VTX - Cut Diamond Hull & Hamerhead

[shot]

How happy you are with the barefoot wake on your boat (VTX DC)?

Do you cross one foot slalom fornt and back?

Have you ever compared to a wakehull

Thx a lot.

[Matt_Alger]

How happy you are with the barefoot wake on your boat (VTX DC)?

Do you cross one foot slalom fornt and back?

Have you ever compared to a wakehull

Thx a lot.

Good questions: First, I love to foot but my abilities are no where near competitive. I spend 50% of my barefooting time on a short rope on the boom and the rest longline. We have always used a 100' rope longline. On the boom, I can go backwards but not longline. Longline, I can only front foot, do tumbles, some one foot, and can cross the wakes but only on 2 feet. So, I guess the bottom line is I am by no means an expert but just good enough to notice some differences in boats.

I am impressed with my barefoot wake. I have crossed and the only boats that I feel that I have enough time behind to compare to are my '96 Response, an '05 Mastercraft Prostar 197. I have not compared it to a wake hull but have talked to enough people (including Ron Scarpa) that the Wake Hull puts out a nicer wake but it has more spray for boom work. Since I spend 50% of my barefooting on the boom, that was an issue (which is also why I bought a Titan III tower - to use a tower mounted boom rather than a pylon mounted boom. With the tower boom, I am well ahead of the spray even without a boom extension so no issue there.

I would rank these 3 boats in this way (strickly considering ONLY barefoot performance):

1) '96 Response (NOTE: This was pre-diamond hull)

My favorite boat for barefooting of the three. There is no side spray on the boom. Longline the wake is easy to cross and it jumps out of the hole well. I am sure the Sanger DXII is better but this boat was a great footing boat in my opinion.

2) '08 VTX - Cut Diamond Hull (a close 2nd)

With the Hammerhead it really jumps out of the water quickly. I wanted to race my '96 Response from 0 to 40 mph but never had the chance. Based the "feel" of our barefoot pulls, I think it might be faster to 40 mph (slightly slower to 20 but faster to 40). There is very little (if any) side spray when using a tower boom. Longline, the wake is wider as expected but the curl was surprisingly smooth (considering what I have heard about the Cut Diamond Hull on the Response LXi). It was just as easy for me to cross the wakes on the VTX - Cut Diamond Hull as the '96 Response. Actually it was easier but since the wakes are a bit wider it seems to take a little longer. Maybe I am a bit more fired up behind my new boat and as such am footing better but I really feel as if I am giving up very, very little if any barefoot performance with this boat. The only reason that I would put it as a close #2 is the slightly wider wake. I still say that if you want a V-Drive and want to do it all then this is the boat for you. It is a great wakeboard boat, a very good barefoot boat, and a good slalom boat. My plug again for slalom: It isn't a Response but once you get used to the wider wake - or if you ski shorter than 22' off it is impressive. I have pulled a guy to 35' off (which is typically the last line length that he can make) through a course and he didn't like the bump at 22' off but was extremely impressed with everything shorter.

3) '05 MasterCraft Prostar 197 (this is a distant 3rd)

This is NOT a great barefoot boat. On the boom, there is significant spray. It takes longer to get up to speed. Longline isn't terrible but the curl is rougher. I struggle with footing behind or on the boom of this boat.

Getting back to answering your first question: How happy you are with the barefoot wake on your boat (VTX DC)?

I am extremely happy with the barefoot wake. I was nervous about it with considering the Reputation of the Response DC hull but the weight or something in the VTX DC must be enough different to change the characteristics of the wake slightly because I am very very pleased.

I hope this helps.

[shot]

thx a lot for your review

I am thinking to go to a VTX from a XTI21

and the hull question is a bit difficult

however a hh will be in

For boom skiing which I do 50% of footing as well

I am using the 'boom in front of windshild'

and very happy with since no spray and the hight is fine