Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

[QC]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

OUCH, put the shotgun down...I was just teasin' ...jeeez. some people are touchy.....I shoulda known you were sensitive as soon as I saw you were jealous over some other guys boat.....

BOOM!! Dang, I miss Boomyall . . . Anyway, just wanted to make it unmistakeably clear that on my list of the 7 boats that I must have, a Waker isn't one of them . . . Maybe #8 as there is one place we boat that it would be good and I have teenage boys. I love specialty boats. My oldest is 19 and even he won't allow me to put a tower on my ride. Apparently the boy understands that there is a time and a place for one, and our boat isn't one of them.

 

[hal2814]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

My guess would be that the wakeboarding requirements of 95% of the "wakeboat" owners could be easily satisfied by any boat capable of towing them at 20 MPH or so. Only the top few percent can truly utilize the specialized capabilities.

Most people buy the wakeboats for the same reason that mediocre golfers buy expensive clubs and soccor moms buy 4WD SUV's that never go off road.

Most vehicles (boats included) are bought to handle whatever we might throw at it, not what we do most of the time. If you look at what most people need 80% of the time, most of us could get buy with a compact car and a jon boat. That's not what our buying decisions are based on. Our buying decisions are based on what we're doing that other 20% of the time. My wife drives an SUV. We have two kids and she keeps others for a neighbor on occasion. We didn't want a giant monstrosity of a vehicle but we wanted seating for at least 7 and the ability to tow my boat. We decided on a Jeep Commander. If the 30 or so 28-mile each way trips to the lake and the ten or so times we've needed that third row weren't a factor, we would've gone with something else entirely.

I guess the point is that you never know. I imagine my usual lake crew looks like they're just out there to hang out but we usually get to the lake before anyone but the fishermen are up so we can get some quality wakeboarding time in before the lake gets crowded. By noon, we're done and spend most afternoons on the lake goofing off. The casual boater might not even know we wakeboard.

 

[pet575]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

As an explanation as to how they can sell a flat-bottomed slalom boat as a boat that can also make big wakes for wakeboarders, it is just as much about speed as it is hull design. Some of the best wake boats out there have a hull patterned off of the late 80's inboard slalom boats. How can this be? Because wake flattens out at 30MPH and faster and when there is little weight in the boat. So, you take the same boat and weigh it down and drive it at 18-20 MPH and you have a killer wake.

So, it IS possible to get both out of the same boat.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

The non v-drive with wake enhancing tools makes the most sense to me. However, I had one of the first Malibu skiers out, and a perfect day of skiing to me would include wake boarding and at least one pass through the slalom course too -- for that matter I would love to find a ramp to go over -- but that won't happen on a public lake in Tennessee.

I mostly agree with the original poster and I would not purchase a Wake board specific boat. If I am after a big and roomy boat with wake board capabilities, I am going with an IO deck boat with a tower. Add some smart tabs and prop down and you have a hell of a wake board tow boat.

If I ever get the kids as into the water sports as I was, it will ditch my IO for something like a malibu response with a wedge and a ballast tank, or some other direct drive competition ski boat equally adept at running the slalom course as it is at throwing a nice wake.

To spend $60-80K on a boat that could not pull my old arss through a slalom course would be a waste to me.

But in the end, that is what I love about this hobby. There is a boat for every personality in every phase of life. Aint it great!

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

If wakeboarders had any >>>>s, they'd wakeboard behind something bigger, like a 28' Nova III with twin I/O's.....now THERE is plenty of torque and a HUGE wake at 18 mph....trust me...I know

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

the driver would get pretty tired of turning that barge around and starting over and over again as they work on landing flips!

 

[SurferBoy]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

I mostly agree with the original poster and I would not purchase a Wake board specific boat. If I am after a big and roomy boat with wake board capabilities, I am going with an IO deck boat with a tower. Add some smart tabs and prop down and you have a hell of a wake board tow boat.




What are "smart tabs"

 

[mike176]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

Urben Myers head football coach of the florida gators just bought the best lake house on lake santa fe, and an awesome V-drive with all the bling. I boat that lake atleast twice a month and I have never seen that boat pull anything other then a tube. I've also seen that boat at the full service lane of the gas station, he actually pays somebody to pump his gas for him!!

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Wakeboard boats are usually stupid

you got to do something with that salary!