dbutcher

I had the pleasure of meeting Ken White in the late 1980's. Ken told me some of the history of shortening the gate to #1 distance. Ed Brazil may know too. I believe Ken was influential in getting the distance shortened and the rule changed. What I remember most clearly is that the shortened distance makes the wake crossing (through the gates) in nearly the same place (same distance away) as where you are when you cross the wake going to #2 or any other buoy. It makes the course more symmetrical. I haven't worded this very well; but if you think about where you are distance wise when you cross the wake going to any turn ball, you will realize that you are about as far from the next turn ball as you were when you went through the gates going to #1. The only advantage to the long gate to #1 distance that I can think of is if you were really late at #6. You'd have more time and distance to get to the exit gates. I wish Ken were still with us to enlighten us more. He was an amazing person and athlete.

@shaneH, that's good to know.

If you get desperate, ZO still has pucks for sale on its website. So does Miami Ski Nautique, but they are both very high priced ($450+). I wonder if a puck from an old Perfect Pass system would work. There ought to be some of those available. Have you tried unplugging the pucks and plugging them back in? No guarantee, but sometimes that brings them back to life. Or reverse where they are plugged in.

The 2016 approved ZO software is on USAWS' web site. Click on 3E, tow boats & speed control, approved boats, and then 2016 approved ZO. The version has the same number ending in R for all four brands with ECI single puck. I don't know if this arose out of the AWSA boat tests which were last week (I think) or something else.

@skiinxs Thanks. One more question. Does the 5.3 have ZO version R or is there a new version for the 5.3?

@skiinxs what did the jumpers say about the pulls from the 5.3 vs the 6.0?

It's on USA Water Ski's website this morning.

1 1,2,3 373

You can probably tell by looking at the transmission. I think both ZF and PCM put their respective names on the case somewhere. ZF's usually have a filter that I haven't seen on a PCM.

@15boi does your 2015 have a ZF transmission or PCM? Every boat with a ZF transmission I've ever driven has the clunk. There's nothing wrong. That's just the way ZF transmissions are (or at least used to be).

Can you consider a long bed pickup truck? That will serve your cargo carrying needs now and for years to come.

Drive it for a while as is. You may get used to it. I had a 14 Prostar that I thought had too much torque when I first got it. In less than a month I liked it. I tried the inside hole on the tiller and didn't like that. If memory serves me, the inside hole reduced the steering wheel travel needed to move the rudder, but it required more effort - especially going against the torque.

The 2015 200 has electronic shift - no longer a mechanical shift cable to the transmission from the throttle - and the throttle is sweet. The 2015 5.7L engine reportedly has a little more horsepower than 2014. Not having catalytic converters is a plus for the older 200's.

I've had a pacemaker since Feb 2013 and have no problems. I got mine because my heart rate got too low at rest (30's). I was released to do anything I want including skiing after 3 weeks. The doctor would have released me in two weeks but he didn't want any chance of the pacemaker getting wet. After those 3 weeks, I've been skiing just like before.

I no longer have it, but I owned a 14 Prostar. From memory the transmission used Dexron III. If you have the owners manual or if it's on line, double check. The ZF transmission on mine also had a filter (rather expensive) that is supposed to be changed. It was under a bundle of wires on the right side of the transmission. You won't see it unless you are looking.

For a 196 - a Ram-Lin single axle torsion bar suspension trailer is hard to beat. They load and unload easily on any ramp no matter how steep or shallow. I've gotten the best service out of trailer tires when I keep them at their maximum rated PSI. Tandem axles give you twice as many opportunities for failures, and they don't ride that much better than a single axle torsion bar suspension. Tandems are also difficult to push around by hand if you have to make any turn.

Try double or even triple nuts on all the bolts.

Buy in the next month or two. It's still warm enough to test drive and test ski, and there are probably fewer people competing to buy the boat you want. Demand and maybe price goes up in the spring.

There is a 2014 69.5" Radar Lithium Vapor for sale on Ski-It-Again (SIA29804) right now. It's in NC, and the price is $800 I think. I ski on a 69.5 Vapor myself - at 190 lbs, M8 speed 30mph - and it works well. It should work just fine for your weight at 34.

Radar Vapor comes in a 69.5" - at least it did last year. There might be used ones available.

Is the owner's manual for your boat available on line? You can be comfortable relying on the manufacturer's manual.

I have no personal knowledge, but Centurion must like the OJ 909 (13.9 x 14.25). They tested it and the 13x14.5 at the AWSA boat tests. The bigger diameter (OJ 909) is likely primarily for the 6.0L.

The 5.7L is still on GM's marine web site. Does that mean it may still be available for 2016?

I've had good luck with Carlisle trailer tires, better than Goodyear. Be sure you get the right load range - probably D or E for heavier boats. I've also got more service out of trailer tires when I keep them inflated close to the maximum PSI stated on the sidewall.

This is really not a big deal, and it's not a new problem. I had a new 1991 promo boat that was a "leaner". Correct Craft fixed it in a matter of days, matched the gel coat perfectly, and no one could tell there had ever been a problem.