kstateskier

I wasn't aware you could buy the steering cable without the rack?

Sat in the new Malibu's, Correct Craft's and MC's last night at the KC Show. Malibu, as usual has the plushest - nicest interiors. The new Prostar interiors sucked, the seats were hard as a rock. Boat looked nice through. My future wife loved the CC.

I am in no danger of reaching the podium in Mens 2 slalom or trick. On top of that its a sh*t load of money for a single ski ride. I'd rather spend the whole weekend on my private lake and take 7 sets behind my own boat, then lounge out crank the tunes and drink beers.

I agree with @oldjeep‌ the play is most likely in your tilt column. When I bought my 04 LXI last summer it had the same issues. I replaced the tilt column assembly and the wheel and play is 100% eliminated. Then I went ahead and changed the steering cable which brought the ease in steering back as well. While in the back attaching the steering cable I went ahead and added 2 washers where the cable attaches to the tiller arm. Everything is snugged up and tight.

My first slalom boat was a 90 Prostar/351 velvet drive. Hands down one of the softest/flattest wakes from any hull I've ever ski'd behind. Problem was if there was anyone but you and your ski buddy and more than 2 slalom skis you were out of room. And if it was windy that day and you were shorter than 35 the hull threw wicked spray in your face. That boat tracked like it was on rails and had more than enough OOMPH to get its light butt up to 36mph. I bought that boat for $10,500, owned it 10 years (500 hours) and sold it for $11,500

I used to ski in more than 5 tournaments per year but the last few years have been more work, more family, more rec lake usage and less tournaments. If healthy I'll ski in 1-2 tournaments this summer.

In for the LXI for the two above reasons. Open bow and skis/drives just about as good as any new boat!

@Horton‌ Centurion is still a mid $50s boat and only offered in a closed bow config. Are we saying less fiberglass and adding vinyl is now a $10K option?

this site is such garbage.

This past summer I struggled with the increasing price of boats. I was in the market but there was a huge gap in 2004 - 2010 boat market (essentially under $30K slalom boats). Presumably because those owners with boats of that age are holding onto them for the same reason I would. I had $20K - $25K in cash to spend towards a boat and even though I don't have any vehicle payments I didn't want to borrow to buy a newer boat and saddle myself with a $350 - $400 payment for a boat that isn't used 12 months a year. My options were to buy an older boat and buy it with cash or buy a newer boat and take on the payments. I ultimately found an earlier model LXI that I was able to buy outright. But the idea of taking all my backup cash and dumping it as a downpayment on a new boat AND having an additional $300 - $400 payment/mo didn't seem reasonable. Not because I couldn't afford to do so, but more because I was spending more money to own that boat for a fixed period of time and from the end of the rope or the driver seat there wasn't THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE. Sure the new boats are nice, but having just took a set 2 days ago behind a 2015 CC 200 - I can tell you it wasn't $4800 (annually) better than the same end of the rope behind my paid for LXI!

Looks tiny, old school. http://vimeo.com/115818804

just move to Orlando, everyone with a 32801 zippy runs 39...

I broke a sweat just reading this...

Got one set in today in Florida. air 79, water 74!

I had the Thule. Worked great for transporting my slalom/trick gear and was quiet on the roof. Kept my SUV from stinking like a wet dog and allowed me to lock up my gear. Now I drive a truck and throw all my wet gear in the bed under the tonneau cover.

@bowty‌ at one time TW did sell them. I have one of his earlier versions. It works really well. TW's model was a bit pricey but as I said it works well, holds up well. I think he ended up banned from the site for being less than tactful when dealing with others wanting to make their own versions of a handle guard. He did have good ideas and generally seemed interested in making skiing safer.

Good thing Thomas Wayne is banned, otherwise he'd blow a gasket over this thread! Good stuff, I need to start using my handle guard again. I've gotten out of the habit.

Take a friday or a monday off, catch a quick flight to Orlando. Uber it to the CC factory and see how they are made. Not only will you get a chance to see and touch a few, but you'll gain a tremendous respect for how they build these boats. Just a thought.

http://dfmnews.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/closeup-backside-bw.jpg Gift from my future wife! Too bad the boat is in storage. BLAH!

@Horton just smeared @DefectiveDave‌. Pun intented!

SS must be skiing about 30mph, how else do you explain that ball cap staying on his head? I'd take that video as an example of what not to do.

Take your own gear...

Can't say I've ever heard someone have issues with the wakes of any of the LXI/TXI boats. Every one of them I've ever driven from 04 - 14 drives great, tracks great and skis great! I've got a couple buddies with LX boats, and have taken sets behind a few Echelon's. The echelons definitely have a harder edge to the wake and are tight on space. If you're wanting to go up 5/6 years there are several 04, 05, 06 RLXI's out there. I recently bought my 04 last summer. It needed a bit of work but after I got my hands on it, put a new steering cable, new tilt column and greased the rudder assembly it drives and tracks like a new one. The open bow in the RLXI provides plenty of space for a few people to lounge around and catch sun! And the rear trunk pads also are a great place to lounge. Plenty of storage too. I think you'd have to go to an 06 RLXI in order to do any ZO conversions.

2004 RLXI, 625 hours

So let me ask the big question. Why are you willing to forego an LXI with 800 hours for a 200 with 1500 hours? If its just for ZO - get yourself a zBox and be done with it. The 200 doesn't slalom any better than your LXI does. And setup properly with zBox it will provide the type of pulls that will allow you to properly train for tournaments.