Agree, yeah water-skiing requires two others aside from yourself a driver and an observer. I was getting to be good on waterskis and I don’t have any footage of me doing it but some photos show me getting my shoulder close and a modest rooster tail kicking up. It requires much more strength and stamina than alpine skiing does, especially upper body strength.

Since I did not take up alpine skiing at that time I had no problem as you describe and then when I took up alpine skiing I was far enough removed from frequent water skiing I had no tendencies to try to work any water skiing technique into my alpine skiing.

Now that there is much less of me and what remains is stronger and fitter, I hope I can at least ditch a ski again.

I thought this experience would help me take on snow skiing, but the instructors all said, “No, it’s going to hurt you, because you developed motor memory of leaning back in your stance.” They were right.

In time I became a competent though not spectacular strong intermediate (snow) skier, far exceeding any skills I had developed on the water.

One difference between the two types of skiing is that iti’s easy (though costly) to go snow skiing by yourself, but you can’t go water skiing by yourself. Perhaps there are businesses which will give water skiers, for a fee. But I’m not aware of them.