In need of suggestions…

...I have only been wakeboarding for a few years and would consider myself to be an intermediate rider. With that said I can’t get out to the lake enough. I have finally talked my wife into buying a boat. Here is where the problem starts. I have a budget of $30000 and we aren’t seeing eye to eye on what type of boat is right for our family. I have been looking at Calabria and she is set on an Ebbtide 200.

I see her point; we have a 5 year old son and another on the way soon so it would make sense to have more of a family type boat. But is there a more roundabout type boat that I will be able to get a decent wake off?

Thanks,
Hill


(Message edited by mhill on July 21, 2004)

(Message edited by mhill on July 21, 2004)

I just had this convo with a friend of mine who wants to buy an I/O. If you can find a used V-drive it would be the best of both worlds. Even if I wasn't a wakeboarder and owned a boat, it would be a V-drive. I just don't think you can beat 'em for an all purpose/family boat. V-drives are easier to maintain than those pesky outdrives too.



B-

safer than the I/O flesh grinder, too.

I think the argument of the v-drive worked. What is the best value out there for a v-drive boat that will produce a nice wake for a budget around $35000?

The Mobius LSV is probably in your price range. Lots of guys in here have them and talk highly of them. Not the same consistent high quality as a Malibu/Nautique/MC but very close at a very good price point.

The kind of boat you want is a family boat hehe. and oh yeah, that whole thing about the safety of a direct or V-drive instead of an I/O is a great one. you really need to try accompanied with some mad skill to get anywhere near the prob, and that's after you get past the rudder...

I bought my 2000 Super Air Nautique for that price. It had low hours and was in almost new condition. I had eight adults out recently and all were comfortable.

You can get a nice used Malibu VLX for that price pretty easy.

Calibria makes a nice looking boat, but thier wakes don't measure up to Malibu, Mastercraft, and Nautique. While it may not seem that important now, it will be very important when you get better.

Michael:
Congrats on the negotiations with the wife...you'll both be very pleased with a V-drive. Start checking boattraderonline and flipsell. You may be surprised at what you can get for $30K. Also, don't shy away from a boat just becuase it doesn't have a tower or the wakeboarding graphics. You can save a lot of money and add the tower for less than $2000.

I bought a Nautique Super Sport for way less than your budget. I have two daughters, three years old and 9 months old............but since you have a budget of 35K I would find something along this line..
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/2/2/73748222.htm

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/1/8/74448518.htm

You can get a new Moomba Mobius LSV for just over that, it's V-drive and spacious so it functions perfectly fine as a family boat, but you've still got wakeboard applications like a tower and options for ballast and wakeplate.

I appreciate all the feedback. I need to do some more research and try to narrow this down between two or three boats. She wants to buy something brand new so now I just have to find a boat that will be within that price range.

If it has to be brand new and a V-drive, your selections will be narrowed down fairly quickly.

Good Luck....

An 05` Tige' Switch V seems to be option number one right now. I can pick one up at a local dealer loaded for $34000. Anyone have experience with a Tige'?

Hey Michael, not only did the V-drive argument work, it seems that you've talked her up 5k too. Good job!

If you're on the westcoast check out Sanger.