Taynton

Obviously you could debate this a million different ways but as the question was who is the greatest athlete, so naturally we would differ to the most physically and mentally demanding sport so if there was an individual who is considered the GOAT of the most physically demanding sport of all (outdoor motocross) (according to google) Im going to award Ricky Carmichael as the winner of greatest athlete of all time. Please feel free to submit your rebuttals ;-)

@jmoski, if you think thats true watch the alpinist you will probably agree that Canadian Marc-André Leclerc leaves alex honnold in the dust. I still don't think either qualifies as the greatest athlete as climbing is more of a mental game than a physical one. Does anyone consider motorcycle racer Ricky Carmichael? An outdoor motocross race IS one of the most physically demanding and dangerous sports on the planet and he was champion for 7 years straight as well as 2 perfect seasons where he won EVERY race. oh ya, and 5 supercross championships as well..

I'm a beginner course skier however as a professional watersport coach I have many years of experience, that being said the biggest tip and the most effective technique for learning a skill behind a boat that I have found is to learn it on dry land first, get a mirror and a rope and start practicing the position you want to be in. The more time you spend on land learning the less time you will spend behind the boat learning that skill.

@Deanoski could you elaborate a bit on what a soft guard is and what happened to you, honestly I never even knew these guards existed or that there was a risk before reading about it on here, I will be getting one for next season want to make sure I get the right one.

I learned that old skiers are an interesting bunch and ski lakes have more drama than high school soap operas lol

@ALPJr Thanks for the insight! I really appreciate everyone's opinions and contributions! Yes the boat is very light and has plenty of HP but I really enjoy tasteful modifications and simple improvements over stock performance. I have personally seen the benefits of adding HP to an older direct drive boat in how it skiis and performs. I have been building motors and modifying engines for a long time so I am comfortable and confident in my ability to execute simple upgrades without too much trouble. These mods only take the 351 up to the HP numbers of the later factory engines so I'm not too worried about losing engine reliability or longevity. I already have the CNC prop and stargazer will be on order before the ice is off the lake! Thanks again!

@MDB1056 sorry, I should have mentioned that includes the 1500 for perfect pass so I think with the intake and heads I should just squeak in there, would be nice to do a cam at the same time but I don't think it will fit the budget. The original interior is doing well but with the amount of use I'm planning on this summer I think it will need to be replaced next winter so I'm trying to prepare for that as well. So the question is how much $ do you sink into an old ski boat before you draw the line and upgrade lol boat has 800 hours and I'm doing about 100 per season so I'm guessing a re-power or rebuild will be in the cards in around 4 years, still cheaper than an upgrade but I'm still not sure where to draw the line. I guess we will have to see how it skiis with the PP and the extra power..

thanks @Kevin89MC ok well after diving into the 351 mods rabbit hole it looks like Ill try and find some of those heads and see if I cant put this thing together before spring. hoping to keep the budget less than 2500 (cdn) for all the upgrades but we will see what I can source. seems like with the heads and intake I should see close to 40 HP which is a huge gain and definitely worth the effort, maybe save some fuel and probably pull a lot better too.

@Andre any idea what years explorer heads work? @6balls thanks! Im really happy with it, I never skiied or really even saw a Brendella before I bought this one and its a great tow for sure, Im going to do my best to restore and massage it into a respectable ski boat (most of the other skiiers on the lake are are much newer equipment) not that I care really but if I gotta have an old boat I want it to be prime.

I think the boat has around 800 hrs and yes it does have plenty of power and it runs really well, but I just cant help myself lol I don't like stock things. Not sure heads are in the cards as I was only hoping for minor improvements (15 to 25 HP). I was thinking the intake and possibly a carb.. from my limited understanding of boats and HP, more HP will result in a stronger more consistent pull thru the course, but I may be wrong about that. The courses I would be skiing have quite a short run up so anything helps. I will look into the ignition thanks for that @Mastercrafter as the spark plugs and wires are getting replaced in the spring for sure.

Looks like ill be going with a new perfect pass system, might have to hold off on the zbox for now but I will be going forward with that in the future most likely. The next upgrade for the boat will be some added HP, from the research I've done it appears an aftermarket intake manifold would be the best bang for the buck and a good place to start and Im hoping to find some malibu style turn down exhaust tips to reduce the noise as I plan on skiing early and don't want to annoy my neighbours. If anyone has other suggestions or sources for parts for improving the performance of this old girl please let me know! thanks again for the responses!

Thanks for the responses! Its a big help, yes @LoopSki it does seem scandalous but the system is almost the same as the older PP just designed with a different purpose Im confident I could make it work, however at this point I think the extra $ for PP will be worth it as I will be skiing course almost exclusively (bought a place on lake with 2 courses). plus the GPS makes it actually accurate.

Hi friends, I was looking into speed control options for my 91 ski brendella it has the 351 motor. It seems like there is a whole language I dont understand with these things so Ill start with what I was thinking. I should also mention I am just starting to ski the course being a freeskiier my whole life Im currently doing the course 15 off @34 MPH and looking to improve next summer. I currently have a ZR cruise control system that was used for older hot rods, it uses the rpm (measured on the driveshaft) to regulate the speed, it reads it 3x per second and will require some sort of killswitch to disengage it when thee throttle is backed off. (not a huge problem for me but a hurdle none-the-less) I have not installed it yet because of the complication of the kill switch and I fear 3x per second will be too laggy for slalom (I may be wrong about this) this would be my cheapest option and I have everything for it (total cost to me is less than $100) the zero off seems to be the #1 choice but I think it requires fuel injection and throttle by wire if Im not mistaken so I don't think that is really an option. Then there is perfect pass, seems like the way to go however If Im going to spend the $ I was hoping for something with gps instead of a paddlewheel, the other thing is do i go used or just buy new with this (any insight on which system or display to get would be helpful Thanks Ballers!

KIDS SHOULD NEVER RIDE IN THE BOW. I will argue this to my death, one bad wave and they are under the boat about to get chopped up by the prop. I lost a good friend off the bow of a boat and he was an adult. just like a car KIDS IN THE BACK!

You spend 80 g on an run down RV and lot (while still paying rent for my main residence) with no hope of living there or renting it.. just because it gives you a key to the private launch on the only lake within 100 miles with a decent course. I guess the new(er) boat will have to wait lol.

@75Tique buy a Centurion

wow! thanks for the comments, The PO had all the water lines and hoses replaced so Im assuming the fuel line was done also but Ill check that, I ski every day the lake is calm so no worry about gas sitting around lol looks like Ill be able to save a few bucks this summer on the premium thanks for the input and compliments guys! I really love the brendella and restoring it has been rewarding for sure! This forum has been a great help! thanks again!

I have a 92 ski brendella, it has the pcm 351 (carb) and on the motor it recommends 87 leaded fuel (lol). I know a bit about fuels and how they interact with engines, my question is what fuel would be most ideal to run? The 91 octane is usually what I run because it has no ethanol, however apart from the non ethanol part I feel like its a waste in this old motor set up for 87 leaded. I do like to skydive so I can always get av gas pretty easy as well. I was thinking about adjusting the timing for the 91 but not sure this is the right path. I ski on okanagan lake 1000' elevation and I do a lot of cold weather skiing Cant wait to see your responses!

update: steering cable is in and working beautifully! One finger steering! the old tilt helm is still a little sloppy but Im going to drop it off at a machine shop next winter see what we can do to tighten it up. thanks again for the tips and responses! The restoration is coming along nicely! we now have: new steering cable 4 speaker stereo heater whats left: small upholstry repairs strut bushing re-fiberglass the mufflers hot water shower install cut and polish re-oil platform speed control (not sure if im going to use the old school RPM cruise control or go with a PP system) yikes when you put it in writing it seems like a lot! damn old boats! lol

Thanks @TomH and @Jetsetr this is vey helpful, I will drop the rudder and go that route, going to need a prop puller and probably the coupler puller as well, the driveshaft seems to have been replaced its in real good shape. really wish i had a boat shop i trusted to do the work but every time i talk to the guys around here i get the impression they have no idea what they are doing lol

Ok Thanks again for the responses this forum has been a lifesaver. Im going to ask again and post the part number for future searches.. after measuring the shaft and strut it appears I need: 1 3/8" OD and 1" ID for the 92 ski brendella. odered it from skidim.com part number #SB10X13 (they are 2" long and there is 2) Does anyone know the best way to install these? Do I need to pull the driveshaft? if so, can you do it without pulling the rudder? In my mind the best way would be pull the prop, unbolt the strut and pull it off that way but Im only guessing. the ron tanis youtube was a big help but it doesnt say how to get the strut off or the best/easiest way to get the shaft out. thanks guys, pic for da boys!

Ok I have sourced the correct replacement cable for my original tilt helm from skidim. its a uflex brand and its part number UFLM66X14 Thanks for the description @BraceMaker Im not 100% clear on how to do it but it might make more sense once I start. if you had a picture that would be helpful (not sure what a bellows is) here is a pic of the boat for you guys

nice thanks ill order them from skidim, does anyone know if you need to remove the rudder to pull the driveshaft?

MDB1056 yes I have read the whole thread, no part numbers included in that thread unfourtunatly. really hoping someone has a source for a replacement cable, from the canadian distributors it appears the one i have is all thats available, I might have to order a 15' cable to get it to work. anyone? lol thanks again for the replys its nice to have some people to bounce ideas off

Thanks MDB1056, Im a huge fan of the old school machines so im quite used to these type of shennanigans lol.This one is just partricualrly tough because how awkward it is to get under the dash/fish the cable thru the hull and after 3x im gertting a bit over the process. It seems that the cable replacement is no longer available so I have to get the helm kit unless anyone knows where to find one need a replacement cable for Morse d304411 anybody know where I can find one? Fastguy 888- I have been told they are all like this now,