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Old     (old_fat_guy)      Join Date: Apr 2013       04-04-2015, 9:45 AM Reply   
Last year my friends and I rode behind my 2012 Chaparral 19 Sport which was fun and economical (V6) but the wake wasn't that big. I picked up a 1997 Sea Ray 240 Overnighter cabin cruiser with only 300 hours on the Mercruiser 454. I took it for a test run yesterday and it was too cold to get in the water but the wake looked enormous. Anyone else ride behind something similar? Any comments or advice?
Thanks
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Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       04-04-2015, 1:27 PM Reply   
Is this a joke???
Old     (surffresh)      Join Date: Jun 2010       04-04-2015, 3:37 PM Reply   
The G has found it's match
Old     (old_fat_guy)      Join Date: Apr 2013       04-09-2015, 6:35 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by boardman74 View Post
Is this a joke???
Why would this be a joke?
Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       04-09-2015, 7:09 PM Reply   
Because you bought a cabin cruiser to use as a wakeboard boat. Not a great tow boat at all. Wake may be big but it will be wash. Speed hold will be nearly impossible. Slow out of the hole and takes a long time to slow down and turn around. Just all around not a good tow boat. The 19 foot Chap is a much better option, IMO.

The Sear Ray 240 is a great day cruiser and small overnighter for 2, but a tow boat it is not.
Old     (rexlex01)      Join Date: Mar 2010       04-09-2015, 7:36 PM Reply   
I have very little experience with I/Os but I found this article on the WW home page.

Outboard Boats
Outboard boats are primarily used for fishing, although there are still a few ski boat manufacturers that build outboard boats for barefoot skiing. An outboard boat typically has a very shallow hull and does not sit in the water very deep. Outboards are usually very fast and responsive, but do not displace very much water to create a good wake for wakeboarding.

Inboard/Outboard Boats
I/O's, also known as runabouts, have been extremely popular over the years. They are typically deep boats with lots of storage and comfort. The engine is located in the back of the boat (inboard), while the propulsion system is an outboard drive unit.

Bryant 233XAlmost every I/O manufacturer has some type of "wakeboard edition" model in their line that includes a tower and a low price tag. This is highly attractive to new boat buyers, especially at boat shows. These boats are usually displayed in high traffic areas and are shown with towers, tower speakers, wakeboard racks and wakeboard oriented graphics. Although the boat may be well built, include the finest amenities and look like a wakeboard boat from the deck up, a wakeboarder must consider what is under the boat when it comes to getting that perfect wakeboarding wake.

I/O's can produce a decent-sized wake. This wake is usually perfect for learning to wakeboard. However, as a wakeboarder gets more comfortable behind the boat, he or she will want a bigger wake. Remember, the bigger the wake, the higher the wakeboarder can jump. The only way to get a bigger wake from a boat is to displace more water, which is usually done by adding weight to the boat. The problem with an I/O is that even though the wake gets larger as you add more weight to the boat, the wake is actually getting softer. This is due to the deep "V" hull design that runs the entire length of the boat to support the outboard drive at the bottom rear portion of the hull.

Many people are not comfortable driving an I/O due to the bow rise. If the boat is heavily loaded, especially in the rear, then the driver has to deal with a short time period when there is so much bow rise during the hole shot (when the boat is put into drive from a stationary position to pull a rider up out of the water), his or her field of vision becomes very limited. This makes it very uncomfortable for the driver and very dangerous for everyone else.

I/O's typically have the reputation of having a hard time keeping speed. A beginner wakeboarder will usually ride somewhere between 16-20 mph depending on the age and size of the rider. On most I/O's, there is a lot of bow rise during the hole shot and the boat usually does not plane out until the 16-20 mph neighborhood. This can make driving an incredible pain, even for an experienced driver.

Chaparral 216 SSiThe other negative aspect of an I/O is that an I/O can be dangerous to wakesurf behind. Wakesurfing is done by setting up the boat to create a larger wake on one side than the other while the rider gets on a wakesurf board and rides less than 10 feet off of the rear of the boat without a rope. The rider uses the wave that the boat produces in the same way that a surfer uses the waves in the ocean. Surfing behind an I/O can be dangerous due to the fact that the outboard drive at the rear of an I/O has a spinning prop that extends beyond the stern and when riding directly behind the boat, the wakesurfer is extremely close to that prop. That being said, there are some manufacturers that make I/O boats geared toward wakesurfing by covering the entire read portion of the boat with a swim step to reduce the risk of a rider making contact with the prop.

Let me take a minute to try to explain the reasoning behind some of the above points about I/O's. I see too many people each season with three- and four-month old I/O's that they want to trade in on an inboard wakeboard boat. The most common reasons for the quick turnover are that they bought the boat at the boat show because a salesperson gave them bad information, they didn't realize that they were going to be wakeboarders when they initially bought the boat or they have simply outgrown the boat already.

I am not trying to put down I/O's and I am not trying to talk you out of buying an I/O. I am just trying to educate you about I/O's. They are usually good, solid, well-constructed boats that will get you on the water and will teach you wakeboarding. However, they can only take you so far in your wakeboarding career and when you reach that point, you will be looking for your second boat purchase. For most people, it is far less expensive to purchase one boat instead of two.

Last edited by rexlex01; 04-09-2015 at 7:39 PM.
Old     (old_fat_guy)      Join Date: Apr 2013       04-09-2015, 7:41 PM Reply   
I didn't buy it to use it as a wakeboard boat, I bought it to camp on and noticed the wake was really big and very clean despite what you say (without ever seeing it) when trimmed out properly. With the trim tabs engaged it comes right up and is not "slow out of the hole" at all.
I was interested in wakeboarding behind it and I will, I was just wondering what anyone's actual experiences were, not their snobby elitist prejudices.
Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       04-09-2015, 7:44 PM Reply   
Call me what you want. I have actually owned that exact boat. I'm speaking from my experience and comparing it to 28 years of towboat ownership experience.
Old     (old_fat_guy)      Join Date: Apr 2013       04-09-2015, 8:02 PM Reply   
Well as you might be able to deduce from my username I am not and don't aspire to be a top level wakeboarder. I realize that this boat is not ideally suited for wakeboarding, I was wanting to know if anyone has any actual experience wakeboarding behind one.
Old     (downfortheride)      Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SLC, UT 5600'       04-09-2015, 9:01 PM Reply   
My first 2 inverts (backroll & tantrum) were behind a 23' Gulfstream cuddy with no tower. Was is the best boat... NO Was it fun... YES My dad bought it for camping and fishing and I learned to wakeboard behind it.
Enjoy what you have and be happy you are a boat owner. Go make memories and don't look back.
Old     (chillaxin)      Join Date: Jun 2012       04-10-2015, 12:33 PM Reply   
Looks like an awesome weekender and ya you can have a lot of fun behind it. I stated boarding behind a family friends sea ray and then my dads 18' Lund. I think I had just as much fun then as I do now. Don't let other people's ignorant rants ruin your stoke. Cheers!
Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       04-10-2015, 12:56 PM Reply   
Wasn't trying to be a dick…the guy asked for an opinion and having owned the exact boat I gave him an opinion. He didn't say I bought it to camp, is it OK to us for occasional wake boarding. He came on a wakeboard forum and asked how it was for wake boarding. All the things I said are true. Maybe I should have said them more politically correct. I apologize for that, I sometimes lack a filter.
Old     (chillaxin)      Join Date: Jun 2012       04-10-2015, 1:05 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by boardman74 View Post
Is this a joke???
This makes you look like the cool kid in high school but surprise it's 10 years later and everybody grew up and forgot about you. He asked for advice and tips not sarcasm.
Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       04-10-2015, 1:09 PM Reply   
Enjoy it!!!!!

If you need to clean up the wake some add weight to the front or speed up.
Old     (trayson)      Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vancouver WA       04-10-2015, 1:18 PM Reply   
Call me what you want, but I've found that the handful of I/O's that I've wakeboarded behind had a sharper wake that tended to throw me UP instead of the wake produced by the inboard's hull that would launch me up and out. So, yeah, it's possible to wakeboard behind something like what was posted, but I'd pass on wakeboarding behind it unless I had no other option and was going through serious wake withdrawls. otherwise, I'd say thanks for the offer and skip boarding and just enjoy being on the water.

Size isn't everything, the shape of the wake is very important to some of us "elitist snobs". No reason to blow sunshine up his a** about what the wake's going to be like and give the guy a group hug. On the flip side, don't go and flame the guy either. Good enough?
Old     (hawk22)      Join Date: Jul 2006       04-10-2015, 1:21 PM Reply   
,..well said JD! I've always loved that bout WW for the most part, no matter what phase of riding: getting up, getting air, w2w, or first invert, or phase of boat ownership: dad's bayliner, old supra comp, or the new G23, for some reason the wakeboard community as whole (obviously some exceptions), but as a whole very accepting to all.

I think most of us on here's first experience to this sport were on a boat not much diff from that. Get on the water and have fun!
Old     (trayson)      Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vancouver WA       04-10-2015, 1:25 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by rexlex01 View Post
I have very little experience with I/Os but I found this article on the WW home page.

Outboard Boats
Outboard boats are primarily used for fishing, although there are still a few ski boat manufacturers that build outboard boats for barefoot skiing. An outboard boat typically has a very shallow hull and does not sit in the water very deep. Outboards are usually very fast and responsive, but do not displace very much water to create a good wake for wakeboarding.

Inboard/Outboard Boats
I/O's, also known as runabouts, have been extremely popular over the years. They are typically deep boats with lots of storage and comfort. The engine is located in the back of the boat (inboard), while the propulsion system is an outboard drive unit.

Bryant 233XAlmost every I/O manufacturer has some type of "wakeboard edition" model in their line that includes a tower and a low price tag. This is highly attractive to new boat buyers, especially at boat shows. These boats are usually displayed in high traffic areas and are shown with towers, tower speakers, wakeboard racks and wakeboard oriented graphics. Although the boat may be well built, include the finest amenities and look like a wakeboard boat from the deck up, a wakeboarder must consider what is under the boat when it comes to getting that perfect wakeboarding wake.

I/O's can produce a decent-sized wake. This wake is usually perfect for learning to wakeboard. However, as a wakeboarder gets more comfortable behind the boat, he or she will want a bigger wake. Remember, the bigger the wake, the higher the wakeboarder can jump. The only way to get a bigger wake from a boat is to displace more water, which is usually done by adding weight to the boat. The problem with an I/O is that even though the wake gets larger as you add more weight to the boat, the wake is actually getting softer. This is due to the deep "V" hull design that runs the entire length of the boat to support the outboard drive at the bottom rear portion of the hull.

Many people are not comfortable driving an I/O due to the bow rise. If the boat is heavily loaded, especially in the rear, then the driver has to deal with a short time period when there is so much bow rise during the hole shot (when the boat is put into drive from a stationary position to pull a rider up out of the water), his or her field of vision becomes very limited. This makes it very uncomfortable for the driver and very dangerous for everyone else.

I/O's typically have the reputation of having a hard time keeping speed. A beginner wakeboarder will usually ride somewhere between 16-20 mph depending on the age and size of the rider. On most I/O's, there is a lot of bow rise during the hole shot and the boat usually does not plane out until the 16-20 mph neighborhood. This can make driving an incredible pain, even for an experienced driver.

Chaparral 216 SSiThe other negative aspect of an I/O is that an I/O can be dangerous to wakesurf behind. Wakesurfing is done by setting up the boat to create a larger wake on one side than the other while the rider gets on a wakesurf board and rides less than 10 feet off of the rear of the boat without a rope. The rider uses the wave that the boat produces in the same way that a surfer uses the waves in the ocean. Surfing behind an I/O can be dangerous due to the fact that the outboard drive at the rear of an I/O has a spinning prop that extends beyond the stern and when riding directly behind the boat, the wakesurfer is extremely close to that prop. That being said, there are some manufacturers that make I/O boats geared toward wakesurfing by covering the entire read portion of the boat with a swim step to reduce the risk of a rider making contact with the prop.

Let me take a minute to try to explain the reasoning behind some of the above points about I/O's. I see too many people each season with three- and four-month old I/O's that they want to trade in on an inboard wakeboard boat. The most common reasons for the quick turnover are that they bought the boat at the boat show because a salesperson gave them bad information, they didn't realize that they were going to be wakeboarders when they initially bought the boat or they have simply outgrown the boat already.

I am not trying to put down I/O's and I am not trying to talk you out of buying an I/O. I am just trying to educate you about I/O's. They are usually good, solid, well-constructed boats that will get you on the water and will teach you wakeboarding. However, they can only take you so far in your wakeboarding career and when you reach that point, you will be looking for your second boat purchase. For most people, it is far less expensive to purchase one boat instead of two.
Also, I found this to be a good read. I've had it happen a few times on my boat's forum where I've ruffled a few feathers because I've been critical of the wakes put out by I/O's and people with bigger/better/nicer v-drives than me talk about their years of awesome experiences behind this or that I/O. And they seem to feel defensive, despite the fact that they're not using the best tool for the job. I'm certainly FAR from an expert wakeboarder (I can wake to wake all day long with some grabs and mild spins), but I honestly think that a lot of the people that embrace their experiences wakeboarding behind I/O's haven't gotten to a skill level where they really appreciate the difference that a quality wake makes when getting airs... (just a theory)
Old     (trayson)      Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vancouver WA       04-10-2015, 1:29 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawk22 View Post
I think most of us on here's first experience to this sport were on a boat not much diff from that.
I guess I was spoiled. I started wakeboarding in 1996 and first time ever was behind a MB Sports Boss 200. We had no idea what we were doing, bought a "Neptune" board with HO/Hyperlite bindings, strapped it on, and said HIT IT and were up and riding on the first pull. Best experience ever.

Old     (ksunet)      Join Date: May 2015       05-20-2015, 11:10 AM Reply   
I am just fine with wakeboarding behind my I/O sea ray. It puts out a decent wake and I can go 55 miles per hour. It also handles big waves just fine. I am not sure why people hate on I/O so much on this site.
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Old     (denverd1)      Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tyler       05-20-2015, 12:42 PM Reply   
looks like a fun ride that suits your purposes perfectly
Old     (dougr)      Join Date: Dec 2009       05-20-2015, 3:06 PM Reply   
i don't think anyone really hates on I/O s this is a wake boarding site where 99% of the people own v drives or dd's. so its like going to a sports car forum and asking about a volvo wagon for track days while most have 911's m3's, etc etc. your going to get that similar response from most.

i look at it totally different, the more I/O sales to folks wanted to wakeboard, the more converters will be to v drives for that second, third, boat purchase. makes v drives hold there value and the used market stronger.
Old     (burban89)      Join Date: Nov 2006       05-21-2015, 11:01 AM Reply   
I went through an outboard, I/O and DD before getting a V. I started on this site when I had the I/O and always got great advice and opinions. I think over the years a lot more fan boys and BS'ers have landed on the site and now just like to talk trash to anyone not in their brand. Other than that people here don't mind because it is the love of the sport and not the boat.

The best advice I can give you is enjoy the hell out of it!
Old     (allzway)      Join Date: Feb 2014       05-21-2015, 12:06 PM Reply   
If you are having fun and friends and family are having fun...then you can tell the haters to eff off. Your fun with your boat is all that matters.

I had an I/O and dayum we had so much fun as a family with that boat. It did lead us to the v-drive for the next boat and the ability to surf. Surfing was more of interest than the ability to wakeboard.

We are not expert wakeboarders, but it always worked fine for us. I see kids wakeboarding behind jet skis pretty regularly... and they seem to be having as much fun as those behind a $100k boat.

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