That's definitely possible--hadn't thought of that. It had just over
1/2 a tank, which was probably in there from last summer or fall. It
was professionally winterized, so I would think they would have added a
stabilizer, but stale gas is a definite possibility. That engine calls
for minimum 89 octane if I understand right. Not required, but would
premium make a difference?

Modern gasoline blends are inherently unstable. They start to lose their
potency in a matter of weeks, and can start to turn to varnish in a matter
of months, if not stabilized. As gas ages, it loses octane. That engine
has a pre-detonation detector and will retard the timing if it detects
pre-detonation. Pre-detonation is a direct result of gas with too low an
octane. So, stale gas could cause a marginal loss of performance. Probably
no reason to run premium, unless you expected the gas in the tank to not be
consumed for a long period of time. Premium starts out with a higher octane
and therefore the loss of octane due to aging would be less problematic.


4. What lake were you on when did you do the 4500 ft. test?

Utah Lake. Minimal winds, water pretty smooth. Elevation 4559.

I was on that lake briefly one time in the mid-70's. Did a lake test of a
boat that was purchased from a dealer in the area. I was living in Las
Vegas at the time, and the boat was to be used on Lake Mead.



Thanks again for all the good info. Do you have any opinion of
Monterey or the 262?


I'm afraid I don't. I really haven't had any direct exposure to any
Monterey boats.