Whoa - new (1980) wakeskating ride

If the test drive goes as planned Tuesday, I'm picking up this for my year round wakeskatemobile. When I first saw it I laughed (and immediately thought of the leopard print waverunner on "Eastbound and Down") but then it grew on me...when I saw it in person, with the gold flake on the hull, I had to have it.
Checkmate Predictor
16 ft.
140 hp outboard
seats 5
beefy pylon
bow is weight bearing

How much?

The gelcoat work alone has to be around 40K. Haha. Good find.

Wow. You are the Ozark King?

I live in Ozark ... Ozark Missouri. And here I am messaging my king! The internet is so truly an amazing invention. Thank you Al Gore. God bless you.

Don't do it. At least not Tuesday. That gem will be on the market a while. No need to 'snap it up' while the rest of the prospective buyers are asleeep on this one.

16 feet is too short and a 140 evenrude (sp) is not only needless muscle but also surprisingly demands needless nursing.

But, I like the way you are going about this ... you're inspired.

Brett Yates and others on here always seem to offer good budget advice. Enlist their suggestions.

I'd take a 18-19 foot platform and, depending, I go as low as 60 to 75 outboard power (but, I am partial to dependable powerplants). And I'd rather go for a deeper hull.

Your majesty, I too like wakeskating. But wakeboarding and wakeskating differ in key aspects, including namely this one.

Getting up a first time on a wakeboard is inspiring. Anybody who does it only seems to want to ride more. Wakeskating seems to differ in that, it seems like no one gets inspired until they truly master some skills.

I advise getting something that provides partial satisfaction for wakeboarding. It will have all the full satisfaction for wakeskating.

16' is plenty fine. the 140 is way overkill. get yourself an aluminum boat with a 50 or so on it.

I heart you're mercury outboard

Thats no Merc

JB, I recently changed screen names but had to for client anonymity purposes...know that the other day a mass email was sent on the MATA listserv asking for a good patent attorney and Ransin responded to all recommending you so keep up the solid work.
As for the boat, when not riding behind friends' MC's, our neighborhood crew is rocking a 15' Glastron with 80 hp outboard for wakeboarding/skating so I figured 1 foot longer + 60 more horsepower was a good thing.
Not looking to it as a dedicated end-all be-all tow boat...looking for something to take out during the week when there's calm water at the Lake (when I say Lake it's Ozark). I figured this would pull me up which is all I require in order to have fun on a board (rode behind the slow pegged Tahoes at Big Cedar this weekend)...I don't expect anything from the wake (working on surface tricks is still progression) and would rather have this with some character than some other run down mid-80's boat even if it has a solid powerplant or better wake.
Additionally, boat, motor, trailer for $2400.

I was just in a mood to punk the King Ozark thing but, it was a more a matter of my mood than the King Ozark thing.

I still think save your money for something with a deeper hull. (Though at that price you just might be able to separate the 80 hp motor and sell it for more). I've got a 16 foot alum hull fishing boat and I can't imagine making it a tow boat.

That boat above looks like it would work a trick for barefooting. But otherwise, I advise looking for a hull similar to the SS Minnow. Glastron, Four Winns sound right. In Alum hulls, I'd look at a Lund or similar shapes (ie., not fiberglas bass boat hulls, again, high speed planing hulls which won't throw a wake of note). I think you want a hull designed to do a mere 25 to 35 mph.

Funny, my little alum boat (from the now-closed Osage boat company, formerly in Lebanon, Mo.) tops out at 15-17 mph. But it throws a sweet well-formed -- albeit miniature -- wake that never washes out. Go figure.

What'd you think? If you liked it and bought it, I request to see you at Pomme de Terre and everyone rides all day. I'll not only buy boat gas but your car's gas to tow. (If you decline, I'll understand. I'm just trying to be supportive and not really trying to beg a ride. Although, I too wouldn't mind getting better at wakeskating. I do surface 180's both switch and regular

Man that's a small motor case for a 140. I know 2 cycles are more compact than 4 but it looks not like a 140 hp. Is it?

I test drive it in less than an hour (waiting for the owner to get to town)...brought my board/rope along for the test ride...also already purchased a boat cover when I was down at the Bass Pro catalog outlet the other day...if it runs good (which a neutral mechanic has already assured) and floats, I'll own it by sundown.
Attached is a better angle of the motor and at the risk of alliteration, I'll post post polished pics post purchase.

if it runs good

Well, I got it...for $1650.00. Started fine, idled fine, shifted fine, engaged prop fine but when I tried to give it gas it wouldn't get power to the prop. If I take the engine cover off I can open the throttle and it roars which is a good sign, but that means its only one (or more) of about eight possibilities. Its been said "it has to be either fuel or fire" so I'll start with the cheapest possible solutions and work my way up (check loose wires, plugs, linkage, timing light, coils, carb clean, power pack). JB, I'll holler your way once she is wakeskateable.

You got a steal. De-bug that engine and a 140 4-stroke has got to be worth more (maybe several times more) than what you paid total.

For inspiration, that Byerly video is circulating around again.

http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=781907