Engine coughes, stutters execpt it happenes late in the day not all day

[boatnfly@att.net]

OK here is a good one. I'm running an 07 SV211 w 5.7L PCM. Raw water cooled. Last two times out, boat ran great. Skied, sky ski'd, surf no problems on perfect pass of off.
But, last two times, both days, out since 9am about 3 o'clock running down the river all of a sudden the engine looses power, catches looses power, does this a number of times, a few times it coughes. Never quits. I back off the throttle to neutral and start again, 1 minute later it happens again. It has happened off perfect pass (system off) it has happened witht he system on. It has happened with a skier and without.
I shut down give it a few minutes go again and it happenes. I tried wide open throttle or running 1/2 speed still the same. The killer is all day it ran beautiful, why now? If it was the gas why not earlier? I believe it has nothing to do with the cruise control, as i mentioned it happenes even with it off. I'm running straight and level on a river. if there was water in the fuel control again why not earlier?
This coming from one of the most non mechanical guys on the water, so any help in laymans terms would be appreciated
John

[HS]

Fuel filters? Fuel pump?

[sjames]

Water in the gas? Try a bottle of Heet.

[jasper]

Check your Fuel Control Cell for water and check/replace fuel filter while in there. Water will accumulate on the bottom of the FCC. If you had some in there to start with and then more water settled in as you ran more gas-with-water through the FCC, the FCC could have finally gotten enough in there to start causing problems. I use a heavy duty strap wrench to remove the FCC. Be careful working with it since it contains gasoline. I had similar symptoms and had about a cup of water in mine.

[boatnfly@att.net]

I checked the Fuel Control Cell this morning after I posted the question, after reading the PCM manual for ideas. Stupid me didn't think to catch what came out, i know some gas did not sure if water did as well. But... we ran today all day. Not a problem at all, no stutter or cough. Ran like a champ. I think your suggestion did the trick. The boat had sat without gas for the past two years, so my guess was condensation in the tanks. I filled the tanks, that probably caused the water to collect in the FCC and caused my issues. This week, i'll probalby pick up a new FCC filter and install it as a safe guard.
Thanks all for your help. Hope that draining the FCC fixed it and the new filter keep it worry free.