20' Show Ski Triple for the Waterboard Warriors

It has been suggested to me to put more information on this blog about the Dyna-Ski boats we build for show ski teams even though many folks interested in Dyna-Ski Boats are not likely to purchase one of these specialty water ski boats.  We do learn things from the folks buying and using these powerful tow boats.  Similar construction techniques and materials are used in all the Dyna-Ski Boats we build. The 20' Models are all built from the same hull mold.

The show ski tow boats are intended to safely pull lots of water skiers all at the same time. Show ski clubs have many acts in their shows so the boats are called on to pull everything from one skier to pyramids with many skiers.  There are show ski clubs all over the world although the vast majority of them are in the US and Midwest area. If you have never seen a ski show you owe it to yourself to take one in if you can.  The most well known is the Tommy Bartlett professional ski show in Wisconsin Dells on Lake Delton.  The water ski show clubs are much bigger shows often times with many more skiers than the Bartlett show though.

http://www.tommybartlett.com/

The Waterboard Warriors triple motored Dyna-Ski 20' Closed Bow we just finished up is a very slick powerful tow boat.  It has three 250 HO Evinrude E-Tec Engines. The Dyna-Ski boat has Evinrude I-Con engine monitoring and control system which uses a single data cable instead of six mechanical cables and associated wiring to control all three engines. The I-Con System is pricey but provides awesome control of the motors. We almost always put a GPS Speedometer on Dyna-Ski boats and this system has it also. There are only 2 controls for the three motors making the boat very easy to drive. 

http://www.evinrude.com/en/ICON

Teleflex Hydaulic steering is used on most models of Dyna-Ski Boats.  This tow boat has an optional power assist unit to make the three motors as easy to steer as your vehicle even with over 800 horsepower and massive torque.  The electric pump is located out of sight in the back of the motor well with a switch on the dash to turn it off and on. The pylon mounting brackets have two positions to fine tune the height of the pylon.

There are two steering cylinders and two tie bars used in this steering system.  A twin motored Dyna-Ski boat normally has one cylinder and one tie bar.  Recreational single motored Dyna-Ski Boats usually have one cylinder. This system uses a pair off Tees and short hoses connecting to the cylinders on the outside engines. The tie bars have to be shortened for this application as the motors are very close together.

The Evinrude motor on the left side has a counter rotation lower unit to help even out the push of the motors and reduce steering effort.  Even with the power assist steering this helps balance the pull and ride of the Dyna-Ski Boat. Notice that the props blades look different as the counter rotation motor needs this to make it work properly.

 The two towing eyes located between the motors are used for pulling bigger acts as the lower pulling points help keep the nose of the boat down and the boat pulls more skiers.

Ski clubs have various methods of hooking ropes to these two towing eyes.

During construction the Ski Team decided they wanted tilt steering so the non-tilt 2.4 helm was changed to a tilt unit. Luckily this was decided before fluid was installed in the system.

There are switches to the right of the steering wheel for turning the system on, starting the individual motors, enabling the engines, tilting individual motors, turning on/off the steering unit, two bilge pumps, lights, etc.

The area under the motor well is pretty full with three batteries and three oil tanks. 

The gas tank is located in the front of the Dyna-Ski Boat under the deck of the bow. There are 420 lbs of sand bags in front of and next to the 43 gallon gas tank. The sand bags help to balance the boat on the water and help provide tongue weight for trailering.  Three pickups and three fuel lines are used for fuel.

The show ski boats have recessed cleats just like all the recreational Dyna-Ski models do. The rope guards are mounted on the outside of the boats to help prevent any of the many ropes from catching.

 The Dyna-Ski show ski tow boats have removable bow and stern lights.

New Trend?

We've started experiencing an interesting twist in the boat selling market.  Dyna-Ski buyers are keeping their old motors and putting them on new Dyna-Ski Boats.  Ski Teams started doing this several years ago and now it seems to have caught on with recreational skiers as well.  It can greatly reduce the expense of getting a new boat since the engine is already owned and most likely paid for.  Some buyers even keep their older trailers.

In most cases the old boat is tired or needs some major repairs but the motor is still strong.  Many of the buyers have replaced their older motor in the recent past and some have rebuilt their older motors. The end desire is the same as they want to keep the motor and get a new Dyna-Ski Boat. 

Sometimes customers have the motor swap done by their local dealer and sometimes we do the swapping.   One time the new boat gets all new controls and gauges with the older engine and then again sometimes they keep all the original rigging.  Each boat is different it seems.  We always suggest new throttle and shift cables.

Most the new Dyna-Ski Boat owners want new hydraulic steering as many older boats did not have it.  So the new Dyna-Ski is easier to drive and safer with nothing to wear out or need replacing with the steering system.

Another benefit is if down the road their motor needs replacement they have a newer boat to put it on.  So once again the expense is spread out over many years. Most of the time only minimal updating of the controls and rigging should be needed unless you change the brand of outboard motor of course.

I have never heard of an inboard boat owner keeping the motor and getting a new boat but I could be wrong perhaps?

I got this off the Evinrude Website and thought it was interesting.

Your Outboard Motor & most others HAVE TO BE amazingly tough engines.

FOR EXAMPLE:-

A car driving down the road at 60mph, puts fairly little stress on its engine. But in order to MATCH the kind of STRESS that a marine engine undergoes while travelling the same speed ...

THAT CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE DRIVING UP A 30 DEGREE INCLINE AT 80MPH WHILE PULLING A BOAT!

 I wonder how the hours on an inboard water ski boat motor compare to the hours or miles of use in a car or truck?  I'd guess the hours are harder since the motor RPM's is higher skiing than going down the road.

World Record Pyramid behind a Dyna-Ski

I realize that most of the readers of this blog will never pull more than a few water skiers at the same time behind their Dyna-Ski.  Never the less I have to tell you that Dyna-Ski is proud of all the people that came together to set a new world record awhile ago.  There are 54 skiers and numerous people behind the scenes that it took to make this happen. No doubt someone will try and reset the record in the next year or two as show skiers like challenges of this type.

What this means to Dyna-Ski Owners is you should find comfort knowing that the same care, materials and boat building techniques are used to assemble each and every Dyna-Ski Boat that we build for customers.

Way to go show skiers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbGhKCpJNzs&feature=relmfu

54 Person Pyramid Team

Stock Dyna-Ski 20' Closed  Bow with three 300 hp Evinrude E-Tech Engines

 One of two triple motored Dyna-Ski Boats used by the Badgerland Water Ski Team

Cruise Control on an Outboard Finally

Update: Down Under's Greg Hind tells me he now has Perfect Pass Systems working on Evinrude E-Tech 150's as well as the large V- 6 Evinrude and Mercury Motors. I can put you in touch with him is you like.

Many potential boat buyers have asked about a "Perfect Pass" system on an outboard water ski boat.  I'm happy to report that it now seems to exist for one brand of motor but in only one line so far.  Mercury has a "cruise control" system.  This information below is direct from Mercury. 

If you use our Mercury SmartCraft MercMonitor with SmartTow, you will have an option for cruise control. This option is only compatible with a DTS (Digital Throttle and Shift) engine. Our Mercury Verado line is the only engine that is Digital Throttle and Shift and compatible with the SmartTow feature.

Mercury offers the super charged four stroke Verado in a 150 hp version which matches up well with the horsepower capacity of Dyna-Ski 17.6 Open Bows as well as several larger Horsepower versions that would be great for our 20' models.  While I'm not a big fan of four strokes for water ski boats I must admit this may help change my mind some and it will influence buyers all over the world.  

With the ever increasing cost of gasoline I'm feeling more and more water skiers will be moving from a heavy V-8 powered inboard water ski boat to the much lighter and more fuel efficient outboard powered recreational water ski boat. Cruise control may speed the change over.

We did build a triple Verado powered Dyna-Ski several years ago.  I saw it in use at Tomahawk Division II Show Ski Nationals two years ago and it seems to be doing well.  The team using it won the tournament.

I'd love to try one on a single motored Dyna-Ski so I wonder if Mercury will lend me one for testing?   Hint, hint, hint . . . . . .

I have one long time 17.6 Dyna-Ski Owner (2007) that is repowering with the new Mercury 150 four stroke I mentioned in another blog posting.  I'm looking forward to a review of the combination from him once summer hits his skiing area. His previous motor was a Mercury 150 two stroke and the boat is pictured at the bottom of this post with that motor and a couple unique uses.

Here are some old pictures of the triple Verado Boat.  

The only show ski version that I know exists.

It has power assist Hydraulic Steering and Smart Tow which is Mercury's Digital Control and Engine Monitoring System.  It is pretty slick and very easy to drive.

The digital control systems make for a pretty clean and simple installation.

There are still a few flat wing kite flyers. This one uses a 17.6 Open Bow as a tow boat.

Please don't try this at home without proper training.

 

Please don't try this at home or anywhere else for that matter!

I wonder what pictures he will share with us in the future with the new 4 stroke 150 Mercury? 

New Mercury 150 Four Stroke

While I'm not a big fan of four stroke engines on water ski boats I have to admit that the new Mercury 150 four stroke merits some attention for use on Dyna-Ski 17.6 Open Bows.  It is not super charged like the much heavier Verado and there are lots of four stroke fans so this may be the motor for them on their next Dyna-Ski 17.6 Open Bow.

In the past four stroke engines on Dyna-Ski 17.6 Open Bows tended to be a little slower out of the hole and a few miles per hour slower than the same size two stroke engine from seat of the pants testing.  Given the specifications of this new engine it could very well reduce the difference.

The In-Line 4 has 183 cubic inches of displacement and a 1.92 to 1 gear ratio.  It weighs in at 455 lbs so it isn't a lot heavier than a 2 stroke 150.  As you know I like outboard motors with more cubic inches and torque for water ski boats.  This engine has the cubic inches and should have good torque.   Deciding what prop to use on this motor will be the challenge with its excellent gear ratio for water skiing.

You can read all about the new 150 four stroke at the Mercury website:

http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines/outboards/fourstrokes/150/?model=0

New Evinrude Engine

Evinrude is no longer producing the 4 cylinder two stroke 115 HO and 130.  This motor was a favorite of the owners of Dyna-Ski Boats on horsepower restricted Lake Dyna-Ski as I call it.  There is a story about the lake on this blog.

The 135 HO is a 2.6L V-6 two stroke E-Tec tuned to 148 HP.  It runs on the same block as the 150, but has been re-mapped down to the 135 HO.  The motor comes in Blue or White in the 20", and White only for the 25". The 20" model will have the high-speed lighting gearcase [same as the 150 HO] and the 25" will have the SLE case, available in standard and counter rotation. Dyna-Ski Boats are made with a 20" transom.  Being a V-6 means the motor can be used with Evinrude Digital Control system I-Con.  I-Con is an awesome control and engine monitoring system.  It is super smooth and allows throttle increases and decreases of 50 RPMs easily.  Try this with a cable controlled throttle system. It is not an inexpensive system though.  The retail cost of this new motor will be around $850 less than a 150.

Water ski boats like outboard motors that have more cubic inches and torque.  The more torque the better.  Horsepower gives boats their top end speed. With a 17.6 Open Bow Dyna-Ski running into the low 50's (GPS Speedometer) with a water ski prop I'm guessing that the 135 HO will be a little slower but still faster than any inboard currently being made.  I'd expect a slight improvement in fuel economy but the 150 is pretty stingy on fuel and oil already so the improvement may be hard to determine.

After trading emails today with some folks at Evinrude they tell me the low end torque is the same for the 135 HO and 150.  Top end should be 2 - 3 mph slower.  Fuel economy slightly better.

I'm going to get a 135 HO to run on a 17.6 Dyna-Ski or two this summer.  After I get some time using the motor I'll give you an update from seat of the pants testing.

The video on You Tube is interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jNazKGMV-Y

Ski/Wakeboard Boats 15 Year Average Prices

According to Boating Industry Magazine in their August 2012 issue the Average Unit Cost of Ski/Wakeboard Boats has gone from $22,362 in 1997 to $61,300 in 2011. At Dyna-Ski Boats we are holding the average down with our recreational ski boats.  The two motored boats we build for ski teams are even below the average cost.  Some of the three motored boats might be above the average depending upon the size and cost of the engines.