mr_pretzel Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Something that can tackle a bit of weather but still produce an okay/great wake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Brady Posted October 29, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 29, 2012 @mr_pretzel. I have a bit of experience of running the boats on the ocean. Before I became a baller, I was into the go fast boats and had a 26 foot Doral with a 496, with a blower, blah blah blah. The ocean can kick up so fast and even in a big boat like that, when mother nature acts up, it is not a pretty site, even close to shore, etc.. That is a very tough one, because of all the ski boats I know about, (mid-drive engines), the very nature of the design of the boats is to make the nose stay down and not lift up. The faster you go, the lower the nose drops. And, riding the ocean, it is imperative to keep your nose up. The swells in the ocean act entirely different than what you would experience on a lake. I ski on a lake that can get pretty nasty when the weather acts up, and coming back to the harbor has been downright dicey at times in my PS 197. I have had to use my pumps pretty much constantly when the weather acts up. So, IMO that leaves you with an engine in the back of the boat. The only boat with a class A-rated wake and an engine in the back that I know about is the Nautique Sport. However, I would be very careful when you take it out. @scotchipman has some great weather resources you could use on an ongoing basis to help make sure you go out when it is calm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted October 29, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 29, 2012 That's a tricky question, by okay-great wake you're talking slalom wake? Or for a multitude of sports? I'd say as much freeboard, closed bow, and make sure you have a closed loop cooling system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller rodltg2 Posted October 29, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 29, 2012 I dont have any experience with this boat, but the Malibu FXI seems like a larger boat than most tournament ski boats that may work you . No longer produced though so you would have to find a used or left over. http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=35458 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller rodltg2 Posted October 29, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 29, 2012 The Tige Switch I also looks like it has a high freeboard and its closed bow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted October 29, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 29, 2012 Good point on the planing - on our lake bad days we cannot go more than about 10 mph, and it is a wet ride, I've had days that I had to tack to go up wind and not get pounded just off idle. We're talking wake surf speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller andjules Posted October 29, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 29, 2012 Caveats: (i) We don't really know your expectations or budget (new or used); and (ii) I haven't skied either of the boats mentioned below, but I have been in this kind of discussion on other forums and 'knowledgeable-sounding' folks mentioned these boats: The Sanger 210/215 were known for being a bit better in rough water, but we're talking V-drives (hybrids that lean more to wakeboarding than skiing), so the wake is going to be hard compared to a 3-event direct drive, and if you're taking skiers in the 26-30mph range, it's also going to be a bigger wake. On the other hand, if you're hoping to comfortably take more than one-or-two people for a boat ride in a bit of ocean chop, you pretty much have to bite the V-drive bullet, both because of what @Brady said above, and because it brings the rear seat forward out of the spray compared to the very wet, way-at-the-back rear seat in direct drives. If you'd rather the skiing advantages of a direct drive, the mid-2000s Centurion T5 was also known for being a little better in rough water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogboy Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 There are a lot of outboard boats that are reasonably small, sea kindly, and have a small wake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller thager Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Check out the Hydrodyne inboards. Were 20'2" in length. The 92-96 Comps had a deep freeboard, a semi- v hull in back that smoothed rough water pounding but had a good small soft wake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I'd also recommend looking at outboard boats. They are usually more durable in the salt water than an inboard, and the ability to trim the nose up will help you in less than ideal conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller GregHind Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Malibu flightcraft barefooter or one of the many outboard barefoot boats you can see on the boat reviews on http://barefootcentral.info would be the best choice for ocean compatible slalom boat. The wakes are tiny. Tracking is pretty good. Ability to trim the engine to lift the nose right up if it gets rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Brady Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 @mr_pretzel. I think the suggestions from @GregHind and @Ryno talking about the outboard motors are excellent suggestions! I have never owned and outboard, but it is true, the wakes are small and you really can trim them down quite a bit to keep your nose up. That is really the key to being safe on the ocean. Keeping your nose up. A dry boat is a boat that floats. I don't imagine you will get caught in ocean swells, but the dancing of the waves can get pretty aggressive and the more you can keep your nose up in any boat, and especially a small ski boat, the better off and safer you will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Jordan Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Mastercraft Barefoot 2000 is an outboard that also happens to be really good slalom boat. They are only available used. and can be hard to find but they are out there. Outboards deal with salt much better than inboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_pretzel Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks for all the help guys! How about a water jet boat? I know of a few good ones, but would they be good for skiing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Jordan Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Jet boats basically suck for waterskiing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_pretzel Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 @jordan Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller estrom Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Jet boats don't track at all. We owned an OB for 25 years (virtually identical to the Sanger barefooter) and loved it. You do get all the benefits listed above (trimming nose up, etc...), but many have the downside of being pretty shallow. It wasn't often, but there were a couple of times we had to tack across rough water and it can get pretty hairy in a shallow boat. The Mastercraft OB is the deepest of that type of boat. You can't go wrong with the Sanger either. It's not quite as deep, but is wider which does offer some good stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Some of the outboard barefoot boats have very low freeboard and nose such as the flightcraft and the centurion warrior barefoot comp. Would probably be better with Mastercraft Barefoot 200 or Ski Centurion Falcon Barefoot...I still own a '91 Falcon Barefoot. It doesn't do slalom duty anymore, but back in the day it did right into shortline at 36 mph. Freeboard and nose are higher than the others...I've never put the nose under or through a wave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted October 30, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 30, 2012 Definately no jet boats. Efficiency is terrible and the low speed handling will risk your skiers health Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I also agree with the comments on Jetboats... When I've slalomed behind them I've found that you get very little power when cutting through the wake, as the wash is so aerated from the jet drive. Go the outboard!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skihart Posted October 31, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 31, 2012 How about a Mastercraft saltwater series? Not sure they still sell new ones but they would be a good option for the ocean. Maybe a 214? Have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryTee Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 @Mr. Pretzel...But why would you want to? Being from eastern Long Island, NY I have boated on open water my whole life, but ski in the ocean...it would never occur to me. A protected harbor? sure...a calm bay? of course...ocean? wtf, no way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Rup Posted October 31, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 31, 2012 When I am not at a lake I free ski on the sea. I have a 17' Boston Whaller with an outboard. It's not the same as a SN 200 but I still enjoy skiing behind it. The wake is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller aswinter05 Posted October 31, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 31, 2012 The best ski boat for the Ocean would be my Mastercraft Prostar 209 that's for sale...... just kidding. But a +1 for the outboard engine. I've read up on them and besides withstanding salty conditions better (easier maintenance) than inboards, you honestly shouldn't be sacrificing "too" much in the way of a flat wake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Jordan Posted October 31, 2012 Baller Share Posted October 31, 2012 @mr_pretzel Jets have terrible hole shots and the power doesn't come on in a linear fashion. At first the jet pump feels like a slipping prop, then the pump spools up and it takes off They also track really poorly. Outboards are way better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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