Help on a Wakeboarding Boat for the Ocean Please!!

Alright guys, unfortunatley for me, I do not live in California on a Lake with beautiful weatehr year round (you guys have such a rough life). I'm looking for a good wakeboarding boat to function well in the ocean. I've done a good amount of research, and it looks like Nautique, Mastercraft, Malibu, and Moomba make great wakeboarding boats. Will any of these companies' boats (what models) work in the ocean? What technical things should I look for? Do you guys have any suggestions? I want a Mid-Range boat to seat around 10 people, with lots of nice options. I also don't know much about how much these boats go for brand new,so try and give me an idea of what price range im looking at for a new or used boat. Thanks alot for your help, and don't comment on wakeboarding on the ocean. Not all of us have the luxury of living on a lake.

mastercraft x-80

Take a look at a Coablt. Not a real wakeboard boat, but can handle the ocean and with a tower can put out a nice wake. I actually saw one at Havasu that some guys were getting big air with.

Greg

Don't know about the wake, but Rinker has a real deep-V high-freeboard stern drive equipped with all the goodies, seats 12. The RX2, based on their 232 Captiva. @ $36k

http://www.rinkerboat.com/xtreme.shtml

Try the Moomba XLV 23 foot with Hyd Wakeplate, Make sure you put a closed loop cooling system on it...Or the Supra Launch(Direct drive) Check out Correct Crafts 226 and MC X-45

Thanks alot for your help guys, keep it coming! And I think the Mastercraft X-80 might be slightly out of my price range Ryan. What is the retail on one of those bad boys anyway?

Why do I need the Hyd Wakeplate, closed look cooling system, and the supra launch direct drive?

Cobalt wouldn't be a bad idea...i've actually seen the same thing with a tower, its a decent size boat.

"Take a look at a Coablt. Not a real wakeboard boat, but can handle the ocean and with a tower can put out a nice wake. "

a tower does not put out a good wake

Ya, I agree with the cobalt. I have a friend that has one thats pretty sweet, it has a tower and the captain calls, which is pretty cool. But of course the X-80 would be perfect if its in the price range

the pic in my profile is a 2000 Cobalt 226. It does not have a tower, but we do the trim on the outdrive up somewhere around 1/4 of the way up. We also had 5 people in the boat. It (cobalt boat) does handle rough water well. Just my 2 cents!

the 80 in X-80 is the starting price.

Second the Rinker, they run off shore pretty well. I saw a review that ran one off the Miami coast for review. (They did not know what to say about the tower, and kept referring to the cruise control as superflous on a boat.)

FYI - what ocean? There is a huge difference between say So Cal and Florida.

I run a 04 Mobius LS in the ocean with a closed cooling system and a fluch kit installed. I do not really have much of a problem however when it gets choppy you certainly feel it.

The Cobalt sounds like a really good suggestion because it would act as a better family boat aswell. I looked over some of the specs & mods you can make to the 200 and 220, and they have a Tower, Stereo, and perfect pass as options. Would is be a problem if i didnt have any ballast controls? Is the wake already big enough? If I wanted to but some bags on, is a custom job possible for this boat? Is there anything else I should get to turn the Cobalt into more of a wakeboard boat? Also, you guys have any suggestions on good places to browse for good deals on used boats? I'm going to the International Boat Show in norwalk, ct in september, but maybe you guys have some suggestions too. Send links too, thanks again you're all very helpful.

You need the closed cooling system and flush kits because the salt water is really hard on the engine/everything. I have a bud in the islands that had an inboard. But he had such a hard time getting it worked on that he finally went with a mastercraft with a salt water outboard.

If you're intersted in a v-drive rather than outdrive, any bigger boat with higher freeboard will work well. Malibu Wakesetter VLX or LSV, Mastercraft X-2, Correct Craft 226 - just to name a few that aren't as much $$$ as the X-80. While they don't have the ability to trim an outdrive for better cruising, the wakes will definitely be better and have the capability to be made huge. jmho.

The Hyd. wakeplate helps in choppy waters and the Moomba XLV only has it as an option, the Supra Launch(direct drive has the wakeplate and also high sides(Freeboard) for dryer ride.. If yourlooking into an I/O try Cobalt, Chapperal, Monterey for the nice ride in rough water...Good Luck!!!!!!

Do not buy an X-2 for the ocean. I have one and it is ruff as hell on the lake when it gets choppy. I could not imagine what the ocean would be like. I agree on the Cobalt. Very nice boats. The X-80 with twin screws is around 100K.

What is a good used boat search engine online? Any other good ways to find one? I'm looking for a cobalt btwn 20 and 22 ft. w/tower, closed cooling system, and captain calls exhaust. also, what would be the best way to enhance this wake?
Thanks

boattrader.com, local dealers, or just enter cobalt in the search window of your browser. ballast, or fat chicks.

As far as ocean...watch out for drop nose ski boats.Its real easy to swap a boat in the ocean.

I second the Monterey only because i have one and "leo" a wakeboard boat doesnt make a wakeboarder.
Ive got the I/O and run in a bay of the gulf of mexico with some mods the wake can be very very close to a stock weight V drive, i also ride behind a buddies supra ssv so i do have some direct knowledge. Add prop, PP, tower, racks, sacks, and stereo.

MasterCraft will offer a "Salt Water Series" of the 245/X45 & 280/X80. It should be available in the next 45 to 60 days.