New boat

Hi Guys,
Just found this site,few hours of great reading! We sold our Sea-doo boat at the end of last year, it was our first boat. The family loved it and we used it alot! My wife bought a wakeboard mid summer and loved it. The Sea-doo would not get my fatass out of the water so we need a new boat. We have a 6 and 4 year old that will grow into the new boat, what is a good wakeboard boat to look at?
thanks for any advice!

what is your budget?

are you looking for new or used?

new boat, around 50 to 60K

You can buy a lot of very good boats in that range. Plan on test driving.
Go to a boat show or drop in at several dealers in your area to get an idea. Things to look at include how big it is to tow and store.
Inboards are so nice with little kids. Your 4 year old will climb on the swimdeck on his own and feel really safe around the boat. The hard part will be narrowing down the search.

If you have any friends with wakeboard boats, try go out with them in their boats as well as test drive boats. The more time you can spend in different boats, the better.

As you experience different boats, you will figure out what you like, what you don't like, and what features are important to you.

If you can't go out in them, when you are at a boat show or boat dealer - sit in a boat for a while. Don't feel rushed. Think about how you will use the boat, etc.

Also, think about where you boat. Some of the smaller boats don't do so well in rough water.

Ther are a ton of used boats with super low hours on the market right now. If you are on the West Coast, the Sanger V215 is a great boat.

(Message edited by rvh3 on February 10, 2009)

JT, where are you located? Do you have any size, weight or ballast restrictions? What are you going to be using the boat for? What are the most important things to your family when you purchase your next boat? Are you going to be on smaller or larger bodies of water that stay calm or rough? Is bling and the newest technology important to you?

There are some amazing deals on brand new 2007 and 2008 boats. You are in a great position to get a great deal as long as you don't have to have the newest thing out. Most boats have subtle changes from year to year so it shouldn't be too big of a deal.

welcome to WW! lots of good info here.
demo, demo, demo.

Take your time. Sit in them all and read up. Reading opinions and facts can fill in alot of blanks. Remember with this economy the deals are gonna get better on boats. GOOD LUCK

We are in Calgary Ab. I would think a 22' would work. As for larger ballast that would be for more advanced riders. It would be a family/wakeboard boat. I would however love to try wakesurfing. A friend has a wakesetter it is a few years old, it is a nice boat! Right now I don't need that much boat. Is the tige a good purchase?

For 50 to 60, head to the boat show this weekend. You'll be able to pick up an amazing deal if you've got the money.

I'm partial to Malibus and Wakesetters, so I would reccomend a Wakesetter VLX. If anybody in your family is a skier, then go for a Sunscape 21 LSV.

thanks,

will be at the boat show this weekend!

JT

look for a leftover.

Keep us updated!

id go with the Malibu Waketter VTX its a 20 foot boat that fells like a regular VLX. perfect first time boat for sure

With that budget, there really isn't a boat you can't afford (well, maybe a few). Here's what I'd look at... all in your range for brand new boat.

Malibu Wakesetter VLX
Mastercraft X-15
MB B52V Team Wide Body
Supra 21V
Air Nautique 210

I don't know much about Sanger or Tige, but I'm sure somebody will chime in on those.

If the boat show is in town, I'd go sit in each of them for 20 minutes. Open up everything. Measure the stuff you think is most important to you. For some people it's storage, for others it's seat depth, for others it's freeboard, for others it's length on trailer, you get the idea. Decide which ones you like... you will probably be able to narrow it down to a few, but unlikely you'll have a clear favorite. Then schedule demos. After demos, it will become very clear to you which is your favorite.

JT Rains, I will be at the boat show in Calgary on Saturday. I am hoping to meet up with Ash(Stuntmonkey) and have a cold one and shoot the s#%t about boats and accessories. If you want to meet give me a pm and we can talk about the show.

JT,
You really can't go wrong with any of the brands mentioned including Sanger or Tige. I would be concerned with what kind of dealer support you have close to home and which one stands out from the rest after test driving the ones you narrow down to. I have young kids too and nobody in my 'crew' goes big so for me its all about storage and convenience items. I wish I held out for a V215 (more storage and roomier interior, higher freeboard). I would still insist on taking the boat on the water before buying anything. Thats the only way to know for sure. You really won't know the difference until you drive several brands/models back to back. I like my boat...I just wish I had followed this advice.

Definitely shop around. Have some fun with it. The last two times I was in the market for a boat I looked for months. My list of features I liked/disliked changed all the time.... and with that the boats that would fit the bill changed. Many times I'd bring my ski/foil/wakeboard & experience the boat's wake for myself, along with give my wife a chance to drive the boat how we would use it.
When I made an offer, I knew what price the market would bear, and what features I was looking for. And I enjoyed riding in & behind a ton of different boats so I knew what things I wanted in a boat I was going to keep for a while.

Have some fun with it. Meet some people. Meet some dealers. And make an educated decision thats best for your family. It's a buyer's market out there & theres no signs that will change anytime soon.

Guy's
thanks so much for the advice! It is a tad intimidating coming out of a sea-doo and trying to think of what we are going to need in a new boat. You all have been a ton of help!

Thank-you
JT

I went from a Seadoo Speedster 200 to a Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV. I have 4 very young kids too. I tell you what they drive very very very different. See if you can test drive one, I wish I would have. Get the Malibu.

JT- try looking for something that is left over inventory... this will allow you to be in the 50-60k mark up here in Canada....

Malibu VLX 07-08
Mastercraft X-1, X-2, maybe X-15
Supra's are good too..

If not mistaken Mastercraft dealer is very reputable in Calgary/Edmonton... ask around... plenty of oil country people on here

Save a little and get a loaded out Sanger V215 or V237XTZ you can't go wrong with a Sanger.