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iRide-True purpose?


Badger

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I've been shopping for boats and have been strictly looking for V-drives for family purposes. Over the weekend, I've softened my stance a bit and am considering looking at DDs, since I'm the one that wants to ski. I'm truly a recreational slalom skier who wants to improve enough to run a complete a course. The boat will also be used to teach my kids when they get old enough to ski so I'd like to be able to but a boom on it. We also do spend a lot of time just cruising around and pulling kids on tubes. For now, somebody might wakeboard 1-2 times per year behind my boat.

I saw a good deal on a used iRide, but am a bit confused. With the DD layout on the SV23 wake hull, what is really the intended purpose, or target customer? It seems a bit like a conflict. Or is this really a good cross-over boat that would better handle choppy waters of mid-afternoon tubing with the kids, yet give me a good wake for the early morning slalom run? Or should I really just be looking at Responses? I'm targeting $30k for a price.

Secondary question: Am I going to be able to put a boom on any inboard I buy, no matter if it is a DD or V-drive?

Badger

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The I ride is meant to be an entry-level crossover. It will be a decent slalom boat, better than any V drive you're looking at. It's on the Wake hull though so it can be more easily loaded up for boarding/surfing. It takes quite a bit more weight to sink the Diamond hull than the Wake hull. Ride quality on the rough days won't be quite as good as the rear weighted V drive, but it'll be pretty close.

Question 2: Yes, but booms work better on DDs since they tend to exit the boat farther forward. Plus, you can usually put a boom out either side with a DD whereas with a VD, you're stuck to using the port side.

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Unless you are skiing the course a lot, sounds like a vdrive would be a better boat for you. Might want to look at the sunscapes- more geared towards skiing but still a very capable wakeboarding hull.

I know for us we have been course skiing a lot less since we have two kids. Hate to say it, but if I were dropping the coin today on a new boat it would be a vdrive-probably the VTX or the sunscape version of a vlx.

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If you are looking at used I would look for a Sunsetter LXI with a wedge 1999-2004 I think. On the V-23 Diamond hull. It is a oustanding ski boat and a decent wakeboard boat has room for the famly. I just bought a Response Lxi if the old sunsetter was still available I would hav bought it in a secound. I am a hard core slalom skier. This boat is the best crossover boat I have ever come across. I have had V-drives and DD. Thumbup.gif

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Unless you are skiing the course a lot, sounds like a vdrive would be a better boat for you.

I respectfully disagree with Lakenut. You are buying the boat and will be skiing behind it most. Consider the DD, particularly if you are striving for improvement and looking to run the course. Someone wakeboarding once or twice in an entire season does not justify a vdrive. . .unless you want the room and are willing to compromise on slalom wake quality.

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If you are looking at used I would look for a Sunsetter LXI with a wedge 1999-2004 I think. On the V-23 Diamond hull. It is a oustanding ski boat and a decent wakeboard boat has room for the famly. I just bought a Response Lxi if the old sunsetter was still available I would hav bought it in a secound. I am a hard core slalom skier. This boat is the best crossover boat I have ever come across. I have had V-drives and DD. Thumbup.gif

I would second this opinion. Look for a used SSLXi first. You'll get nicer styling, more luxury, and a much more versatile boat with better slalom performance by far than the IRide.

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The I-Ride will give a better wake for wakeboarding which is slightly harder and a tad larger than the SLXI. If I wanted to run the course and continually improve I’d pick the SLXI over the I-Ride (formerly called the Sunsetter LX). Though in 2002 irc the Sunsetter for one year was put on the diamond hull fyi.

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I appreciate all the input so far, and have done some quick research on the Sunsetter recommendations. Let me add some variables. Cost and having the piece of mind of a warranty, are important to me. I've never been a big fan of buying used because of fear of buying someone else's problem.

The average boattrader asking price on a '00-'02 Sunsetter LXi appears to be about $28k with a couple hundred hours. I can get an '06 iRide with less than 20 hours and 2 years of warranty left for $33k. I'm pretty open minded, and would love to ski them both before deciding, but would you change your opinion based on this, or still think the Sunsetter would be that much better?

Badger

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You need to ski behind then to decide which wake you like better, that will help you decided if a few more hours and save a $ is worth it. Purchasing used isn’t a huge problem just need to do your homework. Talk to the dealer whom the boat was purchased from, of if they moved the new dealer, and request all service records. Have a marine mechanic go thru the boat and trailer and have it wet tested. From the initial boat inspection and info from the mechanic you should come to some reasonable conclusion whether the boat has been well cared for or not. The I-Ride is a very capable boat; again the wakes just are a bit more pronounced and harder on the non-diamond hull. This boat can run the course no problem and I’ve skied behind one many times. It certainly hasn’t kept me from progressing any. If you’re on the lake all day the storage of the SLXI is invaluable btw. Knowing what I know about both boats I'm still in favor of the SLXI w/ the I-ride a close second.

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The Sunsetter has a world class wake. If your boat is going to be ski first you can't beat it. It has a wake as good as my 07 RLXI. It is not weight sensitive. With a wedge I have seen my ski partners son do flips on a wake board and his boat doesnot have a tower. Ya you don't find them cheap. My dealer said he can sell them as fast as he can get them.

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I sold a 2001 SSLXI in '03 with ~120 hours IIRC, for high 20's and they are still at that price now in '07. That should give you some indication on how popular that boat is.

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I appreciate all the input so far, and have done some quick research on the Sunsetter recommendations. Let me add some variables. Cost and having the piece of mind of a warranty, are important to me. I've never been a big fan of buying used because of fear of buying someone else's problem.

The average boattrader asking price on a '00-'02 Sunsetter LXi appears to be about $28k with a couple hundred hours. I can get an '06 iRide with less than 20 hours and 2 years of warranty left for $33k. I'm pretty open minded, and would love to ski them both before deciding, but would you change your opinion based on this, or still think the Sunsetter would be that much better?

Badger

I don't really have anything new to add to the discussion, just one comment to address this one. Buying a used boat with a couple hundred hours can actually be a good thing. New boats always have at least a few small problems that often need to be worked through. By purchasing (for example) a creampuff that someone has really taken care of (& you can usually tell, one way or another) you get a boat that's really only just broken in but also has all of the bugs worked out of it. Usually a boat like that is really dialed in (my '04 sure was). Anything under 400 hours is still practically new to my mind, these boats can run a long, long time beyond that.

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The Sunsetter has a world class wake. If your boat is going to be ski first you can't beat it. It has a wake as good as my 07 RLXI. It is not weight sensitive. With a wedge I have seen my ski partners son do flips on a wake board and his boat doesnot have a tower. Ya you don't find them cheap. My dealer said he can sell them as fast as he can get them.
I sold a 2001 SSLXI in '03 with ~120 hours IIRC, for high 20's and they are still at that price now in '07. That should give you some indication on how popular that boat is.

The news for '08 is the return of the SLXI on the cut diamond hull, well that's my dream anyway.

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The Sunsetter has a world class wake. If your boat is going to be ski first you can't beat it. It has a wake as good as my 07 RLXI. It is not weight sensitive. With a wedge I have seen my ski partners son do flips on a wake board and his boat doesnot have a tower. Ya you don't find them cheap. My dealer said he can sell them as fast as he can get them.
I sold a 2001 SSLXI in '03 with ~120 hours IIRC, for high 20's and they are still at that price now in '07. That should give you some indication on how popular that boat is.

The news for '08 is the return of the SLXI on the cut diamond hull, well that's my dream anyway.

Dream on, because I can tell you that that's the only place that it lives (at least as far as '08 is concerned). Tease.gif

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Hi All, I'd like to thank you all for your comments and suggestions on this topic. Unfortunately for me, my wife and I had a long discussion about this and I have been told...I mean it has been decided, that I'm not getting a direct drive. My wife and daughter love our I/O, they don't see the point of the new boat, and the only thing that has swayed her was the possibility of a smokin deal, on a newer (with some warranty left) V-Drive, with the wrap around seating. We have seen a couple of non-Malibu boats that meet this criteria, but nothing has worked out yet. If anyone comes across a great deal on a V-Ride, please let me know. I think that is probably the only Malibu that will meet this criteria.

Here's one last crazy question that will probably make most of you cringe: My family loves the bow rise of the I/O where I can get a rhythm going and lift and drop the front end like an amusement park ride. I'm sure it's great for the hull and motor, but hey, who am I to try to explain that to a 4 year old when she's screaming with glee. I promise that I only do it during the middle of the day when there are no skiers on the lake.

Any chance of still being able to do that with a V-Drive? Sorry if this question caused injury to any hardcore owners when you fell off your chair!

Thanks again,

Badger

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Hi All, I'd like to thank you all for your comments and suggestions on this topic. Unfortunately for me, my wife and I had a long discussion about this and I have been told...I mean it has been decided, that I'm not getting a direct drive. My wife and daughter love our I/O, they don't see the point of the new boat, and the only thing that has swayed her was the possibility of a smokin deal, on a newer (with some warranty left) V-Drive, with the wrap around seating. We have seen a couple of non-Malibu boats that meet this criteria, but nothing has worked out yet. If anyone comes across a great deal on a V-Ride, please let me know. I think that is probably the only Malibu that will meet this criteria.

Here's one last crazy question that will probably make most of you cringe: My family loves the bow rise of the I/O where I can get a rhythm going and lift and drop the front end like an amusement park ride. I'm sure it's great for the hull and motor, but hey, who am I to try to explain that to a 4 year old when she's screaming with glee. I promise that I only do it during the middle of the day when there are no skiers on the lake.

Any chance of still being able to do that with a V-Drive? Sorry if this question caused injury to any hardcore owners when you fell off your chair!

Thanks again,

Badger

Yes you will be able to do that to a certain extent with a vdrive, they have more bowrise than a ddrive. For your needs, look for an '04 or older 21' vdrive on the diamond hull (they were made from '01-'04). The differences in the wake between that boat & the IRide will be pretty negligible, with the vdrive diamond hull's wake possibly being a bit softer. That should get you right into your budget range & satisfy the rest of the family. In '05 the hull changed, so you'll want to stay with that '01-'04 time frame.

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If you are trying to convince your wife to get an inboard, go with the safety angle. The kids are alot safer with the prop under the boat than behind it. My kids love to jump in the lake off the swim platform. I would not let them do it with an outdrive and sharp prop back there where they would be jumping.

If she only agrees with getting a v-drive, go with that. It is still much better for skiing than an I/O and it will make her happy, which is a big plus.

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My wife and daughter love our I/O, they don't see the point of the new boat, and the only thing that has swayed her was the possibility of a smokin deal, on a newer (with some warranty left) V-Drive, with the wrap around seating.

Ummm. . .just out of curiosity. . .have they ridden in a direct drive boat (or vdrive for that matter)? If not, they need to ride in one with an experienced driver.

Daughter will forget about the porpoising trick when someone spins the wheel at 35+ MPH and the boat is instantly going in the direction it came from. Whenever I take someone new for a ride, I ALWAYS ask:

1) If they like amusement park rides.

2) If they get sick on said rides.

Number two is especially important to me, because giving them the 'G-force Grin' isn't worth cleaning vomit off the carpet, IMHO. Crazy.gif

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