Jmoski

If your loosening up the top buckle, make sure you can still step out/release on the dock. Otherwise you run the risk of ankle movement delaying or worse preventing release in a crash.

I keep a tool bag onboard with everything needed for repairs and the like... In addition to a cutting implement, I also keep a scuba mask in case I ever need to detangle a rope from the prop. This happened once and its much easier with a mask.

@6balls - in that case I doubt the cable needs to be replaced unless it was used in a salt environment. Sounds like the rack under the steering wheel needs to be tightened, or greasing the rudder itself. Is the steering stiff/tight?

How many hours on the boat?

@cragginshred - right there with you on staying tied-in. More years ago than I will specify My climbing partner and I worked on the Tuolumne Meadows Search & Rescue team for the summer. During which one of our rescues ended being body recovery for a free-soloist who cratered...

@skibrain - I'm sure he has climbed that route numerous times before roped, which does make a big difference, had he on-sight free soloed it I think your description would be more fitting.

Free soloing a route up El Cap is unreal, its 3000' of continuous climbing at an extreme difficulty. Climbing a route rated 5.13a is like skiing at 39.5' off, except if he falls off the climb with no safety gear, it's all over. Most excellent, but human, climbers take 5 days to climb the main lines on El Cap, he did it in 4 hours. Just unreal.

With the binding in the correct spot the water should be breaking right at the front of the front binding as your coasting.

I learned dragging up but once I switched to double boots I have never looked back. I find starting with both feet in is less effort than dragging up.

@TallSkinnyGuy - many auto parts stores have a battery tester that will give you a print out of the current cranking amps versus the spec'd rating. Just checking it with a volt meter isn't sufficient. You just have to deal with lugging it in there. I did this two years ago with an 8 year battery and was able get two more years out of it. The guy at store was amazed it was still going.

I just replaced my SN battery with an Interstate MT7 AGM car battery (Absorbed Glass Mat) - it's a sealed, maintenance free battery with the advantage being it deals with vibration better than a classic lead - acid wet battery. 4 year warranty. Very happy thus far. Drawback is the cost: 2x a standard starter battery, but I spare no expense when it comes to "the other woman"... On a side note - stay away from the Optima line, ever since they started making them in Mexico quality has suffered...

@OB1 - that's a huge bummer, I wonder if I have been spared that same fate given I don't leave it in the Sun with the cover on for extended periods of time.

My cover does have vents - you just have to add them when you order. My exp. with Commerical Sewing was probably an anomaly - their customer service was excellent and it looks like the covers have improved over the 7 years since I had one. The other issue I had with this cover was it didn't have any protection in the front to prevent my trailers crash pads from chewing it up. Notice the CoverSports cover has a beefy section of ballistic nylon on the nose. One drawback to the skiboatcover is it appears you have to use the tie-downs on the side to trailer with the cover on.

I have a coversports cover for my 196, works well for me since I mostly use it while trailering and then for two weeks every summer docked on the lake for vacation. If you primarily moor it or have it at the dock all summer, I would go with skiboatcovers like @Than_Bogan has given I think it will shed water better with the pole supports. I also had one of the factory commercial sewing covers, which is similar in design to coversports, but sent it back since the coating was defective and leaked like a sieve!

When was in Destin I went to Cory Pickos' waterski school in Santa Rosa Beach.

Draft on my 2006 196 is 22". That said I wouldn't operate under 3' of water - and only at no wake speed in shallow water. Remember your depth sounder is a. Not calibrated by NASA for accuracy, and b. It's under boat where the tracking fins are, which means your already in trouble by the time it reads 2 feet. Also, I may be stating the obvious here but: your boat max capacity is 6 people OR up to a total of 1,000 lbs of weight (people & gear & ballast). So you can't load 6 people AND that 200 lb beer keg! Keep in mind the max of 6 occupants includes the person skiing behind the boat. The marine/environmental police around me have nothing better to do that cite people for minor infractions...

@Brooks via email helped me zoom in on the right ski for me last year - take him up on the offer...

If you start with both feet in, I have two suggestions: 1. If you ski with your left foot forward, intentionally lean left before the boat takes off as it will naturally straighten you out on take off. If you ski RFF - then lean right, same principle. This makes a difference as if you have the ski perfectly nuetral, the slightest wiggle on to opposite side and your toast. 2. As the boat goes lock all of your core muscles and push the ski out a bit and hold - this will help divert the water around you which reduces drag. HTH's

Two tips: 1. If you start with both feet in, if you ski Left Foot Foward - intentionally lean to the left before the boat goes as the boat will naturally straighten you out as it takes off. If your neutral and drift a little to the right or leaning right to start your toast RFF - lean right, same principle. 2. Just as the boat goes lock your core muscles and push the ski forward a bit and hold. This creates a pocket in front of you and helps reduce the drag since it diverts the water around you. Once the ski planes then stand up - as someone else astutely put: just when you think it's time to stand - wait another second... HTH's

I just made the switch from Vector double boots to a reflex super shell & a R Style rear. It took me a few runs to get in the groove, and I'm now really digging this set up. For me the biggest change was on the deep water start, first time I accidentally pulled my rear foot out of the binding as the boat took off. Unlike with the rubber bindings which have the ski bobbing up like a cork, the reflex shell doesn't really add flotation. JMO

When you take off on a deep water start is the driver dropping the hammer or giving a gradual take off? The one time I tweaked my back on a start was a combination of me not being ready + the driver going full throttle + me being to stubborn to just let go of the rope.

Skied my first set today in MA, water is cold but air temp was in the 60's. Had to change venues though - the water level on cochituate is so high I couldn't get my 196 through the keyhole tunnel.

I looked at the 3 and was surprised to see it's not completely rigid, the plastic has flex to it. I ended up getting a masterline travel bag, which I reinforced by cutting off 2-3 ft sections of the box my ski was shipped in to give it more protection. Worked well in Feb when we went to Cancun. I was glad I have the extra support from the cardboard as on the return trip home it was underneath several golf bags when the bags came out the oversized bag door. Maybe the best option is a sport tube inside a soft roller bag!

Nice ride & dock setup - location? Does it come with the boat house? One thing to factor into price is what options it has. Looks like an SE based on seeing what I believe is traditional key start as opposed to the keypad. Also - with the insane prices for new 200's that's gotta help keep the prices for 196's up. Locale can make difference as well - one of the lakes I ski on has a tunnel you have to navigate through that a 200 won't fit through, but my 196 does barely. JMO

If you have disk brakes you need an actuator with a reverse solenoid installed to stop the brakes from locking up when u put your tow vehicle in reverse.