to do well rather than a store clerk trying to move inventory. The first chapter alone, describing the exact feeling of the boat pulling you up and the water rushing past, got me to finally take a lesson. The cost tables are honest and the beginner checklist saved me from buying three things I didn't need. Five stars, no hesitation.

I bought this for my 14-year-old son who's been begging to try water skiing, but honestly I got more out of it than he did. It answered everything I needed as a parent — how much lessons cost, what gear he actually needs, whether the sport is safe for a kid his size, and how much of my weekend this was going to eat up. The author does not sugarcoat the learning curve, which I appreciate. The chapter on costs is worth the price of the book by itself. We're signed up for a beginner class next month and I finally feel prepared.

Good book overall, and it definitely lives up to the subtitle about being honest. The worst part of water skiing culture is the gatekeeping — everyone on forums acts like you should already know everything. This book assumes you know nothing, which I truly did. I ended up skipping ahead to the FAQ chapter first, and it covers the basics well: what to wear, what if you can't swim (I can, but my wife can't), what if you're heavy, what if you have bad knees. The only reason it's not a 5 is because the chapter on progression felt a little rushed — I was hoping for more detail on how beginners move into intermediate skill levels.

I've been water skiing for 15 years and picked this up to see if it would be good for my nephew who wants to start. It exceeded my expectations. The first chapter nails the feeling of why people fall in love with this sport without being sappy about it. The cost analysis is more accurate than anything else I've seen — they clearly didn't take money from any gear manufacturers because they're honest about what you can skip. The beginner checklist is smart: it tells you to try a lesson BEFORE buying anything, which most people (including me) didn't do. My nephew read it in one sitting and signed up for a lesson. That's the highest compliment I can give.