Help Convincing Dad

Hey, This is my first post. I am 14 years olf and LOVE wakeboarding but I always have to go behinf my friends boats: (2000 Tige 2100V and 2002 Ski Sanger 210V) Both boats have good wakes but I am stuck with a 2002 Four Winns Horizon 220. I gues I have to face facts but it is a horrible wakeboard boat. The speed that I like to go is about 21-24 and that speed is right when the boat is going on plane. Thus when the boat is on plane ity is too fast and when we are off plane it is too slow. Not to mention the fact that when on plane the wake is about 3/4 of a foot tall. I don't have a tower so the rope will sometimes drag in the water. This is not a good boat for wakeboarding at all. So my Mom and I were thinking about asking my Dad to trade in our Four Winns and get a good wakeboard Boat. What are some good points I can bring up when I am trying to convince my dad? Also, I am not sure how much our 2002 Four Winns Horizon 220 is worth but it is in Mint Condition. I mean it is absolutly perfect. 280hp Volvo Penta engine. Anyone know approximatly how much it is worth? And If so, what new boat should we get? I was looking at Tige's and Mastercrafts. Thanks a lot for all the help guys.

Well to check the price of your boat you can go to nada.com... Just go to used boats and enter all the info there. To find a good wakeboad boat, there is so many and I dont want to make this topic one of thos where everyone fights about what boat to get. There are many good used wakeboard boats out there, you jsut have to look, proably right after this season ends the boats will go down in price. So look into boattrader.com.. Mastercraft, SAN, Tige, all those known brands are good. hioe it helps, and good luck convincing your father. TIP: Get good grades in school and that makes it way easier..

What ever you do make sure you get an inboard with a deep v hull. Dad probably won't like the rough ride an inboard has compared to an I/o. Tell him to look at the resale value. Inboards hold their value better than most I/O's. Tell him he will look better in an inboard. Take him on some demos and hopefully he will come around. Look at www.traderonline.com and check out the Centurion Avalanche. This boat has a terrific wake, ride and a reasonable price. If I was you I would act now because there are really good deals going on right now becasue all the dealers are getting for the 05's. good Luck

I could give my two cents about which boat but I would tell your father that there is less risk of being injured with a inboard versus a I/O with the prop hanging off there for one then there is the its easier to drive no trim to mess with and you don't have to worry about dragging the outdrive up the ramp. Also resale is better overall a better investment. Also allows you to wake surf where you can not on an I/O. Then again your at his mercy due to its his money. But if you do the majority of the leg work such as involving your mom and talking to dealers finding out if he plans on financing and if so what the payment would be and what the difference is per boat you may make it alot easier for him to proceed.

Good luck

Here I had a few minutes hope this works:

Boats and Personal Watercraft.doc (24.1 k)

Thanks for all of the replies guys! I will ask my dad with my mom this weekend.. When he is in a good mood

Safety will be a big hit with the old man.

Don't forget to emphasize that if you had a boat YOU enjoy then you would be more likely to want FAMILY time with them at the lake (and less likely to be out smoking dope or getting in trouble with your friends, or worse yet - GIRLS).

Or tell him when you get older and are responsible enough to take the boat out by yourself, you will take pictures of as many girls in bikinis that you can and make sure to show them to him. Make sure you make the point that you will get way more chicks with a new wakeboat vs. a fourwinds. It worked for me, but make sure you make this arguement when mom IS NOT around.

Dad is always cool when pulling the son.

Tell him it is time to trade it in before it losses to much of its value and will cost him more out of pocket down the line. Then just start taking him to ski shops. Also, Tell him that you want to try going behind a specific boat at the shop, "just to see what it is like," tell him to act interested in the boat so they will take you on a demo, Then let the sales man do his work. GL!

Your only hope is getting them to test drive some other boats. It sounds like you have friends with wakeboard boats so start there. I'm 36 and my parents were about to purchase an I/O for their place. I offered to do the research and pay the difference (not an option for you) if they would consider an inboard. They agreed to comparison test drives and afterwards agreed that they just prefer an inboard. We already have a MC Maristar at a family place so they are used to how inboards drive luckily. My Mom was a huge fan of idle speed handling and reverse handling of I/O's but had to agree the inboard just felt so much better. We are on a smaller lake so harsh water handling isn't a huge issue. Take small steps, get them to drive and then work the other issues.

We're headed there to their place this weekend for the first pulls. Break-in hours are over and the first service performed. Hopefully the storm won't mess with Georgia weather until late in the weekend.

Charlie

You're 14, it's never to early to start working. Wakeboard boats are expensive you know. Beggars can't be choosy and if you already have other friends with nice boats that you get to ride behind than you are a lot luckier than most people that I know

I was in the same boat, hehe, as you last febuary, and for the last couple of years I kept showing my dad the wakeboard boats at the boat show, he didnt see anything he really liked, so he didnt buy anything. but this past year, he decided he like the x-30 and the wakesetter LSV, Which was good b/c i liked malibus. SO take your dad to the boat show. Do your research on what boats you like and why you like them, dont have just oh this boat looks cool kinda stuff. Get real information, like waranty, how your local dealers are. Also with your current boat, help out as much as you can,show that you be resposiable for maintaining the boat. And when it comes down to it,it is sill your dad's money, so you have to respect his decision. Best of luck dude!

Thanks for all the replys guys. I will try to get my dad to take a test drive. If I do that I might be in the clear when I show him how sweet Inboard's are and how much better I will do behind an inboard.