Help getting a pregnant woman out of the water

If she isn’t overweight now she’ll likely not gain too much weight during the pregnancy. Shouldn’t be a problem until the last 3 months if even then. If she does need assistance just give her a hand. I wouldn’t think you’d need a ladder. Most water sports folks don’t need one.

Congratulations! She will be fine all Summer! Unless you’re still skiing after October I’m betting this won’t even be an issue. You could always add a temporary ladder to your platform (the PO of my SS unfortunately drilled holes for that which I eventually plugged). You’ll be making a lot more accommodations down the road than this—and CONGRATULATIONS! If it’s a girl please don’t name her Corona. Just sayin’.

Congrats, that is awesome news! Not sure you used the politically correct emoji in your first post though, might not want to let her see that.

This may sound odd, but keep a cheapo tube in the boat, one of the $15 d*ck's Sporting Goods ones. I think she could use it to transfer onto the platform, beached whale method. Just a thought.

DO NOT SELL THE BOAT!!!!! Congrats, heres the solution.....

Congratulations! The first one is very special.   Our first was born June 24 and we were on a water ski camp trip the weekend of July 4th that year for 3 days with a 2 week old child. My mother almost disowned me but the baby did not care. Loved riding in the boat. Went to sleep as soon as we started the engine and started moving. Baby's adjust and go where you go.   If you can talk Mama into it you are golden.   You may wish to have Mama ride in the back, a hard wake crossing in a Nautique might deliver your baby long before you want it to arrive.   In the back of the boat she will be fine even to 7 months or so.
Please tell her all this was your idea, not mine please.

ETALLEN wrote: Thinking about a 11a rudder upgrade, any thoughts?

I think you should do a search, it's been discussed plenty here   

Keno- I've poured over all the discussions about swapping the rudder, and read a few (I'll admit it wasn't on this forum) about going to a after market option that wouldn't require the port being changed. Basically I can't make up my mind if it's worth it or not
.
I still don't know if the current rudder I have on the boat is the original design or a upgraded rudder because the previous owners kids hit a log requiring all under water gear to be changed a month or two before I bought the boat.
Honestly the boat handles great until your at the dock, I have almost ZERO control, I felt like I was a experienced docker before I got this 176. My last Correct Craft rudder came down and almost covered the prop looking at it on the trailer, this rudder still has 1/2 if not more of the prop exposed.

Onto the topic of adding a ladder. Before this baby happended the woman actually refinished the teak for me while I was tackling other projects. When the idea of drilling holes into "her teak" came up it was quickly shot down. Guess after all these years she finally picked up on some of my quirks of being a finish carpenter--its about time

Ethan, glad the float technique worked out, it really is easier than a ladder IMO.

When you say zero control, meaning it won't "walk" to port when you back up? Won't turn in forward when you jog it in gear?

In reading a few of the discussions about rudders I'd say it's 50/50 between people that saw an improvement and people that felt there was little to no difference between stock and larger rudder. It seems to me larger would have to be better for low speed maneuvering, but not sure. If it was me I think I'd just live with it rather than mess with the port change.

I wish it would walk to port in reverse but no luck, it takes a good 30'+ and 1200- 1600rpms to get any type of turning/maneuverability in reverse. Forward at low speed has some control but not much.
I really thought I had lost my touch with docking until this weekend when I docked a friend's 2001 like a breeze.
As of right now we go super slow straight in with a ghetto home made docking stick modification on the mandatory paddle.

I would like to think a large rudder would give me some control at the dock but I've learned that a lot of the fads don't really add up to much ( ask me how many "specialty" hammers I own while only ever using a 22oz Estwing)

ETALLEN wrote: I wish it would walk to port in reverse but no luck, it takes a good 30'+ and 1200- 1600rpms to get any type of turning/maneuverability in reverse. Forward at low speed has some control but not much. I really thought I had lost my touch with docking until this weekend when I docked a friend's 2001 like a breeze. As of right now we go super slow straight in with a ghetto home made docking stick modification on the mandatory paddle. I would like to think a large rudder would give me some control at the dock but I've learned that a lot of the fads don't really add up to much ( ask me how many "specialty" hammers I own while only ever using a 22oz Estwing)

Don't forget, your 1.23 to 1 transmission has about a 1.9 to 1 reduction in reverse so more RPM's will be your friend in reverse. The older 88SN is 1 to 1 in forward and 1 to 1 in reverse too.

Just one more thing to get used too