Nicad

Thanks for these suggestions. Will start looking to make a purchase.

Just bought a powerful magnet to take up a new hobby. Magnet fishing. I am betting there is a rusty box end wrench every twenty feet at our marina.

We are certainly not high performance skiers in my family, but weekend duffers who go out for a couple of sessions on a weekend. I'd like to get a new handle and line and am trying to figure how this can make a difference and wear out as fast as I see some claim. Does the line stretch in a way that makes one perform better than another? Is there one style of handle that is preferable for slalom skiing? We aren't going through a course, just trying to make a nice turn linked to the next one. TIA.

The manual for the fish finder is very thick. Looks to be made for pilots. Gave me a headache reading the first page. Perhaps the battery is for the stereo with sub woofer that is also controlled through the fish finder. Kinda fun having three speedos.

Plugs are pretty well new. It idles dead quiet in neutral, just has a bit of vibration at idle in gear. Top end and throttle response seems very good. I think this fuel processor will be thirsty. I'd have to think I have 100 pounds of batteries in the back. I noticed in another thread someone using a plate to reduce the wake even more?

I have a DJI Phantom 4. Other than cracked batteries, it has been a very good machine. Intuitive to fly, fast, good in wind, great images. Can stay in the air for 23 minutes. Flying a drone is getting harder and harder though because of regulations and air space restrictions. Also they tend to not be as stable height wise over water, so I'd not fly much below 15 to 20 feet with mine from now on. (A few near misses)

Interesting observations. It also has two large batteries back there and the tank is full, that might add to the angle. Was thinking of maybe moving the battery up front under the passenger seat using one of those low weight glass mat batteries. After charging the battery, I pulled my daughter up for a ski and she got up on one ski for the first time in a long time. No more dropping skis for her I am hoping. The steering feels fine to me. I put the standard wheel back on. Other observations, it doesn't like idling in gear very much. Bit rough at low speed.

Found a perfect fitting wetsuit in the closet today that the previous owner of the cottage left behind. Should be good to 40f with this setup.

I think this boat is basically 80's ski clothes. Kinda gaudy, but can't look away either. Feels like the space shuttle when looking out the cockpit.

Thanks Muskokaky, I did buy the BF200 and towed it home Friday. It is in Superb shape. Really enjoyed driving it around the lake yesterday. Seems fine in chop and I quite like the ride. Wake looks a little big at water ski speeds, but goes to practically nothing at higher speeds. I guess that is why they call it the BF 200. Have to do a couple of small changes to it. It has a Mini steering wheel that is resisting coming off. I have the original one and hope I get it swapped in later today. There is nowhere to tie this boat up. Needs some hardware installed to make it dockable. It also has a slow draw on the electrical. I left the battery on last night and it was flat and non starting this morning. Skied behind the Cobalt today for hopefully the last time. Probably going to keep all three boats for the time being. I am on Eilean Gowan, where are you?

Update, looking like I have found my boat. A 1992 BF 200 in Montreal. Going to check it out today and hopefully tow it home if the compression is good. Probably will switch it to hydraulic steering over the winter. My daughter is really enjoying water skiing and is perfectly fine behind the HUGE wake of the Cobalt 226. I keep telling her it will be better behind a proper ski boat. This boat will stay in the water till freeze up.

Still thinking about the outboards, especially considering the longer they can stay in the water in Ontario. I am told my Cobalt should be out of the water mid October and the edgewater with Tohatsu outboard power can stay in till mid December. Got my eye on a Barefoot 200. I think I prefer this design to the open bow anyway, as I hate looking through heads as I drive my other boat. The main question is....can you semi daily drive one of these, or is it misery on all but the smoothest days?

Good to get cleaned up. Congratulations!

Do these direct drive boats require more water depth? I'd say we are at about 4.5 feet where we dock the boat. I know when I first asked a question about direct drive boats to a friend of mine who knows a lot about boats (not skiing though) he seemed to indicate that an older ski nautique type boat might be in need of expensive maintanence. Seemed odd to me, as I would have thought this inline driveline would theoretically be the most trouble free.

Hey Gar, what is SIA?

Somehow, I don't think I am getting the barefoot bug.....but never say never.

It's rated for 90 HP. It used to have a Yamaha 2 stroke on it and now it has a Tohatsu 90 HP two stroke. I think I heard it ran better with the Yamaha from the previous owner.

OK thanks for the tips. Will check out those ski schools. I certainly want to avoid a problem boat with a rotten structure. Guess I am asking one craft to do too much. 60 MPH seems awfullly fast a boat to throw a 16 year old the keys to. I think I'd get in trouble at 60 MPH eventually as well.. ...

Great comments. I am on EIlean Gowan island, so the Cobalt for sure is staying in the family. I am also purely a recreational skier. Not serious at all, close to 60 and unlikely to pull the boat around enough to make much difference. There is a nice looking barefoot 200 in Ottawa for sale with a 200 HP. That must fly!. There is also an older 17 foot Whaler Striper for sale with an Evinrude 100 in Sarnia. The Edgewater is too small and heavy for our family of four and a dog. It supposedly will be easy to sell on Lake Muskoka. there seem to be a lot of Chargers and J boats for sale for reasonable money as well. I think if the Whaler can ski decently, it might be the logical choice. As for budget, 5K Cdn past what the Edgewater sells for would be OK.

The mastercaft barefoot 200 looks pretty nice to me also , certainly not as practical as the powerstar. Can't seem to find any of those in my search so far.

The body of water is Lake Muskoka in Ontario. It seems to get choppy weather, and I am told it can get rough. If the Edgewater was not such a slug when you hit the throttle I'd consider keeping it. That Mastercraft looks very nice. Thanks for the replies.

I'd say my price range is probably around 15K. Open bow would be preferable. I'd prefer an outboard, and easy to drive, confidence inspiring in bad water with predictable handling. Getting up holeshot I can deal with mediocre. Top speed around 35 mph would be fine. Thanks for the reply.

A year and a half ago I posted this thread about looking for a ski and how some old timers had kept a water ski weekend tradition alive with the purchase of a new boat. Well I quite like the ski I ended up with (A Radar P6...Thanks), but now I have found myself the owner of a few boats through a cottage purchase, but none of them meet the bill when it comes to pulling a slalom skier. The big boat (Cobalt 226) has way too big of a wake and burns too much fuel. The smaller boat (Edgewater 15.5 with Tohatsu 90 HP) also has a big wake and is completely gutless when running from a dead start. I'd like a ski boat that meets many variables. It's gotta be safe in bad water. Friendly for a teenager to drive, space efficient for carrying dogs and groceries, relatively fuel efficient. Well built. One friend says to get a fish and ski aluminum boat. The local Marina says Boston Whalers plane quickly and have a decent wake. Another ski guy says that I should get a purpose built boat like a Charger , J craft or Mastercraft barefoot 200. Well I drove a Charger with a 115 HP Tohatsu today and it was impressive. I did find the wake a little big at the speeds I would be skiing at. Maybe it is more suited to faster speeds.(Seemed to top out around 55MPH) What do you guys say about the Boston Whaler or aluminum fish and ski style boats? Can you enjoy slalom skiing with the wake they make? Suggestions greatly appreciated. Will be selling the edgewater boat to make way for a skiable boat. Looking for a good used boat. Thanks, Bob.

@Wtrsklor I had heard of these two. Will look at some of their videos. I know that two sisters from my ski club are also World ranked water skiers . The Mielzinski sisters. (Actually one has won a World Cup slalom on snow and is on the Canadian National Ski team)