Best Rough Water Ride????

Many companies talk about how their design is good for chop. Tige claims its their strong hull.. Centurion says its their deeper V.. Moomba and Supra say its thier hull on the larger boats... Sanger claims theirs is good, and Ive heard that from an owner as well..

Would love to hear the opinions!

My X Star takes rough water awesome.

Centurion Cyclone,Lighning C4, Avalanche,Typhoon,and the Enzo sv230 and 240 all have very deep Vs and exception rough water rides!

The Sanger is ROCK solid! It has a more acute V in the front which helps to slice through the chop. A wood stringer boat also absorbs a lot of the shock of impacting the waves. If we had a Sanger dealer worth two cents here in AZ I would own a Sanger. They have a history of building high performance boats and some of that knowledge has carried over the sport boat lineup. I have seen Sangers moving at 40 MPH through a Lake Havasu chop while everyone else in a wakeboat was doing 10 MPH due to the huge waves out there. They are also a family owned company that won't be sold to anyone and will be around forever.

The Sangers rock, great boat and a great ride in rough water. The Supra is also good but not quite as smooth in rough water. I have owned a couple different Sangers and now own a Supra.

Tige 24ve, we have it at lake of the ozarks, one of the roughest lakes in the country and it rides great. The boat is solid, cuts thru 3-4 foot chop with no problem.

How 'bout my Tige 22i? It has a heavy as heck hull, and with the TAPS, you can trim it up on the fly to get the ride as smooth as possible.

I had a '98 Tige pre2002 (20 ft ski boat) and even with that boat, I could use the TAPS to trim the boat up or down to smooth the ride in the chop. The new boat is ten times better, plus, it is the only boat I ride in with any frequency.

So it is my pick.

Sean

I have been very pleased with my X-45 in rough water. Adding the trim tab has been a great bonus as well

general concensus would say that tiges have a great rough water ride. They may not have the greatest wakes, but the ride is solid.

After much research, the main reason I bought a Sanger was the rough water handeling.
Hank

Last year I went to Lake Powell with a friend's X-star and my Tige 24V. Not even close. The X-star took a beating in the channel and could not even keep up with me.

I loved the X-star wake when on smooth surface, but no contest in big chop.

Garret I would have to question that last comment. A Properly weighted Tige will have a wake that will compete w/ just about any.

Mike,

I recently went on a few demo's as it's time to get out of my 06' as the 07's are coming out... Here's my consensus on a few...

Centurion (Enzo)... while it rode fine through the chop... it just sounded like crap when the hull was hit w/ a big wave. We've all heard that sound on "cheaper" boats. Nothing wrong w/ it, I just like a more solid sound. It's more of a hollow sound, where as a thicker hull boat will make a faint but solid thud. Kind of hard to explain if you don't know what I'm talking about, which I hope someone hear does...lol.

Malibu VLX... While solid sounding, it beat me to death. Although it was a very windy day... but it was also on a small lake.... I'd hate to see it on a big lake.

Mastercraft X45... Very solid sounding...Pretty much plowed through everything. But it wasn't real rough that day. Reminded me of my Tige, but didn't get to test on a really rough day.

Nautique 226 ... Once again, very solid sounding (what do u except from CC). Wasn't quite as smooth as the X-45... but the boat is a bit smaller. I don't know about this boat, I guess I just expected more from this boat. It was a horribly rough day on a huge lake though. So maybe I'm not giving it a fair chance. It pretty much performed like a Upper class WAKEBOARD BOAT.

I haven't tested an 07 Tige, as my 06 24V is pretty new, so I doubt much has changed. This boat, stands heads and shoulders above the rest on rough water. I think the edge goes to the Tige as it rides slightly higher in the water. Of course that could be my owner's biased.

I should note that Nautique didn't perform bad at all, was wasn't really all that far off from the Tige or Mastercraft. I guess I just expected more.

(Message edited by Tanner on August 02, 2006)

solid is not always that good, there is a point in wich all materials need to flex in order to absorb shock and not crack

Sangers hands down! and yes i have ownership gogles... or maybe thats why i bought one? hmmmmm

"solid is not always that good, there is a point in wich all materials need to flex in order to absorb shock and not crack" - The Sanger does this perfectly!

Tanner,

I love my wake even better than the X-star's wake.

I've never been in a Sanger.

The Ski supreme I have been in makes this loud vibratory "booonnnnggggg" when you go over rollers.

Tanner,

I have a tige. I love it, I am not trying to slam em. All I am saying is that from the wake that I have been on, the stock wake on my boat is not quite as nice as the offerings from mastercraft, imo. However, with weight, it rocks, and I love it. Much love for Tiges.

I have to give another vote for Tige' I have a 2000 21V riders edition and it soak up chop like nothing else. I don't think the wake is quite the caliber if looking for but that could just be me. I might upgrade to a newer Xstar, the pickle fork bow just keeps growing on me.

Another vote for Tigé...

Anybody who questions the Tige wake, and I am not talking about a 1999 or 2000 model, a later model Tige, compare apples to apples, hit me up when you are in Houston(H-Town) and I will show you that a properly weighted Tige has just as nice a wake as the other boats on the market. GUARANTEED!!!!!! Just like any other brand, it takes getting out in the boat and dialing it in. There is not a single boat on the market that comes stright from the factory dialed in to every single person's preference.

Dave, read my post above.

I've ridden in VERY ROUGH water in Tiges, Mastercrafts, and Centurions... and in my opinion, Centurion has the smoothest and most confident ride in rough water. One of the major factors when I purchased my boat was rough water ride - the lake we ride on is choppy every day during the summer, and I could not have a boat that just got slapped around when the water was rough

the Centurion hulls pierce through chop without significant bouncing, slapping, or porpoising (due to the deeper vee hull)...

another advantage: the vee-hull means a fantastic surf wake and a wake that reacts dynamically to weight (both in a good way and bad). Ballast goes a long way in this boat due to the natural displacement of the vee-hull. goooood wake. has the transition of a malibu with the kick of a Nautique at the top... comparable shape to the new x-star wake.

Tige hulls are strong, and will be SOLID in rough water, but I got bounced around a bit when we took one out on lake Whatcom. They throw a good wake, and might meet your needs... BUT

If rough water ride is the primary determining factor, Look at all the companies people recommend on here... test drive them, then choose the boat that's right for you!! Don't let our opinions and biases tint your perspective...

Nautique- I do not feel that any other boat truly compares.

Sanger rocks as well in rough water (just wish they would update the tower and some more bling items).

My Calabria does well in rough water as well

The Malibu 23 LSV was good IMO.

Centurion, did not impress me that much.

our 22ve cuts through chop like a knife through butter

sanger in rough water. I have friends with all different boats, mc, natiques, tige`s, centurions, mb`s and malibu`s. We do a poker run in the delta every year and nobody can keep up with the sangers through the chop, we all end up following the sangers. Also the hollow sound that someone mentoined above I will second on the less expensive boats.

Tom which Nautique rode well in chop? I love my buddys SAN, and they are solid boats, but it beats the heck out of you in chop.

220 and 226 tried them out on a bad winter day it performed very well. Just had a solid feeling to it though I did not drive it as fast as the Sanger through the chop, so maybe that is why it felt that the Nautique was better. The Sanger was awesome through the chop though too.

My Calabria felt more solid than the Centurion but I would not say that either of these boats was great in the chop. Both the Nautique and the Sanger were much better IMO.}

Great feedback!!!!
Of course I'll test drive all these... I';m starting the process of looking and test driving in the next month or 2, and am hoping to buy next spring.
I love hearing peoples opinions, and while one or 2 doesn't necessarily ***** my view, it gives me ideas on what to look for, and when many people say the same thing.... i.e... Sangers are great in chop,.. then I'll have high expectations for that as well...
Rough water ride is not the determining factor but one of many.. I want a V-drive, Great wake for wakeboarding, able to do slalom ( probably wake board more, but definitely have some skiers in the family..) I dont care about the bling factor, but want a good quality boat at best possible price...
And since i'm not in a hurry, I can wait for the right boat/deal/etc..
Thanks for all of the feedback, these boards are such a great resource of information from people who are passionate about their hobbies!!!
Thanks again!!!

Look into your dealer and ask for peoples experience with that dealer before you buy. I know of several boat dealers that sell great boats but have crappy service. So where you buy is just as important as what you buy!

I hear that.. Itd suck to get a great boat, but crappy dealer service afterward.. I'm in So. Cal and there seem to be multiple dealers of some brands so it gives me a lil flexibility.. We'll see, I hope their worth a damn!

Mike,
I am also in So Cal (North OC). I have delt with Tige, MasterCraft, Malibu, and Supra. Everyone I delt with has been good with Tige and Malibu being the best guys. I set up a day and demo each boat one after another (24Ve, 23 LSV, X-30). My suggestition is to drive around to each dealer and take a lot of time going inside and out of each boat. Look at all of the riging and workmanship. After that get them out on the water. If you want chop do the demos from 2pm or later at Elsinore. The winds pick up and you can see how each will handle the chop. The dealers will pull you if you want so you can see what the wake is like. Good luck looking at the boats. I have been looking since May and am ready to buy now in the coming offseason.

Are you talking about QUALITY of the build and how SOLID the boat feels in the rough water or the ability to actually get through rough water at higher speeds?
I have yet to ride in anything as solid as a SAN but IMO the hull design in not the BEST in rough water. Tends to try and jump rough water vs cutting through. What can I say Big Red just wants to throw a fat wake where ever he rolls, even if its the main body or Lake oroville at high noon on a Sat...

Anodyne,

No offense, but I see your occupation is boat sales. Am I very far off in assuming that you sell Centurion's? Take that for what you will.

Of course, it is always good to have someone truly love the product they sell.

And in Anodynes defense, he's not saying anything that centurion does'nt claim themselves, profile says he owns an Avalanche C4, and his post ended with
"If rough water ride is the primary determining factor, Look at all the companies people recommend on here... test drive them, then choose the boat that's right for you!! Don't let our opinions and biases tint your perspective..."

Everybodys passionate about what they have, or use, or sell.. Thats why I love these forums.. I want to hear both good and bad from people who care enough to post!

"If rough water ride is the primary determining factor, Look at all the companies people recommend on here... test drive them, then choose the boat that's right for you!! Don't let our opinions and biases tint your perspective..."


That is some great advice!

hahaha! That was my point... Unbiased advice from someone in "Pro shop/boat sales/graphic design".. ( thanks anodyne!)
I totally agree....
Besides, seeing something online or in brochures is a lot different then seeing it in person, and just as different as getting one out on the water...
Would you buy a 40+tousand dollar car without driving it??
I sure wouldn't!
Rough water ride is a BIG factor, but not THE determining factor..

SANGER; Definition = "I want a V-drive, Great wake for wakeboarding, able to do slalom ( probably wake board more, but definitely have some skiers in the family..) I dont care about the bling factor, but want a good quality boat at best possible price... "
Buy a Sanger,you won't be disapointed.

I wish we had Sanger's here. I would love to test one. Unfortunately we don't get much option here in OK. So you kind of do what you can. I had to go out of state to buy my Tige. Good Luck Angry Mike.

Another good question might be "what was the determining factor that made you purchase your boat over brand X" Brand X being w/e other boat you were looking at. As usually in the end, most of us have it narrowed down to two boats. There's little things about boats that's only an owner notices, rather it be good or bad.

Last year's purchase for me, came down to the Tige and Malibu. I chose the Tige for it's overall styling, and I just liked the interior better.

This year it looks like it's between the Nautique and the Tige again. But Tige got rid of the 24V, and I'm not a total fan of the Ve yet, nor of the ZR2. So I'm trying to decide what to do. Actually I wish the centurion had a thicker hull or some type of sound deadening material inside the hull so that it didn't have that loud "Bonggggg" sound, as talltigeguy put it. As I do love their styling. But, styling's not everything obviously.

Cobalt

Nautique has a 236 coming out in '07.

A touch off subject, but has anyone ever looked closely at the xstar hull and noticed the striking resemblance to the old 60's tri hull designs that were notoriously rough rides?

I assume the xstar also is?

The VLX rides ok *IF* it's balanced. if it's laying to the left or right, it'll beat the heck out of you. The ballast tanks are handy for ballancing it out.

Wow a post tha kind of favors Tiges- this is a first! I have a 21V and love it- great in bigger water and with Weight in the back lockers, the wake is as good or better than any I have seen- clean fatty's with a big ramp

Steve, I was thinking the same exact thing!

To bad no one has seen it (the 236 I mean).

Maybe they'll get rid of that damn walk through and give more seating. I know I know... lots like the walk through. I HATE IT!

I'm actually not in boat sales... I used to run the pro shop for a boat dealership. AND Turns out I hate retail: whenever I had to help show some boats (sales guys were tied up), I would end up directing the customer to another boat company or convincing the customer the price was too high. Haha. I try to be as unbiased as possible, and I don't make claims outside of what I know well.

My bias is that I do own a Centurion... Any boat owner will be biased, as they know their boats advantages inside and out.

Mike, post up what the top 5 most important things are in the boat you are looking for... we can then maybe help narrow it down a bit. Every boat is better at something than another!

and i'm ready to see the Nautique 236 as well!!!

Hmm.. I havent put it in a list yet, so here goes.. Ultimately I'm looking for the best value for my money. MC, and Malibu would probably be out of the price range, depending on models...
#1) V-Drive
#2) Open Bow - dont like playpen configurations
#3) Wake for wakeboarding 70% and slalom 20% and tubes 10%
#4) Rough Water Handling
#5) Larger size gas tank.. I dont want a 30gal thing.. (38gal min?)

Am I forgetting anything ? MPI... I'll be running on lake tahoe 2 weeks every year.. but everyone has this option... same with ballast options... I'm trying to think of brand specific things.. maybe theres suggestion there as well... oh yeah...
Collapsible tower would make storage easier.. I dont know if all companies have these...
Damn, I need to start getting out to some places soon!

I would look at a larger Engine package if you are going to run Tahoe for 2 weeks every year. It should help you out in the altitude

Not an X1. Possibly the worst rough water wake boat ever.

I love stating the obvious.

How much larger? And I know the MPI will help with altitude as well..

Up north X1: but the X1 is probably the best wakeboard (wake) boat for the money IMO.

By the sounds of it Angry Mike, I would either buy a Sanger or a Calabria. The Sanger for being one of the best boats for the money. It great in rough water and a good ski boat as well. IMO one of the best boats for the money is also Calabria (but I am a little biased). Calabria boats are good quality and come loaded with lots of goodies, a good all round boat. It is also decent in rough water.

I tested the x45 and the BU247, I think the X45 probably was a little better in the rough stuff, but I chose the 247 and haven't looked back. It does pretty dang good in the white stuff.