just bought my first ski boat!

[chadyboy]

Hi all, first time member and poster. Just sold my 'old' 27' suntracker party barge. I had that barge for 5 years, and sold it to the day I bought it. Didn't realize it until I looked on the registration..LOL. It was a good boat, but drank gas worse than a horse drinking water.

I sold it for much more than the dealership would do a trade-in, at a consignment shop. I turned around and bought a 2007 Q4 Tahoe. immaculate condition. Older gentleman had it, its never spend a night outside. Its got the 4.3L 190 HP, so I'm looking forward to some serious tubing, waking boarding, and anything else I can drag behind it.

Just couldn't contain my excitement. Looking forward to a great summer.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

Good luck with it. It should be fine for tubing and wakeboarding, as the I/O will toss a generous wake. Have fun.

 

[agallant80]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

Is the 4.3 a carb or an MPI(fuel injected)

 

[Slip Away]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

@190 hp IT'S A CARB.

 

[agallant80]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

I was thinking for his luck he may have assumed it was the 190HP and he really had the 220HP MPI.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

That 4.3 should be plenty for a boat that size. My Dad's Tahoe 215 deck boat had the same engine. It was adequate but it was a large boat. He pulled tubes, wake boards, skis, etc without issue, so you wont have a problem. I had a Tahoe Q7 with a 5.7 in it and it was a rocket. Light body+big engine=fun. The only downfall of the Tahoe is ride quality. For a first boat(that is not a toon) it is perfect though. Had I been able to find another Tahoe for sale when I bought my current boat I would probably have another Q7, Q6 or Q8, but none were available, that were in decent shape anyway.

You will be happy with that boat. Take care of it and it will take care of you, as is with all boats.

 

[chadyboy]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

Its a carb. this is my first ski boat. Back when I bought the toon 5 years ago I thought I wanted to just cruise around the lake, sippin on some buds and chill. After a couple of years I regretted getting it and really wanted to go faster and try wakeboarding (Ive never done it, but I hear its a blast). Around this same time I got scuba certified, so the toon was perfect hauling all my dive stuff. But I still wanted something faster. The toon had a 3.0L, 135HP but was SLOW. I finally told myself I was getting a ski boat for this year. Its really been a whirlwind 2 months. My toon didnt have a trailer, so I had to get one of those. Nobody wants to buy a 27' toon without a trailer in a slip, but what people dont realize is its a choir getting that big boat to/from the lake. The guy that bought mine will soon figure that out.

At any rate, Im looking forward to getting across the lake within an hour. It took all day to get across the lake in the toom. Better hit the gym if Im going to wakeboard...LOL.

Ive slalomed all my life, and have been told wakeboarding will be a walk in the park.

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

y haha and good luck ull have tonsw of fun !! take care of it !!!

 

[rallyart]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

Wakeboarding is easier than slalom but it takes a while getting used to riding 'twisted'. Also, you are about to experience power faceplants that are simply unobtainable on a ski.
Enjoy the new boat. It's fun having a little speed.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

A tahoe isn't a ski boat... :happy:

In any case, its a very nice boat, and unless you are a die hard wakeboard/skier, an I/O bowrider makes more sense than a ski boat anyway. (ski boats are all direct drive, with either a V-drive or straight shaft setup. No I/O's)

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

A tahoe isn't a ski boat... :happy:

In any case, its a very nice boat, and unless you are a die hard wakeboard/skier, an I/O bowrider makes more sense than a ski boat anyway. (ski boats are all direct drive, with either a V-drive or straight shaft setup. No I/O's)

Well thats true, but the Tahoe is marketed as a "fish and ski". So its easy to get confused. I think it will work perfect for what he is going for. If the OP gets to a point that he is skiing and wakeboarding a lot, then he can spend the big bucks on a proper ski boat. JMO.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

A tahoe isn't a ski boat... :happy:

In any case, its a very nice boat, and unless you are a die hard wakeboard/skier, an I/O bowrider makes more sense than a ski boat anyway. (ski boats are all direct drive, with either a V-drive or straight shaft setup. No I/O's)

That is not true. Competition 3 event ski boats are all pretty much direct drive, and have been for a number of years. Some v-drives make decent ski boats, but not much better than many IOs. Only a select handful have been approved to pull a 3-event water ski tournament. Ourboards make some of the best barefoot ski boats. And, there are some darn nice IO wake board boats.

Congratulations on your boat! Enjoy your ski boat!

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

If you can ski behind it, it's a ski boat.

I just think it's too bad you had to sell the 'toon to buy the ski boat. Hell, if I find the boat I'm using isn't doing what I want, I don't get a different boat...

... I get ANOTHER boat! :joyous:

(well, usually anyway!)

 

[ezmobee]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

I just think it's too bad you had to sell the 'toon to buy the ski boat.

It's ok, his 'toon had an I/O which is completely ridiculous on a 'toon

Congrats chadyboy!

 

[mschmidt33]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

I have an 09' Q5i 4.3TKS which is essentially the same. Great boat. Enjoy.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

That is not true. Competition 3 event ski boats are all pretty much direct drive, and have been for a number of years. Some v-drives make decent ski boats, but not much better than many IOs. Only a select handful have been approved to pull a 3-event water ski tournament. Ourboards make some of the best barefoot ski boats. And, there are some darn nice IO wake board boats.

I grouped direct drive/v drive in as straight inboards... Outside of barefooting, which isn't technically skiing!, there are really no I/O based 'ski' boats. (barefooting boats are basically bass boats minus the metalflake) Yes, the mfg markets them as ski boats, or they are called fish-n-ski, but they serve that purpose poorly.

A wake tower doesn't make an I/O into a wake boat. True wake boats have large platforms that are level with the water, ballast tanks that can be filled up, cruise control (perfect pass), and usually a wake plate for adjusting the size/shape of the wake. I/O's lack all of those, and as far as I know, there is no I/O on the market that comes with all those features. Also, wake surfing behind an I/O is a really easy way to meet Darwin. Simply put, an I/O will make a mushy, rough wake with lots of turbulence. No way around that with a big chunk of metal in the water.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

This is why water skiing is such a dying sport. Too many people put the boat over the act itself. It is also why most of the true ski boats I see according to your definition just pull tubes.

Chaparral has been making one that fits your bill since 2008: 2008 Chaparral wake boat - Archive through October 28, 2007

 

[littlerayray]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

i got a 2012 tahoe q4 wish i could have upgraded the motor but its no longer an option but i still love it anything to get you out on the water
my 135 hp motor pulls tubes and skiiers fine so you should have a blast

 

[D1vemaster]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

You've gotta be kidding me. Just because it isn't a mastercraft inboard competion supra tige special it's not a ski boat . 99% of skiers are towed behind an I/O . Why say that to a new guy. Lighten up . I see people all the time in those $90k dollar rides pulling kids on tubes and doing nothing but burning allot of fuel.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: just bought my first ski boat!

You've gotta be kidding me. Just because it isn't a mastercraft inboard competion supra tige special it's not a ski boat . 99% of skiers are towed behind an I/O . Why say that to a new guy. Lighten up . I see people all the time in those $90k dollar rides pulling kids on tubes and doing nothing but burning allot of fuel.

I see them out at the inlet pulled up to the island all the time too, and laugh my but off that they paid all that money for a "ski" boat and they are using it as a simple bowrider. Oh, sorry, they throw out an anchor and have to swim in because their prop hits bottom before they get close enough to beach it.