OscawanaSkier

Ok...let’s keep this going. What are the other mods you have going on here?

@skialex - based on @Gloersen’s post, and other posts I’ve seen, maybe you’re pointing towards the Goode?? @Gloersen - sorry if it’s a silly question, but what is the white around the toe box on your Goode boot in the photo above?

Thanks for the comments so far. Anyone have experience with HO Syndicate’s 2021 Hardshell on the MOB? I’m also considering the Radar Carbitex, but I’m a little leery of leaving the hard-shell world. I remember how much more “connection” I had with the ski when I first went to hard shells. Not sure I want to give that up. @BraceMaker - yeah, I’ve got an OB4 front plate, but an MOB sole plate. I switched over when I moved to a RTP from a double boot (and @mmosley899 was kind enough to send me a spare front plate he had around).

I've been thinking about @ski6jones comment yesterday: "you should be able to tell me what you're trying to accomplish at every point in the course". Agreed with @Horton about nomenclature. But I also think one of the things that makes people like me "confused" is lack of context. When we read (or listen, in the case of the many good podcasts) about how a skier thinks/reacts/moves at a particular part of the course, we're often missing how they think/react/move in the previous portion, or what happens to them on the next portion of the course. We all know what happens as point X, effects Y, and then Z. Without that through line, it's sometimes very hard to follow and learn from the experts. I think it would be interesting and very helpful for accomplished skiers like @adamhcaldwell, @MarcusBrown, @Horton, and others to document an entire pass (maybe supported with video?), step by step. It would probably be best to name each section of the pass to keep things consistent (even starting with the "start") , and maybe also predefine terms to help reduce the nomenclature issue (although I do think there's value is saying things differently, as different words "click" with different people)?? I'm sure some of this is already available in GUT and FPM, but it could be very helpful to have many examples in one place. Happy to start a different thread to explore this more, but wanted to ask your thoughts in relation to the previous comments in this thread.

What boot are you using on MOB (or older OB4), and why do you like it? Looking to replace my 7+ year old Roxa hardshell that I got with my original OB4 plate. Been reading a lot of posts, and also emailing with Mike about options. I've had no major accidents (read - broken bones) since moving to OB4/MOB after a really bad broken ankle on non-release boots. Needless to say, safety is high on my priority list. I'm LFF with a RTP.

@bbruzzese - Still works great. Only change I made this year was to make a better connection to the boat's electrical, essentially T-tapping into the wiring harness to the light, so I can have the blower AND the light together. @UWSkier - There might be some circuit that is "hot" while the touchscreen is on, but I found the engine compartment light an easy way to get control, and while the blower is very quiet (most people never notice it) it's really not needed except when skiing the course - so no need to put extra hours on that little fan motor.

Spot on @Brewski! We skied all last weekend with the panel in, then covered the boat for the week. Uncovered it this morning to find the “dent” still there (bummed and surprised). But after a mostly sunny day, heating up that Seadek panel, the dent is now almost gone. Heat seems to do the trick. I’m continually amazed with the resiliency of Seadek!

We’ve had a few cold mornings in last week, so put the acrylic bow panel in to block the wind. But the Seadek on the floor of my TXI now has a “dent” where the panel pushed down against it. Anyone have experience with this type of problem? Will it self-heal over time, or is there a way to help it along?

@Jody_Seal - probably true. Are there exercises that you find work well for you? @LLUSA - thanks. I'm hoping to go the less-invasive route first, likely through adding some additional exercises to my usual routine.

Anyone else suffer from knocking their SI (sacroiliac) joint out of alignment while slalom skiing? This started to happen to me after a bad deep-water start a number of years ago. At first, the solution was 3 trips to the chiropactor. Then I read about Muscle Energy Technique (which sounds more new-agey then it really is). Here's a great video for anyone that wants details about MET for your SI joint: https://tinyurl.com/y5yvcblk What I found was that the more I went to the chiro, the more often my SI joint became misaligned. Once I discovered the much gentler MET, I found that I can get near-instant relief, with the residual inflammation from the aggravated muscles disappearing in a couple days or less (with the help of ice and some Advil). My question for fellow SI joint sufferers is - what steps have you taken to PREVENT your SI joint from getting misaligned while skiing? I've been doing adduction and abduction exercises, along with glute bridges. But it happened again to me last week while practicing 1-handed turns. What else have you found that works?

The open bow is why my wife and I got our TXi (‘18). We always sit in the bow and float down the lake. I’m 6’-4” and I can still fit (a little diagonal though). We liked the TXi’s bow entry (totally open) much better then the folded seat you need to climb over in the ProStar. It’s true though...put two people in the bow and try to navigate a surfing wake, you’re gonna end up with a bow full of water (done it a few times). You do learn a few tricks on how to avoid, but sometimes you just catch a rogue wave.

PS - written from said boat!

@WBLskier My ‘18 TXi is a 6L. I really can’t comment on what percentage of boats have had this issue. I have heard from a number of people who ski tournaments and course skiers who have experienced this issue. Based on my findings, if you free ski mostly, where you’re running the boat for more than 45sec at a time, you’ll likely be fine, as the IAT has time to come down during your run. Also, my desire to solve this issue was also rooted in our physical course setup - which is pushed close to shore on one end. The boat struggled to hit 32mph before hitting the gates (now that happens about 75ft prior). If that’s not an issue for you, or you and your buddies don’t want/need a lot of boat on your starts...you won’t care about the IAT problem. You should know...my wife and I LOVE this boat. You will too. I went to TN and toured both MC and Malibu, and ultimately chose Malibu for its great design. It’s a great boat for many reasons. I have done a number of other tweaks as well, so if you end up getting one, let me know and I’d be happy to share my list.

Yeah...my guess is that there's a lot of finger-pointing between Malibu and PCM, and probably not a lot of desire on PCM's part to work the problem as Malibu is now making their own engines. Sadly we get caught in the middle. I'm going to send Dennis a link to the above, as I haven't shared the final outcome with him yet. I'll let everyone else know if I hear anything back.

Fixed...not sure why TinyURL isn't working when directing back to BoS. Just used full link.

Per @JaredSmith 's request above, I've posted all the details of my solution to the IAT problem here: https://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/20436/2017-response-txi-question It's LONG! Again, the IAT issue is NOT the issue the OP of this thread is having.

Someone in another thread asked that I post my solution to the IAT problem with my '18 TXi, so I decided to revive this old thread and post it here. Apologies in advance for the REALLY long post. I wanted everyone who has this problem to have all the info. I've been using this solution since about May, including rapid fire course skiing, also in 100deg+ weather, so I'm very confident I've solved this for the long haul. Be aware though, my solution is a band-aid, but a very workable and easy to apply one. Also, I'm not a mechanic or an engine expert, just someone trying to troubleshoot this annoying problem. First, a summary of the IAT problem (hopefully saving others from having to piece together the same info from the above thread). What people have seen is that the 17-19 TXi, after being run for a while (like skiing a couple sets worth) starts to have noticeably slower starts. Typically the solution has been to open the engine cover for a few moments, letting the hot air out (unacceptable from my POV). Upon further investigation, it turns out the engine's Intake Air Temperature (IAT) going above 140degF triggers the engine's electronics to hold back the timing and engine output (the cause of the low engine performance and slow starts). One note - IAT is NOT the temp you see on your dash's main screen. To see the IAT, you need to go to "Settings" and "Engine Diagnostics" and look for the IAT line. Also note, the IAT is only accurate if the engine is running. Now for my many conclusions based on my testing earlier this year. These are based on a lot of conversations with Dennis Kelly at Malibu (who has been a fantastic help), and a ton of in-boat testing, including temperature sensors added in different locations under the engine hood. Conclusion #1 - Is there a problem with the TXi's air path? No, I don't believe so! When the boat is moving (causing airflow through the vents in front of the windshield), the IAT always seems to go DOWN, proving that air is moving through the vents, the ducts in the boat's hull, and through the engine compartment. Could it be better? Maybe. Hard for me to judge Conclusion #2 - When does the IAT climb? After the boat stops moving after a high RPM run (like a skiing pass). Obviously not ideal for a ski boat. As soon as the boat begins moving again though, the IAT goes down, but when you stop at the other end of the course, the IAT climbs higher again, and usually higher than the end of the previous pass, eventually climbing above the 140deg. Conclusion #3 - How accurate is the IAT? Is it really that hot at the flame arrester (the silver mesh dome at the top/front of the engine - where the IAT sensor is located)? - When the boat's at rest - YES! The IAT was always within 5degF of my added temperature sensors when the boat was stationary. Conclusion #4 - How quickly does the ACTUAL temp in the top of the engine compartment go down? Almost instantly once above about 10mph. HOWEVER, the IAT reading on the dash touchscreen never seemed to react that quickly - there was always a lag (which might be the sensor, or the touchscreen - who knows). This lag seems to be a contributor to the IAT problem as the engine thinks the temp is higher than it really is for the first few moments of a pass. Conclusion #5 - Is the close proximity of the alternator to the IAT sensor the cause of this problem? Probably not - but it isn't helping things. Dennis sent me one of PCM's prototype heat shields - a piece of metal that you bolt between the alternator and the flame arrestor. But guess what - it's metal! And it did what metal does, conduct heat - so within a few minutes, the shield was nearly as hot as the alternator. I then wrapped it in insulation, dropping the shield's surface temp much lower - but it still didn't solve the problem. The IAT did seem to climb more slowly, but eventually it crossed that 140degF threshold. Final Conclusion - Heat buildup when the boat isn't moving, along with additional heat from the alternator, along with a slowly reacting temp sensor - combine to create the +140IAT reading, causing the low-engine performance. Now to the solution I'm using. This is largely based on @jstaab3 's addition of a secondary blower into the engine compartment. But Jason sent me a video of his, and the noise was just too loud for my liking. So I set out to find a high CFM, low-noise blower that could work. I then found a place to mount that blower lower in the engine compartment (cooler air), and then duct that air efficiently (without losing air flow) directly up to the flame arrestor and the IAT sensor. In testing many different ways to do this, the ONLY way it worked all the time was to blow air RIGHT on to the flame arrestor. Here are a few photos of the install: These are the parts I used. Total cost $110: Bilge Blower 112cfm: https://tinyurl.com/yxo3f5bv Shop Vac Hose: https://tinyurl.com/y3otgkfe Shop Vac 90deg Brush: https://tinyurl.com/y3f2tdgb I mounted this very quiet blower in the rear-portside corner of the engine compartment. At least on my boat, it actually sits there on its own, but I did add a piece of Velcro to the back of the blower motor, and attach it to the end of the fiberglass floor (see below) For the hose, the more rigid shop-vac hose moves air very efficiently. Luckily, this particular hose has an end that perfectly press-fits into the above blower (not designed that way - just lucky). I also cut the hose to the perfect length, and moved the hose connector (easy to do). At the sensor end, I took the 90deg shop-vac brush, removed the brush part, which gives you an efficient 90deg bend (MUCH more air flow then bending the hose). I then zip tied the hose down along the path. One note - you MUST remove the red engine cover (just pull up on it). The hose will not fit under it, or over it. One more thing, I left the heat shield in place (you can see it in the photos above), which made mounting of the 90deg elbow easy. But I think it's doable without it too. To finish this off, I wired the blower into the boat's electrical system by disconnecting the LED within the engine compartment (this is under the fiberglass floor plate that wraps the pylon - remove the three screws, and carefully slide the floor piece up. Be very careful not to strip out the fiberglass when you reinsert the screws!). You can see a photo above in my post from Sept 2018. I simply disconnected the LED, inserted the power leads from the blower into the connector, and carefully wrapped with electrical tape, then zip tied it so it would never sit in water at the bottom of the engine compartment. I will likely buy the same connector over the off-season and replace. With the blower wired into the system - I can turn it on/off by using the "Storage" lighting control switch on the touch panel. The end result: I now have easy control over this nearly imperceptible blower, which keeps the IAT at approximately 125degF, and the best part - the TXi is now a BEAST! All the complaints from my ski buddies are gone. One thing you might be wondering - will this band-air hurt the engine. Again, I'm not an expert, and I suppose I'm taking some risk applying this fix, but I came to the conclusion the risk was minimal. I leave this blower running the whole time I'm skiing anyone, which seems to keep the air temperature in the top of the engine compartment quite consistent, not just at the IAT sensor. I hope the above helps at least a few of you. If you have any questions, just post and I'll try to reply as soon as possible (I'm on a skiing staycation this week!)

This thread got me motivated to see about adding the two inserts needed to hold the front release down. Found great thread here on BoS : https://tinyurl.com/y4e5qktn There’s a great post by @eleeski Another question for @mmosley899 - are the front-most slots in the same spot on the original OB4 plate as your current MOB model. I’m on an OB4 now and just want to know in case I upgrade some day.

I was just saying the same thing this AM, after my tape let go. Not sure what’s involved with installing inserts into a ProBuild. Don’t want to sink screws into them. @mmosley899 - how worried do we need to be with tape that let’s go at front of plate. I’ve skied it when it’s happened a couple times (usually happens standing on the swim platform hovering over glassy water - tough to climb back in the boat).

Ok...I'll pull together some photos and my shopping list and post new a new topic so as not to hijack this thread (@UWSkier is right, they are NOT the same issues as the OP).

@JaredSmith, not sure if you’re suffering with the IAT issue, or just in the know, but after much testing I’ve solved that issue on my 2018 TXi. If you (or anyone else) need info on what worked for me, message me and I’ll try to pull together the details.

Totally agree! Both are important lessons to remember!

I don’t know...as someone that was almost on the receiving end of a 6L TXi in full-throttle reverse - I’d say the inconvenience of turning off the motor, or wearing the safety lanyard is a small price to pay for being sure your buddies make it home that day!

I think the skiing community on the whole is very safety conscience. But I thought I'd share the details of an incident from last weekend. My buddy (who has taught me a ton about boat/skiing safety) was skiing me and we dropped at the shore end of our course. After the boat went around and was aligned with the course, my buddy got up to give some skiing advice, and while he was talking to me, he began coiling up the rope. Without him realizing it, he had accidentally hooked the rope around the throttle, and when he pulled to make the next coil, the rope pulled up on the throttle lock, and pulled the throttle into full-speed reverse. Luckily I was off to the side, the boat was far enough from shore to avoid the rocks, and the boat threw him towards the captains chair so he was able to quickly reach the throttle and throw the boat back into neutral. All was fine - but certainly a dramatic event, and one that could have been tragic in a number of ways. The take away for me was - don't leave the captain's chair with the motor still running. It's certainly something I've done many, many times - but if you think about it, there's really no need to leave the motor running if you're not at the throttle. I'm curious what the rest of you think, and if you already follow this rule?

I’m exactly that skier, and @lkb you’re the second person in the last two weeks (the other was @SkiJay) that has said the exact same thing. I wish someone four years ago told me to not go into the course until I had my stack down, with balanced footing. I’ve dedicated myself for the rest of the season to leaning drills and perfecting Seth’s whips. I’m hoping to come out the other side in much better shape for the course. Hopefully in the final weeks of the season I can jump back in and surprise myself with a PB!