Room & Sick Wake? Calabria Pro-V

My girlfriends family has a 04 Calabria Pro-V and I must say that it the most spacious boat I have seen. I was at the LA boat show this last weekend and I was extremely impressed by most of the boats features, none could match the room and storage of the Pro V. Even the Malibu 25 footer wasnt as roomy in my opinion. Take a look at the photos from the boat show and Powell this summer.

I like those boats too. The only thing I've heard is they kind of handle like a tank.What do you think?

Does the Pro-V still use the same ballast system that it has in the past(i think it was called "the gate" or something), the one that filled in like 45 sec and emptied in like 15? I was alwaysed amazed at that. Plus, like you said, Aaron, they are really really spacious inside.

My experience has been that the boat handles extremely well, largely due to how level it planes on the water, even with the ballast full. Many have told me that it is the best handling boat out there, the closest to a direct drive, but you know how those claims can be, take it or leave it. Yes, they still use the PureVert system, it is unbelievable, super fast, super easy, 700lbs just like that. Because the ballast is positioned over 2/3 of the boat, with a lot of it in under the driver, sinking the entire boat instead of just the transom, keeping the boat on plane, and the 65 gallon gas tank is in the front of the boat as well, so it aids in keeping the boat on plane, kind of like a fat sack up front. Complaints? It isnt the smoothest boat on the lake, my friends X30 has a really deep v that makes a massive wake and also is very smooth, but the Pro-V handles much better than that boat, it turns on a dime. Oh, and it tends to cavitate when you start turning with fat sacks in the rear hatches.

I thought it was called the PureVert or something like that. I could be mistaken, but I don't think... Its pretty awesome, I looked at them a little to get ideas for my ballast system. If I recall it doesn't use any pumps. but you have to be moving to fill and empty, I think. its a pretty sweet concept though

It was originally called the Pervert system because the guy who invented it was really into pornos, but they had to change it to PureVert for marketing reasons, true story, I swear.

To fill, be at slow idle speed or stopped.

To empty, hit the throttle and it's all emptied out.

Piece of cake.

I just picked up my Pro V and have had it for about 2 weeks. I looked around for 6 months before purchasing it. My local dealer had a 05 Centurion Air Warrior that I really liked, I almost bought it but then I went to Portland with my wife to go to a Dr, up there, while she was there , I ran down to the FMC water sports to look at the Calabria Pro V's my God what a difference, the Centurions didnt even compare. Anyway, I just upgraded my sterio system got 8 speakers on the tower 6 in the boat a bunch of amps and I am so ready for summer.

Love my Pro-V! The pics don't do justice to how much room there is though.. You gotta get in one. I've had mine for a little while now, and have really enjoyed the room and the ride. Can't wait to get it on the water again!

Oh, great.......now I'm all horny.....

Those boats are massive, a lot of interior space. The lockers are also very big, they offer a lot of storage. The boats also drive very well. In my opinion the aesthetics don't compare to a Malibu or Correct Craft, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Of the Calabria's I've been in I've noticed that they're very sensitive with the weight distribution. If you get that dialed and get the weight dialed front to back, move on to adjusting the wake plate, once you get everything dialed in, the wake is SICK.

PureVert is a great innovation, but it doesn't add nearly enough weight to sink that massive boat, it's like a 102" beam or something like that isn't it?

Oh yeah, and the swimstep is HUUUUUUUUUGE!!

Hey Joe, if you want some tower speakers I have my stock ones that came with the Pro V, They sound pretty good I just wanted to upgrade. Anyway, I live in Medford Oregon if you wanna find out how much it would be to ship I will let ya have them if you pay for the shipping.

O.k so I'm the new owner of bsflowers old boat and I gotta say....Pro Vs F*$%#@ Rock!!!! Gonna try to hit it again this weekend. I'd post pics but I think Laci's had a few on here. I'm also kind of a techno peasant when it comes to these things...

Yes, the beam is 102", larger than most all other boats, there are very few 102" beams in wakeboarding boats. Many feel that the narrower beams like the 98" in the Nautiques produce much better wakes, but that is up to the rider to decide. One thing about the large beam, the wake becomes very wide, which is good or bad based on skill level. One thing I thought was strange about the Pro-V, it is a 23'6" in boat, yet that is with the swim step, so it actually only 21'6" without, making it even more impressive spacewise, but are all boats measured in length that way???

Here is a picture of John30s boat (my old boat...)


My favorite shot of the boat

Hey John, I was thinking Joe was you for some reason. Anyway we talked a little last week about our boats. So anyway, I thought I was talking to you when I offered the tower speakers that are currently on the boat.

Daniel----Oh sure, toss out a teaser, then....ZIPP! Yank it away!

---JOE---

Hey if you offered them to Joe go ahead man...give them to Joe. I'll get some eventually. I'm going to amp it with an amp a friend has instead of the one I have in the shop so the four speakers and the sub should sound good for now.I'm geussing the check cashed....huh huh...hows the house thing working Laci?

House hunting...well I would have to actually be in WA to see the houses in person. I have been in OR, CA, NY and PA in the last two weeks. Racking up air miles, but not making progress on the taz shelter called a house. haha

You are definitely "well traveled" from what I gather. I thought you found a place that looked promising...I think we are gonna mo-tate towards Gig Harbor. We wanna build this time around. I've been helping a friend build his house and it makes me crazy to think of the money he's gonna make when it's done...or the money he could make. The beauty of instant equity...

actually, during takeoff and landings I have been sketching out my dream house. But I still need to be in town to find property to build it on.

My parents are looking to buy a vacation (weekend) place/property on the Key Peninsula. I love that area. Too far from the airport unfortunately. Maybe they will put a ferry in from Burien across the water or something, hahaha

That area is awesome, I grew up on the key pen...I think for Rachel and I , we wanna go towards the Gig Harbor area to build. Airport shmair port. Huh Huh.....

John--Unfortunately, Daniel's offer to me was surely an error, like he said.... I've only traded text with him a couple of times, regarding his getting a new boat. It was a shocker when I read it....

But Daniel, if you are feeling guilty at all, about this crushing blow you have dealt me, I'll gladly reconsider your offer if John declines!

I'll cancel my therapist appointment till further notice...

Still lookin' for pics of your new ride...

LMAO Joe you are cracking me up!!!!! I just thought since I was going to have these speakers laying around I would just be a nice guy and offer them to John, the last time we talked he was wanting to get some tower speakers but money was a little tight. Anyway's Emails me and let me know Johno no big deal. Joe, by the way, I know some really good therapists if you need some referrals

Hey Dan I would be more than happy to those speakers off your hands. I was considering selling a rifle I have to get a system set up but I dont want to get rid of my home defense for a system. Let me know how you want to work this. Dude sorry Joe.

Forgot here's a # to reach me. 253-539-8463 ooor
253-906-4938 hey dont be afraid to call when you make the trek up here between the 21-23. Not 100% sure but we might be able to hit it...It's hard telling where I'm gonna be working.

John, email me your address and I will find out what it would cost to ship the speakers. I have my new system laying around and am going to have it installed in March. When they take the old ones off I will mail them to you. I was listening to them yesterday and I was thinking they actaully sound really good, I guess my new ones may sound a little better but will just look a whole lot kewler.

Hey Dan I tried to call you back today but the number you left me kept giving me a disconnected message. I tried to call the number that came up on the caller i.d but the message center hadn't been set up on that so I figured I'd catch you here. My e-mail adress is rschneble@nventure.com
Have you had your boat out just to run it yet? Your a better man than I for being able to wait. When I was hauling mine home from where I bought it I was making calls to get it out the following weekend. Had to make sure everything worked and that the wake was good. When you finally get yours out you're gonna Sh*t! Just make sure the tank is full and you fill the ballast all the way. I've read that 65 gallons of fuel equate to about 540#. Anybody correct me if I'm wrong...

John, I got a new number, I will email u with it. Nope I havent taken it out yet. And yes, I am counting the days. I am so excited, in a few weeks I am taking it to the the Sterio place to have them put my new sound system in. Its gonna rock!!!!! IM assuming you really like the wake alot, I hoe it is somewhat steep so I can get good lift, what level rider are you? Im pertty much a lamo at this point!

Dan I'm pretty much a lamo that tries to go big and usually get the wind knocked out of myself. But I have been landing a hs backroll. I just have this hang up of letting go of the rope when I get 3/4 of my rotation. Pretty much your basic grabs, 180, frontflip to buttsmack. Dude with that drysuit you should be good to go. I've been sharing a drysuit with a friend and wearing neoprene gloves. My buddy also has a neo hood that he uses. I'm telling you, you're gonna love your new ride! I was like a crack addict when I got mine, I was having "D.T's". A couple of weeks ago I had the wife and kids in the boat(bundled up) and the wife towed me. Does your boat have perfect pass? I'm without for now...

John, yes it has Perfect pass but I probabbly dont know how to use it. I need to take out the manual and go through it. It was nearly 70 degrees here today I am so getting the fever!!!!!!!!! By the way John, if you are doing inverts even if you are not landing them all the time I am impressed!!! I can not even jump the wake so to me you would be the Man!!!!

Dan I'd really like to get out if you come up only I still haven't figured out where I'm going next week for work. Today is the last day of the six weeks that I committed to building a friends house and so I have to make some phone calls. Hit me up when you get up here though. You never know. Probably be an evening pull. If you've got your family with you bring them along. Thirds are hard to find this time a year. Where bouts are you going/staying? I'm about 15 minutes north of American Lake in Tacoma. Pretty good size lake and this time of year my boat is usually the only one on it pulling people around. I've been on the water with four inches of snow on the ground. Idiot..? Maybe..Lakes all mine though!

Daniel- Perfect pass is easy. While not moving and in neutral, turn it on....it'll show the speed that is set. Push the up or down arrow till you find the desired speed. When you go under power and get close to speed, it'll beep at you...let go and adjust speed as needed with the arrows. I believe increments are 10th mph. You can slow or speed up manually at any time. To turn it off, be in neutral as well, and not moving...

Joe, thanks that sounds pretty easy. John, I will bring my Drysuit just in case. I am staying near Olympia at some resort on a lake, i need to find out exactly where. The weather has been so awesome down here I cant believe it. Anyway, myabe I can see one of those backrolls who know lol

Hey Dan if your gonna be here from the mon.-wed. I bet we could hit it on tuesday. I found out where I am going to work. Actually gonna be working pretty close to where your staying. If you want to hook up I'll tow the boat to work and we could hit it when I get off. Weathers been bitchin here too! Unbelievable man....you watch though, they're--->(the establishment huh huh) gonna start screamin drought and all the water prices are gonna shoot through the roof...Hopefully we have a nice long hot summer...Hey find out where you're stayin and see if you can get a powerboat out there.

John - would you do me a favor? Can you measure the length from the bow to the back of the transom? (don't count the swimstep) I am having a decision with a friend about the length of the Pro-V?

Thanks!

Length of boat without swimstep 21'-4", according to Calabria.

Thanks, but I wanted my old boat measured. John, if you don't mine?????

Yeah, it is 21.4 exactly! Boat looks longer then that though and yuo would think it was around 23-24 by the space Calabria has created in it. Lacy, I am going to meet John up there Tuesday and he may be giving me a ride. Hoepfully we can hook this up.

Laci 21'-4" is actual length I measured it when I first brought it home just cause a friend mentioned the length and I didn't believe him at first so I had to measure. Like Dan says though you would think it was 23'-6" by the layout.
Dan did you get my e-mail? Alderbrook is actually a bit further away than Olympia. Just trying to think of time on the water. At first I was thinkin Alder Lake but even that is an hour and a half. I'll still tow to work with me if you want to trek towards Olympia. Let me know ...It would be cool to be able to get you out!

Thanks John - I could have sworn that when I was measuring it to see if it would fit in my garage it was closer to 24ft....oh well. Time to go make nice to Jeff over this one.

Alder is my favorite WA lake (where I 1st learned to board actually), but since they made the cove a no wake zone (stupid environmentalist trying to save the wild life...or stupid fisherman complaining about us) it isn't has much fun.

Last year it never really filled up all that high, I was scared to go in it because I have been there in Sept and seen the stumps everywhere at low lake levels. Very scary to see. I like it to be nice and full before I go in it now.

Dan have fun with John this week...I will be in the snow in PA...fun for me.

Laci, the boat itself is 21'-4 but with the trailer its real close to 24'if not a bump more. Haven't measured trailer length but I have to take the platform off and the tongue is touching the backside of the garage door and thats putting it in at an angle. Thing looks mammoth in there!
I like Alder Lake too, only the stumps are what scare me. I remember a time we were there and the water measured about 100" deep and I could see the top of a tree. I boarded right over it.

Yeah John, I got your email. It may be pretty tough to hook up after all. I am stuck at a dinner party and thought I could sneak out but looks like I wont be able to. I would have hooked up Wed moring but everyone I am with wants to leave really early. ANyway, maybe next time I am up that way we can get out there, who knows, maybve you can get me to try a back roll lol

Dan I'll tell ya, it's alot easier than it looks. The only way I can explain it would be....to come to the wake and a soon as you crest the wake you let the shoulder opposite the wake drop towards the water and then let the board continue to launch the wake. Its almost like a natural rotation at this point. Next thing you know your all the way around and you either eat poo poo or you land on the board. It happens pretty fast.

John, do you know where you are as you are turning or do you pretty much hope you feel the water underneath you when you put your feet down? I know when I jump the wake its like a blurr, I dont even see the other side of the wake.

It's still a blurr for me to Dan. I can somewhat tell when I'm gettin ready to land but I'm still pretty disoriented. I think thats why I toe pick alot. I would say out of five times that I try it I land it twice but the other three times I take a good header. The good thing is you dont need a whole bunch of speed to hit it and you still go wake to wake or more. Cool trick though I hope to have it before summer.