does a center console or deck boat provide a better wake?
 

I'm going to be down in Ft Myers for about a week, and am looking into renting a boat for a day.

It seems that my only options are center consoles and bowrider deck boats. I'm wondering which one can provide the best wake possible? We'll probably only have 3/4 passengers and a cooler of beverages. Does anyone have experience with these types of boats? My options are:
*20/21' bowrider deck boat
*23/24' bowrider deck boat
*20/21' center console

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

Also, if anyone knows of a place to rent wakeboats down there let me know...that would be the ideal setup.

Use the CC

I run a 20' center console with a very small engine: 140hp zuke four stroke. It pulls great. Deck boats have wide washewd out wakes compared to the more deadrise on the CC. The trick is weight forward. Coolers and peeps.

No boat payment.

Here are two pics of my wake.
The first with the organic ballsat still in the boat.
The second is with the ballast behind the boat.
21 mph at 75'
Dustin Beaty runs a serious wake boat charter and has two new Master crafts, one in Marco and one on a private lake. For what you are going to spend you may want to consider hiring him and get a pull behind a real boat along with some good coaching tossed in.
Google Marco island wake boarding.

Thanks! Yea, I've talked to Dustin a few times. We might hit him up for a pull as well if I can get him to do just "rider hooking up another rider with a pull" type deal...he offered to do that last year, but the timing just didn't match up. We can get a center console for a full day for $300 (vs $180/hr with the X25).

It really depends on the hull of each, if the deck boat is a bowrider V hull with a deck boat top section I would say that. As far as the center console if it is a deep V offshore type that would be good too, but if its like a bay flatter style hull I wouldn't suggest that at all. My buddy has a older tri-hull deck boat that throws an awesome almost waist high wake with no ballast and 3 people on it. Yea its wide, but lots of air. So I wouldn't rule out the "deckboat"

I have a buddy who throws Raileys, tantrums and front / back rolls off my wake. But he has skills I lack, so it can be fun even if its not like tripping over a coffee table.
By the way it's biteasscold water around here. I think the surface temp in Big Marco Pass is like 65.
I'm off shore fishing a private client all day tomorrow so ill check the temps on the way out.
Im splashing the CC next weekend instead of going to church so if your down south give a shout.
Dont forget Revolution cable. Gotta give those guys love.

Baitkiller, we're coming down next Thursday...any idea on what the water temps are?

63 ish in Big Marco pass.

65 in Fort Myers, warmer east of I75 on the river. >>>> butterville for miles.

74 off the beach east coast Pompano but the waves are about 6' and blown out.

The Gulf stream runs close to the beach there and its always 10* warmer.

Killer kite surfing on the Atlantic beaches right now. Onshore wind averaging 12 kts and huge blown up surf.