markn

Foxriverat, That is a very reasonable question approaching the guy. Yes, several years ago, we did as you did discussed. We gave him the number for Overtons, miami nautique and all the info needed. Whenever approached about skiing the course with missing buoys, his response is ALWAYS the same; "oh yeah, where do I get the buoys? I need to get some." I have given up on expecting contributions toward repairs. I would have thought he could have least helped out with the boat issue. That is what pissed me off, but i gave up long ago on expecting him to help out. At this point, I have vented enough and will let it go. Thanks to all for reading the thread and your support. MWN #entrancegatesmatter

Dang, you guys are the best. We used to have an accu-sink and would laugh as he tried to get a set in before it sank. (that course is long gone) Even if I took off a few buoys, I have watched him go ahead and ski without replacing boat guides, turn buoys and entrance gate buoys. With your help and a few therapy sessions.....I think I am getting over it! Thanks. MWN #entrancegatesmatter.

Hemlock, yes we do have all the safety gear in the boat, but the lake is 2400 acres with the course on the east side and our house on the west side. LONG paddle home! This was the one and only time in 30 years of boating a nautique has ever broken down. As I recall, it was a sensor failure. The sensor thought the boat was "in gear" and hence would not start. Thanks again to all for the kind words. And you all are welcome on my course ANYTIME. MWN #entrancegatesmatter

Wow, reading all your remarks has restored my faith in skiers. Wish I had you ballers on my lake....first class skiers/folks Thanks again for letting me vent and sorry to read many of you have also experienced some bad encounters as well.

Have to vent as this has bugged me since it took place. I obtained a permit for a course on our lake. Since the course was put in 12 years ago at entirely my expense, I have maintained it; replacing buoys, broken cables (damn wake board boats) anchor lines...you name it...again by myself. My wife and I were out early one morning and right before my last pass, the boat died. Numerous attempts to start the boat failed. As no other boats were in sight at the time, the only option was to swim 250 yards to shore and run barefoot and wearing a life jacket 2.5 miles home and get our pontoon boat to tow it in. The winds were blowing our boat away from shore and into the middle of the lake. As I made it to shore, I glanced back and saw my wife was ok and began my run. In the mean time, and this is what just infuriates me, a skier approaches the course. This skier has used our course for 12 years; never contributing so much as a buoy for repairs or offering to help in any way. (have even given him buoys and zip ties for repairs). My wife flags him down (by this time I am into my run and cannot see the lake) and tells him I am running home to get the pontoon. He has the b@lls to tell my wife he is in a hurry and he is going to ski first BEFORE he helps. He proceeds to ski for about 15 minutes and then, rather than towing our boat, makes my wife SWIM to his boat, leaving our boat to continue drifting and then takes her to our house. My wife jumps in the car and I am 1/2 block from our house where she picks me up. We get the pontoon, recover the ski boat and get both back to the boathouse. Can you believe this? I have NEVER seen a more blatant lack of courtesy, kindness or just plan politeness in my life. And this Pri@#k STILL uses the course, waiting at the FAR end of the lake until we are LONG gone. Too bad it is a public lake and I cannot tell him he cannot use it. Thank you for allowing me to vent...thanks to the ballofspray forum, I feel better, but still pissed! #entancegatesmatter MWN

Jody is the ZO conversion KING. Jody converted my 2004 Limited 196 way back in 2009 and it has worked flawlessly since installation. Thanks again Jody!! MWN

Rather than looking at price, look at "cost". I purchased for cash a 2004 196 limited for around $32K in 2004. ZO was added for about $3k in 2009. So my ZO boat cost $35K. Have used the boat for 13 years and 1100 hours. In 2017, the boat required a new engine due to over-heating issues caused by plugged cooling jackets. I evaluated the cost of a newer Nautique 200 vs. the cost of an engine replacement. After looking at the numbers, we replaced the engine and transmission (longer story) for about $9000. So I am $43000 into the boat in 14 years. Figure the boat is worth $25K so my cost of ownership over 14 years is only $1,285 per year. (does not factor in potential revenue if invested, but hey, this money was invested in FUN.) Fortunate enough to be able to buy a new boat if I chose, but do not see any advantage. No question a 200 tracks better than the 196, but I run the same buoy counts at Swiss Ski School behind the 2017 Masters 200 that I run behind my 196. The only difference is I run A2+ on my older 196 and A2 on the newer 200. Point being, an older boat with ZO is a darn good alternative to the price/cost of a newer boat and I do not believe there is a disadvantage in skiing behind older boats that are ZO equipped for slalom training. MWN Oh, and #entrygatesmatter

Perhaps I am getting old and crusty, but how is what you describe a "tournament"? Currently in a tournament, the course has entrance and exit gates, the boat path is defined and controlled with end course video, the "score" is achieved by buoy count and hence the ranking. Each division is typically driven by the same driver....same conditions. Your proposal would be the antithesis of current tournament protocol described above. Certainly agree your concept might entice more skiers to participate in an event, but in my view, this would not be a tournament as they are currently defined. It could be a very fun event, but not a tournament per say. I too do not like to witness the slow demise of the sport, but an analogy would be playing a round of golf where you could tee off anywhere, putt on a green with a 2 foot diameter hole and play the hole over again. Yes, you are on a golf course and having fun, but you are not playing the game of golf as defined by the established and respected rules of the game.

So sorry. Not able to help out. The course in questions was pulled 2 years ago and is long gone. MWN

I have a buddy who had a cable course and converted to anchored. I will contact on your behalf and see if he still has the old cable course. MWN (course is in New Hampshire)

Also check your rope! Was at Swiss Ski school the other day with a "travelling rope". Driver said "that loop only has about 10 sets left on it and you will need a new rope". While in a hard lean to 4 ball at 38...Kaboom! Loop broke. Guess the driver was off by 9.5 passes!

My nautique 196 has the 2 puck ZO. I ski A2+ on my 196. Have the opportunity to ski at Swiss Ski School behind the 2017 Masters 6.2 liter single puck boat and I run A2. The pull from the single puck system feels slightly firmer, but that could also be the 6.2 liter vs. my 5.7 liter. On A2+, the 6.2 liter single puck does feel firmer.

ZO has been around for a long time now and I can't believe it has taken me this long to use practice mode for bare footing. I must be REALLY slow on the up-take. If any recreational footers have not tried it yet, give it a go. Pretty cool. MWN

Like Horton said. With a fin that long, deep and the short DFT, that 68 inch ski will feel like a 72 inch ski. Go back to factory settings as a start. Your ski will feel much quicker, turn more easily all while requiring less effort. Good luck. MWN

Congratulations. Your first 6 completed buoys is a huge accomplishment. Looks like a winning combination of desire, effort, athletic ability and great coaching. Nicely done!

You could use a hydro-hoist lift system. We used one in Indiana on an Army Corps Lake that would not allow anything to touch "their lake bed". We used a floating dock with the lift. Worked great. MWN

There are a few 67 inch Mapple t3's on SIA. In that you have been on a Mapple designed SIXAM, the transition to the T3 would be very easy. Good luck with your search. MWN

WOW, 17 foot vault no matter when it was is darn impressive. Remember using the old fiberglass Sky-pole or the really cool black Catapolt poles back when I vaulted in high school. Never got past 11 feet. Guess I was a 15 off vaulter and you were a 39 off vaulter! Good luck in Reno.

Properly installed steering cable should rectify your issue. Think I have replaced mine 3 times in 1000 hours.

Nice skiing and some some impressive driving too.

OK, my bad. I did not look closely enough at the bags. You are correct on the weights. My sincere apologies. MWN

I am cheap. I just buy 25 or 50 lb. bags of water softener salt...and they even have a carrying handle. MWN

Second day on the new Mapple T3. Ok, full disclosure: my site, my driver (wife) who is darn good and I get lucky and run 39 maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Nothing has changed except I went from my 3.5 year old Mapple T1 to the Mapple T3. First try down the line: 32, 35, 38, 39, 2 @ 41. (run 39 first try on a new ski? Really??) I was actually shocked. We checked the rope twice. ZO time: 16:95. Got excited and tried another 39....only .5. Then 3 @ 39 tail, then ran another 39 head. One BIG difference is the angle and outbound direction through the gates and into one ball. Not certain if it is the ski and difference in the set up, but there is TONS more room going to one ball due to better angle and speed maintained through the gates and in the pre-turn (Again, this is day 2, so it is ALL ski, not me!). This ski, at least for me, is nothing short of phenomenal. No ski (even when the GOAT set up my previous Mapple skis) has EVER made such a dramatic improvement in my buoy count and skiing. #AM FOREVER!!! (My wife told me to buy another one for a back-up she is so impressed!) MWN

Have been on a Mapple T1 for three years and have been reluctant to go to a new ski. Tried several other high end skis and always found my trusty T1 to still work best for me. But after 3 years and a ton of passes, figured a change might be in order. I am 6' 2", weigh 185 lbs and ski at 34 mph. The new 67" T3 arrived yesterday and I checked all settings: binder: 29.5, DFT: .77, Depth: 2.483, Length: 6.820, wing 9 degrees. (The stock settings on the web site were Depth: 2.49, Length: 6.83) so I was pretty darn close to stock settings. Again, I have never been on a T3 and this was my FIRST set. Opened at 28 off. The ski felt very lively and seemed to ride higher in the water. Pulled out for the gates and the ski seemed to hunt for an edge in the glide. (after a few passes, no longer an issue). Due to being a new ride, took the turns easy and worked behind the boat. The ski was exceptionally fast out of the turn and generated a ton of speed when one applied lean. Second pass (again 28) had more confidence as the ski felt solid and very predictable. Shorted to 32 and noticed speed was maintained through the turn making cross-course speed easier to maintain and/or generate. Shorted to 35 off and then it got REALLY fun. The ski responds to skier input very predictably and the more you "direct" the ski, the more it responds....but again, predictably. The onside turn was absolutely amazing and created tons of space going to the off-side. Ran another 35 and then shorted to 38. Again, this is my first set on this ski. Ran back-to-back 38's on this rocket ship! Noticed on the off-side, if you turn the ski hard, the tip remains down, generates a ton of angle, but does not lose speed. Think this may be one of the best aspects of the ski....quick, fast turns that maintain speed making it easier to get to the other side early. The ski did require less effort than my T1. In summary: VERY fast, predictable ski with exceptional on-side turn, generates a ton of angle while maintaining speed. On factory settings, the ski is awesome. I may do some minor tweaking, but not much is needed. Wish I would not have waited so long to get on one. This thing rips. MWN

I put my pucks through the air intake vents to avoid drilling. Is that an option for you? MWN