"Chuck" wrote in news:1120403704.575218.289090
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Help! We recently bought a 1996 Chris Craft Concept 17 'Fish n Ski'
boat. It has a 115 HP Outboard motor on it. I've had the motor fully
serviced.

Yesterday we were trying to pull a 140lb skier on it. The boat really
struggled to pull the skier out the water. We had two other people in
the boat - both weighing about 220lbs each. The gas tank was about
1/2
full.

If the boat is undersized or if its some technique that we are doing
wrong - - I'd appeciate the feedback.



Something is definitely wrong... I grew up skiing behing a 17' Glastron
with a 75 merc, there were always two folks in the boat (120 - 160lbs)
and it would get me (220 lbs) up on a slalom ski (not easy, but you get
the concept).

Even poorly trimmed and with a dirty bottom it should give you a good
start. Is the motor running well? Do you have a WAY too big prop on
the boat (how it the hole shot with no skiier)? If the motor is OK, the
you may want to try dropping the pitch of the prop, but watch that you
don't redline the engine (RPMs too high), especially when you are going
fast without a skier).

Check with a prop shop, they may be willing to trade/load you a used
prop of lower pitch to try.

In any case the prop should not have any marine growth on it, clean it
if it does, the same for the bottom, remove any growth (this is only
likely if you keep the boat in the water)

One other thing, is your bilge empty? 500 or 1000 lbs of bilge water
will definitely slow you down...

As far as technique, take up the slack and depending on the boat motor,
when the skier signals, smoothly advance the throttle all the way (you
might not need all of the power, you will learn). As soon as the skier
is 'up', that is on top of the water, smoothly retard the throttle to
achieve the right speed (around 25 - 32 mph for sport skiing, the skier
should signal thumbs up or down for speed. finger across neck for 'cut',
etc). The trick is to not hit the throttle too fast (unduly yanking the
skier), or too slowly (dragging is awful); then backing off smoothly so
that the skier is not jerked around as you achieve the right speed.
It's just practice, pull any reasonably practiced skier and s/he'll get
you straightened out in 10 min.

Do read up on ski driving, do be careful and watch out for everything,
make sure that you observer does just that (not watching other things,
the observer should watch the skier and the traffic behind you, with an
ocassional glance all 'round to back you up looking forward with an
ocassional glance all 'round). Do learn to circle a downed skier so
that you pass the skier on your (the driver's) side and so that the line
goes to the skier. Be careful of the prop, it is always safest to turn
off the motor as skiers go overboard or get aboard, one accidentaly bump
on the lever could be disasterous.

Good Luck,

Steve