Connelly Big Daddy Waterski, Swerve Lace-Adjustable Front Binding with Rear Toe Plate, (one Size fits Most)

I feel like every family's boat needs a Connelly Big Daddy on board. This is the ski that can make all the difference when a new skier is struggling to learn deep water starts. You can see it in the photo, this ski is huge. Here I have it compared to a 69" HO Omni and a 65" Syndicate. The generous surface area helps the ski to plane out as soon as the boat accelerates. A large person will feel the benefit of the extra surface area, but it can help people of all sizes. The Big Daddy was the ski I first got up on when I was 12, and I weighed like 80 pounds.Construction seems fine, but not fancy. That is to be expected as this is an entry-level or recreational ski. The bindings are fine too. Compared to nicer bindings, they are not comfortable. But the priority here was to include an affordable, one-size-fits-all option, and these fit that bill. I think it is essential that this ski has a rear toe plate instead of a full binding for the rear foot, good to see. The ski has a standard drop-through metal fin with the option to mount a wing (not included) if you want. Also, I love the colorway. The rear toe strap is a little tight, and is not adjustable. Maybe it will break in a bit? Wouldn't be a bad idea to keep some boot butter handy to help a larger foot fit into the RTP. Either way, I recommend this ski.

Finding a waterski that fits you when you're not a small person is hard. The extra width and length (it's a 69 "ski) makes the ski more stable when getting out of the water. I have always had problems with face planting on deep water starts, however the wider profile of the Big Daddy helps keep me straight. And the Swerve lace up binding system is handy too: I could dial in a fit without the pinching or pressure of other bindings. A simple rear toe plate keeps my foot secure without being restrictive. I used it a few weekends at the lake with my family and waterskiing has become fun again, those starts...

I ordered this as a gift for my son who recently started water skiing and quickly mastered skiing with two skis. He really wants to improve slalom skiing - particularly getting up on one ski. It is too cold to ski in our frozen lake at the moment, but I look forward to spring to try this ski out! We already tried this on inside, and the boot is very comfortable on his size 7 foot.

Very easy to use and fun. Easy to adjust and wear with regular winter boots. These were added to our winter outdoors activity as we only have used snowshoes. They were fun to use and with a little practice will be a fun way to get some exercise for a senior.

This Connelly Big Daddy ski makes it a lot easier to get up on the start. I like how wide it is as that makes it easier to use. The front boot is easy to put on and take off. The back toe plate makes using this feel so much easier, and I really appreciate the design. This is great for beginners, or really anyone who is just looking to have some fun on the water. It’s well made for a waterski at this price point, so I am happy with it.