DW

@jcamp - how would you create the value and/or incentive for that concept in this sport. How would the ‘sponsors’ benefit / profit given the niche nature of the sport?

@coledimich - look on the bright side, they should all be leaving now 🤣 Can anybody provide any insight as to some redeeming value to these hideous creatures? And could we send them back to their namesake country (yep, Canada, LOL).

Wouldn't an 'independent ski test' be entertaining on that batch of skis, of course organized by Horton and the video narrated by Marley. Sign me up.

Inevitably there is always a stretch of perfectly smooth water, full sunshine and mid summer temperatures within a week of pulling out the course / boat / lift ...

Unfortunately when a company has a monopoly there is no incentive to allocate any resources for customer support. Even more so when you can count the inquisitive ones on one hand. Ironically, I recall getting the actual program tables from the Accuski guys for both learning and allowing the customer to do their own programming.

Thank goodness the boat manufacturers actually sponsor an athlete, they certainly don't profit from it. Kudo's to them for doing it and showing their passion towards the athletes.

Thanks to TWBC for all the hard work and bringing world class skiing for our viewing pleasure. It is cool to see the athletes in action and also get some skier & equipment data posted on screen. Curious - was this year typical for the high number of razor thin differences or a mistake of inches costing a potential podium? Made each run critical to ensure the backup score was better than your opponent.

There may or may not be a lot in that statement. It would be really interesting to have more insight on the thinking of an expert driver that has understanding of how one would exploit the loopholes/limits/function within the system.

Don’t think his run qualifies for being ‘light on the line’. Nice work!

This site has a good list of exhaust manifold suppliers: https://www.cpperformance.com/c-9-exhaust-systems.aspx

Stainless Marine. One of several source options. Ford stuff will be harder to find. Not all have O2 bungs, particularly for older engines since your pondering that option.

On an SBC the weight savings via a full aluminum build = 275#, that includes block, heads, intake & exhaust manifolds, engine water pump, flywheel, t-stat housing, misc brackets, removing extraneous hardware. Better pistons / rods can also reduce some rotating mass. In addition to engine, trans weight can also be a target depending on what trans the boat has. @Scott Russell - there is also a lot you can do on the boat side to improve the wake via weight savings and moving the CG forward. It is a fun project, very rewarding results. A lightweight, snappy ski boat is a blast to drive and as I noted can still track or even improve the tracking. Good source information will also be the brand specific forums as that is where resto mod boats will most likely be a topic.

From my reads that assumption is not 100% correct given several commented going back to carb resulted in boat running great. All I was trying to point out, the swap may not go as planned given some data posted. Pretty sure most are not ASE certified either so there is that.

Scott, as many have posted to end up with ZO it takes the econtrols ECU to be compatible with the ZO system. ZO and PP Stargazer do use GPS as the throttle control strategy, the older PP system used engine speed to control the throttle position. As for the EFI question separated from ZO, ski boat owners that has tried and posted about an EFI conversion (mostly all trying the Sniper) have given up over not getting it to work. Maybe it's just those that posted and there are several running around but I have not seen a single conversion post that ended in a happy marriage. Given your expertise a carb should be fine and you have a few options, typically a Holley or Weber (which is same as Carter AFB or Edelbrock). Just don't run one too lean, marine engines run richer to stay alive as they are always under load. (and that may be the issue on an EFI conversion, the O2 signal / existing calibration really does not richen the mixture enough, IDK). As for an older boat, no question they can be improved. Removing weight, relocation key components to move the CG forward will improve the wake along with some hull enhancements to correct the deficiencies of any of the specific hulls (side spray on an older Prostar as an example). Moving CG forward counters an aggressive weight reduction program and in my example project improved the tracking. A quick read of your thread, you have to decide what is your priority in your hobby, we can easily help you spend money. From what I read you are looking at two paths 1. build a really nice older ski boat that exceeds the original 240 hp performance level and has a functional speed control or 2. spend a fair chunk of change to end up with a ZO speed control boat either new hull or old. For item 1, an SBC can easily be build in the 385-400 hp range that offers plenty of torque and drivability to pull up a skier, boarder or footer. Marine cam or torquey truck cam is what you should settle on.

@UWSkier - the only thing that should rub or wear on a drysuit in Arizona would be the marks from the hanger in the closet …

@BGrow76 - interesting feedback, my thought was the water getting in thru the neck as that part does not seal tight for me. I will have to pay more attention next time to compare notes. Wearing it today was a mistake, more like I was in a broiler even at 64 degree water! Amazing how warm these things are.

+1 on the HO DryFlex. My ski partner and I both scooped them up at a very friendly price and are very happy with them. Super value compared to more pricey versions. As everybody comments, you do need to be careful and not dig fingernails in them. These style suits (categorizing the HO/Stokes/Camaro together) are much warmer than the traditional neporene suits. Another advantage, they don't have to shed gallons of water on getup's, are very flexible, thin and as noted warm. The long arm / short leg option is great.

@chaloux - you note ZO as a priority $2k to convert, have you done the homework to verify you can get from point A > ZO at that cost? Browsing multiple threads (here) particularly from the expert converters @Jody_Seal, you might find a zero missing in your estimate depending on the ECU in the boat.

Leak down and compression test, careful check for any hull cracks, etc. Demo run to make sure engine, trans work properly. What does the lake water look like where boat was used, how corrosive does the water seem to be. Good luck.

A #2 pencil is a very handy tool to provide a quick visual on where things are or should be. Just make sure your next move isn't preceded by "hold my beer".

@swbca - There are a few items where trying to copy, emulate or even think about how the .1% of people (top pro athletes) do things is counterproductive. A person in their prime and in peak physical condition can do a lot of things others will never come close to. Jordan comments on ways that help skiers that struggle with getting up, good items to try. I have found being offset to the same side of the boat as your front foot seems to help, simply keeping the ski from rubbing on the rope as you get up. I like to do that to save my handle. You note a driver, my approach to driving is to give the skier every chance for success, from stepping off the platform to stepping back on. If there is a failed get up, I always ask what can I do to help (no matter what the experience level of the skier is). The role of the driver is to provide the skier with the best experience possible, I emphasize that to everybody I pull, one as I want to be considerate and considered a driver of choice and also hoping that wears off to others in the boat for when I am holding the handle. Sometimes pull up throttling amount is counterintuitive, you might need to experiment both ways. Also, some like to start from rest, some like to be 'in gear' before they say hit it. Good luck, the get up can be frustrating.

@Dano - in all fairness, it can be done if you have all the molds laying around and paid for. The DXII is not a fresh design, and good on them for bringing it back as there must be a demand for them.

@Andre - karting and shooting footage from a group of skiers may be akin to Talladega and Cheney 🤣.

@BraceMaker - a category not included in above post: BOS members, slalom addicts, pro skiers, etc. These customers demand / want the very latest hull designs, best and most powerful engines for short setups, optimized GPS guided speed control w/ .001% error, easy to use information screens, great handling & rock solid pull through course, latest prop to reduce wake, comfy seats, great sightlines, etc, etc. Result - the awesome Prostars, Nautiques, Malibu's that unfortunately cost $100k+ that people are willing and capable of purchasing. It's the R&D cost, premium materials (engines/ZO) that separate these boats from the budget boat not just leaving off premium vinyl, seadeck, deckadence. In the immortal words don't stop making them:-)