Advice for first-time inboard owner?

[DHLBoater]

Hi all - long-time reader, first-time poster here.
This offseason we bought our first inboard, a Mastercraft X1 with the V-drive. We spend a ton of time on the lake so we're not novices by any means, but have only owned I/O before now (mostly our 1989 Sea Ray 180 bowrider).
Can anyone offer some advice on what differences to expect in driving it, apart from the huge jump in HP? OK to launch on the (very) flat ramp we always use, or will we hit the prop? Less steering/maneuverability as we're pulling up to the dock? Better cutting through wake? Are my days of pulling deep into the cove and close to shore over?
thanks

 

[mr 88]

They are geared for pulling multiple skiers without the MPHs dropping when the skiers are carving deep corners . So the top end isn't crazy fast . Pulling a skier through the " cones " with a standard low hp I/O will have you adjusting the throttle constantly , not doing that with a competition Ski boat . Flat bottom and mid ship engine keeps the boat wake very small . Rough ride with Amy sort of chop over a foot with the flat bottom. It will draw maybe a half foot more than a I/O . Easy to launch and retrieve. Slow speeds and your steering is slow to respond , needs water flowing past the rudder , vs a I/O that turns the prop . Backing up takes some practice but is doable , take note of which way it walks when in reverse and use that to your advantage when the time comes .

 

[DHLBoater]

thanks, hadn't considered that about reversing but makes a ton of sense (luckily don't use it a ton anyway).

 

[Grub54891]

I’ve found when reversing it helps to throw it in neutral once you are moving if its dog walking the wrong way. That removes the thrust from the prop and helps you go the way you want.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Yep....bump it in and out of gear in reverse

 

[QBhoy]

They are actually fairly shallow draft, to be fair. If you’re worried about it when launching, it might not be such a worry. Most of them come with trailers that shouldn’t allow that to happen. Unless it’s shallower behind the trailer where you are reversing towards for some reason.
Main thing to be very aware of with a mastercraft, is that they have a very biased behaviour when reversing into a dock or manoeuvring in close quarters. In some instances, you won’t be able to get away from the dock at all even. They very much pull the boat sideways with the prop walk they have.

 

[ahicks]

It's going to take a while, but you get pretty good with an inboard when it comes to low speed maneuvering. Using the prop "walk" in reverse, combined with a short bump of forward gear blowing water over a rudder turned in the proper direction can be pretty effective.

The "bumping" in and out of gear while maneuvering Scott mentions is actually an art form. Best advice I can share is to go SLOW. Getting in a hurry/loosing patience can get expensive....

Agree too with the fact they aren't necessarily a deep draft, and the trailer very likely has a prop guard under it to protect the rudder and prop.

Congrats on the new boat!

 

[QBhoy]

It's going to take a while, but you get pretty good with an inboard when it comes to low speed maneuvering. Using the prop "walk" in reverse, combined with a short bump of forward gear blowing water over a rudder turned in the proper direction can be pretty effective.

The "bumping" in and out of gear while maneuvering Scott mentions is actually an art form. Best advice I can share is to go SLOW. Getting in a hurry/loosing patience can get expensive....

Agree too with the fact they aren't necessarily a deep draft, and the trailer very likely has a prop guard under it to protect the rudder and prop.

Congrats on the new boat!

Better out than I did, Perhaps. Well said.
Although I like these boats..the old classic stars mastercraft in particular, I’ve always thought that you’d need to be right into waterskiing or towing to justify one. Especially the newer ones and their cost.
About the draft and depth issues. I know for a fact that your average mastercraft can get closer to the beach here, than my 18ft Campion Chase outdrive boat…even with the drive right up…she’s still about thigh deep when she’s just touching the sandy bottom. Big v8 right at the back of her and a heavy wee bugger, doesn’t help much.