2000 Four Winns Horizon 230 for wakeboarding and surfing

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TSTitans

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Hi all,
We're looking a 2000 Four Winns Horizon 230 with a 5.7L Volvo... We want to use it for a variety of things, but as I've watched the videos, it looks like it rides really high and has a pretty small wake. Anyone have an idea, or a resource you could point me to, to know if it can make a decent wake for wakeboarding?

We're also looking at starting with wakesurfing and I'm not sure if it can be modified in some way to make a wake for that... Any feedback or direction to where I could research this would be much appreciated.
 

skydiveD30571

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I can't comment on the boat ride specifically, although ballast is usually an option to get the hull down in the water more.

As for surfing however, it is extremely ill-advised to surf behind a typical sterndrive setup. It's not a matter of if someone will fall forward enough to hit the prop, but when. That's a mistake plenty of people have made only once.
 

oldjeep

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You don't need much of a wake to wakeboard. Just trim up a little and slow down. Can't, or shouldn't surf behind an I/O unless it is one of those fancy new ones that put the prop under the boat.
This is one of my favorite old pictures from when we had the bayliner. Note the small wake. You just need to learn to jump, a big wake is not needed
P8080031.JPG
 

TSTitans

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That looks awesome!

Yeah, I've realized over the last few days how silly it sounded of me to consider and ask about wake surfing behind a stern drive. . I don't really have any mental image I'd the distances involved..

I've seen a bunch of videos on these now and the profile of the boat seems to make a similar sized wake to Bayliners and other runabouts. We're pretty excited to get it.

Now I'm just trying to decide between a 2000 23" with a 5.7L and a 2004 21" 5.0L version.. Almost the same price Does the size of the boat affect the water sports aspect much? Anything will be an upgrade to our 1986 3.0L that i ride behind now šŸ˜‚
 

Scott Danforth

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dont wakeboard behind an I/O. if you fall forward, you fall into the prop and get turned into chum

wakeboard boats are inboard boats or jet boats (like the scarab) for a reason.
 

Mad Props

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dont wakeboard behind an I/O. if you fall forward, you fall into the prop and get turned into chum

wakeboard boats are inboard boats or jet boats (like the scarab) for a reason.

Thinking Scott meant "don't wakesurf behind an I/O". Wakeboarding behind and IO is fine... just not wakesurfing. As others have said, its not a good idea if you like your arms and legs.
 

Scott Danforth

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that is a better choice of words. (image borrowed from wakesurfing.com)

wakesurf_io1_106.gif
 

oldjeep

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that is a better choice of words. (image borrowed from wakesurfing.com)

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/forums.wakeboarder.com\/files\/wakesurf_io1_106.gif"**[/IMG2]

Yeah, that is wake surfing. Wakeboarding is done 60ft behind the boat
 

rallyart

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My nephews became pretty good learning to wakeboard behind a 19' Horizon. The wake is decent. Setup and learning how to drive are key. If you can afford it use a cruise control system like PerfectPass. Life becomes easier with a steady constant speed. Make sure you use a non stretch wake rope, not a ski rope. Start off with speeds of about 18 mph on a GPS. Slower or faster depends on how long the rope is, where the wake is clean, and how mush weight you have in the boat.

More weight always makes a bigger wake. Use the trim to shape it Generally have weight up front in a sterndrive then trim the drive up after you get to speed to push the stern down which increase the wake size. The best wake for boarding is always just below the planing speed of the hull. (which is why PerfectPass is so helpful) Experiment with different things and experience is what gets you there. Enjoy your boat!
 

Leardriver

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I've been wake surfing behind an I/O for more than 40 years. We just shorten a ski rope to about 30 feet, go 11 knots with the trim up a little, and get a 3-4 foot wake. Getting up close behind the boat would be like playing in a blender.
 

oldjeep

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I've been wake surfing behind an I/O for more than 40 years. We just shorten a ski rope to about 30 feet, go 11 knots with the trim up a little, and get a 3-4 foot wake. Getting up close behind the boat would be like playing in a blender.

Wake surfing is done without a rope and requires you to be in the pocket of the wake.
 
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