New boat for family, tubing, wakeboarding, sandbars sea doo wake 230?

[suds1421]

Good afternoon everyone, we currently have a 95 four winns horizon 180 that I put a wakeboard tower on. My daughter likes to wakeboard, my son would like to.

We have been looking at inboards that can haul 10-12 people for the lazy days on the lake... that said, not tons in our budget. (Less than 30k)

What are people's thoughts on the wake 230? I understand it's not amazing for wakeboarding, but my daughter isn't throwing huge tricks, if she gets there we have friends with some sweet rides that would love to tow an advanced boarder...

We really like to head to the sandbars and get in some shallow water so the jet drives are appealing that way...

The boy loves to go fast

That said... why shouldn't we buy a 2009 sea doo wake 230 with the 510hp option?

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I think you are going to need more than a 23' boat, if it is 23', to haul 10 to 12 people. I have no idea where you will put them all. You are looking at a bit less than a ton depending on the size of the folks onboard, could be more with my guys. That's going to need 500HP to pull someone behind it me thinks with a full load of humanity.

 

[JASinIL2006]

If you plan to spend the day aboard your boat, with coolers, beach bags, etc., 10-12 would probably be pretty tight. If you would just be taking groups out from a lakeside cottage, that number would be OK.

I don’t know about the suitability of a jet drive. Most folks I know who visit sandbars, etc., have I/Os or outboards. We do, and beaching is no problem.

 

[Scott Danforth]

a 30 foot pontoon is tight with 10-12 people on board. a 23 foot boat with consoles cooler, etc. will need people to be dang near stacked like wood over-crowded. my boat says it will haul 12, any more than 6 people and its over-crowded unless I stuff them in the cuddy. however only 3-4 people max fit down there.

 

[roffey]

My boat is rated for 9... it does nicely with 6.. I have found most people do not like boating the way we or I do. For most a 30 minute ride around the lake is lots. For me, I can spend the day out on the water. Most of my friends prefer to stay on dry land near the cooler, ice, fridge and AC.

 

[harringtondav]

Keep in mind jet drives don't like sand much. Over time it will wear the clearance around your impeller, and efficiency will decrease. Powering off sand stirs up the sand more and blows it back into the intake. And if your drive swallows large enough gravel, you're done.

 

[roffey]

As far as I know and Ive never owned or driven a jet drive, the only advantage to a jet drive is shallow water driving and handling. A jet drive turns on a dim, lol. A prop driven boat is quiet, more fuel efficient and more go for less HP.

There is advantages and disadvantages to both types of drive.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

The only time I have seen 12 on a 23'er it was 2 young guys with 10 bikini clad young girls. 10 might be fun for about 20 minutes for the guy running the thing. When I am responsible for everyone in my boat I want to hear myself think, with 11 othershaving a gay old time that ain't happening.

 

[QBhoy]

Personally not a fan of these.
they use two tiny, high revving and highly stressed 1.5l 3 cylinder engines that are squeezed within an inch of their life to produce this power. They are highly stressed. Pushing a jet ski, never mind a 23ft boat and a load of people.
Added to that, they are utterly inefficient doing it. As are most jet boats.
going anywhere near sand in anything shallower than a prop driven boat would be wary of, is a no no too. All you’ll do is destroy the wear rings and or the impellers.
If speed is your thing, any jet driven boat I know of would get left behind by a prop driven boat of same hull and half the power. That’s how much power they throw away. I can tell you that my 300ish hp outdrive V8 18ft has been up against the 510hp twin engine seadoo (think it was about 20ft ish) and it didn’t see what way mine went anything over 45-50mph.
I’m sure they are good fun though for a while. Then I think most would get fed up with their terrible thirst and noise.

 

[H20Rat]

I can tell you that my 300ish hp outdrive V8 18ft has been up against the 510hp twin engine seadoo (think it was about 20ft ish) and it didn’t see what way mine went anything over 45-50mph.

Top speed on the 20' twin engine 510hp seadoo is 65 mph. Light load and good water and you will see 68mph. Acceleration is 0-30 in 2.1 seconds. (your boat is probably double that)

 

[briangcc]

https://www.sea-doo.com/boats-2012-and-beyond.html

Just an observation....who's servicing it when it needs parts? I realize that could be said for a lot of manufacturers out there but I'm not so sure I'd be buying something that isn't in production - my family likes warranties and readily available parts.

 

[JASinIL2006]

The only time I have seen 12 on a 23'er it was 2 young guys with 10 bikini clad young girls. 10 might be fun for about 20 minutes for the guy running the thing. When I am responsible for everyone in my boat I want to hear myself think, with 11 othershaving a gay old time that ain't happening.

I'm sure when one is out with 10 bikini clad young girls, hearing onself think becomes a low priority! :laugh:

 

[roffey]

Hmmm, I never had 10 bikini clad young ladies on my boat yet, but eagerly waiting for it to happen... My boat only holds 9 but i'm willing to make an exception or at least try it, just a test mind you.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Hmmm, I never had 10 bikini clad young ladies on my boat yet, but eagerly waiting for it to happen... My boat only holds 9 but i'm willing to make an exception or at least try it, just a test mind you.

For science.

 

[roffey]

For science.

strictly...

 

[QBhoy]

Top speed on the 20' twin engine 510hp seadoo is 65 mph. Light load and good water and you will see 68mph. Acceleration is 0-30 in 2.1 seconds. (your boat is probably double that)

This one certainly wasn’t doing more than 60 gps. If it was doing 65 gps it would have only been a tiny bit slower than mine and with it getting off the mark quicker than mine it would have taken me miles to catch it. It was all over within a mile or so.
where did you see they do 65mph ? I’d be amazed if they do. Might be wrong though. Or his wear rings were shot. It sure took off like a rocket. I’ll give it that.