hydrodyne grand sport elite

silverhawk 08-30-2005, 4:31 PM

My family is looking for a boat to ride behind and came across a 1995 Hydrodyne Grand Sport Elite. The boat looks nice, but before we go look at it(long drive), we need to know if it will throw a decent boarding wake. Anybody got any input on this boat or pics of the wake? Thanks

(flyspec14) · (flyspec14) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 08-30-2005, 5:42 PM

I met a guy that owns 4 Hydrodynes as part of a watersports rental business & has nothing but excellent things to say about those boats. He said if I ever found one to buy it, because they last forever. I have ridden behind them & the wake was OK, also this was unweighted direct-drive...

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 08-30-2005, 6:14 PM

Used to drive a Hydrodyne "twin-rig" back in the 70's. It would literally jump out of the water.

Funny story... my buddy Sam was taking lessons from a guy in the Delta named Leroy Burnett. Leroy asked Sam to drive while he pulled the plug to drain the water out of the boat. Leroy said something, Sam turned around swinging his elboys right into the throttles of the two 135 Johnsons knocking them into wide open. Sam swung right out of the drivers seat as the boat took off. With Sam and Leroy in the back of the boat it shot right over the levee and ended up in a tree on the side of the delta (Bethel Island). Nobody got hurt and the boat sufferred minimal damage. They craned right out of the tree and back into the water and used it the very next day.

I also have a work associate that has a 90's vintage Hydrodyne inboard. He wakeboards and loves the wake. Go for it if it's a good deal.

(ktmwakeboarder)

lol

mwaters 09-01-2005, 7:17 PM

I owned a '95 Hydrodyne Grand Sport Elite. Bought it new and traded it in 2003 for a Tige 22v. The Hydrodynes built prior to 1996 are extremely well built, trouble free boats. The company went out of business and sold the name and some of the outboard molds to different companies. The newer ones are not built by the same people. Many of the Hydrodyne outboard hulls from the 70's are still used by many show clubs today because of their durability.
The company began making the inboard Grand Sports in the early 90's with the same quality hull construction. I had owned Matercrafts and Ski Nautiques before and, without a doubt, the Hydrodyne the best. I had it for 6 years and put on over 600 hours without a single problem. I did the regular annual maintenance and that is all. The PCM GT40 engine in them is one of the best marine engines made I wish I had it in my Tige. I never would have traded it in if I had not wanted more room and a pro level wake.
In fact, the head mechanic at the dealership bought my Hydrodyne sight-unseen when he heard I was trading it in. He had been looking for one and knew how durable and trouble free they were.

Now as to the wake. Unweighted it is comparable in size to the older Ski Nautique wake but with more of a gentle ramp due to the Hydrodyne being a wider boat. Unweighted it is a good beginner level wake and, with weight, it will create a very good clean wake for intermediate boarders.
If I were looking for an older direct-drive to put a tower on and use for boarding, it would be my first choice.
I wish my Tige was built with the same construction process and quality and engines as those Hydrodynes. I was spoiled by that boat. Can't say the same for my Tige. It has been one problem after another.

(jeff359) · (jeff359) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 09-01-2005, 10:33 PM

I believe the Grand Sport Elite was the same hull mold as Cobalt's ski boat. I heard that Cobalt bought the mold when Hydrodyne went out of business. Those Cobalts were some pretty nice boats, one of the nicest inboard ski boats ever made IMO (atleast for fit and finish.)