Ski boats

Shawnee · Aug 29, 2013

I posted in the engines about a Honda vs an Evinrude on Silverline bowriders. In my continued search for boats, I have stumbled across a few ski boats (Moombas, Mastercrafts, ...) I have not considered one before as I don't know anything about them other than they generally have a big engine and are inboards. I have only owned outboards. Today I skiied behind a Mastercraft....nice!

My use would be skiing (although I am not a kid anymore) and puttering around the lake, like some do on pontoon boats.(yes, two extremes) It is a small lake though and most seem to be around 21 feet. I was looking at 17 foot Silverlines so it is a bit of a change. :facepalm:

Would a ski boat be a worthy consideration for me? Are they way worse on fuel than say a 115 hp Honda 4stroke? Hard to winterize? Maintenance? The roominess and open seating looks pretty social, if you were not using it for skiing. My wife loves the towable too so it is sounding like it might be worth a try but thought I would see what input I could glean from you all.

Thanks

Shawn

sickwilly · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Ski boats

The only real drawback is rough water. They can beat you up. A mastercraft 205 would be a hell of a boat. for skiing and floating.

When I go out with people skiing in their malibu's and mastercrafts they use less gas that I do with my 4.3 V6. I cannot compare to an outboard but compared to a smaller boat working harder, these tow boats are more efficient at what they do best -- towing.

LippCJ7 · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Ski boats

I'm with willy, the only reason I would never consider a ski boat for an all around boat is the ride.

salty87 · Aug 29, 2013

Re: Ski boats

agree that a ski boat isn't the best all around boat. but, when skiing or boarding are your thing, you'll be boating in better conditions more suitable to those activities. the boat can still be used in less ideal situations but you'll have to go slower.

maintenance on a direct drive is simple. most are just v8's and carbs with great access to everything, newer will have fuel injection. still not rocket science. v drives aren't as easy but i doubt that's the OP's price range.

winterization is also pretty simple. in your area, run antifreeze through the block and a little more that you probably already have to do...fog the engine, that's about it.

Mason78 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

My opinion on ski boats is that they are great for skiing but not great for anything else. The are usually geared low so they have tremendous hole shot, but then they are slower than I like on the top end.

They are very burdensome on rough water, you would have to go very slow.

southkogs · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

Inland lakes and you're going to be doing a lot of water sports? If you like the interior, go for it.

haulnazz15 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

sickwilly said:
When I go out with people skiing in their malibu's and mastercrafts they use less gas that I do with my 4.3 V6.

I can't imagine they use less gas than you, but maybe close to the same amount. They don't have trim, so they lose efficiency over an O/B or I/O once the boat is on plane. They only way they might make up some full efficiency is in generally much lower weight than a similar-size runabout since they have fewer creature comforts aboard and shallower draft.

If you run around on the lake when it's pretty much glass-smooth, then it will work well for you. If you run in the least little bit of chop, the inboard ski boats are pretty jarring due to the lack of trim and shallow deadrise.

QC · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

Yes, less good on fuel, and can ride rough, but you said small lake, so that may not be as much of a concern. One thing I don't see mentioned is shallow water operation. No way to get the prop out of the water if you ever need to do that.

robopath · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

You said you liked the open layout, I'm guessing it was a v-drive inboard then. Did it have center mount engine right in the middle? Also, they are V-8's. Very powerful and will most likely use more gas, especially compared to an outboard. You can't really beach them if that's something you like to do. Very expensive also esp for a v-drive. I was in the market last year with a budget of $35,000. I was looking at 10 year old 2003 mastercraft x-stars. I got a 2013 Four Winns I/O instead.

Shawnee · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

Yes, the engine was center mount. Yes, small lake so does not blow up too much. I found a couple of Moomba's so am thinking about taking a drive this weekend.

The lake is deep, although our dock, at our end of the lake, is not. But at the end of it, it would be deep enough ie 3-4 feet and I could always add a section or moor the boat out a bit. The rest of the lake is good.

Thanks

H20Rat · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

haulnazz15 said:
I can't imagine they use less gas than you, but maybe close to the same amount. They don't have trim, so they lose efficiency over an O/B or I/O once the boat is on plane.

They have trim tabs... Also, they have far less metal hanging in the water than an I/O. That along makes them as efficient if not better than a comparable I/O.

oldjeep · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

smokingcrater said:
They have trim tabs... Also, they have far less metal hanging in the water than an I/O. That along makes them as efficient if not better than a comparable I/O.

Huh? Never seen a ski boat with trim tabs

agallant80 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

I view the skiboat as a sports car with some seating. Its good at going fast, pulling things and you can accomidate a few guests on it. I don't think they are the best family boats due to the layout. If you don't care about going fast, taring around the lake or pulling lots of people and you want an open space for many people to stretch out on then a Pontoon would do. For the record I see skiers being pulled on pontoons on the local lake.

LippCJ7 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

oldjeep said:
Huh? Never seen a ski boat with trim tabs

yep saw one last weekend, but to be honest it surprised me too!

Brand new boat never been in the water.

oldjeep · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

LippCJ7 said:
yep saw one last weekend, but to be honest it surprised me too!

Brand new boat never been in the water.

What kind of ski boat was it? The only thing I've ever seen that even resembles a trim tab on a ski boat would be the wake plate that moomba uses.

haulnazz15 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

LippCJ7 said:
yep saw one last weekend, but to be honest it surprised me too!

Brand new boat never been in the water.

Those are not "trim tabs", those are wake plates. Similar in design, but not as much in function. The wake plate is there to alter the wake shape, and is typically on v-drive wakeboard boats more-so than inboard ski boats. The hook in the hull of inboard ski boats makes the wake plate react a bit differently than a trim tab. Also, since the wake plate is in the center, it doesn't all for adjustment of list like a pair of trim tabs would. Remember, lowering the wake plate down does not change the thrust angle like an I/O does with trim, it pushes the plate down below the hull which creates more drag and increases wake size . . . that doesn't help with efficiency. With the plate fully retracted, you get basically the same effect as having no tab at all which makes for a flatter wake (slalom skiing).

oldjeep · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

agallant80 said:
For the record I see skiers being pulled on pontoons on the local lake.

Skiing has many definitions, most of the serious ones include only one ski and zero pontoons

haulnazz15 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

oldjeep said:
Skiing has many definitions, most of the serious ones include only one ski and zero pontoons

Agreed. Mythbusters has proven that you can water ski (2-skis) behind a rowing team, but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do, lol.

salty87 · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

haulnazz15 said:
Those are not "trim tabs", those are wake plates. Similar in design, but not as much in function. The wake plate is there to alter the wake shape, and is typically on v-drive wakeboard boats more-so than inboard ski boats. The hook in the hull of inboard ski boats makes the wake plate react a bit differently than a trim tab. Also, since the wake plate is in the center, it doesn't all for adjustment of list like a pair of trim tabs would. Remember, lowering the wake plate down does not change the thrust angle like an I/O does with trim, it pushes the plate down below the hull which creates more drag and increases wake size . . . that doesn't help with efficiency. With the plate fully retracted, you get basically the same effect as having no tab at all which makes for a flatter wake (slalom skiing).

sorry but this isn't accurate. the wakeplate can't make the wake bigger. the largest wake will be found with the plate all of the way up. putting the plate down lifts the rear end and pushes the nose of the boat down. this creates a flatter wake.

wakeplates have been around since the 80's. my 87 has one but it's not hydraulic, it's manual (set it and forget it). they became hydraulic in the early 90's. nowadays, some have a single plate in the middle but there are also models with smaller plates on either side. a new inboard ski boat without a wakeplate is hard to find whether it's direct drive or v drive.

2 plates

single plate

oldjeep · Aug 30, 2013

Re: Ski boats

Malibu's don't have a plate. Their wake device is the wedge (optional), which doesn't look anything like a trim tab.

Mastercraft has nothing at all

Ski boats

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