Johnboat with 9 hp outboard that runs perfectly (we estimate top speed at 6.5 mph). Could an experienced rider around 150 lbs get up board/skate? Next, could that person feasibly steer the boat from behind by pulling from different sides (currently if we keep the motor straight we can steer by leaning)? Finally, what is the 'P' symbol that Shane Bonifay draws on the camera in he and Watson's section of The Truth?

6.5 MPH? Don't think that's going to be fast enough.

6.5 mph without a rider means it won't even pull him out of the water. Too much drag from the get go.

I am talking laying flat on a board or wakeskate until it planes and then standing up.

It won't work. Not enough. If you geared the motor differently you coud use it as a winch though =P. <BR> <BR>Also, that P stands for Pointless...

You could get up someone who weighed 40# if they were on a big board.

Thanks for all y'all's feedback and I accept your collective challenge (pics to follow once it warms up...I think it can be done).

I don't see it happening.Even laying flat on the board(?) as soon as you attempt to stand on it, it will submerge, that is provided the boat can even get the person moving.

6.5 MPH is not fast enough to even keep moving. You ever been dragged by a boat at that speed? Number one, you'd have to lean back like crazy, which would only slow down the boat more.

I used to have a 9.9HP on a jon boat and it had a top speed of around 16-18MPH. A 14' jon should go faster than 6.5MPH with a 9 on the back. <BR> <BR>I was able to pull kids up to about 100lbs on a wakeboard behind our jon and could steer it reasonably well. Pulling a skate is going to be harder and well a 150lber on anything is going to be a challenge. I say it may be possible, but not if your boat is only going 6.5MPH.

I have a 16 foot duck boat (pointed bow, pointed stern) with a 8 hp yamaha, and use GPS to navigate and set trolling speed. It does 12-1/2 mph. <BR> <BR>I had to replace the prop and discovered, I got one and one only choice. There are no menus of flavors as provided by Acme or OJ when dealing with outboards at that small of size.

You could stand up one a larger wakesurfing board probably.

only way to do it is with a running dock start and a wakeskate. you're gonna want about 60' of dock as well. good luck.

Unless the water is dead flat you probably won't do it. I tried behind a 10 ft boat with a 15 hp on it in like a 1' chop when I was on holiday at the beach up north a few months ago and only got the board on plane once, for about 3 seconds, then the boat hit a wave and slowed down again. It's real hard work getting dragged around like that. Quarter mile deep starts are no fun. I gave up after the 3rd or 4th try, just wasn't happening. <BR> <BR>You could try to replace the prop but you will probably just go through motors. <BR> <BR>To answer your other question - Yes, you definitely can drag the boat around quite a lot when you're out the back. The guys in the boat told me I was steering more than they were. <BR> <BR>For reference I'm about 170 lbs and the board I was riding was a 134 Watson. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by jtnz on February 24, 2009)

This is not the last we've seen of this thread...now I just need to cruise over to an outboard forum and get some tips for maximizing performance (perhaps a new prop). In looking back, the 6.5 mph guesstimate was made when zig-zagging down the Lake with two people using a watch. NOTE: we have waverunners at our disposal, but there is something novel about this (the boat washed up on shore and the motor is 3 decades old).

oh OK well at least you can drive it like you stole it

I look forward to the pics, your committment is legendary haha. Maybe tow with the waverunner to get up to speed then swap ropes??

If that works, then I'm gonna get my kids to get in the canoe and row like hell and see if I can shred!

My boys ride all day long behind a 12' Valco aluminum with a Nissan 8 hp 2-stroke. Speed is more like 18 mph though. <BR>Dock and beach starts are easy, and deep water starts are achieved with a little finesse. <BR> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by rio_sanger on February 24, 2009)

Andy, <BR> <BR>I think what you're gonna have to do is get in the boat with your board on, get the boat up to your 6.5mph and then stand up in the boat. lol!!!! that's the only way your gonna get up lol!!!! <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0> Sorry, I couldn't resist.

^^^^^Agreed

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do" ~Lewis Cass

Kong Fuzi says: "Boat must go faster than 6.5 mph to get a rider out of the water"

Im looking forward to pictures....I dont think 6.5 is fast enough for that size of a rider...Hope it all works at well Andy

I rode behind a 15HP on a 14' starcraft once. deep water start on a directional wakeboard. it was pretty hard to get out of the water and then eventually bareloy got on plane. I'd estimate that I was around 170lb then

(begins crash dieting despite taking more of a mental approach to achieving, "It is not the wakeboard that planes out, only myself...there is no spoon") - as mentioned previously, the 6.5 mph was junk science and it likely goes faster than that.