BrennanKMN

If you're willing to spend that kind of money I'd be getting a ProStar hands down. If you want to save some cash I'd get a 196, few of those are popping up for just around $30k.

While I cannot personally comment on the engines, in a ProStar or a 196, I'd be perfectly happy with the 5.7. If you were looking for a 200 I'd probably opt for a larger engine if the price was right, especially given your son is getting into 36MPH.

All this seems like a lot of debate for something that has a 0.000001% chance of causing enough damage to be an issue over the 3000-4000 hour service life of a typical inboard engine. These things are work truck engines, not F-1 engines.

Change the oil when it's convenient.

You must be on a first name basis with the Brainerd DMV for boat registrations :p

Good luck Ron! That is a killer boat.

https://denaliskis.com/pages/gut-gate

This is a pretty solid video as well.

This whole thing makes me think of the guy on YouTube who made the 'Carbon TSC' boat. He took a TSC1 Ski Nautique and did as much weight savings as possible. Pretty cool project and the boat is crazy fast afterwords.

Here is just one of many videos on his channel.

Let's be fair, unless any new boat adds 6+ balls to my average score right off the bat I am not in the market. When I can be in my ZO boat for less than half what a new or promo boat costs for virtually the same pull it's a no brainer to me. Everyone has their justifications for what they have or want, that is fair, but $20,000+ for a little better wake or a slightly easier driving experience ain't worth it to me.

I am in the TSC3 club until it blows up, then I'll buy another. Ticks every box for me and it is under 30k.

One thing I am seeing more and more of is people comparing the complexity of the new boats to current vehicles. While I agree both are equally complex what gets me is access to parts in information. For a few hundred bucks I can have the entire factory service manual and all the diagnostic and troubleshooting information for my vehicle. I also have a massive dealer network and an a huge aftermarket network for replacement parts.

If a 'fancy dancy' touch screen radio goes out in a new vehicle I can swap in a aftermarket radio. I could buy a part of a dealer shelf and swap it in, I could even get a used part potentially. None of that is possible with a boat. You are locked in to a very proprietary system with next to no aftermarket support for parts or anything.

The amount of money I have saved over the 10 years I have owned by truck by simply spending a few hundred bucks on proper manuals and diagnostic tools is insane. We have DIACOM Marine - which is good, but lacks the factory service manuals to back it up.

I sold my 600 hour TSC1 for 16.5k 2 years ago. It was in good shape, but not showroom by any means. I've been seeing TSC3 hulls with ZO going around the 24-28 mark (and bought one there too), so that gives you an idea of the room for a TSC1 with ZO.

While I personally like the TSC1 hull better than the TSC3, the fact that it is a 'non-factory' setup was a deal breaker for me. I have no interest in that type of setup. Support, resale, parts, all become more difficult.

I thought of another one...

A few years back I ran my boat out of gas in the middle of the course pulling a skier (had a bit of a fuel gauge problem there for awhile). Thankfully the boat launch was about 2500 feet away. The two of us hooked up a rope to the bow eye and started swimming the boat in. Once we got close enough to the ramp to touch we walked it in. Dumbo me didn't put on the water sandals I keep in the boat and after about 5 steps I stepped on something sharp, I think it was a broken glass bottle, and sliced up my big toe. Thankfully it was a pretty clean cut. I wrapped it with duct tape and finished loading up the boat and got home. After eating a quick dinner off to the hospital for stitches I went.

That was the first time skiing sent me to the doctor. 6 stitches later and a few weeks of no skiing, thankfully skiing hasn't sent me back yet.

I've been pretty lucky so far. I always try and run the boat in the driveway to start the season to find those little gotchas before I am on the water. That doesn't help you remember the plug though! Made that mistake once... so far.

My personal favorite was locking the keys in the truck while getting the boat ready to launch. That was an awkward wait at the ramp while a buddy drove out the spare set of keys.

Well, I was going to go skiing yesterday but had some trailer troubles. The rubber in my torsion axles wore out over the winter and I found my passenger side tires sitting on the inside of the fender. Looking at a 6 week lead time and $1400 with all the companies shutdown. So I guess I'm not skiing anymore. I spent my skiing time yesterday pulling my axles instead.

Pretty lame way to 'start' the season...

According to the Florida executive order for shelter in place it allows recreational activities; look at section 3.A.ii. While I didn't do much other fact checking, to me that says you should be able to take your boat to the lake. It even outlines fishing as an example activity.

https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/orders/2020/EO_20-91.pdf

Is this a common thing with dripless packing?

I have never had a boat with one but have toyed with the idea installing one. I always stop after I realize I could change my packing 20 times for the time and money it would cost me to install a dripless packing in the aftermarket.

Both my TSC1 and TSC3 do it at the gas station. I turn the filler nozzle upside down and only go on the first click and I can fill it without splash back. You also have to pay attention to when to stop, if you rely on the pump to auto-shutoff you will end up with a large mess as well.

I believe it comes from the way the hose is routed into the tank, it isn't a clean shot into the tank.