Ya on the '96. I bought it new in Sept. 96. I always garage it when not using it. I put an hour meter in about a year after I bought it and that's only showing about 225 hrs now. So I don't use it enough. I've gps'd it at 52 mph in the past. Gas useage? Who cares, hahahahaah.
I ski with a O'Brien G4 Seige, very nice expensive ski. I use a full back boot too, so have to get up with both feet in. And spring and fall I use a wet suit. And I'm way overweight. So, that's the hardest thing to pull up. My boat pulls me up pretty good. Just have to hold my breath for a moment while I'm submerged before popping up. The wake, or lack of one, is the best thing tho. It's almost flat to cross over. Both my son's learned to get up on 1 ski when they were about 6 years old too (not my O'Brien tho). And they both got their watercraft operator licenses when they were 12. I just loved letting them drive the boat and take their cousins tubing and wild rides not worrying about getting cut up since there is no prop. My old I/O I owned before this I had to have the lower unit rebuilt twice, very expensive. No more gears and crap for me. Thrust diverters are the way to go.
