Jetsetr

I get PAID to drive my race cars...just say’n

Small block with aluminum heads weighs in less than 500. All aluminum about 100 less. Boat shorty transmissions are not that heavy. My 5.9 CUMMINS diesel in my pick up weighs 1000 pounds. The only thing that makes a 5.7 marine grade is the cam, exhaust manifolds freeze plugs and a raw water pump. It’s not like our BB drag engines that are full of concrete...my 12.7 Detroit weighs 2500...small blocks are kids stuff... Any 1/2 ton pickup can easily carry a small block. There’s no way it weighed 900 pounds. The old Dodge one ton just started to ride decent with 1000 pounds in the back. I question ones judgement on putting more than one engine in the back of a Ranger... I would PAY to see a crew swapping out LI batteries at a Tournament! Pulling up all the floor boards, fork lift to pick up the battery packs...every 6 passes...priceless. My hoist didn’t even wheeze picking up a PCM 351 and trans when I changed engine mounts on the S&S. Had the boom out the 1000 pound load limit position. Back to working on the dinosaur RR...it weighs 1000 pounds too...but makes 3200hp (equivalent). My GE weighs 400 and makes about the same power. One generation difference in technology.

@ForrestGump RIGHT???!!!!

All...just giving you all a bit of grief... Wisconsin’s energy mostly comes from coal fired plants. The gas fired turbines are on demand/peak units that come on line as needed...home heating is probably split between gas and electric, probably slightly biased towards gas (much less expensive but some areas don’t have the infrastructure). I TOTALLY get the “because I can” side of doing an electric boat. I’ve built many one of one projects (but they have paid for themselves and generate income for my company). I love doing something that people said can’t be done. That’s the driving factor for the E boat I’m sure. But a hour and a half usage and 4-5 hour charge isn’t going to work for most skiers. I’m sure there are peeps that just pull a few sets and are done. My boat is on the water all day and still uses less than 20 gallons of fuel. I would do a single motor/prop/rudder first. You’re already reinventing the wheel to a point. The amount of structural mods alone needed to do a twin motor/prop/rudder is well beyond most solid builders/fabricators. Keep it simple at first...if there is such a thing. It’s going to be HEAVY...Lithium Ion batteries are about 1200 pounds, motor 100 pounds all the junk to make work 75-100 pounds more...I think you’re over the hull weight capacity just with the batteries. The LI batteries were a comparison used in a EV. Probably find smaller/lighter but at the expense of usage/time. Gas motor and trans 500 pounds. Heavy = low in the water bigger wake...that displaced water has to go someplace. It’s a good off season topic (at least where we can’t ski). Back to the shop...building (another) Rolls-Royce Viper 601 powered 1940 Ford truck....??? Hugs!!!

WHY WHY WHY??? Reality check: you don’t have a green boat... Where does the electricity come from? More than likely a coal fired power plant (gas or the N word). Step away from the granola, adjust your beanie, slip on your Birkenstock’s and ride your bike to Starbucks for a grande mocha frappe chino mouse milk double lite whip for $14. You’re NOT making a difference...

X2 on Stillwater...very nice with great people.

@yardsale spot on. Raced Stand-Ups in the early 90’s. Was a top 5 rated amateur rider in APBA. I raced my Mod 550 against 750’s. I did well because of all the training: gym time, running, lifting and riding the boat in Lake Michigan at least 4-5 times per week. The sit downs (i.e. wave couches) totally decimated the stand up classes. All you need was big $$ for a big motor. Still have my Mod 550 and a upgraded 440...going to drag the 550 out this summer for cross training.

@DW Have to disagree on the comparison with short track racing and MX. A Modified or Sprint car (I owned/drove sprints) doesn’t cost anywhere near what skiing does. I’m not talking WoO level but a “hobby” racer can get into sprints for less than 25K. A good trailer 5K or less. I ran a weekly local program with a tow of 50 miles total, April-October. When I ran sprints every year I broke even on expenses (I GOT PAID) unlike waterskiing you only get paid if you’re a pro (and ya gotta win or place). Dollars to play DOES factor into participation, and skiing is expensive to compete. Fun skiing different story. Outboard and some Dick Pope’s and away ya go. I think if you look at the income metric of competition skiers vs hobby racers you will see there is a VERY wide margin. JMHOYOMV

Love riding MX, have a short track in the back yard. MX is a good all body work out, but I actually find skiing sets more physically demanding. Could be my technique is so poor.

I actually think all the skiers (snow and water ) pics are truly awesome...keep them coming... I honestly also think that SOMETIMES everyone (including me) forgets what’s truly important... Hug your wife, your kids, pet the dog or cat... Watch the sunrise/sunset Help someone less fortunate than you Give back some way, some how Live everyday as if it’s your last, go to bed thinking you will live forever....

Try putting 100 pounds of gear on, go into a burning building where it’s 800 degrees and work as hard as you can for 20 minutes or until your air supply runs out...I would post pictures but they don’t turn out when you can’t see your hand in front of your face due to the smoke... That takes more athleticism than any of the pictures posted above... Personal risk, personal property and human life can be on the line in this line of work...it’s not a sport, but I am an athlete. And I do it for nothing...not paid, no compensation. I do it because I’m good at it and it’s a challenge. Same reason I try to ski around floaty things behind a boat (which I suck at). In this pic Im 110 feet in the air working a large structure fire, spent 2+ hours on the end of the stick. Back to the regularly scheduled programming....

Simple answer is that it all comes down to cubic dollars....

UShip would be a reasonable cost option as well...

There isn’t enough booze to FORGET that picture.....

That’s 15K + PER MONTH right?.....

Would have to agree with the “why bother” camp on this one... As someone who would rather build something than buy it and has the skills to do so, even I can’t see putting that much time, effort and money into that...take the insurance and find a different boat...

I always said if I could ski 4 times per week I would look like Charles Atlas at the end of the season. Did pretty well even though we had a very limited season due to lake closures.

My dog won’t eat them.....

Guess I can’t wrap my mind around WHY someone would do this...but....

Don’t even get me started on FI nonsense!!!!!!

@MDB1056 not really...our Learjets are all glass and the computer stores all the data...it lets me know when the memory is full and I download it and send it off...it tracks a bajillion parameters. Our turboprops still have steam gauges for the mechanical systems but have been converted to EFIS displays. We sold this one a few years back....2005 LR40XR

@MDB1056 agree 1000%! I’m 56 and have been working on all types of engines since I was 14. I rebuilt my first SBC at 16. I can REPAIR a carb...Broke/no start FI would leave me standing there with a dumb® look on my face...wouldn’t know where to begin. And that would piss me off because I wouldn’t be able to use my boat... I have probably just bought my last ski boat, and it has a carb...

If a boat needs a new carb every year I would say its operator error more than the carb... If you can’t figure out what is wrong with something as simple as a 4160 maybe one should stick to riding skate boards...or find a better mechanic. One that actually knows something rather than just throwing a new carb on every year...this ain’t rocket science... Fuel injection IS BETTER than a carb (except 1st gen GM TBI) I will not argue that. However, probably more than 1/2 the DD ski boats still have a Holley residing under the engine cover. They work good, they’re simple and they last a long time...

Terry Winter has some from 15 off to short line from behind with a drone...awesome to see the different line needed as the rope gets shorter... Have to re-up to his training site...life keeps getting in the way...

4160’s are vacuum secondaries...the engine loading is what opens them, and only as much as needed. You’re not at wide open throttle @ 36, not even close. I’m not sure you’re going to feel them “kick in”....but I would think it would be gentler than EFI and ZO depending how hard you load the rope... I could be wrong, wouldn’t be the first time today!