Need Help! About to by a classic Tri Hull

I am about to by a cherry 1975 Tahiti Tri Hull. It has a pumped up 4cl don't laugh. My concern is that it will not have a big enough wake to do wake to wake jumps. I do realize riding is all about the rider but it would be nice to have a wake. Anyone have any insight on this.

I can use fat sacks but just want to make sure I am not that far off to start with.

I am making an offer tonight it would be great to get some feedback. I know it is not the X-2 and X-star I looked at last week. But there was a 50k price difference. and that as for a used one.

Thanks for your time

If wakeboarding is your main objective, you'd be much better off buying an old direct drive and putting sacks in that. But, just for fun, post some pics!

I have ridden behind an old Mark Twain tri-hull and the wake was very small. We did not have any ballast but we had several people in the boat. Ballast would probably have made it better but, I wouldn't have expected much out of it.

Oh... on more thing it is an IO not an outboard.

Originally Posted by ajholt7

I have ridden behind an old Mark Twain tri-hull and the wake was very small. We did not have any ballast but we had several people in the boat. Ballast would probably have made it better but, I wouldn't have expected much out of it.

Was the Mark Twain and IO or outboard?

I/O

I don't imagine a tri-hull has a good effect on the wake. That being said, my first boat was an old 17' Stingray (V hull) with a 120 hp 4 cyl and a mostly rotten transom. It took forever to plane out, but I thought the wake was better than the 92 Prostar 190 that I replaced it with, even with weight in the MC. I also had a ton of fun on that old beater, and it was roomier than the MC too.

Check anything you look at very carefully for rot in the transom, stringers, and floor.

What's your budget?

I love the boat I am may buy. It is so clean it looks like it came off the show room fool back in 1975. It is $3500.

I did look at a 2007 MC X-2 which was awesome but 55k. Payments would not be bad but I want to start small and then upgrade to something like that.

I wakeboard 1 a year but have been doing it since the skurfer days. I want to be biggest wake possible. I am going to get fat sacks.

I just would hate to buy and it and be really disappointed. I mostly have skied behind some I/0 and a few trips with a V drive.

Like Trace said really check for rot. Check the floors around the seat bases.

Look at the SN 2001. They are not expensive and a great starter boat and they have a real good wake With a couple fat sacs the wake gets alot bigger.

This is somewhat of a "I heard it from my brother's, friends, Dad...." type of story so take it for what it is worth. I had a client at work with a "tri-Hull" but I don't know what brand. He and his son got into wakeboarding and we were talking about it. He said it had the worst wake ever and went on to say it is much smaller then any other boat he had been in or behind. He thought it was the design of the tri-hull that had something to do with it. Take that story with a grain of salt because Idon't know what other boats he had ridden behind or if they knew how fast to drive, etc.

Thanks for all the feedback! Here is what I am looking at. I may make a purchase today.


1975 Tahiti Tri Hull {$3500] or a 1990 Four Winds with a V8 [$5500 more]

I assume the Four Winds will have a better wake or will they both be horrible?

If both are horrible I may need to rethink everything.

Anymore insight?

No, Noooo... Just don't do it !!! Take that $5,000 and go buy an old inboard.

Here's the deal..... I've got some personal experience here instead of the dad's, cousin's, brother's kind.

I had a '81 Seaswirl Venture tri-hull with a 305 V8 and a 2 barrell carb. The boat was awesome. My family bought it new and my dad turned it over to me when I turned 18.

#1 Look for rot around the floor and stringers (where the motor is bolted down). Our boat needed a new floor and stringers. This is why my dad gave the boat to my brother and I. It was effectively totalled at that point as it was a $4k fix. We did the work ourselves and it turned out better than new. It was a TON of work, though. Even with me being very mechanical (now a professional tech) and my brother being very fiberglass saavy.

#2 The 4 banger WILL NOT have enough power for even a sac or two. They need a V8 if you're planning on adding weight. You might be able to reprop and make it happen, but with a crew of people and a little weight you'll really be wanting a V8.

#3 Our Venture had a very decent wake. It was a bit heavier with the V8 in the back, but it can be done with a tri-hull. I built a home made extended pylon for my boat, but never added weight. With a decent crew and at about 19-20 mph on 60-65' of rope it was really pretty good. Not an X-Star, but good. In fact, I learned all my wake jumps (heel and toe), 180's and front side 3's behind this boat. It was vastly superior in the wake department to the stock Malibu Response's that I ski'd behind in those day. When we sold it I was working on my basic inverts and am sure I could have learned them behind that boat.

#4 If I were in the market I'd do whatever I could to get a Nautique 2001 or an older V-drive (most of the older inboards will be worse than a I/O and will be very cramped unless they're open bows). At the minimum I'd look for a V8 powered I/O.

$ for $..... I hate stuff that is unreliable. I'd probably buck up and spend a few more $'s to get a newer Sanger DLX or V210 if you can find one near your range. Those boats are inexpensive on the used market and make a great wake. I loved my DLX. It's what I traded up to from my Seaswirl.

http://correctcraftfan.com/forsale/d...ort=&pagenum=1

Don't do it man, back away from the tri hull or I/O. Click link above. These can be had for around $6k and throw an awesome wake. Best priced wakeboard boat period. Ski Nautique 2001 hull. No, 2001 is not the year model but hull design.

This is just my opinion but I would urge you to slow down. It sounds like you are in a bit of a hurry here. This is prime season and all but those prices don't strike me as bargains even if they are in good shape. The four winns may be worth it if it is in really good shape but alot of stuff would have to check out on it before spending $5500 on it and $3500 is too much for any 1970's tri hull regardless of who calls it a classic. This is still a buyers market.

Before you buy any boat as is try to get a sea trial on it, if that 4 winns needs new manifolds and elbows you are easily looking at $1k right there for example and you will not be able to tell that unless you are on the boat at operating speed and watch the engine temperature. As mentioned before you need to carefully inspect the stringers, floor, and especially the transom on an i/o boat for rot. The trailer needs to be sound and servicable, little things like lights and recarpeting bunks are easy but if it is starting to rust out that will cost you alot in a couple of years. For $5500 that 20 year old boat needs to be in turn key condition.

Many guys end up with buyers remorse by getting too excited and ahead of themselves when they need to be careful and critical shoppers. Just because you find problems with a boat doesn't mean it has to be a deal killer but make sure that the cost gets adjusted to account for what it will take to fix them.

And for God's sake (and ours), demo that tri-hull while riding behind it a few times. That should help significantly in your decision (to buy an old Nautique 2001).

I have looked at the Old 2001 my only concern is seating for the family. I guess I can have best of both worlds for that price. All this feeback is great. The tri hull is out and I agree... $5500 is still a lot for a four winds. It does have a tower though. Yes, you are right I am in a rush which is bad. I have been looking for 3 weeks which is not long enough.

I agree, take a step back, and learn the market before you jump into something you'll regret.