Wayne

@Wish maybe. Depends on if the Murano uses an oil to air cooler or a water to oil cooler on the transmission. I would not add an oil to air cooler if the transmission has an oil to water cooler as you can cause other issues in cold weather. Conversely CVTs don’t perform well when cold and typically we implement a torque reduction strategy based on transmission fluid temperature. So you won’t harm the transmission but will also get reduced vehicle performance and transmission efficiency when cold. It also depends on if there is space for a larger cooler and air flow. There is a point of diminishing return if the cooler is in stagnant air. I did quite a bit of hill tow testing and at some point the transmission is generating heat faster than it can be rejected. A larger air to oil cooler can offset this but you may not have space for one that can dissipate the energy as fast as the transmission is generating it. So you have to modify the the operating condition of the vehicle (change the transmission ratio, reduce engine torque, etc). It’s best to keep the vehicle moving but reduce the power but with towing some times it’s best to just stop the vehicle. If the driver isn’t smart enough to do that, the protection logic in the transmission software with force them to but this is a last resort. If you have a water to oil cooler under some situations the engine is also dumping heat into the transmission so it’s a losing battle no matter what. It still doesn’t mitigate the FWD issues at the boat ramp.

@asarendt i worked for 5 years developing the ZF CVTs that launched in the Ford Freestyle/500 and the C-max diesel in Europe. Most of my time was spent in vehicles doing testing and calibrating functions in the software. As part of that role we did a lot of extreme conditions testing, including towing beyond the manufacturers published ratings. We also did benchmarking on competitive vehicles and disassembled their transmissions. I’ve kept up on the technology through my career. Nissan uses a Jatco CVT which has come a long way since I was working directly on that type of transmission. They improved efficiency, durability and kept the driveability acceptable to the US market (first CVTs were not widely accepted, but that’s another story). I’m sure you have gone on howstuffworks.com to see how a CVT works but some things they leave out. The belt on a CVT has a direct steel on steel contact with the pulleys. The pulleys are variable in width which is how you can change the effective diameter and ratio of the belt/pulley system (called a variator). The belt can slip radially on the pulley when the ratio is being changed but if the belt slips along circumference of its contact area the transmission is toast and will eat itself to death in less than 1000 miles. The reason all of this is important is the fluid in the CVT is not run of the mill stuff. It has special friction modifiers so the belt can get traction with this steel on steel contact of the belt and pulley. When towing, the load on the vehicle is increased, this causes the CVT to run at higher pressures and ultimately higher temperatures. When towing, a CVT will run at least 20 degrees C hotter than a traditional automatic transmission under the same conditions. The heat can break down the friction modifiers and lead to some minor belt slip. If that occurs, the transmission with eat itself as mentioned above. If you change the oil regularly and use Jatcos fluid, the CVT will be fine. Be careful here, the number one failure for CVTs in the field is incorrect fluid. If you were just towing from your house to the launch on a private ski lake short distances the Murano might get the job done. However your trailer/boat weight is just barely under the max tow capacity, as was mentioned, and it appears you plan to tow long distances. Add in that it’s FWD, on a boat ramp the inclination angle shifts weight off the front tires. With the boat on the trailer it will shift even more weight off the front tires. If you ever launch your boat with the Murano please take a video when you retrieve your boat and pull it out of the water. It makes great YouTube content. I usually recommend the rated tow capacity of a vehicle should exceed the weight of the trailer by at least 20%. We kept our test cars very well prepped and had the ability to closely watch temperatures and other operating signal in the transmission. My 20% rule comes from the fact most average cars on the road are not maintained like a test car. Call it a maintenance multiplier. I think the answer to your question needs to be based on: - towing distance - hills and ambient temperatures where towing - how much extra stuff will you pack in the car when towing - what does the boat ramp look like where you will launch/retrieve - how often do you change fluid in the transmission

Apparently there is no love on this site for a bare footing bear?

Apocalypse Now. I bet the villagers along that river felt like we do when a v-drive surfing passes by.

One additional recommendation when converting to a removable or swing tongue trailer, move the safety cable/chains back to the non removable/swinging part of the trailer.

@YoKo when you get a chance to try your Radar 3.0 CGA can you post feedback. If you don’t mind, what size did you get and what it’s your height/weight. I’m a fan of a longer vest, Radar had an extra long version but seems to have dropped it, so I’m wondering if the current one goes to or below the waist.

I have 2 batteries in series and am using a 24V, 20 watt solar panel from Lift Tech Marine. It works well but I’m planning to add a charge controller too. If you have a 12V setup usually a 10 watt solar panel is enough. I cooked a set of batteries 2 summers ago and started looking at RV forums and some of the off grid living forums for DC systems. Seems a charge controller really helps with battery life, I just got lazy and didn’t buy one yet but it’s on my list. What type of batteries are you using? Should be a deep cycle type and I would try to get ones that are serviceable. The set of batteries I killed was due to the water level in the cells. I think they were getting overcharged and boiled off the water then their death was inevitable.

@Johnseed guessing you have a 3500 to 4000 pound rating on that trailer. My Response LXI trailer is 5080 lbs for reference.

What is the weight rating on that trailer? I’ll reiterate that I’ve never seen a Malibu on a Shorelandr. Most Malibu specific trailers have 4 bunks where there is a pair of bunks on either side of the chine. The bunk should not be ON the chine. Either inside of it or outside of it. Looks like by the way that trailer is made it would be easier to widen them a little.

@Johnseed can you post a picture of the trailer? I’ve never seen an onboard on a shorelandr. Does it have a prop guard? If the trailer doesn’t have a prop guard I would highly consider starting a search for a replacement trailer that is meant for your boat. Ideally the guide posts should be a little wider than the widest point on the boat. On your Sunsetter it will be near the drivers/spotters seats.

There are a few repair threads on TheMalibuCrew, here is one: https://www.themalibucrew.com/index.php?/forums/topic/41977-hds-repair-underway/ I’ve seen two paths on repairing these. One is to repair it to like new. The other is to “eliminate” the HDS completely and glass in a tube from the shaft log to the hole in the bottom of the hull. Usually they HDS structure is left in place and just hides the hollow tube. I think there is a thread on TheMalibuCrew from some one that did it this way. Good luck, sorry to hear your boat got damaged.

Add checking the motor mounts to your list. As 2Valve mentioned. Open up the engine cover and repeat the maneuver with some one watching.

I’ve been fighting hard water spots for years. Last night I tried toilet bowl cleaner. Wipe on with a towel, wait about 10 seconds and wipe off. Spots are gone. Should have tried this a long time ago.

@Clydesdale thanks for the feedback. I’m opposite of you and want a little extra freedom to twist my foot. Stems from knee injuries from my youth but I’ve been really resisting the change. Will be making that now.

@Clydesdale did you keep your heal fairly planted when you were in the toe plate? I’ve been in double boots for 15+ years and have noticed this year I’m really struggling with getting a balanced stance on my off side. I’m thinking of going the opposite way you are to get more freedom for my back foot. I lifted my rear heal in my bindings but I’m thinking some rotational freedom may help. Do you feel any of the improvements for you are from the HRT preventing your foot from rotating?

@Clydesdale I stand corrected by @MISkier comment for the Mastercraft but there are people who do that maneuver purpose. Most of the ones I find on YouTube are with a SeaDoo type of boat.

@Clydesdale I believe the video of the Mastercraft playing submarine is from a waterski show somewhere.

Agree on the stainless. You can also buy braided stainless hose sleeve to that can be put over your current hoses.

I found a few articles from 2019 when the product was announced. They all had the same price, $6800 starting price. Sounds like they have a “universal” cover standard and for an extra $2k you can have a custom fitted cover made for your boat. When I looked at a Touchless cover a few years ago this seems to be in the same price range.

I’ll watch to see if my neighbor puts his Centurion barefoot warrior up for sale again. They had it for sale last year, thought it sold but then it showed up again late this summer. The glass on the hull looks good but I think it needs floors. Last time I saw someone grab the pylon it moved around like the stick shift on a manual transmission. They aren’t skiers, I think they have it just to cruise around in. I wish twin rigs were more common in the US. Not sure if the wakes are good but they fly and two high performance outboards just sound wicked.

Have a lot of experience working on Holley carbs. My opinionated recommendations: 1) The choke flap should be all the way closed for a cold start. Keep in mind the high idle cam interacts with the linkage and can hold the choke partially open. 2) The bi-metal spring in the choke housing pulls the high idle cam into position but you need to move the throttle open so the cam can drop into place and then move the throttle back to idle/neural for the choke and high idle mechanism to work the way it should. 3) you skipped 3 ? 4) high idle only needs to be as high as needed to keep the engine running on a cold start. I believe in an old holly tuning guide I have it said you should need the high idle more than 500 RPM above your warm idle. 5) As the choke mechanism warms up it drops the high idle cam but the throttle needs to be above the high idle cam so the cam can move and drop out of the way. So if you did a cold start and let the engine warm up you would need to move the throttle above the high idle just barely for the high idle cam to drop out of the way. Then you can lower the throttle to idle again and you will be off the high idle. 6) you should use a vacuum gauge to adjust the idle mixture screws. One turn out from all the way in is a good starting point. Idle screws are adjusted with a fully warm engine and on the base idle. Connect the vacuum gauge to manifold vacuum port, adjust one idle screw at a time while watching the vacuum gauge. The goal is to get the highest vacuum measurement possible, you may need to adjust the screw in or out.

@bwoody just in case you see one while you are searching, in 2002 Malibu made the Diamond hull an option on the Sunsetter. It was the only year they did it but the running surface is identical to the LXI, they just removed the stepped area under the trunk that is on the LXI. I had one because the Sunsetter LXI wouldn’t fit in my garage and I didn’t like the fact you had to crawl over the Response LX dash to get in the bow.

Maybe a different (automotive) engineers take. In my career as a calibration engineer we adjusted parameters in the software to deal with different operating conditions. At some point we freeze the adjustable parameters, usually but not always, when we have met our performance targets. However there is a section in the software that performs adaptation of the parameters we froze to deal with certain variability that is usually specific to one vehicle/engine/transmission. I look at having adjustability on a waterski as I do adaptation logic in software. It changes the settings based on a set of criteria to correct for variability we as engineers know exists but cannot exactly characterize in the software. On a waterski I think that variability is the skier. Some skiers feel the need to constantly change settings, some find their comfort by staying with stock settings, others make small changes with meticulous care. More adjustments on a ski parallels some things I’ve seen in my engineering career, as technology or capabilities of our tools advance we find new variables that can have a beneficial influence. From a skier perspective, I’m not at a skill level where I want more degrees of freedom for user adjustable parameter but as an engineer I welcome them as it’s an evolution in technology. As skiers we will benefit.

@NSski just curious if you're looking for something different or specifically want to vacation in Michigan?

Whitmore Lake has a public access point and a the lakes ski team or club maintains the course. Pine Lake used to have a course, it may still have one but I’m not really sure the lake has a public access point. Public courses are pretty limited in the SE Michigan area. DNR makes it pretty hard to get a course in the water.