Ralph Wilford Samuelson invented waterskiing in the summer of 1922, famously using pine boards 8 feet long and 9 inches wide. As boats became faster and skiers pushed the limits of what was possible, the slalom ski rose to prominence. By the 1960s, waterskis had evolved into beautiful pieces of craftsmanship, featuring inlays of rich woods like maple and teak, finished with thick, gleaming coats of varnish.

The Story Behind Our Vintage Slalom Waterskis Art Print

If you’ve ever waterskied, you know the feeling: the rush of gliding effortlessly across a glassy lake, the warm sun on your face, the world slipping by in a blur. I learned to waterski on skis just like these—heavy as lead by today’s standards, but pure magic once you were up and slicing across the surface.

I always admired the craftsmanship—the intricate wood inlays, the glossy varnish that caught the late afternoon light. That sense of style and tradition is what inspired me to capture these classic skis in this piece.

Whether you grew up skiing or simply appreciate the beauty of vintage design, this art print celebrates the golden age of summer adventure.

Why You’ll Love It

• Modern, Minimalist, Vintage-Inspired Design: A clean, nostalgic tribute to classic watersports and craftsmanship.
• Photorealistic Fine Art Print: A highly detailed, true-to-life illustration of vintage slalom waterskis from the 1960s.
• Premium Quality: Printed on high-quality archival paper for vivid colour, sharp detail, and lasting durability.
• Versatile Decor: Perfect for lake houses, cottages, cabins, or any space that celebrates summer adventure and watersport heritage.

Where It Belongs

Ideal for hanging in a lakeside retreat, boathouse, cozy cottage, or anywhere that captures the spirit of long, sun-drenched days on the water.

Paper and ink qualities

Our prints feature high resolution, detailed images which we reproduce using high quality, archival UV protected inks and our carefully selected satin photo paper. The inks promise unparalleled colour brilliance. Our paper is durable with a low glare finish that promises the best reproduction performance.

Specifications

Heavy 11 mil base  |  Neutral white  |  Millions of colours   |  Medium water resistance*  |  200 year fade resistance 

* Inks are resistant to clean water spills. Dab spills with a clean, soft, absorbent cloth immediately. Non-clear liquids will immediately and permanently stain the surface.

Actual appearance versus Website appearance

When you view our prints online, they can look different on each computer, tablet or phone you view them from. Technology differences are beyond our control, meaning we cannot absolutely guarantee what you view online and what you receive will appear exactly as you expected. 

Looking for just a frame?

Please note, our frames are custom-designed to complement our art prints and are available only as an add-on with a print purchase.

Framing Made Easy (and affordable).

We hear it all the time... people love to buy art but often decide against it because the cost of framing is an extra expensive. Not at ManMade Art. We founded our store on the principle that high-quality art should be affordable too. Making art accessible to everyone is a core philosophy that we continue to live by and those principles extend to offering you quality framing at a reasonable price. 

ManMade Art's custom-made, gallery-style frames are made in Canada and include materials 100% sourced from Canadian businesses.

Choose from Two Designer Finishes.

We make buying art simple. Some of our prints are uniquely-sized and you may it hard to challenging find a frame that fits. Ordering your items in frames solves that problem AND ensures you unwrap your order ready to hang! Choose from matte black lacquer or laminated driftwood finishes crafted from solid wood material.

Thick Acrylic Glazing.

Each order is framed behind acrylic, also known as 'plexiglass. Using acrylic ensures your order reaches you safely and unbroken. Acrylic has the same, if not higher, optical clarity as glass. And, unlike big-box store frames that typically use paper-thin acrylic, our glazing is 2mm thick—equal to the thickness of standard framing glass or roughly the thickness of two dimes. 

ManMade to Order (and hang).

Every order is installed in its frame with sturdy, rigid framing points and sealed with an acid-free backing sheet that protects your art from infiltrating dust and insects. Combined with a sawtooth hanger and silicone bumpers, your piece will hang perfectly without marking or discolouring your walls.

This size guide helps you to find out the exact outer measurements of all ManMade Art prints and frames available in our store. All dimensions are displayed in inches, Width x Height.

Prints with a White Border

These have a white margin surrounding the artwork. It is not a separate physical photo mat. The size of the white border is included in the total dimensions of the print. For example, an 11"x14" print with a white border means the entire piece of paper, including the border and artwork, measures 11"x14".

Prints Without a White Border

These are "full-bleed" prints, where the artwork extends all the way to the edges of the specified dimensions. For example, a 11"x14" print without a white border means the artwork covers the entire 11"x14" area without any margin.

Dimensions by Format

Format	Specified Size		Print Size (Trimmed)	Outer Frame Size
Rectangular	SMALL	11" x 14"	11" x 14"	12.5" x 15.5"
		14" x 11"	14" x 11"	15.5" x 12.5"
	LARGE	16" x 20"	16" x 20"	17.5" 21.5"
		20" x 16"	20" x 16"	21.5" 17.5"
Square	SMALL	12.5"x12.5"	12.5"x12.5"	14" x 14"
		16" x 16"	16" x 16"	17.5" x 17.5"
Panoramic	ONE SIZE	10" x 27.5"	10" x 27.5"	11.5" x 29"
		27.5" x 10"	27.5" x 10"	29" x 11.5"

Shipping Terms & Conditions.

Order $150 or more and get free shipping to most locations in Canada and continental USA. 

Canada and US Express Shipping.

Canadian orders over $150 ship free, or under $150 ship for a flat rate to the following provinces:

• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Ontario
• Manitoba
• Saskatchewan
• Alberta
• British Columbia

US orders under $150 ship for a flat rate to anywhere in the continental US (excluding Alaska). Continental US orders over $150 ship free!

Canada North and US Offshore Standard Shipping.

Canadian orders over $250 ship free, or under $250 ship for a flat rate to the following provinces and territories:

• Newfoundland & Labrador
• Nunavut
• North West Territories
• Yukon Territory

All offshore and Alaskan US orders over $250 ship free, or under $250 ship for a flat rate. 

Greeting Card Shipping.

Buy 5 or more on greeting cards and enjoy free shipping! Orders under less than 5 cards will be subject to a flat rate shipping fee. 

Free shipping for cards is not available on Canada North or US Offshore orders.

Please note, free shipping on greeting cards applies only to orders consisting solely of greeting cards. Card orders included with prints or framed items will be subject to the $150 minimum order requirement for free shipping.

International Shipping.

We do not offer express or standard shipping outside of North America. International shipping requests are quoted on a case-by-case basis. Contact us if you have a specific international request.

Shipping and Delivery Times.

Express Shipping.

Please allow 1–3 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) to process, print, frame and package your order. Shipping times vary depending on your location, however, most orders reach their Canadian destination in 1-3 business days, or US destinations in 1-4 business days.

Standard Shipping.

Please allow 1–3 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) to process, print, frame and package your order. Shipping times vary depending on your location, however, most orders reach their northern or remote Canadian destination in 3-5 business days, or US destinations in 3-5 business days. Please note that some remote destination transit times may be longer.

Pre-inspection Before Shipping.

We stand by our products. Each print and frame is inspected for printing defects or damages as it is packaged for shipping. We will not ship prints or framed art we would not be proud to hang on our walls.  

Packaging Care and Materials.

Every ManMade Art order leaves our studio in packaging custom made for our products, ensuring it arrives in excellent condition. Unfortunately, accidents can happen in transit. If your order arrives damaged, we will replace it. We only ask that you provide photos of the packaging and item damages so we can assess what happened during shipping. 

Damaged in Transit.

All orders are carefully packaged in sturdy cardboard containers to protect them from the normal rigours of shipping. If your package arrives damaged, please keep the original packaging and send us photos. We'll get a replacement to you, but we can't process a replacement without seeing the damage first.

Shipping Policy and Terms.

Please double-check your shipping address and ensure it can be received at your specified address (residence or business). If, for some reason, delivery is denied to the correct address, fear not, we will help you find your order. If we give the shipper the wrong delivery address, we will pay for any extra shipping charges associated with the error. If it is hopelessly lost for reasons beyond our control, unfortunately, we'll have to share the new shipping costs based on our standard rates. Repeat free shipping is a one-time offer not available in these situations.