New Wakecraft DD

its not a vdrive hardcore wakeboat, but i wanted to show you guys the newest wakecraft model. we did the initial lake test yesterday and this boat is a true crossover boat. slalom: wakes small, tracks great, took it into 28off on the slalom course. barefoot: very fast boat, nice table, no side spray for a boom. wakeboard: clean crisp wake with a nice ramp. we rode with out any ballast and its was very good. anyway here are some pics , for those who didnt get a chance to see it at the Sac show.

it looks good, I would like a shot of the wakeboard wake if possible

Any pics of the interior layout. It looks pretty classy on the outside (maybe tone down the text). Looks good though.

looks good Any interior shots ?

that is a really nice boat let's see the interior

HERE ARE SOME INTERIOR SHOTS TAKEN AT TH SAC SHOW. IT HAS A VERY UNIQUE LAYOUT. THIS IS A PROTO TYPE MODEL SO WE MAY MAKE A FEW CHANGES.

Do's anyone like the graphics on the boat?

I like them, but not the the W...its all..loopy?

I really like the layout of the seating. Is there space under the side seats that you can access from underneath or does the seat flip up. This would be a great spot for sacs for wakesurfing etc.. while maintaining floor space. Is that a pylon on the rear deck? What is the length and width.

yes there is storage under the seats. there are two tow points , the center ski pylon and the rear pop up one like on vdrives.

why not complete the bench seat in the back?

i know it's different and show/prototype boats are supposed to be different, but it seems kind of different-dumb to me. wouldn't you lose seating in this configuration?

is there a jump seat coming off the engine that i don't see??

Wow... Looks nice. Better than the V-drives IMO.

I just checked out their web site. Only the V drive model but very impressive. Wonder if the same tower/ballast/wakeplate will be available with the DD? Definately a boat to look at in the future if and when it is time for a new boat.

^agreed, complete the seat wrap in the back

The majority of skiers take out there back bench anyway..

The seating makes sense in a DD boat, easy step over without stepping on the upholstery and a higher seating capacity to boot. Completing the bench would just lessen floor space. Nice job. Imo you guys need to loose the kiddie logo though.

^^^agree

tell me why do skiers remove their back bench?

tell me why does having less seating area result in a higher seating capacity?

so you can get in and out easier and to lower the weight.

Great looking boot! I like to see Wakecraft trying new different things!!! You don't see any other boat company trying radically different things.

Is this the same size as the V drive?

Wow that looks so much better then the V-drive IMO.
The wrap around is a great idea, But I see one problem. Where does the cooler go?

Wakecraft 2 bits of advice from Me #1 please don't put that god awfull tower on this boat. It looked great on the BU but IMO it looks like A$$ on the V-drive. #2 Loose or tone down the graphic on the side. Other wise IMO the boat looks great, good job.

I agree with grant.... The graphics really need to be smartened up a bit.. they make the boat look cheap when it really isn't... good quality boats should have this reflected in the signage on the side.

When a skier running 32 off is skiing, you don't want to be directly behind the pylon anyways. It's much better to have something on the side's like they did. great looking boat Rod, can't wait for the Darkside to come back up!!

I saw the boat at the sac boat show, interesting, the only thing i didnt get on all their models was a switch for the bildge and the shower in the bow next to the stereo controls

That looks very nice! I really like that looks of that a lot. Wonder what that would look like with a Titan III on it? I'd bet it'd look pretty nice!

Will you guys try for awsa certification?

If you're going to keep the step and not do the wrap around seating, you might want to make the step a little longer. From the pics it looks like it's a pretty short step and if you got wet feet and over shoot it a little bit stepping down from the sun deck you're going to take a shot right on the tail bone

And I fourth the graphics being either changed or just toned down.

Looks Good. Grant it does have the cooler built in to the walk through to the bow (however some people want more than that understandably). Tower took some getting use to but now I actually like it, very functional, just a personal preference I guess. This boat is basically the ZR6 model w/ different seating and w/o tower DD etc. The good thing is that you can get whatever tower you'd like with this one or the stripped down v drive. With the decals, well its not to laborious to take those off. In fact Im thinking about doing that to mine this summer. Ive never liked decals on boats.

Rod does that one have the Catanium 343 from PCM or is it w/o?

its has the exacaliber 343. its based on the same hull with a few differences.

Great look! nice Lines on the water.
LOSE THE GRAPHIC!
I like the fact that they did something different. I love the wrap around seating. Great lay-out but I wonder how much room there is between the motor and the seat. is there enough room to walk by w/o stepping on the seat, or having to scoot sideways?
I don't ski if there is more than 2 or 3 people in the boat and they never sit in the back.
Maybe a removable cushion for the back would be an option for the middle.

The boat has pretty nice lines. I am with some of the others in regards to the logo on the side. The fit and finish look pretty nice in the pictures as well, but in the picture that shows the stern area seating with the pylon and rear seating, it looks like the seats are asymmetric. Is that the angle the picture was taken?

Nice lines. The decal seems to be in the wrong spot. Maybe move it forward or shrink it and move it back.

Keven and any other wakecraft owner sorry about the Ulgy tower comment. IMO the tower is not all that Ulgy its just that it. A. mounted in the wrong palce. B.it sits at the wrong angle. C. has thoes hidious tower spacers at the deck.
Question
Am I the only person that notices these thing's?
is it all in my head. What do you guys think

i like the boat look overall but i dont really like the gel line it looks better solid color to me. got any in FLA

looks like a very small bow ? decals are not the best.

Rob the switch for bilge and shower are in the bow because that is where the shower is. The water from the shower goes into the bilge and is pumped out. As far as I know showers on the swim step are now illegal in California because the engine is running while taking a shower and the CO fumes. Saw this boat at Sac boat show on Sunday looks good. Only thing I did not get to see was engine house. I was pissed boat show advertised toy haulers and not one was there.

the one thing that i don't like about it is where do u put the sacs if you want to add fat sacs to it. maybe in the rear storage if you don't have anything in there but will only be able to fit a 650 or so. the boat looks great. i'm not a fan of the graphics at all. it looks like the graphic fell down the ugly tree haha. i would change the graphic asap even maybe a mid year change and not wait till the 09's.

Just curious what transmission is on this boat??? Engine seems to be angled so I guess that though it has a PCM engine it doesnt use the PCM 40a "powerplus" tranny. if so, what tranny on the V-drive?

I'm with Grant on the tower and graphics comments, but overall this boat looks really nice.

Im not trying to bash so if I come off that way Im sorry and Ill shut up just let me know. I was just trying to offer my honest opinion in hopes that they could make some changes. "I know all my Ideas are the best" J/K

Grant,
Nothing wrong with opinions. I actually thought of you as I installed my first LED's in my boat on Sunday.

Lest see some Pick's Its about that time of the year.
Ill show you my LED project later its pretty cool

Ryan most people that buy a DD want it as light as possible for Slalom skiing. Hints why rod said the wake is small. If you want a big wake and to add sacks buy a V-drive. Notice no tower on boat it’s a ski boat. Logo needs a little help but it’s only like there 3rd year they give him a chance. Got to remember it’s just on guy going against large corporations I think David is doing a great job. I don’t see any of you will the balls to do it but you will sure bash him for trying not to look like everyone else.

Looks good

"I don’t see any of you will the balls to do it but you will sure bash him for trying not to look like everyone else."

or for copying a current industry leader, whichever is more fitting.

I think it looks great. The lines flow together really well. I like the seating layout, you can actually use the space beside the engine.

grant, yea i noticed a couple of those issues. like anything else, the first year of production will have kinks, oversites and things that can be done better.

nice work

Grant absolutely not, opinions effect change and you’re not coming across as bashing so please don’t apologize. The bow is smaller than most but its a trade off for space in the cabin.

Ryan that rear locker is enormous! You can easily add 800-1000 lbs. Since the rear deck is arched a bit it allows for more room.

I like the seating for a DD. It seems better suited for watching someone ride. In our Air, if we have people watching from the back seat, they pretty much have to put their feet up on the seat to be comfortable while watching the rider.

As for the graphics, I would not change a thing:

A. They are no uglier than most other boats

B. They are definitely different ( you've gotta seperate yourself from the others).

C. Most "New" looks require some time to grow on you.

Oh yeah, make that trunk as big as possible. I have about 950-1000 lbs of ballast in my trunk and wish I could fit at least 2-300 more.

It's definitely different!

the only reason why i would be conserened with not being able to put sacs on the sides of the motor is because i know a lot of people that ski so they buy DD's but then they're kids board and fill sacs on the side of the motor box. i guess you could use the fly high tub sacs that would probably fit under those seats. i'm just saying that if i was buying a DD i would probably go for a different seating. theres always the right person for every boat though.

Ryan no reason you couldn't have the tanks installed when ordering the boat. Could still get 1200# of ballast in that boat. Throw on a tower and then you have have a DD ZR Wake (strip down version of the ZR6) with half the gas tank. It will be interesting to see how they refine this particular model.

Nacho, copying industry leaders?

I think we've been over the copying thing enough times! Everyone takes good ideas from everyone else and makes them better, and capitalizing on them. That is what keeps this, and every other industry competitive.
for example Supreme has a picklefork design coming out in 09. Copying or staying competitive?
I think wakecraft has done an excellent job coming up with new and innovative ideas, which I'm sure has made other companies take note. You can bet you will see a spin-off of a wakecraft idea with one of the big 3 in the next few years.

I would buy this boat and turn it nekkid.

Rod, what does the port side seating look like? How much?

(Message edited by lionel on March 12, 2008)

Kevin, sorry for not being clear. i like the boats, vdrive included. I remember when wakecraft brought out the vdrive, everyone was hung up on what came from where. the tower looks malibu, the bow looks like blah, blah blah. Who cares?

fact of the matter is, if you're not at least being inspired by current models and ideas, you're probably a few years behind. Or you can take the idea in an entirely new direction with true innovation, either way, there's an A-hole in every crowd and some people enjoy hearing themselves talk shid. i'm just not one of those people.

keep it up, boats look good. Get a dealer out to Texas so i can see it firsthand.

alright, this is probably a stupid question but, help me out...since the platform is not removable, and more-so built into the transom, what is the actually length of the boat? Does it cut off where the platform starts, or does that get including the the length? Being from NE, most places to ride are only private lakes with the infamous v-drive length restriction...where would this boat fall in? and rod or kevin, what is the length anyway? (talking ab. the v-drive)

the platform is removable, and folds down. which ever you feel like doing. the total length without platform is 20'6.

oh really?? my mistake, looked like it was built in, well thats a nice feature as well then, what do they list for again? fully loaded..

Rod, I asked above about what tranny is on the boat, the engine seems angled, so not a powerplus, an inline 1:1 maybe?

I have to say....

That first picture looks like a towerless VTX and I really love the look. Nice lines on that boat - I agree that they have to loose the oddly vertical tower. Malibu owns that look - patented or not.

Luciano it is a 1:1 trany with a Walter V-drive. Not too sure if the trany is a PCM one or not, I think so.

Nacho no worries it seemed out of context and I was confused by it. I agree.

Rod can answer this best but Im pretty sure the ZR6 (fully loaded v-drive) is just under 60k (yes includes trailer etc..everything) Call up Wakecraft and ask if anyone in Texas, I thought their was someone over there starting up. I know their is someone in Havasue (sp?) but not too sure about Texas.

I was just over to Wakecraft on my way home from work and they have some cool things cooking for next year already should be cool.

Newsjake the transome does have a very short platform but then the swim step blends up next to it and with a pull of two pins on the hindges and it folds down and rests on the trim (saves you about a foot when storing it in a garage.

BTW: the gell coat pattern on the Centurion in the 5th picture in the background is pretty creative.
It kinda has styling Q's from Bu in the front and Nautique in the back. Not copying anyone just diffrent

I like the graphics, but I agree that the Logo needs help. Looks like a "C" Other than that it's a real clean looking boat. Every time I see the Logo I have to think about it to remember it says Wakecraft.

Here is another question for Rod and Kevin, after really looking at the boat, I notice how back sunpad wraps around over-top the rub rail, could this have a greater change of getting ripped or damaged when tied up to the dock?

Like my balled head To answer your question no. Hasn’t been an issue at all. When you see it up close its actually recessed a bit and doesn’t rub up on anything when tied up.

speaki9ng of led's who makes that 4 LED courtesy light thats in the dd?

Same as the 3 pair in the V-Drive (I have no idea)