Looking at a BIG boat

[turbophil]

My current ride, which I plan on keeping, is a '95 Sunsetter. I love this boat for local lakes and week night ski expeditions. I recently installed a 330 PCM engine...couldn't be happier...

However, I married into a lake house at the Ozarks. My little 21 footer just isn't enough boat for that lake. I'm looking into buying an 'additional' boat to keep at the big lake. I want a boat that I can enjoy skiing behind but will also handle the ocean sized chop. Our house is on the biggest water (mile marker 9 for you locals) where a 30 foot boat is considered small.

I was thinking of the Mastercraft x-80/ Maristar 280 series boat. I know the wake would be huge compared to my 'bu, but would the wake be tolerable with the understanding that I do my serious skiing on smaller lakes behind the 'bu? I've skiied behind big boats in the past and the water was just too choppy and bubbly to enjoy any watersports. I'm hoping the Mastercraft wouldn't be that way.

Anyone have any expererience with these big boarding boats?

Best,

Phil

[SacRiverRat]

why would you ski when the water is choppy? Personally that is the time to go sailing, or sit back and enjoy a beverage and the view

[aneal000]

Phil,

Go to WestPort Yacht Club, talk to Gabe Fowler. Tell him Tony (the malibu guy) sent you and you want to demo one. He will take you out and let you drive/ride behind it. There are a few showing up on that lake and I think you will see even more in the next few years, it's a great boat for that lake.

On a side note we had a 25' Malibu down there last year for a bit. It handled the big water awesome. The St. Louis dealer has a loaded up 05 that I'm sure he is dying to sell.

[turbophil]

why would you ski when the water is choppy? Personally that is the time to go sailing, or sit back and enjoy a beverage and the view

Good point. Let me clarify. I'm trying to get a single boat that is best of both worlds; cruising when the water is rough (after 10AM, it's REAL rough) and skiing when it's smooth (we'll ski from 530AM to 10AM).

Best,

Phil

[turbophil]

Phil,

Go to WestPort Yacht Club, talk to Gabe Fowler. Tell him Tony (the malibu guy) sent you and you want to demo one. He will take you out and let you drive/ride behind it. There are a few showing up on that lake and I think you will see even more in the next few years, it's a great boat for that lake.

On a side note we had a 25' Malibu down there last year for a bit. It handled the big water awesome. The St. Louis dealer has a loaded up 05 that I'm sure he is dying to sell.

Thanks Tony. I'll give that a go. Where is he located on the lake? I tend to talk myself into things that I shouldn't and impulse buy, so any rational thoughts from folks that have skied behind bigger inboards is much appreciated...

Best,

Phil

[stewart]

In Lake Tahoe, which gets pretty rough, the rental places have Malibu 25's for rent. Though I have not ridden in one, I have heard good things about there ability to handle crappy water.

[jshap]

I tend to talk myself into things that I shouldn't and impulse buy

Amen, brother. I walked into my dealer "just to look" last fall and walked out with a fully loaded VLX. How's THAT for an impulse buy?! /end hijack

[aneal000]

Thanks Tony. I'll give that a go. Where is he located on the lake? I tend to talk myself into things that I shouldn't and impulse buy, so any rational thoughts from folks that have skied behind bigger inboards is much appreciated...

Best,

Phil

They have two locations. One is right on 54 next to HighVee (the grocery store), the other is on the other side of the lake up in gravios mills.

WestPort Yacht Club

[edgeski1]

also the 25' Malibu is not much smaller that the Mastercraft on the inside.

Think, you have to add all that length to allow for those picklefork noses and i'm pretty sure the swim platform IS included in the length Measurement

[jefe]

Thanks Tony. I'll give that a go. Where is he located on the lake? I tend to talk myself into things that I shouldn't and impulse buy, so any rational thoughts from folks that have skied behind bigger inboards is much appreciated...

Best,

Phil

They have two locations. One is right on 54 next to HighVee (the grocery store), the other is on the other side of the lake up in gravios mills.

WestPort Yacht Club

I have never been on a 280, but I am sure they could handle the "Party Cove" chop well or Tony's "Glass" whatever you prefer

I have seen the 25 footer they have here in St. Louis. It looks sweet and I am sure it could handle most of what LOTO can dish out, but I have never rode on it there. I am probably going to ride in it at Bull Shoals next weekend though. I will let you know how it rides.

Edited July 5, 2006 by jefe

[turbophil]

Thanks for your thoughts...I've been looking into it more and I like the 25' bu, but it really is quite a bit smaller than than the 28' MC. I'm now tangling with rather I go for twin screws or a single. My initial inclination is go with a single for less weight (friendlier ski wake) and less fuel consumption. Downside is that it won't be very easier to navigate in tight spots!

Hmmmm....

Thanks Tony. I'll give that a go. Where is he located on the lake? I tend to talk myself into things that I shouldn't and impulse buy, so any rational thoughts from folks that have skied behind bigger inboards is much appreciated...

Best,

Phil

They have two locations. One is right on 54 next to HighVee (the grocery store), the other is on the other side of the lake up in gravios mills.

WestPort Yacht Club

I have never been on a 280, but I am sure they could handle the "Party Cove" chop well or Tony's "Glass" whatever you prefer

I have seen the 25 footer they have here in St. Louis. It looks sweet and I am sure it could handle most of what LOTO can dish out, but I have never rode on it there. I am probably going to ride in it at Bull Shoals next weekend though. I will let you know how it rides.

[RoverOn]

Also, ZIP for seating in the X-80.

[aneal000]

Twin screw 28 would be bad @$$. I've heard they pop up on plane as fast as their prostar 190...

I heard a few comments about "actual" boat size comparing the 25 to the 28 and if I remember correctly they are supposed to be pretty close, but I have never done a real side by side comparison. On a positive note you can get the 25 with the diamond hull and for what it's worth I'd think that would be much more skiable than the twin screw 28, but that's just MHO.

I don't think you will like the ski wake of the 28, even in good water, esp if you are coming from a much smaller ski friendly boat, but you never know.

[SacRiverRat]

That is my point... how can you ski behind such a big boat? If you aren't going to ski in rough water, why do you need a big boat?

Maybe you need to get a big boat, and take up 'foilin' or something

[GoldschlagerVT]

That is my point... how can you ski behind such a big boat? If you aren't going to ski in rough water, why do you need a big boat?

Maybe you need to get a big boat, and take up 'foilin' or something

But you have to remember, no matter how rough it is.... the water directly behind a boat that big will be smooth as glass

[SummerObsession]

First and most important question: Does your wife have a sister???

Just kidding.

I have a lot of experience with LOTO, and can tell you that people that have never been there have NO IDEA how rough it can get. I had my 29' cat there after the Shootout and saw some REAL 8' waves...coming from all directions! Crazy stuff.

That said, I have also had my 24V Tige` on the lake, and there are plenty of coves and arms of the lake to ski, board, etc. even on the busiest of weekends. The problemis, you have to actually GET to the cove somehow first!

Being at the 9MM, you shouldn't be far from the long no wake zone on weekends and holidays. I have seen 14' boats navigating through that area on no wake days.

I guess it really depends on how much you are using your boat for each purpose. If you are going to be using it 90% of the time for water sports, buy the boat that rides wel, but still has a good wake. (X-45, 247 bu, 24V Tige, etc.) If you are going to use it more for transportation, look at the X80, or find a bigger boat just to cruise in.

LOTO is great during the week, and you can always tow further up the lake and ski to your hearts content on ANY day.

I hope all my rambling helps a bit.

[hotrodbowtie]

The 247 seems to do really well in big water and is an even better ski boat. It has more seating /storage than the 25 and you only need one engine.

[aneal000]

I have a lot of experience with LOTO, and can tell you that people that have never been there have NO IDEA how rough it can get. I had my 29' cat there after the Shootout and saw some REAL 8' waves...coming from all directions! Crazy stuff.

So then this picture should look familiar?

...and to put it in prespective for everyone else that is a 40'+ searay closest to me and a 29' (red,white, and blue) go fast behind it...

Edited July 6, 2006 by aneal000

[SacRiverRat]

so you want to ski in that?..

[SummerObsession]

so you want to ski in that?..

No. But you do have to go through that to find a place to ski.

aneal000: That look VERY familiar!

People can't believe I had my 8500 lb. 35' Cigarette Playboy airborne MANY times at LOTO!

I would NEVER take a tow boat out in that stuff though. You just have to be a little patient, and know when NOT to be out there.

[turbophil]

so you want to ski in that?..

Well we usually ski between 530AM and 9AM or so. During those hours, we can ski right down the main with glass. However, by10 AM it's hard to even find good water in the coves. I try not to get too far from home in the 'bu as I may not be able to get back if I stay out too long. It is seriously that bad. I got caught in the main once last weekend and litterally had a wall of water go over the windshield. Normally I can steer the boat out of a situation that bad, but not this time. I even had the boart in it's sweet spot at about 14 mph where the bow sits highest...

So I'm trying to find that perfect big lake boat that I will ski on for maybe 3-4 hours a day and then be able to trek across any part of the lake without worrying about every crusier wake I come across... That's where the whole 28' MC idea came about. The single engine version can be had for in the 60s and probably has less prop wash and still enough oomph to get a guy out of the water. Problem with those is navigating them at the docks I can only imagine docking a boat that pulls to the right in reverse and has 7000lbs of momentum in forward...

Of course, The whole idea may be bunk if the wake the of the 28' boat is so big and wide (9'6" beam) that even leasurely skiing wouldn't be fun...

Edited July 6, 2006 by turbophil

[aneal000]

so you want to ski in that?..

No. But you do have to go through that to find a place to ski.

aneal000: That look VERY familiar!

People can't believe I had my 8500 lb. 35' Cigarette Playboy airborne MANY times at LOTO!

I would NEVER take a tow boat out in that stuff though. You just have to be a little patient, and know when NOT to be out there.

That picture was taken on Sat about 5 minutes after the boats all started to break up after the shootout. We were in the Silverton heading up the lake to 3 (5) fingers cove at the Villages. Funny story, my buddy was over near the Grand Glaze bridge at another friends and was trying to make it back to 3 fingers cove (going against the flow of traffic) in a Tige 22i. "Scarry" is all he can say to this day - that and he had planned on leaving it floored if it went into a wake and started heading toward the bottom!

[jefe]

That picture was taken on Sat about 5 minutes after the boats all started to break up after the shootout. We were in the Silverton heading up the lake to 3 (5) fingers cove at the Villages. Funny story, my buddy was over near the Grand Glaze bridge at another friends and was trying to make it back to 3 fingers cove (going against the flow of traffic) in a Tige 22i. "Scarry" is all he can say to this day - that and he had planned on leaving it floored if it went into a wake and started heading toward the bottom!

He took the Tige out!?

Wow, I guess when you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, why not eh?