Hello to the future, Goodbye to the past.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 11-13-2006, 4:02 PM

Boat shows are approaching, so it's time once again to reevaluate what would improve wakeboats as we know them.

List 3 fresh ideas that would improve wakeboats and 2 things that need to go about current ones. Can be wakeboardability, aesthetics, performance, ANYTHING.

(robandrus) · (robandrus) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 11-13-2006, 4:23 PM

Epic at a Moomba price.

(three6ty) · (three6ty) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 11-13-2006, 4:56 PM

#1 - Sell a microchip to implant in every boat owner that will keep them from saying their brand is better than another. (See MC vs. Bu Hype Thread.)

#2 - Make a boat that you dont have to load up with 3000lbs of extra/stock ballast to make a huge wake. (ie.. epic- 4000lbs of stock ballast, MB 2500 Stock Ballast.....) Bu is there with the VLX and stock ballast.

#3 - Get some competition in the Heater and shower market. It will drive the price down.

(three6ty) · (three6ty) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 11-13-2006, 5:38 PM

2 things to go.

#1 - False advertising. ie. MC X-1 Ads
#2 - Dealers overcharging for routine maintanence. ( ie. the $100 oil change or the $350 V-drive service )

(three6ty) · (three6ty) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 11-13-2006, 5:39 PM

I forgot 1 more to thefresh ideas.

4 - Carpet that actually looks good after 1 season. all current carpets get matted down after just a few uses.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 11-13-2006, 6:10 PM

How about these...

3 new ideas:

"fin"-like inverse hydrofoils (ie malibu wedge).
adjust pitch of fin for greater displacement... one fore & one aft (would require REALLY strong hull. Aluminum?). I hate the wedge, but it seems by now someone could have figured out a better hydrofoil system.

Ballast balancing system (compensate for people moving in boat) & to ensure perfect balancing of wake.

Tower lights that work. Yeah, not having huge amounts of glare in the boat would be nice.

2 ideas to dispose of:

BILLET & bling. It's getting totally out of hand. We're not all hot-rodders... or 7-year-olds. Give us the boat bare, and those who want to upgrade will. The rest will be satisfied paying less.

Coolers. these things are unweildy and get in the way of ballast. If we're gonna have 'em, there are 1,000 better places than where they are now.

(wake_upppp) · (wake_upppp) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 11-13-2006, 6:17 PM

"BILLET & bling. It's getting totally out of hand. We're not all hot-rodders..."... Well I am a "hot-rodder", but I still agree with this one.

(wakeslife) · (wakeslife) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 11-13-2006, 6:19 PM

I agree about the carpet thing...

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 11-13-2006, 7:36 PM

I could have just been in for a beating on that one... whew!

Sparky, post some pics of your ride(s)!

(oaf) · (oaf) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 11-13-2006, 7:46 PM

Keyless ingition for all boats (not just the Natique owners) No keys to get lost or thrown overboard (people with small kids will love this)

(snyper1d) · (snyper1d) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 11-13-2006, 9:30 PM

Optional stripper poles

(monroeyd) · (monroeyd) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 11-13-2006, 9:40 PM

Love the stripper pole idea.

(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 11-13-2006, 9:40 PM

Cell phone pouches in the interior. You know, like the space in the sidewalls where the cup-holders and speakers are. Everyone is packs a cellphone. I get tired of opening my glovebox to a sea of cellphones.

(liquidmx) · (liquidmx) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 11-13-2006, 10:23 PM

How about...

Little IR sensors all over the boat for a stereo remote. Then you can toss the remote to whoever wants to pic a track, no one has to walk over to the remote or stereo. This remote needs a digi display for navigation of a pod interface.

I agree on the Carpet idea.

Maybe a bigger multi gear tranny setup for surfing, yanking out the hole and driving at speed while conserving R's.

I like the auto ballast, something setup to a leveler bubble type setup.

An interior that doesnt ATTRACT dirt, and still feels good on the bum!!!

A "boaters etiquette guide" in EVERY OWNERS MANUAL that is required to be read, signed and mailed to the respective boat company for boat warranty validation!!!!

A factory multi heater outlet for the boat, usually all three peeps (or more if they are there) are cold when its cold out.

Fast fill and drain ballast.

Quick disconnects for winterization

That prop rudder protector thing on sea boats

A tilting drivers seat so I can lowride when I am in the mood.

Double up interface for Speed control devices

Auto flags built into the tower so they pop out through the top of the tube.

I got tons of stuff, let me kick this around for a while!!!

(snyper1d) · (snyper1d) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 11-14-2006, 5:51 AM

On the boats that have throttle by wire, Have a little bit of leeway for driver override. Especially for turns and double-ups. I hate the fact that you can mash the throttle to the floor and get no engine response.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-14-2006, 6:35 AM

power towers

(wakereviews) · (wakereviews) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 11-14-2006, 6:35 AM

Love the auto flag idea, that is killer.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-14-2006, 6:58 AM

do you guys have to have a flag when riding?
whats that all about?

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 11-14-2006, 7:05 AM

auto flag and power towers are already out. It;s not OEM, but available as an aftermarket add-on.

(wakereviews) · (wakereviews) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 11-14-2006, 7:28 AM

Yeah, on my lake we have to put up a flag when a rider goes down so other boats know to watch out. My lake is only 660 acres and on a saturday when the idiots are running full out with tubers and tons of beers, it's actually pretty smart to require the flag use.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-14-2006, 7:35 AM

maybe it would make sense to put one of those 10ft flags that we had on gokarts as a kid,and mount it to the riders helmet. Or arm the rider with a flare gun to shoot directly at the wallys.
LOL

(liquidmx) · (liquidmx) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 11-14-2006, 8:38 AM

adam, I was referring to putting the auto tower flag setup within the OEM tower so you dont have an auxilary setup to deal with. The tower would look the same as it always has only a flag would pop out of the top.

(wakereviews) · (wakereviews) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 11-14-2006, 8:59 AM

Adam, do you have any links to auto flag towers? I'd love to check that out.

(breadbutta) · (breadbutta) **Join Date: Dec 2003** 11-14-2006, 10:13 AM

1. Adjustable pitch prop - Allows for better hole shot and higher top end.

2. Reconfigurable hull, kinda like trim tabs but much bigger with more affect on the wake.

3. Heated seats. Cause they're neat.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-14-2006, 10:17 AM

Hybrid. Batteries charged by a paddle wheel on the bottom of the hull. The batteries would be ballast as well.

(dav51lin) · (dav51lin) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 11-14-2006, 10:33 AM

less bling and bs bring prices down....

(ccwhite) · (ccwhite) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 11-14-2006, 11:29 AM

HUD display linked with a 50mm tower mounted paintball gun - tracks w/ drivers head movement ala Apache helicopters :-)

-- Now lets have them wallys drive to close to the rider.

(unclesam) · (unclesam) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 11-14-2006, 12:41 PM

Integrated PP

1 piece windshields

Black Towers

Bigger Coolers

More retractable ski pylons

Playpen seating

Cigarette adapters in the front middle and rear.

Factory ipod connection.

(rodmcinnis) · (rodmcinnis) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 11-14-2006, 12:51 PM

My biggest beef is that the boat manufacturers don't appear to pay enough attention to how the Perfect Pass is installed and working.

Two boats ago, the Perfect Pass was GREAT! It held speed very tight, never had a problem with it. The current boat, a Super Air Nautique, just changing where the people sit in the boat can make the Perfect Pass stop working.

I believe that the real problem is that distubances from the keep, through hull fittings and the fins mess up the paddle wheel. I would think that if they made a channel in the bottom of the boat so that the paddle wheel was recessed a bit and the channel guided the water straight back and deflected any mini wakes coming off the keel, fins, etc. that the speed control would work much, much better!

If that idea doesn't work, there must be something the manufacturer can do to get speed control performing a bit better

(mjmurphy53711) · (mjmurphy53711) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 11-14-2006, 2:32 PM

I think Travis Moye should chime in here, he always has great ideas on how to improve the boats (cupholders anyone?).

God knows he spends enough time behind the wheel.

(dan_lee) · (dan_lee) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 11-14-2006, 2:51 PM

8 way power drivers seats. A cheap Ford Taurus had this option back in like 1987 yet I cannot find this feature anywhere on a 60-100K wakeboat.

Swimming Pool lights mounted on the stern under the swim deck that light up an area the size of my pool.

storage compartments that didn't have carpet but a tough liner.

(supra24ssv) · (supra24ssv) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 11-14-2006, 2:58 PM

hydraulic swim platform would be great

(krbaugh) · (krbaugh) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 11-14-2006, 2:59 PM

Rod

Here is the answer to your problem with PP

www.zerogps.com/index.php

Looks like there first product is for Slalom course but they will soon find if they want to stay in business they will need a Wakeboard version

(Message edited by krbaugh on November 14, 2006)

(kenteck) · (kenteck) **Join Date: Jan 2005** 11-14-2006, 3:13 PM

Carpet thing for sure!

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 11-14-2006, 3:50 PM

Underfloor heating, blown air sucks!

(wakeslife) · (wakeslife) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 11-14-2006, 4:15 PM

Yeah what Supra for me said... A platform that you could raise and lower so It's not underwater when your boat is slammed.

(fuller313) · (fuller313) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 11-14-2006, 4:30 PM

How about a drivers seat that can go up and down like an office chair instead of the bolster seat.

Some bigger trim tabs on the edge of the boat to counter weight it for either surfing or wakeboarding so people don't have to move around.

(supra24ssv) · (supra24ssv) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 11-14-2006, 4:43 PM

back to the swim platform, you could also lower it 6 inches into water so it would be easier for kids to get up on it

(mitchm) · (mitchm) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 11-14-2006, 5:49 PM

chilled and lighted cupholders

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 11-14-2006, 9:41 PM

Humm What diffrent ideas!
Some say no bling and other say chilled and lighted cupholders, no wonder why boat makers are so confused.

(supra24ssv) · (supra24ssv) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 11-15-2006, 5:44 AM

bling is here to stay, no point in talking about it

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-15-2006, 6:11 AM

Wasnt MCs answer to No Bling the X1 ?

(swab791) · (swab791) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 11-15-2006, 6:19 AM

E DOUBLE SAID...
"1 - False advertising. ie. MC X-1 Ads"

2006 $39995 includes MC X-1 Hull, 310 HP Multiport Motor, Tower, double ballast, Single axle trailer, Speed control + Freight and prep. Options are extra?

2007 Same thing $42995

Where is the FALSE advertizing?

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 11-15-2006, 8:16 AM

it would be cool if someone invented a device that knew where the smoothest water on the lake was and where other boats where in real time. Kind of like surface radar.

(dcooper) · (dcooper) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 11-15-2006, 10:04 AM

Love the surface radar and office chair ideas(they did the chair/seat thing in the 80's in cars before every seat was motorized).

I wonder with the amount of boats being sold now... why can't they make two models or more like with cars. A Limited with everything, and whatever with the most popular or common options and then a stripped down version for those needing the price point to get a great boat without the extras. These would be the same hull and layout but from there they could have it as cheap or as nice as desired by the customer.

bigrich 11-15-2006, 10:10 AM

Problem with surface radar. Everybody would have one defeating the purpose. It would be like a drag race to the other end of the lake. Kinda like the bass boats do it.

I cant belive I just said bass boats. Whats next tubing??

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 11-15-2006, 11:08 AM

Doesn't tige have something similar to the "office chair" int eh new 07 RZ boat?

(boarder_x) · (boarder_x) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 11-15-2006, 11:15 AM

As for stripped down boats. Tige did that in '04. They had the 20V, which was loaded. Then they had the switch V, which was the same hull, but with no bling. ... I don't think they sold, because they stopped making them.

(ryan27r) · (ryan27r) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 11-15-2006, 3:05 PM

1. 500+ hp motor for bragging points
2. adjustable swim platform IE up and down 6 inches
3.Ipod system built in the dash like a docking station out of the way of water
4. Loud ass horn mounted on the tower
5.Minigun mounted on tower with a homing devise
6. Invincible gel coat that resits scratching or cracking
7. 2 or 3 speed trannys in more boats
8.Motorized trailer with remote control to move the boast around in a driveway or tight area
Ditch
1.Silly things like the LCD Screen in the supras ie 24's
2.little motors like the 325 hp in the supra they need to be 350+ imo

(supra) · (supra) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 11-15-2006, 5:12 PM

Lights under all seating, bow included. Small swivel spotlight under the bottom of the tower.Mandatory boat launching and recovery classes for all the idiots who just cannot seem to figure out how easy it is!!!!!
Time to get the snowmobiles out..

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-17-2006, 7:01 AM

Wife ejection seat.

(robandrus) · (robandrus) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 11-18-2006, 8:29 PM

Perfect pass controls for the rider on a wrist watch. Think about it.

Also something to indicate when you are actually driving in a straight line. --not just a slight curve.

-Yes I do spend a lot of time with bad drivers.-

(whit) · (whit) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 11-19-2006, 5:11 AM

1) Trash can. Some folks like CC have added trash can spots. Sure does make it easy to keep the boat clean.

2) Video camera/rear view mirror replacement/DVR -- sure would be an expensive option, but how nice would it be to have an easy way to record riders? For full bling there would have to be camera contrls and a DVD-R. The ability to zoom and/or follow the rope/pan the view for the camera. Of course you can't forget a DVD-R so you have an easy way to send folks home with a video of their riding--nothing like watching a video of your self to help with progression.

3) Ice maker. Sounds crazy, but think about it. Sure would be nice if every morning you had a cooler full of ice waiting for you.

(riverside) · (riverside) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 11-19-2006, 9:13 AM

a wedge/wakeplate combo...in the up position for better holeshot in the down position for downforce.

(hatepain) · (hatepain) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 11-19-2006, 11:50 AM

An engine block heater plug-in such as the one's one would find on a diesel.

(fuller313) · (fuller313) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 11-21-2006, 11:47 AM

How about some sensors in the handle that know when the rider is down that an automatic flag goes up.

(froese) · (froese) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 11-23-2006, 2:16 PM

Automatic S-Turn steering for tubing. Killer.