dbutcher

If I had a 200 with the H5 engine, I would try an Acme 422. It's 4 blade, 12.5 x 15.5, .105 cup. It appears to be the same prop as the 654 except that it has .5" more pitch. It will reduce RPM's a little bit. I have a 2015 SN200 with the 5.7L engine. I have tried the 422 on it. It works but is not as peppy as the 654. The H5 has more HP and torque than the 5.7L so I'm guessing the 422 would be fine on it. Of course the 422 is not approved for tournament use. The 2017 approved props for the 200 are the same as 2016.

SIA40095

How would C3 compare?

I didn't know Jim well, but I met him and his wife Thelma briefly in the mid 1980's. I followed their ski careers after that. They were always at the Nationals - for years and years - always competitive nationally in all three events (if memory serves me). I believe they were both as passionate about and dedicated to three event skiing as anyone could be. My condolences to his family and friends.

@TravisNW , if you haven't already looked, AWSA rule 10.08 starting on page 49 of the rule book might be of assistance to you. Also the Technical Controller's manual may help - both are available on USAWS' website.

@rico , there is a host of information on USAWS' website and the 3 Event section thereof about driving, chief driving, and more. You probably already know this, but there is an Officials Resources section for AWSA officials, a Driver's Policy Manual, an IWWF Tournament manual, some of which describe Chief Driver duties, and more - not to mention the tow boat manual. I try to read all of these, and believe it or not, the AWSA rule book every spring before tournament season starts. Perhaps we all should.

@ntx I am technology challenged so this is what I would do. When the last jumper of the season lands his last jump, make him/her tie a buoy on a long rope to the 5, 6, and 7. Same with grid buoys and trick course. The water is cold now, but it still might not be too late for this season. Do it from the platform, and you only get your hands in the water.

If you have Zero Off speed control and your course has been mapped, ZO will beep when you approach a boat guide, even at idle. Will get you within a few feet.

Do your driver a favor. Use a shock tube.

I have skied two short slalom sets using trick mode. One was behind a 196 with the 5.7L 343 engine (Acme 422 prop). The other was behind a 200 with a 5.7L 343 engine (Acme 654 prop). I felt no difference between the two in the pull. However, the driver told me there was significantly less RPM variation with the 200. That could be because the 200 turns more RPM's. I felt little difference with either between trick mode and slalom mode. I'm guessing that if the driver didn't tell me, I wouldn't know which mode he was in. I skied in both modes in the same set with both boats. I ski at 30.4 mph so that could be different than 34 or 36. For me personally, trick mode vs. slalom mode is a non-issue. I'm guessing that slalom mode will use less gasoline.

@LeonL My tournament PB at 32mph was mid -38. At 30mph it is 4.5 at -38. So not many. However, in practice I have run -38 several times at 30. At 32 I don't remember ever having run -38. At 30 I run -35 most of the time. At 32 I missed -35 more than I ran it. I lost buoys score wise, but I'm having more fun. It's much more fun to run -35 and deep -38 (at 30mph) than it is to run -35 sometimes at 32mph. My consistency at my "wall" pass is much better at 30 mph.

The engine sound makes sense. Trickers need constant speed with instant return to set speed without overspeeding when a trick slows the boat.

I am 72 years old. I have aged through the speed changes all the way down to 30.4 mph with the current rules. When I went from 34 to 32, I didn't like it at first. It took me half a year to adjust. When I finally did, I had no desire to go back to 34. Then when I turned 70, I dropped to 30mph. That was a quicker and easier adjustment (for me). After my first tournament season at 30, I tried to go back up to 32 for winter practice. I didn't like 32 at all and presently have no desire to ski faster than 30. I write all this only to suggest that skiers may not give the new slower speed a chance. You have to try it more than once. In fact you have to try it long enough to learn your new gate shot pullout, new timing, hanging on to the handle longer, etc. etc. With slower speed came better consistency, especially at my difficult shorter line lengths. The falls/crashes are easier on the body at 30 than any faster speed, even at my shortest line. And I don't fall as much. It is a personal thing perhaps, but old people should ski slow. Allowing scoring for faster than maximum speed is tantamount to increasing the maximum for the division because one would have to ski faster than maximum to be competitive. If others want to ski faster than max, good for them; but I object to being penalized scoring wise for only skiing the maximum speed.

Punch a hole in it. Just kidding.

No set of rules will make everyone happy. The current AWSA age/speed rules work pretty darn well. I have yet to see a change proposal that is universally better.

@MISkier I don't know, but I don't see why that could not be done. For example, if M2 is now 25 yrs-34 yrs inclusive, change M2 to 25 yrs and older. Anyone over 25 no matter how old could ski in M2, and M2 ski at 36.

Interesting. Are Canadian rules available on line anywhere?

Anything is possible. I'm pretty sure B2/G2 can already ski in B3/G3.

Yes. They wouldn't have to speed back up, but they would to remain competitive if M7 34mph skiers scored at 34. This is better discussed in the other thread you just started.

That's all being discussed in Rules right now (I think). The better solution is to change the rule so that a M6 skier who wants to stay at 34 be allowed to stay in M6 as long as he wants. If one wants a 34 mph score, stay in an age division that skis 34. Don't force any skier to speed back up to remain competitive.

@LeonL I'm obviously not on the Rules committee, but I think there's more being discussed-what you'd like to see included. What I would prefer is that if a skier wants to stay at 34mph, he/she can stay in the oldest 34mph age division for the rest of his/her life. I'm opposed to making a skier speed back up to remain competitive.

@Jody_Seal I think there is discussion of one of your ideas ongoing right now in the Rules committee - i.e. potential rules changes so that older skiers are not forced to slow down if they don't want to.

@bishop8950 Is there a reason you don't change the filter? It seems like that's where the dirt and/or contamination would be.

You must be the only one who ever changes transmission oil in a Carbon Pro. At least no one has responded. I don't have a CP, but I have changed the oil and filter in a ZF transmission. It was a ZF63 if memory serves. The filter was almost hidden. I would not have known it was there if I hadn't read the manual. My manual read similarly if not identically to yours. I used one of the U.S. ATFs recommended in the manual, and it worked fine. I've always believed that you should have the oil at normal operating temperature when you pump it out. Warm oil flows out easier. Any dirt in it will be in suspension (instead of settled to the bottom) and therefore more likely to get pumped out. For that reason, consider making it a spring instead of winter project. There are generic filters for ZF transmissions that are considerably cheaper than ZF filters, but I don't know if the quality is equal.

Ski it Again: SIA26507