2Valve

Been using one for a number of years.

Phillips screwdriver for my constantly loosening bindings (I got big feet...) and a pair of goggles for the rain.

My buddy has a similar model (maybe a 2007). It skis fantastic but the Malibu cruise control and speedo are always off by a couple miles an hour. I ski at 34, so he has to set it at 32. No big deal. I know that he's not a fan of the step over to get into the front open bow but it DOES replicate a closed bow in terms of rigidity. And nobody uses the open bow anyway.

On 7/12/2023 at 11:43 AM, BraceMaker said:

In case you were seriously asking used to be that your spark plugs were fired by a switch called the points that lived inside the distributor, when they close the coil is grounded and charges up with electricity and when they open the electricity jumps out of the coil through the wires to the spark plug.  The dwell meter measured the number of degrees of rotation that the points were closed.  So if you have a V8 the rotor in the distributor turns 1 time for every time all 8 cylinders spark 1 time.  So 360 degrees divided by 8 means every 45 degrees of rotation the points open and a spark fires.  But they take a few degrees to open and close so the spec would be something like 25-30 degrees so you'd whip out the dwell meter and the timing light and you'd get your dwell to spec by adjusting the points using the dwell meter  and then you'd retime the engine.  

Fun stuff.  But there were always two types of people the dwell meter and the feeler gauge.  I've always been a dwell meter user and my dad's in the feeler gauge camp.  In both you're trying to adjust the points to open enough for a clean spark but closed long enough to charge the coil.  (dwell meter is clearly better)

 

Nearly every ski boat moved off points by the mid-90s.  MC I think went electronic from the factory somewhere around 90/91.

And if I recall, dwell angle, point gap affects the timing, but timing does not affect dwell, point gap. From memory, helping the 'ol man tune our '68 Ford with a very healthy 390 V8.

18 hours ago, LeonL said:

@2ValveI bet you get few on the dwell meter.

Definitely something the young kids know nothing about.

You know what a dwell meter is (and how to use it)

Try 30.06 for the Heel. That's what was recommended on my Carbon V. It feels perfect.

2 hours ago, elr said:

@2Valve 2007 Multi-port, parts manual shows a RA117011 Ignition Coil/Module assembly

Mine wouldn't work. They're from a 2002 TBI equipped Vortec 350.

@elrWhat year? Multi-Port? Throttle Body? If you need a ICM, I have plenty from a previous round of trouble-shooting.

3 hours ago, JNutty said:

Thank you, @MDB1056 @UWSkier @2Valve for the great advice. Although I am a beginner in the course I have been slaloming in the open water for almost 10 years. Is there a ski you could recommend that is between the Graphite and the GTR? The store I am going to also has a RADAR VAPOR GRAPHITE 2022. Would this be a better fit for my level?

 

I've demo'd a few skis in the past year and most of them make me appreciate the Connelly Carbon V. It's very forgiving of my lackluster skills.

The GTR is a very serious slalom ski. Two of my buddies ski our course with them.

My current automotive style battery is going on 8 years. Got it at Costco if I recall. If it fails, I carry an Anti Gravity XP-1 Micro-Start.

$300 -$400 Optima's are a bit of an overkill IMHO

Years ago I discovered a great method of extracting grease, oil from carpeting.

Fantastik cleaner.

30 minutes ago, MDB1056 said:

OK taking this thread a bit sideways for just a minute

A new boat will out perform and older one, and a C8 will outperform and older Corvette, but nether can touch the older ones when it comes to cool. 

I have an 83 Stars & Stripes (blue flake), and a 68 C3 427. Both will get far more attention then the new parked side by side. And if you haven't driven a free breathing 427............. you haven't lived  

 

 

   

Well said. I definitely remember my ride in a '67 (427 Tri-power) Vette in high school. These days, a C5 ragtop with a 6 speed does an amazing job when I decide to let off a little steam.

On 4/7/2023 at 3:05 PM, jhughes said:

Cash in hand, be a serious buyer, and then you will see what the actual price of the boats for sale is. Otherwise it's useless negative speculation and complaints for no reason. Boats are always worth what someone will pay for them.

Access to private water and "real work/sacrifice/inconvenience" to get it or show up to ski is the actual problem, the sport has always been expensive. Think of all the people that dug lakes in the 80s and 90s. That's moxie. Do people still have that? As one example- finding a reliable group of guys to show up at 6am (which we have, thankfully) to get good water all summer is way harder than finding the money for a boat.

Thankfully, the serious guys (and a couple girls) are still out there on my lake at 7am.

At my level, I see no reason to spend $120,000. I'll keep what I have and be very satisfied.

12.

All of them got up on two skis and then we had a chase boat picking up any that dropped. We tied six ropes to the center pylon and three apiece to each rear bow hook.

2002 MB Sports 190 with the legendary SB fuel injected Chevy.

The lock up ring on the lever typically connects to a rod that dis-engages a small lock tab and that could be the problem. First step is to remove the lever (allen head bolt) to verify that the mechanism is intact.

+ for the Vortex combos. My daughter skis on these all the time. And super easy to kick off one when she wants to slalom.

On 3/4/2023 at 1:56 PM, kirkbauer said:

I have a unique situation. I have a boat garage with a dolly and tracks going down into the lake. All I do is lower the boat into the lake, and then when I'm done, I use an electric motor to pull it back up out of the water. The boat sits at a slight angle, with the bow higher than the stern. I have never used the trailer since I originally launched the boat.

Every boat I have had in the past has the drain plug at the stern of the boat. But the Prostar has it in the center of the hull. This means that I never get all of the water out of my boat, since the only time it is level, is when it is in the water. Once it is in the garage, the drain plug area is dry, but there is still plenty of water under and behind the engine.

This was my first season with the boat. When I winterized it, I put some antifreeze in with the bilge water to make sure it didn't freeze and cause issues. But I'm wondering if I'm going to have some long-term negative effects of never being able to completely empty the bilge. Does anybody else have concerns about that?

How much water are you seeing? My 2002 MB Sports never has any water in the bilge. But over the years, the heater and shower systems developed leaks that flowed into the bilge, disguising themselves as shaft seal leaks. Maybe next time you take it out, check the temp of the water in the bilge. If it's warm, its sourcing from the motor.

Radar Vapor Pro

 As others have noted, save some more money and get an older Direct Drive. Having spent six years skiing behind a Four Winns Freedom 190 also, you just won't progress, fighting that huge wake.

Do you have a heater or shower? I've had my heater core develop a crack (mounted in the front of the boat) and also a leak through the shower head. If the shower head valve isn't closed completely, the engine will push water through it at speed.

As a youngster, the 'ol man and I spent a lot of time in the garage. He was a big advocate of doing everything himself, which I have been able to apply to all my toys.