Best new wakeboat feature of 2017?

[Anderson24]

17 minutes ago, DarkSide said:

Here is a different image. ..

Looks to me like they are brewing some craft beer. 

[The Hulk]

4 hours ago, DarkSide said:

A lot of folks wont even think about it, they see  ford towing 30,000 pounds so they think thier F150 is fine. ..

or space shuttles....

hey you can even sit back and have the boat drive the truck! 

[23LSVOwner]

On 10/20/2016 at 0:26 AM, DarkSide said:

Ok most of the awesomeness for 2017 has been released.  What is your favorite NEW features from any brand?  The one you hope migrates across if not already on BU.   Last year was wristbands, everyone now offers clamping racks, what is the #gamechanger for this year?

I will start. 

DOCKSTAR is freaking awesome!  But also $5k option... not sure I would pony up for it.

 

I'm friends with one of the higher ups in the CS/warranty department at MC.

Apparently several of the systems are having pretty serious issues and they have dubbed it the deathstar.

[jtryon]

27 minutes ago, 23LSVOwner said:

I'm friends with one of the higher ups in the CS/warranty department at MC.

Apparently several of the systems are having pretty serious issues and they have dubbed it the deathstar.

hopefully your friends don't get fired for you posting that

[23LSVOwner]

Just now, jtryon said:

hopefully your friends don't get fired for you posting that

No worries of that happening.

[hunter77ah]

Hasn't epic had the dual rudder system for a while now?

[DarkSide]

MC is letting people spend a lot of extra coin to drive.  Bow thruster, dockstar, but you do get a free capt. hat and aviators....

[05hammerhead]

13 hours ago, 85 Barefoot said:

 Methinks those 1000 people, if they want an ultra lux boat can afford a heavy duty truck.

I hate when people make comments like this, but just to roll with your thought.  People who own these ultralux boats probably have lakefront properties and have someone else put their boat in and take it out every year for them so they dont have to buy an obnoxiously large truck thats not fun to drive.  I bet 90% of people who own F150s tow something with them 1-3x a year and treat them as a car all the rest of the time.  Im damn sure not gonna buy an F250 to tow my boat, but my current Jeep Grand Cherokee wouldnt stand a chance at towing a G. 

Lets also talk about all the other problems with a 6000k boat.  The lift required to pull it in and out of the lake.  The gas required to push it around even when its empty.  The triple axle trailer that is a pain in the a** to move around. Etc Etc.  

Well never get away from any of these items if we want a big wake, but that just adds so many more problems than just buying a new boat. 

[85 Barefoot]

15 minutes ago, 05hammerhead said:

I hate when people make comments like this, but just to roll with your thought.  People who own these ultralux boats probably have lakefront properties and have someone else put their boat in and take it out every year for them so they dont have to buy an obnoxiously large truck thats not fun to drive.  I bet 90% of people who own F150s tow something with them 1-3x a year and treat them as a car all the rest of the time.  Im damn sure not gonna buy an F250 to tow my boat, but my current Jeep Grand Cherokee wouldnt stand a chance at towing a G. 

Lets also talk about all the other problems with a 6000k boat.  The lift required to pull it in and out of the lake.  The gas required to push it around even when its empty.  The triple axle trailer that is a pain in the a** to move around. Etc Etc.  

Well never get away from any of these items if we want a big wake, but that just adds so many more problems than just buying a new boat. 

Sorry you hated my response.  

I still stand by it though...I said they could "afford" a heavy duty truck.  Whether they choose to get one or not isn't the question.  Point is, there is a LOT more room for these boats to get bigger and there is still plenty of available trucks to pull them.  

[oldjeep]

3 hours ago, 23LSVOwner said:

I'm friends with one of the higher ups in the CS/warranty department at MC.

Apparently several of the systems are having pretty serious issues and they have dubbed it the deathstar.

I'd still love to see mechanically how that system is built

[05hammerhead]

Just now, 85 Barefoot said:

Sorry you hated my response.  

I still stand by it though...I said they could "afford" a heavy duty truck.  Whether they choose to get one or not isn't the question.  Point is, there is a LOT more room for these boats to get bigger and there is still plenty of available trucks to pull them.  

I was meaning I hate that people assume that people who buy these could then afford a new truck.  Maybe they bought the boat instead of the new truck.  (Yet another beef about the people who can afford these boats arent the people who can actually use them most of the time)

True, I believe theyll get bigger. Next thing well see is people buying Carvers just because theyll throw the biggest wake and "Hey, its got a fridge for my beer"

[85 Barefoot]

Just now, 05hammerhead said:

I was meaning I hate that people assume that people who buy these could then afford a new truck.  Maybe they bought the boat instead of the new truck.  (Yet another beef about the people who can afford these boats arent the people who can actually use them most of the time)

True, I believe theyll get bigger. Next thing well see is people buying Carvers just because theyll throw the biggest wake and "Hey, its got a fridge for my beer"

I do assume that.  And I never said a new truck.  I said they could afford a heavy duty.

You hate my "assumption", and have a beef with who uses ultra lux boats as opposed to who can afford them.  Whats next, have beef with people who use their boat more than 6 months a year?  The sun is out, its a great world, if others have the means for a 235, good for them.  If they want someone to trailer it for them, good for them.  Don't let it spoil your fun. 

[kerpluxal]

2 hours ago, hunter77ah said:

Hasn't epic had the dual rudder system for a while now?

yes... and 2 of my friends that had an epic sank due to the rudder box breaking... and it is a known issue also (read the epic boards)

[Pnwrider]

How long before EOH brakes are an option on these trailers so people can launch them with their f150 without skidding down the ramp? 

[oldjeep]

Just now, Pnwrider said:

How long before EOH brakes are an option on these trailers so people can launch them with their f150 without skidding down the ramp? 

Be surprised if they were not an option.  Wouldn't take more than an hour to add them yourself if you wanted them - although honestly EOH is unnecessarily complicated, no reason to not just go full electric if electric actuation  is what you want. 

Edited October 28, 2016 by oldjeep

[TenTwentyOne]

5 hours ago, 23LSVOwner said:

I'm friends with one of the higher ups in the CS/warranty department at MC.

Apparently several of the systems are having pretty serious issues and they have dubbed it the deathstar.

I'd be curious if you could elaborate.......

 

Several of of the Systems?? What systems? It is literally a simple linkage based system, consisting of two tie rods linking to the main rudder arm. It's the simplest "system" in the world.

Not to mention, not a single statement was made about any issues with dockstar at the recent dealer meeting, except one. That being- while it does work well to steer in reverse, for an inboard, it is still not as good as a stern drive for low speed maneuvers. And the engineers answer for this, was the same reason as inboards don't maneuver as well in forward at low rpm. Lack of water directed across the rudder at slow prop speeds.

A 2 hour long discussion on the system, with a lengthy period of time for dealers to voice any and all questions and concerns...... And not a single peep about any failures. 

Not trying to throw the BS flag...... But I was there, and I find it odd that nothing was said. And this was only about two weeks ago.

[67King]

FWIW, my truck was my daily driver for a few years.  Ram 2500 w/ the Cummins.  There is a HUGE difference between a 3/4 ton and a 1/2 ton when driving the things around town.  Not many folks are going to want to put up with driving those things every day.  Mercifully, I now have a sedan I drive daily, and the truck is relegated to truckly things.  I also personally marvel at the notion of a $150K boat that is towed for each outing.  I had my $45K Axis kept at a marina from day one.

[NWBU]

7 minutes ago, 67King said:

I also personally marvel at the notion of a $150K boat that is towed for each outing.  I had my $45K Axis kept at a marina from day one.

Having a slip depends a lot on how your river or lakes are situated. Around here there's only a handful of public slips available, less than 50 within an area that probably has 250-300K people, and waiting lists go out years to get them.

That number goes up a bit if I'm willing to drive quite a further to boat but the options are still really limited and have to serve the much larger metro population. Most in the western US have to trailer unfortunately.

[Fffrank]

43 minutes ago, 67King said:

I had my $45K Axis kept at a marina from day one.

On my river, slips start at about $6500/year.  I'm not spending more on the slip every month than my boat payment.

[DarkSide]

Additionally it limits you to the same lake/river for every outing.  

Living lakefront in AZ is not an option.  So you have 2 choices, trailer, or store at the marina.  The downside is the lakes that are close enough for weekday morning runs before work are STUPID CROWDED on weekends, the lakes that are nice on weekends are too far for dawn patrol runs.  

So if you want to use your $100k  toy.... you have to trailer it.  The vast majority are trailered here...

Edited October 28, 2016 by DarkSide

[05hammerhead]

2 hours ago, 85 Barefoot said:

I do assume that.  And I never said a new truck.  I said they could afford a heavy duty.

You hate my "assumption", and have a beef with who uses ultra lux boats as opposed to who can afford them.  Whats next, have beef with people who use their boat more than 6 months a year?  The sun is out, its a great world, if others have the means for a 235, good for them.  If they want someone to trailer it for them, good for them.  Don't let it spoil your fun. 

Well thats a bad assumption and I was more noting that its a shame that these boats are so expensive when the people who would use them for what theyre made for are in their teens to early 20s.  Seems funny to me that a 50 year old guy would buy a wakeboard boat and never be able to ride it the way its meant to be ridden.  (I say this because Im 30 and have blown my knee out on much smaller wakes than a G).  Surfing has slightly changed that notion, but still.  What I was saying is that if youre 25 and choose to stretch your budget to buy and ultralux wakeboat, odds are good that you also dont have the $$ to buy a truck that you woudlnt treat as a daily driver.  When youre 25 is about the only time a guy could possibly afford it AND still be able to ride it to its potential.(Yes there are exceptions, like Murray and Rusty)

[23LSVOwner]

1 hour ago, TenTwentyOne said:

I'd be curious if you could elaborate.......

 

Several of of the Systems?? What systems? It is literally a simple linkage based system, consisting of two tie rods linking to the main rudder arm. It's the simplest "system" in the world.

Not to mention, not a single statement was made about any issues with dockstar at the recent dealer meeting, except one. That being- while it does work well to steer in reverse, for an inboard, it is still not as good as a stern drive for low speed maneuvers. And the engineers answer for this, was the same reason as inboards don't maneuver as well in forward at low rpm. Lack of water directed across the rudder at slow prop speeds.

A 2 hour long discussion on the system, with a lengthy period of time for dealers to voice any and all questions and concerns...... And not a single peep about any failures. 

Not trying to throw the BS flag...... But I was there, and I find it odd that nothing was said. And this was only about two weeks ago.

I guess I should have been specific and said several boats. As dockstar is a system, I ASSumed that most would have understood that. I also did not say it was a huge problem, just that several of the systems have issues. Study it well and then think about what has to be done to service/repair it.

I also know that most dealer meetings I have been to have dealer principals and salesmen present and not exactly a lot of the service side.

 

[85 Barefoot]

14 minutes ago, 05hammerhead said:

Well thats a bad assumption and I was more noting that its a shame that these boats are so expensive when the people who would use them for what theyre made for are in their teens to early 20s.  Seems funny to me that a 50 year old guy would buy a wakeboard boat and never be able to ride it the way its meant to be ridden.  (I say this because Im 30 and have blown my knee out on much smaller wakes than a G).  Surfing has slightly changed that notion, but still.  What I was saying is that if youre 25 and choose to stretch your budget to buy and ultralux wakeboat, odds are good that you also dont have the $$ to buy a truck that you woudlnt treat as a daily driver.  When youre 25 is about the only time a guy could possibly afford it AND still be able to ride it to its potential.(Yes there are exceptions, like Murray and Rusty)

OK man.  It's a bad assumption that M235 owners can afford a truck to pull it.  Got it.

Why do 70 year olds buy slalom boats that are world record capable when they can barely get up...they have the money and they want the best.  It's not a difficult concept.  Since when is using to its "potential" the prerequisite for buying a toy?  Does that mean Chevy should stop making the corvette because 99% of its buyers will never see a racetrack?  OR tell Hatteras to stop making boats because half of its owners use it to put up the intercoastal and not billfish competitively?  The new Bugatti Chiron will do what, 280 I think, should they just stop building them because no one will ever go that fast?  The only prerequisite for buying an expensive @$$ toy is the funds, not what someone plans to do with it.

 If this is about age, any 25 year old buying a ultra lux wakeboat has the means for a truck to pull it. 

FWIW, Gerry Nunn learned to ride at 35 and was 42 when he hit the tour.  

Edited October 28, 2016 by 85 Barefoot

[The Hulk]

1 hour ago, Fffrank said:

On my river, slips start at about $6500/year.  I'm not spending more on the slip every month than my boat payment.

dizzzang!, about $1k/yr here in northern Indiana.. 1.5k if you go fancy with beach club/pavilion etc.. of course maybe thats because our short seasons only being 4 months or 3 months good weather..... i need to move down to TN area and get another 3-4 mo/yr!!! or FL better yet!

[kerpluxal]

1 hour ago, 67King said:

FWIW, my truck was my daily driver for a few years.  Ram 2500 w/ the Cummins.  There is a HUGE difference between a 3/4 ton and a 1/2 ton when driving the things around town.  Not many folks are going to want to put up with driving those things every day.  Mercifully, I now have a sedan I drive daily, and the truck is relegated to truckly things.  I also personally marvel at the notion of a $150K boat that is towed for each outing.  I had my $45K Axis kept at a marina from day one.

Marvel that 150,000 boats are towed for each outing? I have no choice. There is no marina on my lake and the only way to keep boat on water is to have waterfront property. Plus, I go to many different lakes as most do that I know. The lake my dad is on you either trailer or keep boat at Marina.. 90% of the "Wake Boats" there are towed. The vast majority of the boats in the Marina are sailboats or cabin cruisers. 

@05hammerhead... really "Seems funny to me that a 50 year old guy would buy a wakeboard boat and never be able to ride it the way its meant to be ridden." Who do you think bought these boats to enjoy with their family and let the tweenies use it to its "fullest potential"??? and with the fullest potential comment even being made... so if you ain't pro.. don't buy???