small runabout hulls, wake size ???

[Mule Laker]

So would all of the hulls make a similar ski wake? In other words crummy. I understand that by design they aren't good for serious skiing with a deep v and the engine in the back. But the other day I was looking at a Bryant 188 and it looked super flat in the center of the hull, much different than our old Glastron. Made me wonder.

 

[bchaney]

"Similar" is hard to define. I'd guess they are all similar but some should be slightly better than others. If you want a more flat wake you probably want a hull with a shallower V at the transom (deadrise angle) and as much weight as possible towards the bow (gas tank, seats with people in them, etc.).

 

[Texasmark]

Anything that disturbs the water generates pressure waves. Lessen the disturbance you lessen the waves. Least I would say would be a 20' Lowes John boat with a McCullough 9.9. I used to rent one and hooked up with just me, the prop wash made a bigger surface variation than the wake produced by the hull.

Flip side, check out the "wake" boats and see what they do to the design of the boat to make a wake.....can't imagine being in a little boat in water where they operate.

 

[southkogs]

No. Every hull drops a slightly different wake, and the design of the hull defines the type of wake you get. My current Bayliner drops a pretty easy wake, but my tri-hull Royal American dropped a beautiful flat "table" for skiing on. The Silverline I had just before the Bayliner dropped a nice table, but had a pretty substantial wave on either side of it.

Wakes are different boat to boat.

 

[jimmbo]

The bigger the Boat, the heavier the Boat, and the Deeper the Vee, the Bigger the Wake. I Slalomed when younger, and I always preferred as little as Wake as possible. At Tournament speeds the Wakes get smaller, but some are still pronounced.
I hate those Wake Board Boats, they should be restricted as not to be above no wake speeds within 8 miles of a Shoreline

 

[QBhoy]

I’ve never heard any serious skier want a boat that has a big wake. Do you mean for wake boarding maybe ?

 

[Mule Laker]

??? I don't want a big wake. We have three slalom skiers in the family.

We just sold our 2007 Glastron GT185 so I'm looking for a replacement.

 

[Scott Danforth]

with a family of skiers.....buy a dedicated ski boat

or get an I/O run-about with a really low deadrise angle that is light

 

[southkogs]

Yeah - if you can find it in the budget, and y'all like to slalom, look for a real tow boat. The difference is pretty amazing.

 

[skibrain]

I ski 1/2 doz. times a year behind my brother in laws. 2002 Glastron 180. It’s an outboard so I think weighs 600 lb less than your I/O. I shorten the rope 15 or 22’ and the wake is narrower. The table is hard but crossable.

Select inboard ski boats have great wakes, but not all of them do. I’ve skied a bunch behind a fish&ski style boat - bass boat like hull with shallow V. Great for skiing.

 

[Mule Laker]

Looked at a 2004 Stingray 195. That hull is not shaped like our last boat, it is shallower with a less pronounced V. I'm really surprised that these runabouts don't look generally the same.

 

[southkogs]

Some do ... but that happened a LOT more back in the 60s through the 80s. Now there's more competition and the "me too" type products don't survive as easily.