Riding behind a Direct Drive

I was just wondering if anybody has/does ride behind a direct drive. I know you aren't going to get the wake that a V-Drive is going to give you but the prices are usually right. If you sac them down enough can you get a respectable wake?

My Prostar 205 Direct Drive with the right weight will put out every bit as good a week as a V-Drive. V-Drive doesn't equal good wake. You need to look at hull shapes and which ones put out good wakes. A lot of Direct Drives have the same hull shape as V-Drive counterparts.

all day long, twice on Sundy

I own a v drive but have ridden behind a direct drive many times. I think the wake tends to be slightly narrower, but every bit as good as a v drive. You just have to add more weight in the back and since there are no lockers, they tend to take up a lot of the floor space. That is the downside to a d drive, not the wake itself.

(Message edited by liveoz on July 31, 2009)

You can get a very good wake when you weight a DD correctly. It's just more of a pain as you don't have lockers to put your sacs in, other than that, yes, great wakes can be made behind them

I have a 92 SN and it's very difficult to get a big wake with sacs. Although the older 2001 series could get a monster wake. So hull is clearly more important. I rode behind a weighted Prostar 205 that had a great wake.

I agree 100percent with Troy. I had a Sport Nautique for years and it had a beautiful wake.

They handle better and the wake compares to a V-Drive of similar size/weight. The downside is the floor space being covered by sacs.

One of the best wakes I've ever had was a 97 Sunsetter DD, wedge and about 2K pounds.

Most of the people here that roll big weight realy don't need it. I've rode or drove with 100s of diffrent riders, and only about 20 (off hand any only two guys I've met here on WW) of them really need more than 2k and a good DD, wake wise. There are plenty of guys here that do need it, alot more that do it to be cool.

I've been wakeboarding for 12 years now, have (or Had) 3 inverts and 3s, and was equal tow and heal or goofy or regular. I solid intermediate. I never have more than 2K in my v, unless someone requests more.

We seem to loose history in this sport. Some of the best riding has been done behind DDs with extended pylons and about 1000lbs of weight. Heck, most of the high end pro level wake boats were all DDs up until about 2000.

I guess what I'm saying, is you really don't "need" vdrives. They are more comfortable, have more room, drive better in bad conditions, and have better storage ,but the wakes really aren't needed. For every tool I've seen with a brand new tricked out V, I've riden with 20 guys in DDs, or even I/O's, that'd ride circles around the vdrive guy.

And John is right, a nicely loaded SN2001 is sick. Not enough room for my overall boat needs, but if I had no kids and a small boat budget, it'd buy one.

coming from someone who had a mobius dd and upgraded to a mobius xlv, you can pretty much do everything you want behind a dd boat but v-drives just make it a lil bit easier to do the tricks

It's easier to mad trickage behind a vdrive?

Engine and tranny weighs about 1000 pounds. moving it back 4 feet doesn't affect the wake.

Top picks for D-drive -

Nautique Sport
MC PS 205
Malibu Sunsetter
Hydrodyne Legacy

you will lose floorspace...... thats an understatement but the wakes are seriously all youll ever need!!! If you need more than a DD wake youll be sponsored and have your own boat! Heres a pic of mine to give you an idea on floorspace and wake.

Easier for tricks? Really? Maybe you had a DD, a few years later got a vdrive, and now your alot better.

The old sport nautiques have the same hull as the super sport, super air, and 210. the sport was just the DD version, and the "super" denoted a v-drive.

we used to fill a queen sized water bed in the back of a 95 sport nautique (back seat taken out) and put a 500 fat sac in the bow. very nice wake.

Jesse is dead on^^^ I rock about the same

If it's the same hull the same wake can be made with the same overall (taking engine and tranny weight into consideration) weight distribution. For example a 205v/x1 should put out the same wake as the 205 under the above scenario.

Look at a Supra Launch DD. The backseat is a hard tank so there's no need to take up valuable floor space with a sac. Then there is a soft sack located in the middle under the floor.

Ronia is right and I'll add, that hull is the original OG wake. There are a lot of old open bow DD Supras that role huge wakes. The original big wake boat for me was like a 96 supra open bow dd, had a back locker that'd fit weight, and a nice mid floor locker. Fill those, the load a litle on the floor and some in the walkthrough, it rocked. I can not remember the model name, but was a standard 20 footer, or so. Sunsport??? I'm not sure, my buddy had one and it rocked

Jesse, add a pylon instead of tower and it reminds me of the old days. Climbing over ballast and wondering if there was a better way

I thought I would chime in with Ronia. I have a 2000 Supra Launch (21'10") open bow with the built in hard tank ballast under the rear bench. The guy I usually ride with has a newer Centurian V-Drive and we usually ride my boat.

Here's a picture of the wake with just the stock ballast added, no extra sacks (we rarely add more weight):

2004 Supra Launch SS, same hull as old Supra SSV. All my 1800lbs of weight is hidden in trunk, stock ballast and in bow. Direct drives are MUCH easier to work on because easier access to all of engine. Engine cover also makes great foot rests, back rests and tables for pizza boxes.

Also, width of wake is hull design, not engine placement.

I'd agree. I'd love to the maintenance on my DD. My Vdrive, I'd rather pay someone.

Thanks guys that really helps. I was looking into the V-drives but now since I can get a DD cheaper I just might go that way. Hey the passengers can sit up front and the ballast can hang out in the back!

Just be choosy about the hull you decide on. Some of the above mentioned DD's are the same hull as the V-drive version of the boat, so properly weighted will throw a nice wake. The Sport Nautique, Sunsetter, ProStar 205 and DD Launch and Sunsport are all pretty proven platforms.

01 prostar 209 direct drive
(back seat left at home)
1400(fat seat)
600 on top of seat
600 in back compartment(not full)
500 locker sac
600 bow
learned 90% of my tricks behind it. v-drive just makes em easier

I think it depends on if you ride on a river or lake. VD dubs on a river are tough sometimes. -M Bird- 205, bunch of lead, couple sacs. As good as it gets and you can spin dubs in a tight spot. 101N P-River.

I had a 2002 Supra launch and loved the wake. Had 900 stock and we added 2 750's on the sides of the motor and a 300 in the walk way/bow and the wake was sick and every bit and nice as my new boat. Also supra has a wake plate and you can shape the wake to your liking.

I also own a Supra Launch DD and love it. Good boat and great wake for the money. The hull is deep and you can add as much weight as you want as long as you can get it to plane out. Good steep surf wake also just not a very long wave.

malibu i ride. 500 on either side of the engine at all times, 500 stock in the walkway, 250 in the rear locker and across the back bench if im slamming it. rides bigger than alot of v drive boats ive ridden behind.

i ride my friends first generation air nautique with the same setup and the wake is just as beefy.
id love a direct drive just for the fact that theres more chilling room and there isnt a big motor in the middle of everything but when it comes to wake size, you can make it just as big, if not bigger than v drives

Here my thread on my 87 Supra SunSport I got for $7500. Tons of pics and vids of wake and wave.

http://www.supraboats.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=3630

All a v-drive boat does is put the motor weight in the rear of the boat instead fo the center. Assuming the same hull wake shape/size will/can be identical.