On Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:48:55 +0000,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

Ace wrote:

My first skis, in ~1994, were 205s. Seems incredible, but there really
was a general belief that longer was better, although very few people
could demonstrate why that should be the case, except at racer level.

Back in the day, when wooden skis demonstrated a remarkable coefficient
of friction, you needed long skis if you wanted to move at all.

I guess. But there you're talking about pre metal-edged ones, so 1920s
and earlier, I'd have thought. And I know you may remember them, but I
don't ;-)

As regards later plastic skis, I do remember my Rossignol Drac 210s
(late 1970s vintage) having remarkable straight-line stability, but all
the turning ability of a supertanker.

Aye, and that, of course, was why there were so many variations of
tern involving lifting one or both skis to turn them off the snow,
either by jumping or the famous "Stem Christiana" and its variants.
Sadly some of these are still very much used by some people to this
day.

--
Ace
Ski Club of Great Britain http://www.skiclub.co.uk/
All opinions expressed are those of the poster and in no way reflect those of the Ski Club or its members