ZO Repower in New England area?

Than_Bogan

Having realized that I'm not willing to offer nearly enough to get a newish boat*, I'm giving much more serious consideration to repowering my 2005 SN196 for Zero Off.

Anybody do that in New England? Other comments/advice?

*Or, if somebody has a way to sell me a 2013 Carbon Pro (for delivery next season) for $38k, let me know! I tried a little to make a pre-buy promo deal and found my number was several thousand short.

Horton

come on man you are in MIT PhD break out the text books and build something from scratch

Jody_Seal

A Re-power? or conversion?

gregy

@than_bogan what engine do you have in the 05.

Than_Bogan

@jody_seal I am clueless. What are the options?

Basically I'm thinking if I can get this boat running ZO, I'll really have NO reason to get a new one. And with boat prices where they are, along with Carbon Pro future resale value being uncertain, keeping this boat for a long time looks pretty attractive.

@Horton You know guys from MIT can't actually build anything!

The_MS

@Than I think what Jody is saying is that ZO does not need to have your 196 re powered if you have the PCM 5.7 Excalibur engine. You just need to modify a few things to make it happen.

gregy

@than_bogan check this link out for a ZO conversion.

http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/comment/112046

ForrestGump

Repower is changing the engine. If it's an 05, it should have the PCM Excalibur 343 at a minimum(probably), which means a new ECM, throttle body, associated harness, ZO and you're good to go.

The_MS

@Shane it is probably the PCM 5.7l with the 330HP PCM. I think the 343 came out in late 07 or 08.

ForrestGump

Yeah, I mean to write 330 and wrote 343 instead.

lpskier

Why not just sell your 05 and buy and 07? 07 is drive by wire. Gotta think that is an easier and cheaper solution.

eleeski

@Than_Bogan Get a new boat. I just got back from a lake full of repowered old 196s. Yuck. They are still old 196s. I had to bring my MC to the tournament because the hulls are totally out of currency (note that an old MC with ZO is the same hull so is easier to get an exception to allow an older boat in tournaments). The trick wake still sucks on the old 196 (but the adverse condition training was good for me). If you want to do anything other than training slalom, new is the way to go.

Or go really old. Find a boat with a tired engine and totally repower. The hull will be fully depreciated, you'll get a discount for the engine to apply to the repower and you won't be throwing out a good Perfect Pass. Save money on property tax, tow car gas and loan payments - maybe the kneeboards, wakeboards and trick skis you buy will wipe out the savings but you'll have fun.

Eric

Chef23

@eleeski all @Than_Bogan cares about is a slalom tractor. I don't think he is going to let his kids have trick skis.

Than_Bogan

What are trick skis?

(damn I'm funny)

Chef23

@Than_Bogan I am going to do my best to corrupt them.

Than_Bogan

@Chef23 Fine with me -- as long as *I* don't have to trick!

Jody_Seal

Yea! Might have to roll that old water-ski crumudgen into the shade! Some one mentions trick boats and he just cant take it!

Tim At inboard solutions has a complete E-control conversion and "De-St-ructions" to convert any PCM EX 2002-2006 over to utilize Zero Off.

A number of my customers that have pre Excalibur and MCX powered boats have made the decision to re -power and install ZO in their older pre 05 boats. Apparently not a bad way to get current feel speed control in a perfectly great skiing boat! Well under the bar of buying a 4 year old ZO boat.

Waternut

Man you guys make me feel like I'm on welfare. I feel like the hero of the day with a boat from the 80's with perfect pass. Come on here and people are complaining about the pull and wake from a 2005 boat...haha

The_MS

Thager redid his 02 196 to ZO and it feels just like our 09 196. Way cheaper than buying a new one or even a 07.

Than_Bogan

@Jody_Seal Awesome! Got a # or link or email for Tim at Inboard Solutions? And where is it (or does he travel so it doesn't matter?)

Than_Bogan

@Waternut Personally I think the pull/wake on my boat are GREAT. But I think there are some slight benefits to practicing with ZO all the time. I ski about half my sets on it (on my ski partner's boat), which seems to be "enough," and is one reason I'm not willing to offer a lot to "upgrade" my boat to something newer.

Jody_Seal

@Than I am not sure you understand, Tim Provides the kit---You install.
http://inboardsolutionsllc.com/Inboard_Solutions/Zero_Off_Conversions.html

Than_Bogan

@Jody_Seal AHA! You were correct that I did not understand. Thanks so much for the link!

Chef23

@Than_Bogan we installed PP classic on my boat (well really @rayn did most of the work). My guess is that it probably isn't that much more complicated than installing PP.

thager

@Than_Bogan. It is so easy even an MIT Grad could do it! Tim is the man to talk to.

thager

That was odd!!!???

acmx

@thager, did the head unit mount come with the kit?

The_MS

@Thager Nice photos.

thager

@MS I have no idea how I did that. Thx! Ice gone yet?

Bruce_Butterfield

Rico,

I re-powered my '97 SN last year and it works great. It skis just like any newer Nautique. It works out to $10k give or take a little depending on how much work you do yourself and how much you can get for the old engine.

Jody was a huge help in the conversion.

thager

@acmx The head unit comes with the kit. The upholstery it sits in, I built myself out of vinyl and pvc tubing from Menards. It sits in the cup holder.