buechsr

19 minutes ago, mlange said:

Thanks @jpwhit.  

I just went down to the boat to test things again and now all is well.  We'll have to see if it ends up being flaky or stays fixed.

The water didn't rise up to the carpet, but it got about as close as it could to.  Carpet is wet from it sloshing around when I came off plane because the boat didn't feel right.  It got damp at the driver's feet, but only damp.  The passenger side storage area (closed bow) was still entirely dry.  The battery was completely under water, though, and water was clearly coming in from where the battery cables enter that compartment.  So I don't think anything behind the kick panel at the driver's feet got wet unless the PDC or relay are mounted on the horizontal surface right on the other side of the kick panel.

I don't think it was the keypad acting up because after I got most of the water pumped out I was able to start it up to get back to the lift and then shutdown the engine via the keypad.  Stereo worked the entire time.  It was only the LINC display that wouldn't turn off.  I was originally thinking PDM as well, but the wiring diagram wasn't clear to me of how the PDC and LINC played together so your comment above helps a lot.

I've had a couple of carpet dryers on it for a day-and-a-half now and it's dried up real well.  Carpet still a bit damp.  I also sprayed down most of the lower parts of the motor, trans, etc... w/ Quicksilver Corrosion Guard.

I keep the boat pretty bone dry so I always turn off the auto bilge after starting it up because I don't want to burn it up.  I may have to change that practice.  🙂

Glad appears well.

 I did it once in college w team boat.  A lesson that has resulted in 1,000 plug checks since then.
 

Hope all dries out well.  

6 hours ago, BGrow76 said:

The Masters takes some luck in slalom, you don't see the best slalom skiers in the finals! Yes everyone has the rollers to deal with but the rollers hit the skiers is slightly different sports during their run which makes a big difference. When you don't see Nate Smith, Fred Winter, and Whitney McClintock in the slalom finals you know you are not seeing the best slalom skiers.

Tiger didn’t win every tournament, either.  Doesn’t mean anyone who ever beat him in a major wasn’t one of the best. 
 

3 minutes ago, ETskier said:

I was about ready to compliment the Masters on their webcast this year. I bugged out for a while after slalom, not interested in wake boarding.  Knowing they were running behind from the rain delay, I figured I could catch some jump at 4pm. Apparently they were all done for the day. Ok, I missed it, my fault. Hey, I'll just go review the video. Nope, not available.  Scores aren't posted on their site either. The people who run that thing still haven't got it handled.

They appear to be jumping now

So, obvious observation is that 3 of the 4 men’s finalists would NOT have even made the field using too 7 in pro tour standings from 2023, and 2 of the 4 women.  

27 minutes ago, Horton said:

@buechsr the old method was not perfect either but it made all season into a Masters Qualifying Tour. The skier who could achieve for the pro season got the ticket. Now the skier who can get it done at one of two spring amateur events gets the ticket. The prestige is much less. 

I get it.  

Should trick and jump be handled same way?  With 1 trick event and 4 jump events?  (5 for men).

4 minutes ago, Broussard said:

@buechsr There has been an LCQ (singular) for some time. But only 1 or 2 spots were allocated there instead of 6 or 7 with the MQS (Masters Qualifying Series). 
 

I don’t think anyone is advocating getting rid of the LCQ, but I would be a fan of getting rid of the MQS. 

I understand.  I also understand the time and financial commitment needed by non-Floridian skiers to enter the LCQs is daunting.

I  understand the historical perspective and don’t necessarily disagree.  From my cheap seats just seemed Masters field would be the best skiers at the time of the tournament using spring performances (LCQs), not a system that would include a tournament (ie Swiss Pro) held more than a year prior.  

10 minutes ago, Danno1212 said:

100% agree, we all know who the top skiers are based on the ProTour standings, so if its going to be called the masters then we all want to watch the best, the ones that had a good day on the day of the qualifiers.

Is it not fair to say though, that the pro tour standings just reflects the best skiers who are able make the events consistently?  Sure, FW, JT, WA, etc are stalwarts and obviously amazing skiers, but then theirs a lot of apparent inconsistency in the fields.  Is Nate going got be able to ski in Europe 6 weeks this summer?  Assuming no, is he not one of the “top skiers” we’d like to see?  I dont see Charlie’s name on any of the European events last year.  I dunno.  I do know wed’d be missing Joel Poland without LCQ.

I defer to the opinions people this affects, just found it an interesting discussion given the tour’s geographical composition and point system and whether its truly the best representation of the top 8.  Interesting perspectives shared.  Thx.  

4 hours ago, bananaron said:

Its a 2016 Gekko GTR I am curious about that engine as I recall some issues I thought I read on this site or another.I know for some skiers these smaller HP engines were under powered for skiing

I’m not aware of any ubiquitous issues with any indmar 350s that would steer me away.   Probably in half the boats in the wild. 

1 minute ago, bananaron said:

Its a 2016 Gekko GTR I am curious about that engine as I recall some issues I thought I read on this site or another.I know for some skiers these smaller HP engines were under powered for skiing

I would imagine that engine is very comparable to Malibu LCR or Malibu monsoon, pre or post cat.  Other than the Boltons by marinizers, there’s not a whole lot of variation in 5.7L engines.  I had an LCR in a response for many years. It was rated at 320 hp.  Plenty of power for skiing.  Very difficult to tell a difference between it and the monsoon at 340 hp.

In short, its fine!

4 minutes ago, bananaron said:

That is what's in the boat.Its a 350 GM block which I think is approx 310 HP

I don’t doubt it’s in a boat lol…what year?  In what boat?  What problem?  I’ve hand many monsoons w ETX, some with some without cats.  Whats the issue

37 minutes ago, bananaron said:

Anyone have any experience with this engine.Any comments would be appreciated....thanks

Can you be more specific?  Any 5.7L Indmar with cats?  ETX referring to the extreme tuned manifolds?

1 minute ago, Broussard said:

@buechsr No that is the World Rankings List. The World Rankings List utilizes scores from all IWWF sanctioned events regardless of whether they are pro events or not.

The Elite Ranking List awarded points based on finishings at pro events and each event was weighted based on the prize purse of the event. For example: if Masters had a larger purse than Swiss Pro slalom, a skier would earn more points for winning Masters than Swiss Pro.

When the Waterski Pro Tour was established, they used the framework from the Elite Points system and worked with IWWF to modify it. At this point the old Elite Point System became obsolete and IWWF stopped publishing an Elite Rankings List.

Thanks @Broussard.  I do recognize the distinction.  Admittedly, given the almost ubiquitous correlation of “elite” and “IWWF”, I went there as to the “world ranking list”.

Either way, it would appear there is some support herein for using the previous year’s tour standings.  I respect that.

I guess as a fan, not seeing Joel and Charlie this year, when they’re skiing great this year and would be excluded based on 2023 tour standings, seems would be a miss, given when the masters is actually held.  Yes I understand Charlie got to ski his home site, and yes I understand his spot would be taking someone else’s, but just seems that a qualifier 3 weeks prior isn’t a miscarriage of justice filling the field.  Just a layman’s perspective.

13 minutes ago, EM_ said:

@buechsr if I’m looking at the archived leaderboards correctly, I would be in either way. 
 

my concern with the world rankings is that not every pro skier has the advantage of running high-end ELR tournaments on their “home turf.” Those with the most resources will come out on top. 
 

the closest thing we’ve got to a level playing field is the Pro Tour. 

@EM_ I agree, it appears so.  

I certainly respect your perspective.  I can appreciate it that people want more ROI for a 6 week European tourney swing.  

37 minutes ago, EM_ said:

@buechsr

it would have to be the previous year, as typically the only pro tour stop before Masters is Swiss Pro. 

I agree there is certainly a lack of tour events prior to masters to justify using the current year.  

Would you be opposed to using the world ranking list?

1) you’d be in it appears

2) seems to homologize by scores better than pro tour standings?  

To be clear for everyone in this discussion I just don’t understand the “complaints” with the limited automatic bids, nor 2 LCQs, but my perspective is meaningless.  Just generally curious about better solutions as any alternative puts the screws to somebody.

6 minutes ago, EM_ said:

That is world rankings. The Pro Tour Leaderboard is the most elite standings available. 
 

The LCQs are just as “manipulated” by all the factors you mentioned. 
 

The Pro Tour is the best snapshot of “consistent elite skiing over time”. The LCQs are just two weekend backyard tournaments. 

I certainly respect your opinion @EM_.   If the “Pro Tour Leaderboard” is going to be used, are you (and others) saying use the standings from the previous season that ended 8 months ago, or use the current year?  

Genuinely curious the perspective of the people this affects, think.

7 minutes ago, brody said:

Why not use the tour list for the top 8 and allow 4 wild card qualifiers

1) Thats too many people for the schedule.

2) why should tour standings, that are manipulated by “real jobs”, travel, expense, and trophy point bonuses, etc, be used as a metric for masters?  I  fail to see the connection.  

5 minutes ago, Broussard said:

@buechsr The Elite List is now the Pro Tour Leaderboard. 

This is not the elite list?

http://www.iwsftournament.com/homologation/idopenslalomweeklydisplay.php?listdate=2024-05-21

If not, color me very confused but thanks for the clarification!

EDIT: world water skiers still links to the current IWWF list too 🙃:

https://worldwaterskiers.com/iwwf-weekly-rankings/

1 hour ago, RobHazelwood said:

Last year.. like they did for the other 60 years but with the elite list before they changed because of Covid

Rob, isn’t the elite list a different discussion than what @disland proposed?  @disland was proposing using the pro tour standings. Hence my question of the tour standings, as of when?  The end of the previous year’s season?  The pro tour standings as of memorial weekend of the current year?  If I’m reading your post correctly, you’re suggesting previous year pro tour standings.  Your opinion matters, mine doesn’t, but does it seem odd to set a field based on performances a minimum of 8 months old?

If we’re talking elite list (world ranking list?), I hear you.  Certainly a lot of validity to that position.  It’s not like LCQ never existed before covid though, albeit made up less of the field.  

Interestingly, had they used the current elite list (WRL), the field would be the exact same as it is, except add Dane and Brando to the exclusion of Adam and Stephen.

EDIT: Rob I notice you’re a half buoy from being #6 on the list, yet you’d be excluded using a pure ranking list entry.  I think it’s pretty fair (awesome) for you to have a shot at qualifying, do you not?  

5 minutes ago, disland said:

@buechsr baby steps, Right now Nautique doesnt even recognize that the pro tour as exists.

 

https://www.waterskiprotour.com/

Huh?  You said Nautique should use pro tour standings.  I’m asking as of when.  ?

8 minutes ago, disland said:

Its easy, Nautique needs to get on board with the Pro Tour, Then the top 8 on the previous years tour ranking get in, Done!

Let’s go with that…tour standings as of when?  When masters rolls around?  End of previous year?  

If using end of previous year standings, 4 of the 8 are the same but we would NOT be seeing Charlie, Joel, Adam, and Stephen.  Instead we’d have Tgas, Dane, Rob, Brando.  I’d love too see them, but would anyone argue  Joel or Charlie are taking the spots of an otherwise deserving skier given their spring?

If using current pro tour list, it would be leaving FW off but Jamie Calhoun would be in.  

So lets define when the tour ranking list should be used?

On 5/9/2024 at 12:44 PM, Horton said:

@disland This goes back to the complaints about the whole format. They are forcing pro skiers to compete at an amateur event to qualify for what is supposed to be one of the most prestigious events of the year. 

On 5/9/2024 at 12:56 PM, Jody_Seal said:

the qualifying format is wacked. if there is going to be a qualifier /prelim it should be on the water they are going to compete on. By the wed before the show starts at Callaway all the necessary equipment is ready to rock. might as well pull in a few local drivers and judges and hold the prelim/qualifier at that time. jump is already in place now!

Just for fun, assuming Masters wants to stay at 8 skiers/event, what tweaks should be made?

Masters golf tournament does rely on the world ranking list but also reserves many spots for non-pros and other ways to qualify.  Ie, NCAA champion, winner amd runner up of Us Amateur and European Amateur, and has auto exemptions for major winners.  Other than no deference to the ranking list, is that methodology so different?  Is it not more appropriate to let people qualify for a relatively early season tournament at a qualifier nearing the tournament, or use a ranking list relying on old scores differentiating people by fractions of a buoy?

I dunno.  I guess I don’t see the issue letting people ski it out the weeks prior to the tournament.  

As to qualifying on Robin Lake, that doesn’t happen in any golf or tennis “major”.  NFL doesn’t play playoff games at the Super Bowl stadium. They’re holding qualifiers in the closest proximity to the majority of skiers’ residences and on world class sites.  

I guess I’m back to safesport thinking.  It’s one thing to not “like” it, but what’s the better alternative?  A 1 round qualifier on Robin Lake?

15 hours ago, ETskier said:

What is it with these people. You would think the Masters would update their field of athletes asap.  Press releases should be going out already, particularly to USAWS, IWWF, and secondary sponsors, so everybody can get to promoting the thing. Also how about posting the link to the live webcast.

They’re up.  

4 hours ago, Stevie Boy said:

I wonder if the big Gators there were part of the deal 😀 apparently the one I got close to, was called Henry 🙄

About 3 years ago a 6 footer swam over about 20 feet from the starting dock when I had a daughter about to jump in for her set.  I’m not afraid of gators, but I was watching with interest!

6 hours ago, BKistler said:

After several aborted attempts, Ski Paradise in Mulberry, FL has been sold. The buyer will develop it as an RV park. According to the site plan, almost the entire waterfront is RV sites, so it looks like the end of tournaments. However, the plan shows that the covered docks and boat ramp remain and ad copy talks about water skiing as an activity, so it looks like club use might continue. Haven’t heard from Stan or Donna. 

If I’m not mistaken, the longest running water ski tournament in the country, the Lakeland Open, would be having its 77th annual this year which has been held at Paradise for some time.  Sure hope it continues.  

“Isaws?” In front

“Ysmaws” (more)

do in white and ill  buy a few 

4 minutes ago, ETskier said:

I seem to remember those Infinitys had a nasty 22 off rooster tail at 34mph. Drove like it was on rails though.

They did but Kris and Rob had some “hull-attachment devices” (we’ll call them strakes) that helped as I recall from almost buying a zx1 a few years ago.  

That’s awesome!   Great skiers, and even better kids to be around!  Great job Kyle and Karen!