Inboardfix

I'm confused. All 3 of the girls mentioned are in G2. Why wasn't Neilly involved in the run off?

@toddf I have 2 new 66" and 4 new 64" Sixam 2.0s left. Both sizes are the blue top (2008 model skis) so she won't like the look but will love the way they ski. Last year I tried several of the new latest and greatest skis including the Strada and ended up back on the Sixam so I can definitely relate to her experience.

@OB Thanks for the order and the nice comments, much appreciated. @Richarddoanne Look forward to seeing the "test video". @Thager Glad your ice finally left so you're able to put the buoys to work.

@Wish No, buoys are not shipped painted. Point well taken concerning adding water. Haven't tried it. One of the features I liked about the buoy was not having to fool w/filling them w/water. However, if it makes a significant difference in safety than it would be worth a try. @Jim Neely Hoping to have pictures on the web real soon. Haven't posted a picture on here before so not sure what's involved. I'll try to find the "how to" in @Horton's instructions and get something on here (both painted and not). In the meantime I'd be glad to email some to you (let me know your email).

@OB Guess it would be a lot easier to explain if our buoy website was up and the pictures of our course with half the boat guides painted and the other half not would explain what we're doing with the paint. No we aren't selling the Turnsoft as a boat guide and then painting them yellow. We're offering orange paint (actually it is a flourescent orange which is why it is more expensive than the yellow and green) for the turn buoys whether they be Turnsoft or some other brand. However, if you'd like to use the Turnsoft buoy as a boat guide and then paint them yellow that is fine w/me, your boat will be safer. You pilots are all about safety, right? Tonight I'll ask my IT director (wife) if she will post the pictures of our course with the Polyform boat guides/pre-gates painted and you'll see how we're recommending the paint be used.

@OB the paint is so you can see the boat guides and pre-gates. Turnsoft buoys are only available in orange. @wish It is brushed on. @skibug If you're happy w/Krylon great. My bet is you'd be impressed with the paint we offer and never use Krylon again.

@wish Yes, paint is a separate product. Yellow and Green (for the pre-gates not timing @OB) are $24.95 a qrt and orange is $29.95. @skihart Thanks for the call will get the buoys out today.

@skihart Not sure what other information to provide other than the comments above. It is a traditional style buoy but squeezzable like Charmin. Working on a stand alone website just for the buoys and paint but it isn't ready. @OB, @Deanoski As mentioned the website for the buoys isn't ready. So for right now orders can be made the old fashioned way with a phone call (three, three, four) three, zero, one, two, seven, two, nine or email and Paypal. My website is: www.inboardfix.com and all my contact information is at the site. Thanks for the interest and I'll look forward to hearing from you. Tim

@MattP Definitely, two years ago my daughter started taking skiing seriously. At the time we were using the traditional buoys w/o water. Immediately, I filled them w/2 qrts water as I was concerned w/having a new skier without fear going for that one more buoy. As it turned out I was the one who hit the water filled buoy and took a bad crash (thankfully no serious injury). So, the quest began. Bubble Buoys weren't an option because of the shallowness of our lake and fluctuating level (one end will get down to just over 3'). Tried Wally but didn't like the red. Spoke w/2 manufacturers and after several attempts we came up with the Turnsoft this winter/spring. We feel it has the best ratio of softness to durability in addition to being a bright orange which can be seen in tough visability conditions. After initial testing we thought we'd get 2 seasons of colorfastness but that has proven to be a generous estimate. However, we've found a paint which actually chemically bonds to the buoy and is relatively inexpensive ( $25-30 depending on color will paint approx 40 buoys to slightly below waterline). This stuff is bulletproof and we have a set of boat guides which have been in a Florida lake for 9 months now and compared to a freshly painted buoy you can't tell a difference (had them on display at the Masters). We feel our combination of the Turnsoft and paint gives skiers an opportunity to have a safer product than any other traditional buoy that lasts a long time compared to anything which has been available too date. BTW, the paint will bond w/the other buoys as well and probably the BB but we haven't tested it on them. Pricing for the Turnsoft is $9.99 each or for 24 or more $8.49 ea.

@ob those are the Turnsoft buoys. There are 3 Ballers I know of using them so hopefully they'll chime in w/their thoughts compared to any other traditional buoy. I'm biased because they are my buoy but there isn't a softer traditional buoy available.

AM is using the Turnsoft ski buoy. They are not Wally buoys. Much softer than Wally, uses less air than Wally and they are orange not red so can actually be seen by us old farts at dusk. Both my daughter and I have run them over and kept skiing. Best traditional style buoy by far IMO.

@drago, you're right they don't stretch but what 6 year old loads the line? There is not a better teaching tool for a lightweight skier. This wasn't my idea at all but rather Brenda Baldwin's and it works great. All my children learned w/spectra including my current 6 year old who is running the inner buoys on combos. Once they start running the course in the upper 20 mph range we make the switch to a junior line. Spectra will make skiing more fun for the 6 year old because the line isn't dragging in the water.

Since she is not working on the course I'd recommend using a spectra mainline which is used in wakeboarding. It is much lighter than even the youth rope and pretty much eliminates the rope dipping in the water or catching a wake. Once she starts working on the course then definitely get a youth rope.

Agree w/@Ed_johnson 100%. As you shorten the rope a smaller/better sized ski for 150 lb will make a difference. Especially now that the high end skis tend to have more surface area for the size than in the past (wider forebody and even wider tails on some skis, i.e. Quest, Nano).

@Horton Didn't mean to come across as upset. My eldest daughter was standing behind me reading my comments and laughed which is really what I had hoped you and @MS would do. Not upset in the least.

@MS your earlier comment, "Eliminate 41 and go to 42 after 39.5 but you may have to start over with the record books if 42 can not be run. ", indicates you believe a 10m pass may not be possible to run yet you "disliked" my last post. Seems contradictory, you know 10m is quite possibly beyond the physical limits, so most definitely 9.75 is well beyond the limits, but want to stick w/a system which purports ambivalence toward the real capabilities of our sport/athletes. Doesn't make sense. I would like to "dislike" your "dislike" of my last post. @horton is that possible?

@horton, @shane made the perfect comment about why 2@9.75 isn't a true representation of the real best score/capabilities of the best skiers. There are several pro skiers who could get 2@9.75 but haven't put 10.25 together in a tournament. 2@9.75 isn't exciting to me because it isn't a true reflection of the limits of our top skiers. How can 2@9.75 be the limit if several top skiers are able to reach it? Our current process of determining the WR only lets us know who can run 10.25. It doesn't let us know the best score possible. Having a 10m line will let the guys who can run 10.25 truly know who is the best. Sure it will mean an asterix beside the 2@9.75 score but as time passes that won't be a big deal. Personally, I'd be surprised if anyone could get through 10m but am sure we'd see deep 10m scores.

During the development of our current rope shortening was 43 off really considered possible? For that matter was 41 off considered possible. My thought is when the rope lengths were determined 39.5 was probably the shortest line anyone could envision being run so anything shorter was just arbitrarily determined. Now that 41 has been run often it seems the jump to 43 is too great a change to get incremental increases. Dare I say it to this crowd but watching attempts at 43 is boring to me. I know the best anyone will do is maybe, just maybe if the stars align right the skier will get to 2. I would much rather see a smaller line length change and watch skiers have an opportunity to get 3, 4 or possibly even run the pass. Isn't that the intent of shortening? Make it more difficult but not to such an extreme the chance to run the pass is virtually eliminated.

Hi Tom, Correct, '02 boats use/used the Teleflex gauges. When CC went to the Faria gauges in '03 is when the Limited and Team Ed required the Gateway. Break some ice and ski.

Haven't meant to ignore this post but spring has sprung and the shop is wide open. Pricing for the conversion has increased significantly since @thager did the 1st kit. As of the Feb 1st PCM price increase the parts required to do a conversion are as follows: PCM parts $2600.48 for '02-'05 EX/5.7 engines ($200-$300 less for a 2006 dbw) Zero Off unit $1590 kit + $15 power harness + $25 CAN harness Shipping $ 100.00 approx If the boat is a Limited or Team Edition the Gateway box must be replaced. This pricing has gone up considerably as well and is now $850.00. Additionally, the labor is a little more since several of the pins in the Deutch connectors must be changed/swapped in order for the gauges to work properly. This isn't a real complicated change but does require a good bit of time (10-12 hours is usual). Hope this information clears things up and please let me know if you'd like any additional information. Tim White

@ral my guess is @mwetskier is referring to the days when skiers would get special makeup skis or even more common when a company would put a top/graphic of their "new" ski they were trying to promote on the bottom of whatever ski the skier liked. This was very common in the '80s and '90s. Not sure if it is still done today but it wouldn't surprise me. Companies need to sell their new stuff and skiers need to ski on what gives them the best chance to win/perform well. Sometimes the 2 needs aren't met so a company may need to be creative. Not saying it still happens but if it did I wouldn't consider it a bad thing.

@Horton, 2 weeks ago Friday Pete told me he had an Endo for me sitting in his office. Did I believe him? No, but it sounded good. If you're having lunch w/him at their new building don't take the ski in his office, it's mine!

Drew is really high on the new O'brien Endo 67" (65.5 and 68.5 haven't changed). Both he and Glenn are skiing really well on it.

There is a difference between when GM stops production and the last year the 5.7 will be available in an inboard boat. GT40 production ceased in '98 but were available until mid '02. According to GM officials at one of largest boat shows in the country, the 5.7 will stop being produced after the 2014 model year. Since there is a proven, albeit more expensive, alternative to the 5.7 I don't know whether or not an inboard manufacturer will buy up a warehouse full of 5.7s to keep them available for years after production has stopped like PCM did with the 5.8. Also, it is possible GM will change their mind. Doubt it but it is possible.

@rico Most people would consider something superior if it performs as well or better than the product it replaces but last longer. The Teleflex Extreme cable and helm are a superior product to what CC used from '93-'97.