Articles
   
       
Pics/Video
       
Wake 101
   
       
       
Shop
Search
 
 
 
 
 
Home   Articles   Pics/Video   Gear   Wake 101   Events   Community   Forums   Classifieds   Contests   Shop   Search
WakeWorld Home
Email Password
Go Back   WakeWorld > Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles

Share 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old     (mediocrepilot)      Join Date: Jul 2019       07-24-2019, 10:09 AM Reply   
Hey guys/gals! First post on here though I have been lurking the forum for years. Ive learned a lot on here so thank you for that!

Looking for advice on surf boats under $40k. Pretty firm at that price point but willing to entertain something up to $50k if it’s clearly worth the extra investment. (I know, budget creep) We have a pretty short season and I have a lot of other hobbies competing for my interest so I can’t really justify spending much more than that. I’m looking to buy this fall when I hope to find better deals. I’ve researched for months and while I’ve learned a lot from various sources, I’ve yet to find current information that really fits my needs.

The boat will be used exclusively on Lake Tahoe which can look like the Bering Sea at times. Freeboard is important to me. My current boat sits pretty low in the water so a little stressful at times trying to keep everything dry. Also, I feel like a deeper V will help a lot when it inevitably gets rough. It will be primarily used for surfing and foiling. Maybe the odd wakeboarding session for the wife (beginner) and occasional wakeskating.

We don’t always have a big crew but I hate being cramped on a boat. We also camp on the boat some nights so the more room the better. Looking for something at least 23ft, preferably 24ft. I have plenty of room for storage and have driven boats my whole life so not worried about the extra size.

I’m happy to buy a quality used boat, even if it’s not perfect cosmetically to stay within budget. We often have dogs with us so I kinda prefer it’s not too nice as it will only drive me crazy trying to keep it mint. No way I could ever make it with a new boat. I do all my own maintenance so not overly concerned with older boats that may need a little more attention.

We have both goofy & regulars in our crew so looking for something that can produce a good surf wave on either side. Also hoping to find something that’s easy to setup and switch sides with only internal ballast. I don’t really want to mess with wedges anymore so hopefully something with a surf system or something a surf system could be added to.

So far in my search I’m leaning towards the following boats:

Centurion Enzo 23 or 24
Malibu 247
Tige 24V

Am I missing some other obvious contenders? Certain years/options to look for? Things to stay away from?

Thanks in advance for any and all information!
Old     (denverd1)      Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tyler       07-25-2019, 4:32 AM Reply   
centurion for the deep V
Old     (SoulSurfer)      Join Date: Oct 2016       07-26-2019, 11:17 AM Reply   
Yeah - be sure not to equate freeboard with deep v. Centurion should be on the list, as should MB, IMO. Both have deeper Vs than normal for wake boats. I can attest to my 16 F22 riding pretty well in the standard late afternoon Tahoe roughness, although a B52 would probably be a tad drier up front (not water over the bow on my F22, just mist/spray).
Old     (fence_sence)      Join Date: Jul 2008       07-26-2019, 11:30 AM Reply   
I’d run a Tige 24v on Tahoe all day. Huge boats built like tanks. I’ve had some hairball days on Tahoe. It’s no joke. You’re certainly barking up the right tree. I’ve got a buddy with 247 Bu up there now but I haven’t been on it. He’s coming from a Colbalt and loves it.
Old    Zackdogg            08-03-2019, 2:29 PM Reply   
I’ve been struggling with tahoe for a year, and feel like I’m at the expert level to answer this. We have an RZX with a raptor 440, and a 1.5:1 trans, and we are too small and underpowered to surf up there. That elevation is no joke if you wanna run ballast..

The real answer, which doesn’t work for your budget, is a supercharged boat, be it a big Nautique, Tige, Supra, or centurion. My cousin runs a b52, all summer up there, but he isn’t running the kind of ballast it takes for a legit surf wave.. something with a 2:1 trans, and a decent motor is second best, behind a supercharged boat. We literally only bar hop, up there now, because surfing with our total weight isn’t an option..

We bought our boat to primarily use at Tahoe, and rarely use it up there, just because it sucks at that elevation.. some of the new moombas have a 1.76:1 trans in them now, and you might be able to find something like that, but I think that trans just came out last year..

Maybe something listed so it isn’t so heavy, with a wake shaper, is the real answer.. whatever you think is the boat, I’d want to test it up there, before buying it. Our performance great at 4200’, struggles a little at 5200’, and plain sucks at 6200’..

Keep us posted.. I’m real interested in what you decide on.. we’re in the process of deciding new boat, or trans change, right now...
Old    Zackdogg            08-03-2019, 2:33 PM Reply   
Nevermind, just re-read and saw “don’t want to mess with shapers”...

A slightly used moomba might get to your budget, if you can buy it right.. problem is every “surf boat”, i know of, maybe I’m missing something, ran a 1:5-1 trans until 2016 or 2017..
Old     (scotthons)      Join Date: Mar 2010       08-05-2019, 2:42 AM Reply   
Zackdogg. I'm surprised to hear you have that much of an issue at 6200 elevation. The lake we frequent is right at 7200 and while we don't surf we can plane out pretty easily wakeboarding with 3000 pounds of ballast. A change to the high elevation prop was a huge difference. We do see plenty of people surfing, but I have no idea what engine, transmission or ballast they are running...
Old     (Shakarocks)      Join Date: Mar 2013       08-05-2019, 5:06 AM Reply   
I surf with full ballast in Tahoe type elevations all the time. My SV230 Enzo with the 6.2 and 3000lbs of ballast was fine. It's imperative that you get the right prop. I used the Acme 911.

Tough to beat the Enzo's for their rough water ride and surfability. I'd look at an the SV240/244 as well.
Old     (stingreye)      Join Date: Oct 2012       08-05-2019, 5:22 AM Reply   
A owner on the Tige forums called MooseX used to run a Tige 24V on Tahoe. Another owner Topaz surfer is up near there too I think and runs a heavily weighted 22V.

Moose ran big sacs and only had the smaller 5.7 motor but an aggressive prop.

I would get a snap on bow cover that will shed water should you get in rough water running back to the docks there. Tahoe can turn into an ocean in a hurry.

I ran my Tige 24V with the 1800 lb rear sacs + lead plus a bow sac at Tahoe just fine when I made a trip up there. If you can get over 8 mph, that means you are overloaded in the rear and need to add bow weight. I also have an aggressive prop with an Acme 1617. I would stick with a 14" prop. Any more than 14" might be getting close to the hull. I have the 6L motor but the 5.7L has a similar torque curve so I bet it would behave similarly.

The Tahoe surf pictures come out amazing with the color of the water up there.

Good luck!
Old     (denverd1)      Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tyler       08-05-2019, 6:46 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zackdogg View Post
I’ve been struggling with tahoe for a year, and feel like I’m at the expert level to answer this. We have an RZX with a raptor 440, and a 1.5:1 trans, and we are too small and underpowered to surf up there. That elevation is no joke if you wanna run ballast..

The real answer, which doesn’t work for your budget, is a supercharged boat, be it a big Nautique, Tige, Supra, or centurion. My cousin runs a b52, all summer up there, but he isn’t running the kind of ballast it takes for a legit surf wave.. something with a 2:1 trans, and a decent motor is second best, behind a supercharged boat. We literally only bar hop, up there now, because surfing with our total weight isn’t an option..

We bought our boat to primarily use at Tahoe, and rarely use it up there, just because it sucks at that elevation.. some of the new moombas have a 1.76:1 trans in them now, and you might be able to find something like that, but I think that trans just came out last year..

Maybe something listed so it isn’t so heavy, with a wake shaper, is the real answer.. whatever you think is the boat, I’d want to test it up there, before buying it. Our performance great at 4200’, struggles a little at 5200’, and plain sucks at 6200’..

Keep us posted.. I’m real interested in what you decide on.. we’re in the process of deciding new boat, or trans change, right now...
toss a different prop on it before you do anything crazy
Old    Zackdogg            08-05-2019, 7:39 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by denverd1 View Post
toss a different prop on it before you do anything crazy


I’ve been through all this, learned it all the hard way. I’m running a 15” x 10.5” prop now, coming from a 15” x 12”. The only steeper prop they make is 15” x 10”.. my top speed is down to 31mph, and we’re surfing at like 4K revs now.. Tahoe is a brutal lake for surf boats, between elevation and the water surface, most afternoons.. the real answer is that supercharged motor, but I don’t think that’s going to be had for $40-$50k.. the whole lake is covered with supercharged Gs for a reason.. I think the 2:1 trans is second best choice, some guys actually prefer it because supposedly those superchargers run a little lean at that elevation, where gearing isn’t affected..

I’m a year and a half into this battle, and have researched every scenario to resolve it.. gearing change or new boat seem to be the only 2 options, unless I can find a guy to write a program to add a supercharger to mine..
Old    Zackdogg            08-05-2019, 7:45 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shakarocks View Post
I surf with full ballast in Tahoe type elevations all the time. My SV230 Enzo with the 6.2 and 3000lbs of ballast was fine. It's imperative that you get the right prop. I used the Acme 911.

Tough to beat the Enzo's for their rough water ride and surfability. I'd look at an the SV240/244 as well.


We run 5k in ballast and generally 2000+ in crew, on a boat that’s about 7000 with fuel, and junk, but we aren’t even close.. I’ve run several props, including the 10.5” pitch we’re running now.. I don’t have any experience with the Enzo, so maybe it’s just a far more efficient Hull for that type of water.. I’ve been through the whole prop thing with the dealer, manufacturer, and Acme, trying to figure out a prop.. we’re better than when we bought it, but nowhere near where I would want to be.. I could probably surf at 3000 ballast, with 4 people in the boat, if the water was flat.. I’ll run up to 900lbs if lead in the bow, just to hit plane better..
Old    Zackdogg            08-05-2019, 7:50 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by scotthons View Post
Zackdogg. I'm surprised to hear you have that much of an issue at 6200 elevation. The lake we frequent is right at 7200 and while we don't surf we can plane out pretty easily wakeboarding with 3000 pounds of ballast. A change to the high elevation prop was a huge difference. We do see plenty of people surfing, but I have no idea what engine, transmission or ballast they are running...


Believe me, I was plenty surprised when I bought the boat, especially since our intention was to mostly use at tahoe.. I think ultimately it’s the trans gearing.. they only used it on the 2016, my year, and then switched. Guessing I know the reason they switched it..

I’m definitely not saying no boat will surf there, I just don’t want the OP to go through what I did.. test it on tahoe, before buying it, is the best piece of advice I have.. it’s pretty frustrating to drop $100k on a boat, fill it with people, and find out 10mph is your top speed...
Old    Zackdogg            08-05-2019, 7:53 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by stingreye View Post
A owner on the Tige forums called MooseX used to run a Tige 24V on Tahoe. Another owner Topaz surfer is up near there too I think and runs a heavily weighted 22V.



Moose ran big sacs and only had the smaller 5.7 motor but an aggressive prop.



I would get a snap on bow cover that will shed water should you get in rough water running back to the docks there. Tahoe can turn into an ocean in a hurry.



I ran my Tige 24V with the 1800 lb rear sacs + lead plus a bow sac at Tahoe just fine when I made a trip up there. If you can get over 8 mph, that means you are overloaded in the rear and need to add bow weight. I also have an aggressive prop with an Acme 1617. I would stick with a 14" prop. Any more than 14" might be getting close to the hull. I have the 6L motor but the 5.7L has a similar torque curve so I bet it would behave similarly.



The Tahoe surf pictures come out amazing with the color of the water up there.



Good luck!


I love that lake, which was why we intended to primarily use it.. I’ll put 900 lead in the bow with full factory bow ballast, and lose some of the back weight.. I’ve been through the whole prop thing with Tige and Acme.. maybe my hull is that much more inefficient, but it isn’t happening, either way.. pretty sure they changed to the 2:1 drive for 17, because of that exact reason.. people are surfing the same boat over 8000’, with that drive..

Reply
Share 

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 2:09 PM.

Home   Articles   Pics/Video   Gear   Wake 101   Events   Community   Forums   Classifieds   Contests   Shop   Search
Wake World Home

 

© 2019 eWake, Inc.    
Advertise    |    Contact    |    Terms of Use    |    Privacy Policy    |    Report Abuse    |    Conduct    |    About Us