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Started By
Message
What to avoid in an older wakeboard boat
Posted on 1/13/25 at 9:38 pm
Posted on 1/13/25 at 9:38 pm
Good Evening all -
Going to add a boat to the fleet this season. Currently own a 19ft bay boat that I love and will never get rid of, but its time to accommodate the family a little better.
Kids have enjoyed the wakeboarding we've tried to do, but we need to get something that has an actual tower and can throw an actual wake.
As I begin shopping around - I want to spend as little as possible - willing to go up to 30 if I have to.
I know absolutely nothing about these hulls or inboard motors - Are there brands/styles to avoid? Are there specific things I should be looking for?
thanks
Going to add a boat to the fleet this season. Currently own a 19ft bay boat that I love and will never get rid of, but its time to accommodate the family a little better.
Kids have enjoyed the wakeboarding we've tried to do, but we need to get something that has an actual tower and can throw an actual wake.
As I begin shopping around - I want to spend as little as possible - willing to go up to 30 if I have to.
I know absolutely nothing about these hulls or inboard motors - Are there brands/styles to avoid? Are there specific things I should be looking for?
thanks
5
Posted on 1/14/25 at 7:59 am to AUjim
Personally, I am a Nautique fan. Have had a 2003 Super Air for about 8 years now. Solid boats and they can be had in your price range.
Try to get a v-drive if at all possible. Better wake and much better interior layouts than a traditional inboard.
As far as what to look for, I would start with the overall condition of the boat, especially the interior. I think a trashed interior is a good indication of how someone treats the boat in general.
Try to get a v-drive if at all possible. Better wake and much better interior layouts than a traditional inboard.
As far as what to look for, I would start with the overall condition of the boat, especially the interior. I think a trashed interior is a good indication of how someone treats the boat in general.
Posted on 1/14/25 at 8:20 am to AUjim
In my area wake boats more than a few weeks old are liable to have a hull full of bullet holes from angry dock owners who watch their $100K boat dock break lose or turn turtle due to the fricking 6 foot high roller the wake boat slammed into it when the wake boat was 10 feet away from the dock.
In Georgia and South Carolina both it is "illegal" to operate a wake boat within 200 feet of any moored vessel, anyone "in" the water or any structure. First off the people charged with enforcing these laws are too busy checking the same boat full of fisherman several times a day for licenses and PFDs and do not have time to worry about shoreline and lake bed destruction. Second of all what does 200 feet mean? Based on duck and dove hunters 40 yards, supposed effective range for a shotgun, 120 feet, means about half a mile in the field. Most people couldn't tell the difference between 10 feet and 200 feet other than one is bigger. Many universally claim 5 inches is 8 (and I would posit that the cross section of wake boat owners who claim 5 inches is 9 is almost universal) and it is easy to see how they can't possibly know where 200 feet is in space. The damned things ought to be outlawed or, if not outlawed, their owners and operators ought to be forced to pay for the damage their vessel causes when it happens.....and pay every penny of whatever a jury decides is appropriate.
In Georgia and South Carolina both it is "illegal" to operate a wake boat within 200 feet of any moored vessel, anyone "in" the water or any structure. First off the people charged with enforcing these laws are too busy checking the same boat full of fisherman several times a day for licenses and PFDs and do not have time to worry about shoreline and lake bed destruction. Second of all what does 200 feet mean? Based on duck and dove hunters 40 yards, supposed effective range for a shotgun, 120 feet, means about half a mile in the field. Most people couldn't tell the difference between 10 feet and 200 feet other than one is bigger. Many universally claim 5 inches is 8 (and I would posit that the cross section of wake boat owners who claim 5 inches is 9 is almost universal) and it is easy to see how they can't possibly know where 200 feet is in space. The damned things ought to be outlawed or, if not outlawed, their owners and operators ought to be forced to pay for the damage their vessel causes when it happens.....and pay every penny of whatever a jury decides is appropriate.
Posted on 1/14/25 at 8:29 am to AwgustaDawg
quote:
AwgustaDawg
Awesome. So any particular brand or engine you think I should avoid?
Posted on 1/14/25 at 8:44 am to AUjim
quote:
AUjim
Posted on 1/14/25 at 8:49 am to AUjim
I'm a water skier so first off, 
.
Upholstery and exterior tell a pretty good story of how well previous owners maintained the boat.
Stick with the big 3 and you can't go wrong (Mastercraft, Nautique, Malibu) Make sure all your gauges work. Newer boats have tons of add-ons for ballast, wake gates etc. that you probably can't verify are fully functional without a water test. With 30k, you will probably be looking at a mid 2000s maybe early 2010s model which is just barely before surfing revolutionized watersport boats for the worse (6 foot waves and dozens of accessories)
Before you settle on a boat, make sure there is a mechanic/dealer for that brand within a reasonable drive. You will want to become good friends with him soon after purchase. Climb under the boat, check the hull for scratches/dents/obvious repairs where the boat struck something and was repaired. See if the tracking fins are all still square and true. Check the prop for dings or nicks (these are $500 minimum as they are solid bronze and weigh upwards of 50 lbs on bigger boats)
Depends how crazy you want to get...check for steering wobbles and smooth acceleration when water testing (it should pull to the right when shifted into forward), or exaggerated vibrations when shifting in and out of gear (prop shaft alignment, strut alignment, bushing play) With a 15 year old boat you will be getting close to time for repairing just about every packing gland or plastic bushing on board.
Join forums (ballofspray/teamtalk/ many other ones that are wake specific), read up on your model once you find one you like to see what kind of a headache you will have when making these repairs. Every issue you will run into has already been solved and blogged about, people who own and care about these boats are the most anal and thorough boat owners imaginable (especially high dollar ski boat owners...engineers/lawyers/doctors etc.) And the online community is an incredible resource to get you on the right path.
You will have to become at least a part time mechanic. If you use it everyday or once a week, it'll help keep most of the gremlins away. If you use it twice a year, you'll be ready to sell it after 2 years. They love/need to be ran.
I have a 98 mastercraft and it has been a great boat. But I enjoy working on it in my free time, I used it 40+ times without a hiccup 2 summers ago and I keep it cleaner than just about everything else I own. I had a kid last year and used it all of 5 times. It now needs a new fuel pump/filters and an alternator from sitting up.
Last but certainly not least, you need to have somewhere covered at a minimum to keep it parked (preferably walled and insulated). Sun and rain will lower resale more than a blown engine in less than a year.
. Upholstery and exterior tell a pretty good story of how well previous owners maintained the boat.
Stick with the big 3 and you can't go wrong (Mastercraft, Nautique, Malibu) Make sure all your gauges work. Newer boats have tons of add-ons for ballast, wake gates etc. that you probably can't verify are fully functional without a water test. With 30k, you will probably be looking at a mid 2000s maybe early 2010s model which is just barely before surfing revolutionized watersport boats for the worse (6 foot waves and dozens of accessories)
Before you settle on a boat, make sure there is a mechanic/dealer for that brand within a reasonable drive. You will want to become good friends with him soon after purchase. Climb under the boat, check the hull for scratches/dents/obvious repairs where the boat struck something and was repaired. See if the tracking fins are all still square and true. Check the prop for dings or nicks (these are $500 minimum as they are solid bronze and weigh upwards of 50 lbs on bigger boats)
Depends how crazy you want to get...check for steering wobbles and smooth acceleration when water testing (it should pull to the right when shifted into forward), or exaggerated vibrations when shifting in and out of gear (prop shaft alignment, strut alignment, bushing play) With a 15 year old boat you will be getting close to time for repairing just about every packing gland or plastic bushing on board.
Join forums (ballofspray/teamtalk/ many other ones that are wake specific), read up on your model once you find one you like to see what kind of a headache you will have when making these repairs. Every issue you will run into has already been solved and blogged about, people who own and care about these boats are the most anal and thorough boat owners imaginable (especially high dollar ski boat owners...engineers/lawyers/doctors etc.) And the online community is an incredible resource to get you on the right path.
You will have to become at least a part time mechanic. If you use it everyday or once a week, it'll help keep most of the gremlins away. If you use it twice a year, you'll be ready to sell it after 2 years. They love/need to be ran.
I have a 98 mastercraft and it has been a great boat. But I enjoy working on it in my free time, I used it 40+ times without a hiccup 2 summers ago and I keep it cleaner than just about everything else I own. I had a kid last year and used it all of 5 times. It now needs a new fuel pump/filters and an alternator from sitting up.
Last but certainly not least, you need to have somewhere covered at a minimum to keep it parked (preferably walled and insulated). Sun and rain will lower resale more than a blown engine in less than a year.
Posted on 1/14/25 at 8:57 am to AUkayaker
Definitely will want a Vdrive set up. The Big 3 are Malibu Nautique and Mastercraft. Each of those have different lines within the brand.
At 30K you probably will be in a early to mid 2000's model for those brands.
There is no reason to shy away from the "B" tier brands either they usually use older model equipment from the big three. Engines / transmissions / vdrives will all be the same few options across brands.
I would shop size / layout / price and then get into specific features. To me reasonable # of hours showing it has been used and not just sat is better than very low hours.
On all, check running gear visually under the boat to make sure it isnt damaged. there shouldnt be cracks in the gel around them or signs of major repair.
check actuators for wedge / surf tabs to make sure they work. That age alot have been replaced already or will need to be soon.
on dash - screens vs switches. A lot of the screens for those years are going out with no or expensive replacement options. Cottage industry options to replace with analog switches exist for some.
Overall condition of hull and interior matter. Interior can be replaced fairly easily, but can be costly. I would avoid anything that needs anything more than minor gel repair. Agree that trashed interior can be an indicator of overall care, but seams will start to split with normal use even on a well cared for boat.
Check the tower. Make sure its solid and not cracked. mount points should be solid, some small spiderweb cracks in get around the tower mounts is normal but shouldnt be excessive.
Make sure its been properly winterized and doesnt have a cracked engine block.
At 30K you probably will be in a early to mid 2000's model for those brands.
There is no reason to shy away from the "B" tier brands either they usually use older model equipment from the big three. Engines / transmissions / vdrives will all be the same few options across brands.
I would shop size / layout / price and then get into specific features. To me reasonable # of hours showing it has been used and not just sat is better than very low hours.
On all, check running gear visually under the boat to make sure it isnt damaged. there shouldnt be cracks in the gel around them or signs of major repair.
check actuators for wedge / surf tabs to make sure they work. That age alot have been replaced already or will need to be soon.
on dash - screens vs switches. A lot of the screens for those years are going out with no or expensive replacement options. Cottage industry options to replace with analog switches exist for some.
Overall condition of hull and interior matter. Interior can be replaced fairly easily, but can be costly. I would avoid anything that needs anything more than minor gel repair. Agree that trashed interior can be an indicator of overall care, but seams will start to split with normal use even on a well cared for boat.
Check the tower. Make sure its solid and not cracked. mount points should be solid, some small spiderweb cracks in get around the tower mounts is normal but shouldnt be excessive.
Make sure its been properly winterized and doesnt have a cracked engine block.
This post was edited on 1/14/25 at 8:59 am
Posted on 1/14/25 at 10:43 am to AUjim
quote:
Awesome. So any particular brand or engine you think I should avoid?
Any that ain't riddled with bullet holes....
Posted on 1/14/25 at 11:08 am to AwgustaDawg
Avid barefooter, kneeboarder, skiier here.
Pretty much anything since mid 90s is all composite- (no structural wood to worry about rotting)
They almost all share motors, trans, etc. Just depends what you like and want to do more. We flat out do not surf period, and with barefooting I prefer a direct drive closed bow.
Looking at interior, hull, prop, etc will let you know usually if they took care of it. Lots of great deals right now.
To me- the sweet spot is early 2000's- 2015ish boats. All the modern stuff, reliable, but still with mostly traditional gauges and simpler electronics to deal with.
Just decide what you're going to do most, and what you like and want to spend. And go from there.
Tons of V drive open bows sub 20k now in mint condition.
I have an MB sports 200 and love it.
Pretty much anything since mid 90s is all composite- (no structural wood to worry about rotting)
They almost all share motors, trans, etc. Just depends what you like and want to do more. We flat out do not surf period, and with barefooting I prefer a direct drive closed bow.
Looking at interior, hull, prop, etc will let you know usually if they took care of it. Lots of great deals right now.
To me- the sweet spot is early 2000's- 2015ish boats. All the modern stuff, reliable, but still with mostly traditional gauges and simpler electronics to deal with.
Just decide what you're going to do most, and what you like and want to spend. And go from there.
Tons of V drive open bows sub 20k now in mint condition.
I have an MB sports 200 and love it.
Posted on 1/14/25 at 12:39 pm to TFLEX
Thank you -
I have no desire for any of us to surf, it really is just wakeboarding and cruising.
I love the idea of less electronic crap to break. The less I have to maintain, the better
I have no desire for any of us to surf, it really is just wakeboarding and cruising.
I love the idea of less electronic crap to break. The less I have to maintain, the better
Posted on 1/14/25 at 2:05 pm to AUjim
The kids like our Pavati.
Posted on 1/14/25 at 2:16 pm to GrizzlyAlloy
quote:
The kids like our Pavati.
This has nothing to do with you personally but in my neck of the woods anyone in a Pavati is a douchebag.
Whether it’s a drift boat, wake boat, or other powered boat. Straight up a-hole. Every damn time.
Rant over.
Posted on 1/14/25 at 5:45 pm to AUjim
quote:
Thank you -
I have no desire for any of us to surf, it really is just wakeboarding and cruising.
I love the idea of less electronic crap to break. The less I have to maintain, the better
If no surfing- and mainly just cruising and some boarding. Almost any of the 20-21' late 90's early 2000's will work.
If planning on regularly having more than 5 people on the boat go 23'.
I do have a buddy here in TX with a mint, meticulously maintained early 2000's Nautique 210 v drive for sale. He upgraded to a 23' Epic recently.
I think it's listed low 20's. Perfect shape, has stereo, cruise control system, ballast, etc.
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