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View Full Version : Let go of the rope!


TPC
10-08-2007, 04:52 AM
I picked up the boat from it's first 20 hr & annual service.
We took advantage of the BIG discount off-season service cost the dealer offers.

Tige' of Corona has an excellent Fiberglass shop and they fixed our few gell coat boo boos,, -for free. They work on all makes BTW.

We had hit a dock that broke loose one nite and was floating down the center of the river near the Roadrunner. The damage was bigger than we thought.

On top all that, they installed some nice, expensive wakeboard rack jewelry for us free too.

Then,, on top of that,, my wakeboard rope was due for replacement, and a good, non-stretch wakeboard (not ski) rope is about $120. They took care of the rope too.

It was all good! They detailed the boat, it was so shiny, it talked to ya.

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So then it was off to the river to put the boat into our closed storage for the winter.

Friend Craig and his GF decided at the very last second they wanted to go too.
Craigs GF Kathy is 32, slender and easy to look at.

A kind hearted, sweetheart of a girl without an enemy in the world.
Kathy is a good example of "it's not how much money you make, but how much money you keep."
She's invested her meager office paychecks well, and is in good financial shape for a girl that's never earned very much.

A very low maintenance GF for Craig. She drives late model, trouble free Hondas, and never asks for help for anything.

We took her on a wakeboard run and she fell, lost her board, but hung on to the rope and wouldn't let go.
Craig estimates she submerged several feet feet underwater,, and we drug her no more than 100 ft,, underwater,, before he yelled for me to stop.

I've never seen that,, nor done that.
It was funny really,, she was OK a beer and a cigarette later.

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We wiped the boat down, put it away in storage for six months.

We drove over to stop off at the Del Rio Bar n Grill, but Anthony has shut it down early for the season.
He'll open for a few special events, but weekends don't re-appear on the callendar until late next April. So we headed to the Blue Water Casino instead.

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Craig and Kathy brought coffee cans full of quarters to gamble in the casino.
I told them you'll have to go to the Casino cage and get a count and paper money because casinos haven't used quarters in 10 years.
They had no clue what I was talking about.

Yeah, it's been that long since they've been out.

The concensus among other gamblers we talked to was that the Bluewater has really tightend up the chances of winning,, and many Casino employees also told us it's changed.

Chance of a big win or a Royal Flush is a lot harder now, the odds of winning on the machines has been re-set much tougher, and we felt it.

The pool is closed for a major renovation.

The Buffet quality has dropped to an all time new low, so we took advantage of the 2 for $1.50 tacos near the poker room.
One employee told us the buffett quality has dropped to keep the tribal members from coming in and using it.
That's ridiculous.

Several very attractive 22 year old girls from Simi came up and talked to us.
They saw Craigs Electrical Connection Simi T-shirt.
They were trying to get a wakeboard boat hook up for Sunday, but it's all mothballed for the winter.
We bought them a round at the bar though.

Lost my ass at Blackjack,, so we called it a nite and then came home.
Fun weekend at Parker.

boatnam2
10-08-2007, 08:56 AM
yea we made a run to rio last trip on a dead golf cart battery thinking we would charge it there while we ate like we have done a few times before.NOOOOOOOOT The place we closed up tight and we had to sit there for a hour while the golf cart charged.

RiverDave
10-08-2007, 09:49 AM
You ever wonder where the primal instinct of holding onto the rope comes from? Seriously if your towing someone waterskiing and you "edge" em up to just beyond where their comfortable "speed wise" they'll hold onto that damn thing like their life depends on it.. Faster you go the harder they hold on.. Never realizing they could just "let go"

RD

Phebus
10-08-2007, 10:35 AM
Hit the water while still holding on to the rope a few years ago. Dislocation/seperation requiring surgery.
Had a few too many drinks, and I bet my friend I could ski as fast as his boat could pull me. Things happen really quick when your going fast, and just didn't let go until impact when I went over the tip.

boatnam2
10-08-2007, 10:50 AM
They should cahnge the name of the blue water to GREAT PIECE OF ASS...Because its tighter then old dicks hat band...

Baja Big Dog
10-08-2007, 12:46 PM
That fricken casino did, does, and always will suck...they took my money....those bastards!!!:lamo

DeltaSigBoater
10-08-2007, 01:50 PM
That fricken casino did, does, and always will suck...they took my money....those bastards!!!:lamo

Never been to the Bluewater, but it sounds alot like Sycuan out in El Cajon :swear

OCMerrill
10-08-2007, 07:52 PM
We wiped the boat down, put it away in storage for six months.



Funny to read as your done for the season and we are making our first river trip weekend after next.:eek:

I really blew this summer for going to the river. My business is is doing the muscle flex thing right now and I am having a tough time with it. We did get a 5 day trip to Pismo but no river...yet.

My pops and his wife are going. He will have his restored BBC powered Caribbean Daycrusier with a new to him Volvo DP drive. It has only seen the river once sense the re power by GS Marine last May. Old power was a stock low HP 350 and a 280 non trim-able drive. Was GUTLESS and with no PS a real chore to drive. I am looking forward to driving that thing with newly added Hyd steering as well. My pops health is not so good. It pains me to think when he won't be doing this any longer. A 70 year old River Rat.

Parents will actually be there the whole week before our arrival and are staying at the Bluewater. They tried to stay over the weekend but the BW is booked. Told pops that they are renovating half of the hotel so only the other half is open.

Echo is pretty full but I will push my way in anyway. I just cant figure that. Has to be the freaking snowbirds I guess. Only spot I could get on the water was along the wall. I hate that freaking sea wall especially with my small kids. I am sure Paradise will be closed but who cares.

Reading about the Bluewater buffet cracks me up. That place is something else. Crap on all ends but still packed.

All us HB (scratch that) RD'ers need to pony up and build a hotel just for us.:D

OCMerrill
10-08-2007, 08:17 PM
I am not a real fan of the Volvo DPX drives. That thing cost me alot of money:
http://www.hillbankusa.com/signfx/brokendrive2.jpg

Ouch. I can see why.

My pops purchased a donor boat and had GS switch everything over.

Was this just drive failure, mucho HO in front of it, impact?

DeltaSigBoater
10-08-2007, 09:09 PM
Funny to read as your done for the season and we are making our first river trip weekend after next.:eek:

Reading about the Bluewater buffet cracks me up. That place is something else. Crap on all ends but still packed.

All us HB (scratch that) RD'ers need to pony up and build a hotel just for us.:D

Good idea only problem are the :swear Indians!!!

BobbyB
10-08-2007, 10:24 PM
yea we made a run to rio last trip on a dead golf cart battery thinking we would charge it there while we ate like we have done a few times before.NOOOOOOOOT The place we closed up tight and we had to sit there for a hour while the golf cart charged.

we sent a search party over there this weekend to see if it was open, no luck. they got a bitchen work schedule:D

OCMerrill
10-08-2007, 10:37 PM
Good idea only problem are the :swear Indians!!!

Ever sense I was a kid, Echo Lodge evey other weekend...that quote you just made was always the question. "Great idea but what about the f'n Indians?"

TPC
10-08-2007, 10:55 PM
I am not a real fan of the Volvo DPX drives. That thing cost me alot of money:
http://www.hillbankusa.com/signfx/brokendrive2.jpg

Geezus Dennis, any idea what cause this???

TPC
10-08-2007, 10:58 PM
Funny to read as your done for the season and we are making our first river trip weekend after next.:eek:





. I am sure Paradise will be closed but who cares.

Reading about the Bluewater buffet cracks me up. That place is something else. Crap on all ends but still packed.

All us HB (scratch that) RD'ers need to pony up and build a hotel just for us.:D

Seems like the Paradise is never open.
Used to be fun for late nite drinks and chat with the residents.

boatnam2
10-09-2007, 02:22 AM
dennis is that the new volvo vented gear case drive that i hear is all the rage?buying a boat with a vovlo is like getting a pinto for your first car no matter what you do your just not going to look cool!

boatnam2
10-09-2007, 02:23 AM
we sent a search party over there this weekend to see if it was open, no luck. they got a bitchen work schedule:D

whats up bobbyb?:beer

BobbyB
10-09-2007, 04:00 AM
whats up bobbyb?:beer

JimmmmmmmmmmmmAE MAC!!! Whassup SON!! I see you got the ole Mai Tai in the avatar, a little marketing goin on?

RiverDave
10-09-2007, 10:05 AM
Geezus Dennis, any idea what cause this???

I'm not speaking for Dennis here, but I know Volvo put out a batch of "bad castings"

The Drive castings had a large air pockets in them causing thin walls in some areas. The thin wall would crack and then the crack would quickly spread under load causing total drive failure.

I know a dude with a commander had one fall right off the back of his boat while he was on plane.. LOL No shit the boat came to a stop, and some portion of the drive was just gone? Didn't hit anything etc..

Of course Volvo's response to all of that is the usual.. "Get focked" if it's outta warranty.

RD

OCMerrill
10-09-2007, 11:54 AM
I'm not speaking for Dennis here, but I know Volvo put out a batch of "bad castings"

The Drive castings had a large air pockets in them causing thin walls in some areas. The thin wall would crack and then the crack would quickly spread under load causing total drive failure.

I know a dude with a commander had one fall right off the back of his boat while he was on plane.. LOL No shit the boat came to a stop, and some portion of the drive was just gone? Didn't hit anything etc..

Of course Volvo's response to all of that is the usual.. "Get focked" if it's outta warranty.

RD

This engine and OD came out of a 79 Lavey daycrusier, a Jet originally, that had been repowered with this combo . The X dim was way off in that older lavey and the combo would not work. The boat was a handling disaster.

My father bought this Lavey and took the guts in favor of his old first year 280.

I hope there is enough hours on the drive to have exposed this casting issue? Damn.

His 280 was very problematic but that could have been previous owner abuse.