markn

4 sets this week and managed 12 passes on the 4th set. So lucky to live in central Florida now, but do remember the days of dry suits and ice cold water back in Indiana. Even though it was frigid, still loved it! You guys up North are tough!

Great post and way to honor our fathers. My dad was a WWII vet who was wounded, was in the OSS (before the CIA), wrote his high school Code, was on the Board of the I.U. Kelly School of Business and a ton of other amazing accomplishments. Hell of an athlete who instilled a competitive drive in me. He too worked hard, never complaining and so unassuming and modest. I think that is just the way that generation was. Wish I was half the man he was.

Holy crap @Clydesdale ! The barefoot segment of that video was from the bridge between Lake Minnehaha and Lake Palatlakaha here in Clermont. How old is that video???

Capacity of a 196 is 6 people or xxxx lbs. Simply include verbage stating no boat can exceed legal capacity....

My correction is -10.5 . Without corrective contacts, I can't see the tip of my ski. Have always used contacts for skiing. ( I wear contacts all the time...hate glasses as I had to start wearing them in first grade.) With bad turn, yes, you can get some spray in your eyes but just lean harder, pull longer and look for the next orange blob..that is where you turn. Good luck with your return to tournament skiing.

As long as you are RFF.

Feel like I am walking the beaches in Acapulco with everyone asking for a hand out....

Cool to see fellow ballers into guitars as well. @OTF awesome guitar build and @swc5150 pretty sweet looking axe. Being an old rocker...my musical tastes are old as is my equipment!

@Clydesdale dancing....now THAT is a hauting visual.....

Had a fun set a Swiss today....great way to start the new year. Pretty windy, but loved it. @Clydesdale hung over huh? Celebrating your victory at the Swiss New Year tourney?? The way you and Jack skied, you desereve it!

Have to respectfully disagree with @Horton regarding the 55's. Have never used them on my course and ignore them at tournaments or other practice sites. Guess I am one of the old folks @RGilmore ! Ha.

Shout out to Clint and Valerie Stadlbauer and Patrice Legay (driver/coach) at Swiss. They just hosted the 6th annual New Years eve fun team tournament for all their guests. (15 skiers) With the creative handicap system, it made the event a blast for the teams and each skier. @Clydesdale and his son Jack, carried the load for Team USA #2 to a first place finish. Best wishes to all for the new year.

Final follow-up. Went out this morning and skied. Boat has the 180 degree thermostat. Again, the gauge accuracy was confirmed with the help of @Clydesdale. Temp rose to 161 and stayed there the entire set. Looks like problem solved.....at least for now.

Set on Lake Minnehaha Chrismas eve morning. A bit windy with a cold front coming, but 67 degrees. Merry Christmas to all.

@Zman I do intend to look into the thermostat housing. Don't like to throw parts at a problem....just wanted to ski! Thanks to everyone for the help and insight. This forum is a wealth of knowledge and experience.

@S1Pitts Legit question. The last two thermostats were PCM 160 degree. At the suggestion of Jody, went to Autozone, got a 180 degree for about $7.00, installed it and boom, about 155 degree coolant tmep and confirmed the accuracy of the guage.

A special thanks to @Clydesdale for his electrical engineering expertise. With his help, he confirmed the temp gauge on the dash is reading correctly. So I can use that as actual engine coolant temp. Not sure why, but the 180 degree thermostat is keeping the temps around 156, so right where it should be. At least I will know if the operating temps increase, I can put the 160 degree thermostat back in. Sincerely appreciate all the help and input. Now I have confidence in the boat operating temp.

Skiing a new PB is always rewarding. Congrats! And behind a "new driver" too. Good skiing. Watched your video numerous times and saw many very positive aspects to your skiing. If you can work on the following, there is no doubt you will get into 28 if not run it. 1. Slower turn in for the gate. Your first movement is "back" and quick. Slowly build angle and lean and maintain balance over both feet. 2. Going to 1,3, 5 (off side) tendency is to ski to buoy then turn. Ski as wide as you can away from the boat and buoy. Keep ski going outbound to maintain space. 3. If you look at your off side, you grab the handle at the buoy even before the turn is complete. Part of that is due to being narrow as you come out of the turn. As soon as you grab the handle, that is the end of gaining additional angle out of the turn as you have already applied pressure of the rope. Again, ski wide, complete the turn, establish your angle then "ride the line" to the other side. 4. You exit the turns with an initally good position, but particularly going into the white water from your off side turn, you come up and pull in your arms. (from the looks of the wake, you are skiing a 1990-1996 Nautique hull, so the wake can be a bit larger than new boats, but keep your weight over the ski and keep your edge all the way through the second wake and you will be wide. You have a good foundation and the desire to improve. With some tweaks and additional work, your buoy count will increase. These are just my observations and I am sure other ballers will have even greater insight. Again, congrats on the new PB and best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

Update: Did not have 170 degree so went with 180 degree. Installed and temp rose to 151, so am assuming when under load should be good. Only concern I have is if the guage is accurate and will be checking output ohms on temp sensor in the next day or two. My sincere thanks to all you guys for the help. Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and an happy, healthy and prosperous Covid free New Year.

OK gentlemen of much greater experience and mechanical knowledge than me....I am off to buy a 170 degree thermostat....and while I am in there, will take a close look at the housing. Again, my thanks for the help!

@Jody_Seal Holy crap, I thought you were kidding about the by-pass getting enlarged. That can really occur? Engine was put in in 2016 so that would be a ton of corrosion in a short period of time, but I will sure take a look. Thanks.

Status update. Installed the new temp sensor and let engine run for a good 10 minutes.....130 degrees. Did ski before new temp sender installed and engine performed perfectly, but never read above 130 on guage. So new thermostat and new temp sender with no change. Maybe corrosion on the guage reducing signal. Will continue the cause. Thanks to all for the help and insight.

If you are "fairly open" to year/model, there is a 2006 Nautique 196 with 201 hours for $26,500. Convert to ZO for around $5-6k and you have a pretty darn good, low hour ZO slalom machine. (No affiliation)

@Clydesdale Thanks for your kind offer...but you are assuming I would know how to use them! Ha. If after the new temp sender installation the problem remains, I will take you up on your kind offer...as long as you agree to let me take you out for a set or two in gratitude....or at least a pntoon booze cruze.

@DW Was lucky the rotations were still correct despite the wrong belt installation. @Gloersen took your advice and removed the temp sender, cleaned with wire brush and brake cleaner. Cleaned all connectors and made certain fitting was tight, started boat......140 degrees. I have ordered a new sender from Nautique and it should arrive Tuesday. Will install and report back. Sincerely appreciate all the technical expertise on this site from you guys. I am not much of a mechanic....I just want to ski!