Semantics - I/O called "ski" or "Wake" boats?

[Bill_AirJunky]

My first "ski boat".

[Bturner]

I had a bayliner 195 classic for 9 years and mostly what it was used for was skiing and wake boarding. I'd describe most of the wake boats I've seen as tube boats;)

I probably came off a bit too hard on my previous post and the last thing I want to do after watching this season's South Park is point fingers or become "PC boater". That being say Jeep makes a very good point. In my parts MC's, Bu's and CC's have become the status symbol of the rich and untalented boater. My dealer was telling me about 2 guys on one of our private high end lakes that take turns out doing the other with incredible wake boats year after year. The boats come back with 10 or 15 and once I was told with 5 hours after 2 years of service only to be replaced with the next biggest thing Malibu has to offer. Worse yet he told me that they probably haven't ever pulled anything other than a tube. So what do we call these boats? What do we call the people who own them?

I'll admit that I too am much more interested in talking inboards (and high end ones in at that). I have however gotten careful in my old age and try not to offend our I/O and outboard brothers as most take great pride in what they've probably worked very hard for. I think what changed my ways was being chased out of slalom by the ultra arrogant slalom snobs then out of wakeboarding by the uber edgy wakeboarders only to end up going back to both by finding guys that just ski to have fun. No blaming others for missing a ball or catching a rash because you're not going big enough. In the end it doesn't matter what boat you have or what you classify it as long as your out there getting sets in.

You have to admit we tend to go after the MC guys as being arrogant but a quick read here has us sounding as bad or worse than those we would poke fun at.

[soonerbilly]

Yeah...our first family boat was a 2004 Regal and we did everything but surf behind it. When I rode behind a friends Moomba it was a completely different animal. We could go w2w behind our Regal and do some 180's and that was about it and we thought we were pretty cool. Never see any REAL wakeboats on our lake anyway so we didn't really know any better. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to convince my wife to sell our boat to get and OLDER new boat to get the better wake. ( we got a 2002 Calabria Pro-V ) Now we are looking to get an Axis T or A 22. Never in a million years did I ever think I would entertain the idea of a 50 grand boat much less 75+. I guess its all in what you have been exposed to.

[67King]

Yeah...our first family boat was a 2004 Regal and we did everything but surf behind it. When I rode behind a friends Moomba it was a completely different animal.

Friend of mine, and the most capable guy I've ever done anything wtih, started out in a Sea Ray. He had it a year, and ended up getting a 2-3 year old VLX. Same kind of experience when he got out with my Axis and a Nautique and Supra of friends of ours. He always just called his a Sea Ray, though We occasionally see folks doing something other than tubing behind them, but very rarely.

[williemon]

In my area, you either have a bass boat jon boat pontoon or a ski boat. Ski boat could be an I/O or an inboard. Some folks call the I/o a fish-n-ski. I never hear "open bow" or "run about" . No biggie. I have video of some pretty good amature wake to wake wakeboarding behind a mildly weighted 3.0l i/o. No tower either. To me, a boat is a boat. That alone can create hours of conversation, new friendships and riders. Its all about fun. Some boats will cater to slalom, some to wakeboarding, most all to kneeboard, two skis, and tube all of which are fun and get you in the water. Prior to mainstream v drives, the i/o was pretty much THE all around ski/ wake boat that a family orented boat owner felt covered all things they desired in a boat. I was one of those. OP just needs to stay light and remember that its not about what you got, its how you use it that counts! Have fun and educate those that dont know but always complement the i/o since that often is a badge of honer for many. It was for me for 15 or so years.

[NCVride]

I certainly do not mean to come across as arrogant. I am honestly really trying to do the exact opposite. I really am only trying to figure out what I should expect when someone says they have a "ski boat." It sounds like my expectations are pretty out of line. I generally refer to most I/O's of say under 25 feet as runabouts or bowriders. And yeah, when I find out someone in my social group has what they refer to as a ski or wake or whatever boat, I tend to get excited and think that they may be someone we could go out with and learn something from, etc. Or at the very least if I'm at a toddler birthday party with a bunch of strangers, it is a lot easier to pass the time when one finds another with similar interests. I'm sure I do come across as smug when someone says they have a ski boat and it turns out to be a bowrider they pull tubes with. It is just about what my expectations are when that terminology is used. It is great when said "wake boat" turns out to be one......a Malibu in one case, and a Moomba in another (and the Moomba owner is also a Tech fan trapped in Knoxville, woo-hoo!).

Like I said, I'm just wondering what I *should* expect, I'm not trying to force my beliefs onto others. The Cobalt thing I mentioned above, I knew about. It was the guy trying to sell one that really kind of threw me off. I sent him a PM and praised the virtues of onlyinboards.com and how quickly I had sold my Axis there. Then I ask about his boat, and tell him I keep finding myself really interested in an older MC Pro Star 190. So yeah, I'm sure I came across as smug in that case, and it was not the intent at all. I just really am trying to find out if these folks are one offs, or if I need to recalibrate my expectations.

I don't think you are smug or arrogant. It drives me crazy seeing I/O's and "jet wake boats" referred to as ski boats or wakeboard boats. Call it what it is, a runabout. Most of the people who call them that never reference their boats as bayliners, maxums or ebbtides. Seems to me most of them us wakeboard boat or skiboat as an end around so they don't have to say they have a bayliner.

I talk with plenty of people in my day to day job that own "runabouts" and reference them as ski boats etc. Usually it comes up in conversation by them saying ski boat or wakeboard boat and I automatically throw out a complimentary, That's awesome, what do you have a Malibu, Mastercraft, Nautique, etc and always get no it's a bayliner.

Call them what they are......runabouts. And for you guys on the forum that have "runabouts", good for you guys! We all have fun on what we have. I have no disrespect for you, but call your boat what it is.

[williemon]

Again, most folks do not know what a runabout is or that it describes what they have. Tell 100 folks that you have a runabout and see how many blank stares you get. To be clear, you then need to mention if its open bow or closed bow. One thing about an I/o is that they were designed for the family fun of having room in the boat and to enjoy water sports. Two ski skiing was big back in the day so im pretty sure those boats did get to be considered ski boats. They sure arn't considered fishing boats around here although many fish from them.

[67King]

Again, most folks do not know what a runabout is or that it describes what they have. Tell 100 folks that you have a runabout and see how many blank stares you get. To be clear, you then need to mention if its open bow or closed bow. One thing about an I/o is that they were designed for the family fun of having room in the boat and to enjoy water sports. Two ski skiing was big back in the day so im pretty sure those boats did get to be considered ski boats. They sure arn't considered fishing boats around here although many fish from them.

I hear either "bowrider" or "X feet I/O" more often than anything else when folks are describing what *type* of boat they have.

[DarkSide]

You can't blame the i/o makethe wanting to get a piece of the performance sport market. The new reversed out drive makeso the i/o significantly less dangerous so they can actually surf. But how well is the factor.

[Levi900RR]

My personal fav is a "Fish & Ski" boat.

There's a thread on here somewhere where a dude built a fishing platform for the bow of his Malibu. It was pretty awesome.

Edited November 2, 2015 by Levi900RR

[robbennett]

I/O boats can be used for watersports just as easily if they have the same ballast and cruise as our wakeboats do. I have friends that have shallow docks or tight budgets and have adapted mid 2000's I/O for wakeboarding and we still have plenty of fun behind them. I do prefer the inboard vdrive setup but the I/O has it's place in this world.

[Malibuzer]

Most of what I have read here is crap. A boat is a boat. Just because someone has an I/O doesn't make it a ski, fish, wakeboard boat. These new "wakeboats" are just bett at certain ascpects of water sports.

Look back at where a lot of these psorts started. Behind outboards, I?O and some v-drive and direct drive boats. Each boat style has its place. getting out on the water and skiing behind an I/O can be just as fun if you let it. The amount of people that make up inboard wakeboat/tournament boats is such a small portion of overall boat sales. I tell people I own a Malibu and if they don't know, explain the difference between the types.

[67King]

Okay, so for whatever it is worth:

"Runabouts: A broad category of boats, runabouts are the most common small boats and include bowriders, deck boats and cuddy cabins. These boats are versatile, accommodating large numbers of passengers and can be used for virtually any type of boating activity including: day cruising, overnight cruising, fishing, watersports or entertaining. http://powerboat.about.com/od/powerboats/tp/TypesofBoats.htm

And for more types listed: http://www.boatus.com/newtoboating/types-of-boats-powerboats.asp

Where:

"Runabout

Many boats are called runabouts. Generally a runabout is defined as a small powerboat somewhere in the 14–24 foot range. They are usually powered by an outboard or stern-drive engine. They are a multipurpose boat suitable for water sports, cruising and fishing."

and

"Ski and Wakeboard Boat

These boats are designed specifically for water sports. They can be ballasted for producing higher wakes for trick skiing and waterboarding. They are also great for pulling inflatable tubes."

These definitions are generally consistent with what I've always believed when it comes to terminology. Yes there is some ambiguity about what constitutes "specifically designed for watersports." Given that the general definition of a runabout includes that capability, I still do not consider a boat that would be a runabout to be a ski boat just because it has a tower or storage for skis. But again, I don't really care, I'm just wondering what people generally mean when they use terms, even if they use them "improperly." I only posted these definitions since folks are now calling those who differentiate purpose built ski/wake boats from general purpose ones used for watersports.

On edit. Sorry I have no clue what's up with the foratting up there. Tried to change it, couldn't.

Edited November 2, 2015 by 67King

[ahopkins22LSV]

My personal fav is a "Fish & Ski" boat.

There's a thread on here somewhere where a dude built a fishing platform for the bow of his Malibu. It was pretty awesome.

My dad did for his Moomba Outback. When I was trying to talk him into it 12 years ago, his one stipulation is that he was still going to fish out of it. We went from a 15' aluminim fishing boat with a 10hp Johnson to a 1983 Chris Craft 16'9" Scorpion with a 140hp i/o Merc to the 98 Outback he still has now. I caught the bug of course skiing with a friend and they had an inboard so I had to have one too. So he made a custom platform and trolling motor mount for the bow. I have to admit fishing in it is quite nice. Can walk the entire edges of the boat and its low to the water. I have caught some big bass out of it

[MadMan]

They can be ballasted for producing higher wakes for trick skiing and waterboarding.

Waterboarding??? I hope not.

[kerpluxal]

so... then with the analogy that direct drive and v-drive boats are ski/wake board boats..... then a mastercraft barefoot 200/flight craft with an outboard would be classified as???? a 1960 century direct drive would be classified as a ????? there was an I/O that was produced in McQueeny called the ski pro would be a??? (http://www.boatbrowser.com/BoatDetails.asp?id=13049) .... a 28 ft direct drive cruising boat would be classified as ????...

It is not the mechanics of propulsion that quantifies if it is ski boat or not, It is the design of the boat that quantifies for what it is...

Almost all boats are ski boats.. have you seen the term fish and ski/.. there are boats built for that market as well...

What you have sir and a bayliner/ebtide/chapparal/etc does not is that your boat is an AWSA certified competition tow boat.... that is the difference

Edited November 3, 2015 by kerpluxal

[toolboat]

When I go back to the real real world with a sun burn nobody asks what kind of boat I have. They ask if they can come join in the fun.

[dlb]

Must have been authored by an ex Vice President.......

[Bill_AirJunky]

Is it summer yet? I can't wait to get out on my waterboarding boat again.

[wakebrdr94]

i didn't know summer ended....

[Bill_AirJunky]

i didn't know summer ended....

Ha! I was just down at Lake Apache near Phoenix.... 90s every day. When we came home, it was definitely not summer any more.

Edited November 3, 2015 by Bill_AirJunky

[robbennett]

My dad did for his Moomba Outback. When I was trying to talk him into it 12 years ago, his one stipulation is that he was still going to fish out of it. We went from a 15' aluminim fishing boat with a 10hp Johnson to a 1983 Chris Craft 16'9" Scorpion with a 140hp i/o Merc to the 98 Outback he still has now. I caught the bug of course skiing with a friend and they had an inboard so I had to have one too. So he made a custom platform and trolling motor mount for the bow. I have to admit fishing in it is quite nice. Can walk the entire edges of the boat and its low to the water. I have caught some big bass out of it

Cool story. I would rather have an inboard and fish out of it than to have to ride behind a fishing boat anyday!

[williemon]

I did all the watersports behind a skeeter bass boat one summer!!!!!!!

[ahopkins22LSV]

Cool story. I would rather have an inboard and fish out of it than to have to ride behind a fishing boat anyday!

I will say, there is zero fishing in our TXi

[Slayer]

This is an interesting thread.

When I was a kid, all I ever wanted was a ski boat. We had several boats growing up; the typical I/O runabout, and I/O great lakes fishing boat, and outboard center council fishing boat, etc. I skied behind all of them and all I wanted was a DD ski boat. We never got one, so when I had the means to get one with cash, I did.

To that end, I'll never be able to accept an I/O being called a ski boat, fish and ski, wakeboard boat, etc. But, that's me and it was a 1980 MC stars and stripes that did it for me. Saw one at a boat ramp when launching our I/O fishing boat and the dude started it up......went out and tore it up on a slalom ski and that's all it took. 25 years later, I got my first Malibu.