Razorskier1

Winter sucks. Leave for work in the dark, come home in the dark, lake frozen. No boat, no skiing, no beach and beer with ski buds. Yep. Winter sucks. At least we all have BOS where we can talk about skiing all winter long!

Only skied the 200 at one tournament all year. That said, definitely the nicest, flattest wakes and no spray. Most interesting to me was the lack of a "trough" next to the wake. All the other boats have a dip just outside the wake before the whitewash. The Nautique is basically flat from teh wake on out. That has to make a difference in how the ski moves into and out of the wakes. I'd buy one if they weren't so expensive because I think it would be fun to ski behind every day. Nevertheless, I skied identical scores behind both the 200 and the MC 197 in the same tournament. The boats are all good enough, and once I get to shortline I have so many other things to worry about that the last thing going through my mind is what boat I'm following!

Read this. Really good sh**! Trent keeps it simple vs. some guys who say the same things but make it Phd level stuff that I just can't follow!

Schnee -- forget the diet -- just skate more and hope for the best!

I have talked to both MC dealers and MC mechanics on this. Dealers say it's the best thing ever. Mechanics not so sure. I've heard that they idle rough, cough and spit. Also that they are more difficult to work on in a number of ways, not just the impeller. I believe the oil filter is on top, but the "catch" around it isn't sufficient to keep from making a mess. Also some issues with the distributor, I believe, which is a design change from the Indmars. Also, for reasons I can't explain, Ilmoor isn't horsepower rating the motors. I asked and the dealer said they don't want to get into that game, and that Indmar and others all overstate their horsepower anyway. All seems a bit odd, but I have to imagine that they get the bugs worked out and eventually it is as good an engine as the others out there.

Razor skis better than the old Fisher. I had a Fisher Orange #01. Now on a Razor A68. The Razor is faster, turns better, and holds edge and carries out better. Very fast and efficient ski from ball to ball. I'd highly recommend it.

i always figured it was a Goode thing. I have only heard one other ski sing besides a Goode, and that was a Radar at the last tournament I skied. Maybe I should try humming. Then my ski would be a hummer.

For 2011 the MC 197 has a new strut on the shaft that has a sort of "bullet" shape on the front of the strut. MC has been testing this in side by sides and when they did the skiers universally preferred the wake of the boat with the new strut. I am sure you can find pictures of it online, and could probably modify your own strut if you were so inclined and save yourself drilling a hole in the boat. I saw one up at Midwest Mastercraft. Should create the same effect. Gives the prop some slip and puts some bubbles in the wake to soften it. They claim better hole shot, better top end and better wakes -- sounds like a low cost trifecta to me. JR

Brian -- I ski lake Minnewashta during the week, sometimes TLE IV in New Germany on the weekends or at "the swamp" near Litchfield with my brother.

Just follow the rehab plan and don't push ahead of it. I've had four shoulder surgeries, both knees, and a biceps tendon repair. The most recent two were the left biceps tendon and the right shoulder labrum (80% detached). Same surgeon both times. Tells me I better rethink my activities. I tell him I'll follow the rehab, and keep skiing until he tells me I can't be fixed. Good news! Followed the rehab both times and have continued to increase my buoy count throughout. Frustrating to not be able to ski (the biceps tear happened in April, lost a whole season), but worth it.

Jim Ross, 47 year old slalom junkie from MN. Lucky to have an understanding wife who is a great skier and an even better driver. We ski around 6:30AM every morning before work between April and November (including yesterday and this morning, in fact). Water is getting chilly. Three kids now 17, 16 and 13. Oldest has competed since 14 years old, middle not interested, youngest just started skiing more this year. Most of our time is on a public lake, thus the early mornings. I learn something about skiing every time I'm on the water, which is what keeps me coming back . . . well, that and all the great people you meet in this sport! I could sit and talk skiing and watch skiing all day long (can I get paid for that?).   As for MS, Mrs MS, 6balls, and that thager fella, they're all great to ski with and I'd take any one of them as a driver anyday (especially Mrs MS!)  Cheers! JRÂ

Than, I ski on a Razor A68. My previous ski was a Fisher Orange 68. It was one of the first batch and it still skied like new. Bought the Razor mostly because of the ongoing problem with the binding inserts. I expect the Razor will last me many years. As for style, the ski runs better and better the "lighter" you ski it. I think you would like the way it skis.

Volker commented that it had a bigger sweet spot. It is visible when you look at the ski. They also run the bindings a little further back than the Fisher. Feels very solid when you put it on the edge.

Bought a Razor A68 first week of September. Volker was extremely helpful in the process. I had been skiing a Fisher Orange previously. The Razor feels faster and more stable than the Fisher. Now, there are some differences in that I ran my bindings 30 inches from the tail on the Fisher, and am 29.5 on the Razor. The Razor also has their "shortline settings" on the fin. Thing is, I had to run my bindings forward on the Fisher to get it to turn. The Razor turns better than the Fisher did without having to have the bindings forward. Runs fast and holds cross course angle very well. Quality is clearly an improvement from my Fisher as well. For example, Fisher binding insets were poorly installed to start with -- some level with the top of the ski, some an eighth of an inch below level, etc. Had problems throughout with them, and finally two of them ripped clean out of the ski.  The real question -- did it help my buoy count. Well, yes and no. On the Fisher I was very consistent at 35 off and ran 38 probably 25-30% of the time. Still early on the Razor, but I run 35 consistently and have run 38 more frequently, but with fewer attempts it is difficult to have statistical reliability. What I can say is that with the Razor the passes are lighter and easier than ever before, so I can practice longer with less energy expended. I believe that my buoy count will continue to rise and that it will become more and more consistent at that higher level next season. I love the way the ski feels.