Finally got to ski behind the new boat

[oldjeep]

Living in the land of 10,000 no wake zones has been a bit tough on the skiing this year. Finally got to ski behind the new boat a couple weeks ago by driving up to Lake Vermilion on vacation. My .02, at 32 MPH I didn't notice a wake difference between my 2012 VTX and my FIL's 2004 RLXI. There probably is one, but I'm not good enough to notice it. My son and I were the only ones really using the boat, wife still has a knee injury she is working on so she was limited to paddle boarding.

 

[Scott Danforth]

looks like fun had by all but the Admiral.

 

[oldjeep]

looks like fun had by all but the Admiral.

She was happy enough on her new paddle board. Doctor said that wakeboarding was out for this summer so we made sure to pick up something that she could do at the lake. It's an inflatable that we can stow in the boat and take it out anywhere we like.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Inflatable? Guessing Airhead. if so, a good friend of mine just started with Airhead Water sports.

 

[oldjeep]

Inflatable? Guessing Airhead. if so, a good friend of mine just started with Airhead Water sports.

It is a Seylor, and my folks have an NRS. As long as you are under 200 they are plenty ridged when inflated.

 

[Brian 26]

Good stuff. I'm still watching daily for Minnetonka to go down so I can ski behind my new prop. I like the skis in the "wakeboard" rack.

 

[oldjeep]

Good stuff. I'm still watching daily for Minnetonka to go down so I can ski behind my new prop. I like the skis in the "wakeboard" rack.

That is a ski rack, the wakeboard rack is on the other side. Had the same setup on my bayliner.

 

[skibrain]

Really sharp boat. I hear you on lake access challenge. we're back in the water again trying to make up for lost days. Have you tried various line lengths for wakes? (In the boat to boat malibu comparison)

 

[oldjeep]

Really sharp boat. I hear you on lake access challenge. we're back in the water again trying to make up for lost days. Have you tried various line lengths for wakes? (In the boat to boat malibu comparison)

No, only tried 15 off which is where I ski at. My father in law is the short(er) line skier but the weather was so bad up north most days that he never had a chance to try out behind my boat to evaluate it. I'm still hoping to get it into one of the courses we use this year, but it doesn't look good for a while.

 

[skibrain]

I ask because my most regular ski bud has an RLXi.

 

[oldjeep]

I ask because my most regular ski bud has an RLXi.

Hopefully he'll get a chance to ski behind it and give me an evaluation. I will say that both boats had full tanks of fuel because we were up in the middle of nowhere, which in the case of the RLXI is not the way we normally ski it. In my case it acts like ballast in the middle of the boat so it probably helps the wake

 

[skibrain]

On LXi we typically run 1/4 tank and remove rear seat. Removed the wedge week one and hasn't been on since. We I stalled a Fresh Air Exhaust on his 340 hp '04 this spring. External collector exhausts underwater behind rudder. Not huge noise difference within boat, but super quiet now from rear both near and especially 1/4 mile away. For early a.m. it's all about being good neighbors.

 

[oldjeep]

On LXi we typically run 1/4 tank and remove rear seat. Removed the wedge week one and hasn't been on since. We I stalled a Fresh Air Exhaust on his 340 hp '04 this spring. External collector exhausts underwater behind rudder. Not huge noise difference within boat, but super quiet now from rear both near and especially 1/4 mile away. For early a.m. it's all about being good neighbors.

I'm not sold on the FAE, noise reduction would be good but the way they designed the exhaust with all those 90 degree transitions that fires one bank straight into the other offends the car guy in me.

 

[Brian 26]

That is a ski rack, the wakeboard rack is on the other side. Had the same setup on my bayliner.

I never knew they made special ones for skis. I just assumed they were all basic racks and everyone called them wakeboard racks.

 

[oldjeep]

I never knew they made special ones for skis. I just assumed they were all basic racks and everyone called them wakeboard racks.

The ski racks have a much wider spread between the forks, shorter forks and a bigger price tag . But it is worth it to get them off the floor and keep them safe.

 

[moosehead]

Nice. Love the ski boat and rack. Enjoy. We just had to add another specialty rack (surfboard/wakeboard rack) to hold a ZUP which is our young kids' and the admiral's new love.

My wife thinks I'm nuts to want a real ski boat just to cut down the slalom wakes. I'm also 15 off 32mph with limited to no skills, but seem to have a talent for going OTB at the ramp.