Fast351

Done.

I am seriously considering double Carbitex Vapors for my next setup. My Profiles are just about toast. The wrap rubber is shredding more every day. Good to hear those are GTG!

Much respect for guys that do this. You guys are nuts!

@Jordan I assume you mean the wake looks pretty clean? Aside from the chine spray, that looks pretty darn flat to me...

My F150 with the 2.7 Ecoboost gets 23 MPG. It tows my ski boat fine, but I haven't checked the mileage with it back there because it goes 500 feet from my storage building to the boat ramp and back, once per year. 325 HP and 400 Ft/Lb from a 2.7l is impressive though. I have talked to a couple guys that do fleet maintenance on these, and all indications are this is a 200Kmi+ engine without issues. I wouldn't tow a G23 with it, but a 196 is just fine.

Man, that is a pretty boat! Looks like the same trailer as is under my Nautique. Is that a Trail Rite? If I was in the market this boat would be high on my list. Good luck with sale!

Physical body types just do better at certain sports. Just the way it is. Look at Michael Phelps. The guy is built like a fish with freakishly long arms and huge hands. They didn't shorten the pool for the normal sized people. I'd say that the extra 6" certainly doesn't hurt, but Regina is 5'4", and kills on the slalom course. It's not all about height.

I need a new set of boots this winter. I may also get a new ski to go with them. I noticed the 2020 stuff is already showing up out of stock in some sizes. When does 2021 gear come out, and available for sale to the general open lake hacker like myself? Our season here in MN doesn't start until late March if things go really right, so anytime before then is fine, I just don't want to have to start on my old boots next year, and would buy 2020 stuff to make sure that doesn't happen... Also, I assume perfski.com is the preferred provider around here? Thanks!

I will second the Spraymakers podcast. I picked up a couple tips that have made my skiing better.

Go listen to the Spraymakers podcasts, specifically the ones relating to fundementals and open water skiing. I'm not even close to a great skier, but some things that they vocalize that really help: 1) Arms straight. When you're pulling back to the wake, don't try to muscle the boat. You won't win and it leads to bad form. 2) Pull only through the wake. Once you're past the boat centerline, you're accelerating away from the boat. Pulling later is counterproductive. They explain this way better. 3) Time your turns. You should turn back to the boat, especially on pullout, when your speed is the same as the boat. This will prevent line slack. And my personal tip. Don't use the back of the ski to turn. Shift your centerline over the ski using your hips to initiate a turn, IE shift your weight to the edge of the ski. The ski will do the work, and you'll be in a much better position to get into a stacked position.

Just a little about me. I'm not a hardcore course skier, I free ski only, 15 off at 32 MPH. I'm 205#, 6'1", and 48 years old. I would like to run a course someday, but honestly I don't have access to one so I don't see it becoming an obsession like it is for some here. I do ski. A lot. We live on a lake, and with this COVID BS, one positive is I've been skiing almost every day, sometimes two or three sets. I'm up to 80 sets this year, and I hope to crack 100 by Labor day. I ski on a 69" Radar Senate Graphite. I kind of stumbled onto this ski by accident. I was skiing on an HO Triumph before, but after trying on a set of Profile boots at a boat show, I knew I needed real boots as opposed to the rubber wrap bindings on the Triumph. Ended up finding a package deal on the Senate/Profile setup in 2014. In 2016, the rear binding tore out the lower lace. Radar took care of me and sold me a set of new and improved Profile boots for a significant discount in winter of 2017. Fast forward maybe 200 sets later, and the back of the boots are starting to tear pretty bad. The front is worse than the rear, but they're both going to be due for replacement this winter. My dilemma: The Pulse boot looks to be the follow-on to the Profile boot, but the Carbitex Vapor boot is not a whole lot more money. Considering my ski level, which boot would you choose and why? Also, I wear a 10.5W shoe, but tried the 2014 Profiles in an 11 and they jammed my toes uncomfortably, so I ended upsizing to a size 12. They're a little loose so I wear a set of 2mm water socks to take up the extra space. With the new moldable liners, should I go back to an 11? One final question. Is it worth jumping from a 2014 Senate Graphite to a 2020 version of the same ski? If I'm going to exercise the credit card, might as well give it a workout :smile:

I think the hull, while maybe not for me with all the angles, can be toned down with the appropriate gel coat colors. This is one of the tugs at AWSA midwest, and I really liked the colors on it. The interior similarly had navy/aqua colors and it was beautiful. Of course I don't think I'm buying one any time soon because, well, I wouldn't see much benefit over my '01 SN, but it is a pretty boat in its own way:

@bananaron I was just giving you crap for your revolving door boat barn (not that I blame you, it's fun to do different things). I'll stick with my bubble butt. I think I finally have all the kinks ironed out...

Are newer skis more for course skiers, or would free skiers running 15 off at 32 MPH notice a difference? FWIW I'm on a 2014 Radar Senate Graphite. My Radar Profile boots are starting to tear their shells, and I think I'm going to switch to the new Pulse boots. I like a little ankle support, and the closed toe is nice for cold Minnesota water in the spring and fall. I'm considering upgrading the ski at the same time but trying to decide if it's worth the extra dough.

I'm the same way. I only free ski, and I feel I'm getting better at 15@32MPH. I would hope so after 80 sets this year. Just for shits and grins I shortened to 28 because my ski partner runs at 28. It felt like I was hitting a curb compared to 15 off. (This was with just my wife and I skiing). I asked him about it next time, and he was like, "yeah, you have to be on edge, no doubt about it". Also mentioned when you get tired and sloppy to be careful. I think I will stick to 15 off for a while yet. Maybe if I ever get a chance to try course skiing I might worry about it. BTW this is behind a 2001 (MY) Ski Nautique so just about the same hull.

@bananaron how much? :smile:

@BraceMaker Sounds like the closed loop cooling systems are superior for more than just keeping minerals and sediment out of the engine. Am I right in assuming that closed loop systems are pressurized like cars? (I've never owned one)...

Not sure if I've ever posted a pic of mine here. 2001 Ski Nautique with a GT40 in it...

@BraceMaker hadn't even thought about that. No pressure, not nearly the thermal transfer. Of course there is nearly an infinite supply of it :smile:

If you look at the amount of air that flows through a Holley carbureter through basically 4 golfball sized holes you can imagine it doesn't take a big tunnel to flow enough air for intake. A 4" dryer duct somewhere would do it. Engine cooling is a far more interesting issue, although with raw water cooling I can't imagine that the engine generates much external heat that would create problems.

BTW, cool setups on both these outboards! Well done!

@Parkemnz Perfect Pass does not ever "increase speed". It reduces throttle from where the hand control is set. Basically when you pull your skier up, you push the throttle past where it would need to be for the set speed. Perfect Pass increases the distance from the end of the throttle cable to the throttle blade in order to decrease the amount of throttle commanded from where the hand throttle is set.

@DW, yeah in the winter the temperature doesn't drop quite as low at night as some neighboring weather stations (a 2-5 degree delta on really cold nights is typical). During the day and in the summer the error is negligible. I wish there was an easy way for me to move just the temp sensor with it's radiation shield down to the ground, but that would also mean moving the solar sensor and rain gauge and I'm just not willing to give up the accuracy. The wind from all directions isn't effected by trees much, and the rain gauge is extremely accurate. Service is the only PIA. I lost the wind cup bearing last winter and steel roofs covered with frost or snow are slick.

I run my own weather website: fast351.com/weather/ I watch the wind and wind forecast like a hawk, and can usually predict with a pretty good hit rate when the water is going to be nice and smooth and when it's going to be a goat rodeo. I still want to get a water temp sensor that can communicate via WiFi with the weather station server so I can add the water temp as a gauge to the dashboard. Still trying to find a decent one so if someone knows of one let me know. (Bonus if it runs off 12V so I can use a lift battery to power it)

@Horton It doesn't matter in the summer. Once the temp cracks 65 I put the full wetsuit away and just use a chicken shirt if the air temps are under 70. Below that though, I like knowing if I need a drysuit. If you've never skied water in the 30s you wouldn't understand :smiley: