Fast351

I don't think my body could take the crash abuse :smile: Looks cool as hell though!

I just ordered an Orbit. Hopefully it'll show this week and I'll get a chance to use it yet before we have to put the boats away here in Minnesota. I have a Canon Powershot SX120 and a Canon SL1 DSLR I'm going to try on there to see how the video quality is. I'll post a review and some pics of the setup when I get a chance!

I'm looking to buy a pylon mount for my camera to record video and hopefully use as self instruction. This is for a 196, not sure it matters. My ski buddy has the skidoc mount, and it works fine for cell phone video, but the mount isn't strong enough to hold my Canon SX120 which has image stabilization (the reason I want to use it instead of a cell phone). I know this topic comes up regularly (as recently as May 21st) but the Orbit was pretty darn new back then. Has anyone compared the Wakeye to the Orbit, specifically with a heavier camera/camcorder? I don't mind spending double for the Wakeye, I just want the best mount. BTW, does anyone know what the weight rating for the Orbit is? It's not listed on their website. (I have an e-mail in)... Thanks!

My rule of thumb for hours -> miles is to add 2 zeroes. That seems to hold pretty well. So 1850 hours is like a 185K mile car.

Water's still 56 degrees. My ski partner pulled his last weekend, but we're still using my boat. We're pulling docks in about a week and a half. After that it gets less convenient, but I'll still have the ski boat available until the water temp makes it not feasible anymore to ski (about 34 :smile: ) Just drop the boat in the water, and pull the plugs when done. I'll winterize probably end of November unless it's unseasonably warm. I'm in Minnesota.

Nice! Love the lightning in the video over the mountains. Probably far enough away you'd still have an hour + to get off the water :smile:

http://fast351.com/tmppics/lake1.jpg http://fast351.com/tmppics/lake2.jpg Different day, sunset, same pretty water conditions... http://fast351.com/tmppics/lake3.jpg

Shower might be nice. I won't have a heater in a boat again. My 211 has one and you always have to worry about getting it winterized before a real hard freeze. My 196 without a shower and heater on the other hand can be drained in about 5 minutes by pulling 5 plugs. We ski late into the fall, and the boat typically gets drained a handful of times while sitting on the lift. I can't imagine doing that with a heater.

@sixball I know exactly what you mean. I ran a car on the strip for quite a few years (just a lowly bracket car in the 10s, not pro stock). I thought it was pretty expensive. Then I got to tour Doug Kaletta's setup as my brother is pretty high up at his major sponsor Mac Tools. Anyway, he told me that they replace (in his top fuel ride): clutches every pass. Valve springs every pass. Pistons every two. Rods every two. Slicks every two. Cranks every 8. Blowers every 8. Oh and they bring two cars and enough engines to blow up every pass to the finals. I did some rough math and figured it was $10K to go down the strip. I might be low. Makes a new Radar ski every few years seem pretty cheap :smile:

Oh almost forgot. My neighbor does this on his boat, and I may start, since we have mice: Tape the exhaust flap closed. Will keep mice from building a nest. Generous application of scented dryer sheets, especially near wires where mice like to chew. I've always done this and never had a mouse problem.

This is how my dealer recommends it: 1) Run engine on garden hose at idle until the oil is warm (or pull the oil right after the boat comes off the water and warm it up on the lake). 2) Change oil 3) Drain block and water pump, intake strainer, replace plugs 4) Hook 5 gallon bucket with hose to input of trans cooler (Mine is an SN196, your easiest hookup may be in a different place) 5) Fill 5 gallon bucket with RV antifreeze, run until it's almost empty 6) Shut off boat, rehook screen hose to trans cooler, tighten clamp 7) Remove battery I tend to run my boat pretty low on fuel most of the time because it lives on a lift and all fuel goes in by the way of 5 gallon jug, so it never has more than a 1/4 tank in it anyway. less weight you know :) Anyway, first time out I go to the gas station and fill it up with fresh fuel. No need to keep a boat full, since the gas tank doesn't rust.

Ahh K. For some reason I thought it had a Ford in it.

Note that the original poster's link links a 2015 boat. Not sure it can be upgraded to a new CPU with ZO software in it.

But the PCM GT40 service manual says PH8A (Fram) specifically! It actually does, but I know what you're saying. The Motorcraft FL1A is regarded as one of THE best oil filters in that size. I researched it a ton when I was racing 351W engines, and always ran Motorcraft filters. An interesting link from a long time ago where a guy cut apart about 30 different filters and looked at the construction and size of filter media: Filter study (Short link just for @Horton :smile: )

I think the golden rule for all "social media" (yes this site is social media) is to never type anything that you wouldn't say in person. I'm kind of old school when it comes to that. My first social media forum was IRC, and we had a get together once a year for the people in the continental US (car channel). So I just always understood that you may or likely will meet the people you chat with online. Years later when Facebook rolled around, I made it my personal policy not to "friend" people I didn't know in real life. Same rule applies. As I've gotten older, I've found I don't need the extra stress of being an a-hole online. Makes life more enjoyable. Oh, and remember anything online is forever. Don't be surprised when you type your name into google you see stuff you posted 10 years ago pop up. Remember future employers will look at that too. I know I do this for everyone I'm involved with hiring.

Socks and sandals is one thing, but that looks uncomfortable with the toe thong...

I have never apologized for being a Nautique fanboy myself. I don't see that changing anytime soon. Will take a pull behind anything, but for owning a boat, love my 196. About the only thing I would trade it for is a 200.

I searched all the common sites. SIA, BoatTrader, Craigslist via SearchTempest, Planet Nautique, Correct Craft Forum, and eBay. My dealer knew I was looking and found me the boat that I ended up buying. It wasn't really even for sale, but they knew the owner and knew they were no longer using the boat. It was never on the market. I have a great relationship with Son Watersports (those in MN will know who they are). They do the winterization and maintenance on my 211, and have always treated me well even stepping to the plate when I had a problem that was long out of warranty. Having a dealer willing to look through their database will get you access to boats that you would otherwise not have access to. Something to think about.

That's what I was thinking too...

Yeah kill switch, despite what most people think, simply kills the ignition. It'll still crank. Although that might depend on the year of the boat. I can see some newer engine management systems that might be smart enough not to let the boat crank. My favorite is having the boat a 1/4" out of neutral. That always gets my heart pounding until I think to check that (that one does stop the cranking of the engine though).

I do that for surfing in the spring once in a while when the water is still in the low 40s. But you start at 5 MPH, not 40. Pretty sure I wouldn't try it at that speed.

Right handed. Right eye dominant. Left foot forward. I've been told my foot is wrong, but it works for me. Tried to switch some years ago, and after much hilarity trying to deep water start, I tried it for a few weeks. Finally gave up after I never got comfortable.

2nd Floe lifts. I have a VSD5000 that my boat resides on. The legs are screw adjustable from above the water (you do have to remove the boat first, the screws are not rated to lift 2500#). 3/4" socket with a cordless drill of the 20V variety and the legs go up and down easy. It has a HUGE lift range. Not to mention the wheels stay on, so if you wanted to start shallow in the spring and move it out a little as the water drops, just lift the legs, slide it out another few feet, and drop the legs again.

@wtrskior there is no way to know the hours on a 2000-2002 GT40 based SN with any degree of certainty. The computer doesn't track it, and unless the new gauges were matched to the old ones, they started at 0 when replaced. I bought an absolutely mint 2001, with a perfect pass, and a known low number of hours for 16.5 last year about this time. Starting with that, I would say the crash reduced the boat value by 5K, the PP by another 1500, putting you at 10K. A new interior is 2K, but if it's not too bad I guess you could live with it. Still, I wouldn't pay a nickel over 8 for that boat, but it depends on how bad you want it. Crash repairs, even if done right, create future problems with shaft alignment, extra weight in the boat, gelcoat cracking, etc. Good luck!

I wouldn't pay more than 7500 for a trashed 196, and that's assuming everything is mechanically sound. Probably closer to 6000. If you can get it for that much it might be a deal. Does it have PP? Otherwise, and as a N guy, it pains me to say this, the Mastercraft is a better deal.