Picked up boat

[hukk]

I finally picked up the new Rlxi this Tues about a week late due to waiting for the Goodyear Marathon tires. Dealer had all 5 tires changed over. Initial impression of the boat is it’s GREAT. Had 0.5 hours on it at delivery. Put 2 hours on it Tues. afternoon, rained out Weds. 2 more on Thurs, yesterday afternoon. Changed the oil and filter after the first outing. The Extreme trailer is real nice and sits the boat up higher than the old Sunsetter sat on its Ryan trailer. The throttle by wire has a different feel to it but very responsive and so far I like it. Silent Ride mufflers make this boat noticeably quieter than the old one.

I don't like the plexi glass walkthrough windblock as it is too large to store in the Rlxi gunnel pockets. It fits in the trunk but this won't work when we start putting skis in there. I'm going to cut a peice of plexi glass to the same shape and size as the Malibu provided one. I'm then going to cut it in half from side to side, and see if that will work for the windblock. Will be much easier to store.

The "Y" fitting for the heat at idle is after the impeller pump and does not seem to be as warm at idle as the old boat with the "Y" fitting before the impeller pump.

Got stopped by a Coast Guard boat yesterday, which is not surprising as we were on the Willamette river down below Portland, OR and don’t have any numbers on the boat yet. They did a safety check; we had all the required items. The wife and I each had an open beer so we got asked, “how many have you had”, and if we knew what the law is (Yes, 0.08).

I asked them about identifying number placement. I thought they had to be below the rub rail but on this boat they won’t be very easy to see there. It is ok to put them above the rub rail was the answer I got and looking at the State Marine Board (ORS 830.780) web site confirmed this. Not sure where I will put them. When the state sends me the ID number I’ll order the domed numbers and see where they look best vs. best visibility.

Hope to get out again to night and this weekend, just depends on the rain. Doing a 10 hour break in before skiing.

[Cat]

I pretty much leave my wind block in all the time since I don't want the dog up going up unattended.

When I do take it out I put in it's protective case and put it in over in the observers storage area. I slide it back into the gunnel wall area.

[ibelieve]

We store our wind block in the observer's storage area, to the right, between the wall of the the walk thru and the battery. Seems I might have had to move the battery over just a hair to get it in there but it holds it nice and tight. Sort of a pain to get it in and out but we don't do it that often. Then again, we have a bow cover that does the same thing and is easier to fold-up and put away.

/Steve

[mlange]

I store our wind block in the observer's seat storage area up against the side of the boat and slide it back towards the gunnel storage area. It's a bit of a pain to get to, but we don't use it much once it warms up anyway.

Mike

[trreid]

I'd second the tonneau cover solution- mine snaps around under the handrail & then under the center section of the windshield- blocks the wind, and provides sorely needed dry storage space for the junk the crew brings along.

I hardly ever use the plexiglass windstop anymore (but it's still taking up space under the observer's seat)- too much struggling & swearing to get that thing wrestled out of storage & into place.

[hukk]

I'd second the tonneau cover solution- mine snaps

The tonneau probably works very well to block the wind but I am not willing to put any snaps on the exterior of the boat.

[thealy]

So is that what that black vinyl cover thingy is for, to cover the plexiglass windstop? I actually tried getting it in that cover but it was very tight and I quite before getting it in all the way. Should I just force it in?