03RLXi

Also Malibu 😉 https://www.malibuboats.com.au/why-malibu/#australian-built-value

The impeller rubber pokes out in front of the brass hub so guess there's enough flexi that it allowed the cover to go on easy and still sit flat. I assume proper fit has it touching both back of housing and the cover quite tightly

The alarm hasn't arrived yet! Still somewhere between Australia and New Zealand. So much for air mail during Christmas rush 😞 I tried another start on ramp and housing began to warm up within 10 seconds. Had a really close look and then removed impeller. It looks like new. I lubed the housing a lot with dish soap and reinstalled. It seemed to be 1-2mm further in. Within 3 or 4 seconds of starting there were bubbles in the lake. Housing cold and after few minutes idle reached steady 170 ish. Had done another cold start and up to normal temp cycle. All good. I think the impeller may not have been fully seated and hence was bleeding pressure a little on rear edge so still moving a tiny bit of water but not enough. So sorted completely, I think. I still fit the alarm once it arrives.

@Horton in a few months I'll hate you too 😁

I fitted one of these https://www.indywakeboardtowers.com/product-category/wakeboard-tower-bimini-tops/ Strong, good quality and reasonable price (approx half towerbiminis,com). The good thing is the really versatile mountings clamps and arms so you can mount it on tower at whatever height and backward forward position you choose, plus the tower can still fold if you only clamp it to front hoop like we did. We chose a height and position that feels low while under it, give heaps of shade but not so low that walking through is too hard

Coming? It's summer solstice tomorrow. I've just spent the last 3 days days coaching a children's waterski school. No bimini on the outboard we were using, temp peaking at 33degC, sun block applied couple of times per hour. Fun but I'm feeling it today! Have only skied my 3 times this summer but have next 2 weeks on holiday so will get into it

Interesting sensor. My plan when it arrives is one sensor bolted to the impeller housing and other to somewhere on a cylinder head, although base don some comments here may in time I might move the impeller housing sensor to the hose clamp band on exhaust.

Copied form another site "Indmar Raptor 6.2 engines achieved a way for the ECM to send an alarm if the water flow was not adequate. The 2015-2016 models used an inline raw water flow sensor, similar to a speedometer paddlewheel sensor. The 2017 and newer models used exhaust "skin" surface temperature sensors on the exhaust outlet tubes. Mercruiser used a pressure sensor in the raw water system since the early 2000s." Effectively I'm adding skin sensors but on the impeller housing and somewhere on the engine

After this recent episode where it seems a brand new impeller wasn't immediately pumping properly (#) I've decided to add a https://engineguard.com.au/ dual sensor engine temperature alarm. Will put one sensor on the impeller housing and the other somewhere on cylinder head. Each has programmable alarm set points so I can have first sensor a few degrees about lake temperature and the second a few degrees above normal engine temperature. I’ll update once I've installed and used it. My thinking is it’ll be better than only having the original ECM alarm and the separate water temperature gauge, both of which need water to operate accurately. Plus these sensors are not water based. They're direct contact on metal and it won't take long for the impeller housing to warm up, and/or for the engine cylinder head to heat up. Both will be alarmed. If I to really belts and braces it I could add a water pressure or flow sensor after the impeller pump, but I think that'd be OTT and more likely to cause false alarms than the benefit it'd provide over the 3 alarms and 1 gauge I'll have. ---------------- # I fitted a new impeller and because it was first start of the season I had engine cover open to check for any dewinterising leaks. None but I touched the impeller housing after a minute or so and it was warm. Not hot but warmer than skin temperature. Immediately thought oh no impeller is burning up. Stopped engine and the moment I loosened the housing cover screws I heard gurgle as air entered and water drained into lake. So there was water being sucked in, but seemingly not enough. Removed cover, impeller ok, there was water in housing, refitted cover and restart. Noticed exhaust manifolds warmer than normal on top and rear. Impeller housing was warming up again. But after about one minute the impeller housing goes cold, exhausts go cold. Engine idling and temp slowly rises over next and stabilises at 165ish. Trial run on lake and all ok. Was a bit weird! I've got to say I have never bothered putting hand on impeller housing before with this boat or prior RLX. Maybe it's been occurring in past but I just never knew! I always have boat in lake on trailer when start it. Don't even own a fake a lake. They sound like high risk things to me!

My first update post about Vapor Boa binding disappeared. I noticed a few hours later and retyped it.

Two weeks ago, I had my first ski session of the season but couldn't provide feedback on the Vapor binding since I was behind a 14ft Mercury 75hp four-stroke outboard boat with the driver and three children. During my first attempt to get up I let go after being dragged for about 100m. On my second attempt, I managed to get up after being dragged for about 75m. The water conditions were ‘challenging’ with many boat wakes, mostly less than knee high, but some wakes were mid-thigh high. Additionally, there was wind-blown chop everywhere at about mid-calf height. It wasn't an ideal day for testing a new binding! The only noticeable difference that day with the Vapor binding compared to the Animal binding was that it’s stiffer rear made it slightly more difficult to tuck the ski into my butt for getting up. The boat needed all the help it could get! My main focus during skiing was just staying upright, enjoying it and making a few turns , so I didn't really pay much attention to the binding. It was obviously so much more comfortable than the water conditions! Saturday was a much better day. The lake conditions were almost glass with just the perfect ripples. Unfortunately, I still didn't have a driver for my own boat, so I accepted an offer from the sole boat on the lake, this time a 14’ equipped with a 90hp 4-stroke Suzuki engine. It made a significant difference over the 75hp 2 weeks ago as I was able to get out of the water in just a few meters. Just getting back skiing after winter felt amazing and I thought of it as my first proper ski session of the season. Since there was no course set up yet, I spent my time cutting up the lake and doing 12 to 15 turns and fairly solid wake crossings before taking a 15-second rest while skiing straight behind the boat, then driver did a keyhole turn and repeat up the center of the lake. It was so much fun, especially watching how much the little boat leaned over more than 45 degrees when I pulled out and then again as I completed each turn and began work zone. Driver later said it was a ‘challenge’ 😊 As for the binding itself, once again, I didn't even think about it while skiing. It was very comfortable and did exactly what it was supposed to do. Heat molding doesn't seem necessary as it provided me with more comfort and appears to be more control than the Animal binding that I replaced. Whether this feeling of increased control is real or simply due to having new equipment remains to be seen; I'll need to regain some ski fitness and do a few more sets to find out. Based on my limited use so far, I would recommend the Vapor Boa binding to fellow free skiers. It not just for perfect conditions course skiing. It handled thigh-high boat wakes without any issues on my first day, proving that it's not too stiff to handle challenging conditions. On my second day, it seemed to provide more control effortlessly. I haven't experienced any major falls yet. Because I’m not using mechanical release I intentionally kept the Boa relatively loose but found that it still offered more support than the Animal binding.

It's selling waaaayyy too cheap for the money that have gone into it. NZ$27500 is approx US$16500. Got to something odd with the way it performs. My guess is engine was installed and unfinished water test reveled a major flaw. Was on sold and now that owner is moving it on again.

It'll be a custom one off hull as very different than their normal range of hulls https://www.extremeboats.co.nz/extreme-boats-range

I do not know anything about this. Looks interesting though. More traditional than the Pista01. Very flat transom. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2548632565392390/permalink/3680274975561471/

Her reply "and if you use that 23% to justify yet another new ski you'll discover what loosing more than 50% divorce feels like" 😂

Use a drone and see if there's any colour change when take off. Once skiing it'd be minimal compared to first pull. (Surf boats would direct their trust downwards all the time)

All parts have been sold

What is truly crazy about the photo is the rear seat is still in the boat! Don't see that very often.

Didn't get a chance to ski at weekend and it'll be another 2 weeks before I do. Seems to be 4 schools of thought microwaved rice hot air fan, hair dryer, in store machines oven Just wear it and over time it'll mold to foot I've not decided which yet.

@C5Quest it came with this card and the typical H&S you may die warning, warranty disclaimer card. Nothing else. The heat molding info seemed quite specific so I thought air blower machine was definitely required. Have looked online now and seems that there's two techniques to soften the liner. Microwave heated rice in a sock, or liner direct in oven. I will just ski it and do some research next week on molding.

The binding arrived and the first try on I was really disappointed as it was quite uncomfortable. Pressure on top and side of foot. Removed the liner and discovered the tongue part on the uncomfortable side was sitting outside the liner. When repositioned with both sides of tongue inside the liner it was good. I can wiggle my toes a little and overall comfort felt good. I won't be getting it heat molded as there is no Radar dealer around here. Likely a snow ski store could heat it for me but they've all just closed up for the year. Thought the supplied paperwork could be better as there's nothing saying what the separate strap is for, or if the top bungy should be as a X or as a loop onto the top hooks. Needed to look at Radar website to confirm that. Not every customer has access to a good knowledgible store. I'll have a top bungy quite loose since not using mechanical release. Hoping to ski this weekend. First one for the 23/24 season 🙂

We love our rear locker. No skis in the boat (or we place them in our tower rack) and the shower is in there. Has mesh pocket under it's lid for gloves, etc. The split lid is a good feature too as can access from boat or platform. The earlier Response lockers were single piece front hinged so good from platform and PITA from boat. @MitchellM looks like pinking. It's disappear quite quickly in full sun. We get it a bit with our black cover. Doesn't bother me now as I know it'll disappear. Towels or pool noodle between boat and cover works but be careful they don't bled colour into the vinyl or cause indentations if in seat foam if cover is heavy or tight

Add on self leveling and incorporate splash sensing feedback so that it self learns the required width adjustment should the boat is tilted over when its about to fire the next shot.

I trust the comments on this forum so much I've just paid for a Vapor Boa 🙂 It'll possibly be with me by this coming weekend, which just happens will be launch weekend for my New Zealand 23/24 season. Pumped to get started!!!!! Included in the price was free delivery and the aluminium plate. Might change to the bling carbon plate next season.