DAL

All comes down to what you use your boat for. I previously owned a closed bow boat and really couldn't go back to one now. I always hated having to walk across the bow to hop in, especially with wet feet. I went A over T on a couple of occasions. Maybe too much polish........ Much easier of course for those with private lakes and jetties, who can access from the side but as we ski on a public lake it was always a pain. Open bow obviously gives more passenger room, which in turn = more fun. Sharing is caring and the more people we expose to the sport, the better. I love taking my kids friends along for the weekend. On the downside, some open bows certainly sit to low though. I've seen old Malibu's with full ballast and 8 or so peeps on board. At idle, there's virtually no freeboard and it's easy to see how they can take a belly full if the drivers not on the ball. Incidentally, I've never heard of anyone going over the front of an open bow boat.

I have used the boas for a couple of seasons now and love them. Unfortunately, the wrist / palm seam ripped on one of them trying to force them on wet..... I don't care though, I'll buy another pair when they're beyond help. They are the most comfortable gloves I've used, super quick to put on (important when conditions are dicey) and the dial-in mechanism allows a variable adjustment across the back of the hand that you just don't get from any other glove.

LOL, the A3 Monza.....

@Bogboy, really depends on a few things. The first of which is; what do you call 'good condition'? Peoples perceptions differ. Your genetic make up plays a big part. If you have a naturally athletic physique it will be easier than if you're an Endomorph body type. Ultimately though, you need to burn off what you're putting in. Moderation is the key due to the high calorie count (I know that's not what you want to hear).

@Scotchipman , check out the link below for a 3 day plan which should suit. http://levronereport.com/2010/01/18/training-program-nutritional-plan/ @Than_Bogan , there's a multitude of powders out there. Stay away from Max's as it's probably the most expensive. Buy some small tubs and try a few different brands as some taste like shit. @thager is on the money with most of his post. The body benefits from smaller, more regular intakes of protein as this helps speed up the metabolism, which in turn, burns fat. The availability of protein powders helps those who are 'time poor' to get the protein intake they require immediately (It's not feasible for most people to just stop work every 2-3hrs to have something to eat). Read the paragraph below to give you some guidance on which powder will suit your needs. Isolate vs. Concentrate vs. Hydrolysate "As for whey protein powder, you’ve got a couple options. Whey protein concentrate contains some fat and lactose, while whey protein isolate is pretty much pure protein with very little of the other dairy elements remaining. Concentrate is less processed and more whole, but has less protein. Isolate is about 90-94% protein, but it’s subjected to a more rigorous refinement process. Bodybuilders are drawn to the “purity” of whey isolate, lured by the moderately higher protein counts. Isolate is also considerably more expensive than concentrate, and the purported boost in beneficial effects on protein synthesis are overstated; drinking any kind of whey protein shake will have a beneficial effect on your muscle recovery and protein synthesis. If cost is not an issue, or you’re mildly sensitive to dairy, then isolate is your best choice. Otherwise, it’s probably fine to go with concentrate for most applications (or otherwise further you could just eat a steak instead). Whey hydrolysate is predigested whey protein that’s easily absorbed and virtually free of any potential allergens, but it’s (in my opinion) horribly overpriced. Whey in general is already highly bioavailable and easily absorbed by our bodies, so absorption is rarely an issue with whey. Hydrolysate is great marketing. That’s about it." Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/whey-isolate-concentrate-hydrolysate/#ixzz2E88vivXj Hope this helps.

@Brady - you can eat all the turkey you like, just go easy on the other stuff. Great story.

Anyone seen the Lemon-ited model??

You crack me up Eric

Had a 95 Flightcraft XLT20 with 350 Chev for years. It was a great boat and i still have a soft spot for them. @6balls is on the money with the low freeboard though. Easy to take a hit over the top if you're not watching. For 6K it's a steal. Mine had around 300 hours and i sold it for 20K. @SDNAH2OSKIER : Post a photo after you buy it, LOL......

One major insurance company, here in OZ, won't touch boats unless they're fitted with one. This is more directed at boats over about 10 years old to force owners to fit them......... for good reason. Too many Deep Sixers blamed on fuel vapours.

@footloose42 : Keep it out of the sun, where possible. Of course I'm not talking about when it's in the water, but on dry land. UV breaks down everything over time, Gelcoat, Vinyl, Velour, Plastics etc.... It's a lot harder to bring these back after they're affected. Also be careful what products you use on the interior. Some cleaning products are too harsh and do more harm than good.

WTF happened at 5 ball????

Unreal skiing @6balls

Andy Versus Regina = would be very interesting

@Ed, that's the Warp12 at 4K. The Hybrid's only $1500. A pretty plain looking website for something worth so much.