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Old     (MRA176)      Join Date: Jul 2010       07-07-2010, 8:14 AM Reply   
Hello all, I am glad I have found this forum. I am Neil, 34 years old and I will be getting into wakeboarding next summer. I have wakeboarded in the past, but now I will take the plunge buy a boat and do it for real.

I need advice on lots of things. I live in Denver so we are very seasonal. I do snowboard a lot, and roadrace motorcycles. I will be giving up the roadracing for wakeboarding next summer.

Well I need help with the boat. Should I get a used boat or new? My budget is probably 20k for a used boat. How does the financing work? Is it like an RV that I can spread out the payments over a bunch of years? What should I look for in a used boat? What should I avoid? Should I find a runabout with a tower on it for a first boat? Or would a purpose built wakeboarding boat be better? Can I even find a purpose built wakeboarding new boat under 30k?

Equipment. Suggestions on boards? Tow ropes, jackets? Should I buy used or new? What should I avoid?

I already got a tow vehicle, just got ride of my 22ft toy hauler, so I tow fine.

Suggestions on insurance?

Can I store a boat in my back yard under a cover or should i find a garage to store it in?

I plan on buying in the Fall, just as the snow starts falling, to save money.
Old    ScottRobinson            07-07-2010, 8:33 AM Reply   
Wow..ok where to start.

Depending on family and their use and how much you are going to wakeboard that would determine boat. I had an I/O last year with a tower as I was just like you just gettin into it. This year I bought a brand new Epic 23V inboard. So if you can start with inboards.

Yes you can spread payments out alot longer on a boat than a car so that will help, but remember you will pay alot more than your 30k overall.

Sometimes you can actually do better with new than used because of the financing depending on your bank. Look into that first.

Used boats, look to make sure it is well taken care of. Look at the little things. If the little things are clean and taken care of odds are the big ones are too. If you can test it test it on the water. Ride behind it too. If not, inspect it. I look at the interior of boat, engine compartment, check the oil, check the trailer, look to make sure all the electronics work. All that stuff.

As far as gear you really can't go wrong. Do some looking on WW threads for that stuff to find out info. This place is great for that. If you have a buddy that is into wake boarding have him or her help you with the boat selection. That is the most important piece to get right. Oh and I wouldn't leave a boat out for winter. Just my 2 cents.
Old     (bruizza)      Join Date: May 2009       07-07-2010, 8:55 AM Reply   
We have a pretty good crew here in the Denver area and I am sure we can arrange it so you can come out and check out some different boats and ride behind them.

If your main thing is wakeboarding I would look for a well maintained used wake oriented boat. For 20k during the off season you will have plenty of choices. There should be some early 2000's V drives available in that price range. Denver doesn't have a ton of boats so you may have to travel some to get the best deal for your money.

As for tow ropes and life jackets I would buy new. You can pretty much always find somewhere clearing out old stock and get that stuff on sale especially in the fall and winter.

Most boats come with a specific cover designed for that boat. You can store it in your backyard under the cover but with all the snow we get it isn't the best idea. If you do store it outside make sure when it does snow you go out there and brush all the snow off of it asap. If not when it melts it gets into the boat and can cause issues.

As for insurance it is pretty cheap on boats. Call up your agent and ask them what it will cost to insure the boats you look at.
Old     (MRA176)      Join Date: Jul 2010       07-07-2010, 8:55 AM Reply   
Just me and my 25 year old Girl Friend, who will be learning too. Don' t have any wakeboarding friends here in Denver. When i was boarding was when I was stationed in TX a few years ago. Thanks for the advice given so far, very usefull.

Now having an Inboard would be better then an inboard/outboard? That is the way I am seeing this?

Thanks for answering all my Newb questions. I have owned a boat before.
Old     (MRA176)      Join Date: Jul 2010       07-07-2010, 8:59 AM Reply   
[QUOTE=bruizza;1605491]We have a pretty good crew here in the Denver area and I am sure we can arrange it so you can come out and check out some different boats and ride behind them.

If your main thing is wakeboarding I would look for a well maintained used wake oriented boat. For 20k during the off season you will have plenty of choices. There should be some early 2000's V drives available in that price range. Denver doesn't have a ton of boats so you may have to travel some to get the best deal for your money.

QUOTE]

Awesome thanks. What lakes does everybody use out here? Cherry Creek or is it better to do some travelling. If anybody has an extra seat for me an my girlfriend I would gladly chip in for the gas, beer, and everything else for the advice and knowledge.

what is V drive is that the shape of the hull that makes great wake?
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-07-2010, 9:34 AM Reply   
[QUOTE=MRA176;1605497]
Quote:
Originally Posted by bruizza View Post
We have a pretty good crew here in the Denver area and I am sure we can arrange it so you can come out and check out some different boats and ride behind them.

If your main thing is wakeboarding I would look for a well maintained used wake oriented boat. For 20k during the off season you will have plenty of choices. There should be some early 2000's V drives available in that price range. Denver doesn't have a ton of boats so you may have to travel some to get the best deal for your money.

QUOTE]

Awesome thanks. What lakes does everybody use out here? Cherry Creek or is it better to do some travelling. If anybody has an extra seat for me an my girlfriend I would gladly chip in for the gas, beer, and everything else for the advice and knowledge.

what is V drive is that the shape of the hull that makes great wake?
Cherry creek is a mess. Very little usable space on the lake. WE go to standley, but you have to buy a pass in the early spring and it's $850-$950, depending on where you live. Bruzzia rides with us and up at horesetooth.

V drive describes how the drive shaft comes form the rear facing engine in the back of the boat forward then making a v back towards the back. It's the typical wakeboard style boat.
Old     (bruizza)      Join Date: May 2009       07-07-2010, 9:38 AM Reply   
Yeah what Chris said. We are either at Standley or Horsetooth. For next year it is going to be just Standley lake. It is well worth the price of the pass.

V drive is going to give you the best wake and the most room. A direct drive will still throw a good wake especially for beginners/intermediate riders but the engine is right in the middle of the boat and takes up a bunch of space.
Old     (RanchDweller)      Join Date: Jun 2010       07-07-2010, 12:55 PM Reply   
I live in Denver also. I just bought my 2nd boat out of state. My first boat came from Georgia, and the 2nd out of California. Spend the time, I found 2 great entry level wakeboats for a little over your budget. I just recently picked up a 2007 Sanger V-Drive Wake Series. It kicks a$$. We like to go up to Wyoming at Glendo and Guernsey. It is worth the 3 hour drive. Cherry Creek is a zoo. Only good for watching all of the commotion.
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-07-2010, 1:06 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by RanchDweller View Post
I live in Denver also. I just bought my 2nd boat out of state. My first boat came from Georgia, and the 2nd out of California. Spend the time, I found 2 great entry level wakeboats for a little over your budget. I just recently picked up a 2007 Sanger V-Drive Wake Series. It kicks a$$. We like to go up to Wyoming at Glendo and Guernsey. It is worth the 3 hour drive. Cherry Creek is a zoo. Only good for watching all of the commotion.
The only problem is glendo is thrashed this season
Old     (RanchDweller)      Join Date: Jun 2010       07-07-2010, 1:08 PM Reply   
True, but they are leaving Guernsey open for the season to help accomodate all of the water from Glendo. Boarding and skiing up and down the river section has been awesome this year.
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       07-07-2010, 1:18 PM Reply   
I've heard that getting a camping spot at gurnsey is like winning the lottery
Old     (wake26)      Join Date: Mar 2009       07-07-2010, 1:46 PM Reply   
Yea both those lakes are very difficult to get into this year glendo has only 95 campsites open, very limited space to camp. Neil, Ranch is right look out of state, for the most part it is tough to find a deal in CO but it can be done. all three boats that I have bought have been out of state. If I were you I would look for a early 2000 V drive you will be much happier with it over a IO. We also do a lot of boarding up at horsetooth the lake is good in the morning and late evenings it does help that I live 5 min from the lake it makes it easy to go up in the middle of the week also. If you are ever up in ft collins give me a shout love to have you and your girlfriend out in the boat.
Old     (MRA176)      Join Date: Jul 2010       07-07-2010, 3:42 PM Reply   
Can't believe all the responses from this forum. I really appreciate all the advice. I just now learned what a V drive was, I am that noob. Next time I am going to head up to Ft. Collins I will hit you up. Thanks for the invite.

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