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Go Back   WakeWorld > >> Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles Archive > Archive through August 27, 2003

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Old     (wakeskier)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-10-2003, 7:39 PM Reply   
Hi,

I am looking into buying a new boat and was wondering what people know about Svfara boats?

Everything I see looks great to me.
I need a boat that I can both ski and wakeboard behind.
The smaller size (19ft 8" 2600 lbs)) is also a plus to me for storage and ease of trailering.

Has anyone had any experience with these boats?
I am expecially interested in how good the wake is (I have plenty of fat sacs!). It doesn't need to to be as big as like a Malibu VLX, but would like it to be worth riding (I'm just staring to get into some inverts, scarecrows etc...)

Price looks good.

I would really like to hear from anybody who has been pulled by a Svfara SV609.

Any other comparable boats I should be considering?

Old     (trash)      Join Date: Jul 2001       08-11-2003, 9:41 AM Reply   
The good:
- Built on a Mastercraft hull (mid 90's PS190/195 I believe)
- Well built, hand laid fibreglass construction
- Mercruiser MAG 350 MPI (315hp) engine. We're talking plenty of power!
- Excellent driver dash/control placement. Like driving a car.
- Excellent storage. Spotter seat opens all the way to the front; Rear locker fits skis, fat sacs, whatever
- Innovative forward facing front seat
- pop up cleats
- 6 speaker stereo system (Kenwood)
- Outstanding customer service from the factory. I wish my car dealership was this good at customer care!
- Walk over bow makes a nice warm area when the heater is on for the driver/spotter
- Plenty of cup holders!

The bad:
- Front seating leaves something to be desired. Not the most comfortable and small area to put your feet flat on the floor
- Narrow beam (86" I believe) makes it a little tough moving around when there is gear in the boat
- Wakeboard tower does not fold down (I think newer ones have one that do)
- Can't fathom how to grease rudder assembly, as there's no real access back there
- Windshield is tinted: Great during the day but hard to see through at night
- I always get water in the bilge. I have no idea where it's coming from (can't find any leaks). Not alot though

The ugly:
- Shower didn't work on delivery. Factory had to send out a modification for it to work (not properly tested at factory)
- Vapour lock problems. Not Svfara's fault per se, as Mercury has a recall on my engine for this which I have yet to take in
- Cheap plastic hinges on clamshell broke because I had to keep lifting it to clear vapour lock
- Area holding the throttle assembly seems loose: shakes over large waves
- Rear locker can't hold a ski larger than a 67"
- Svfara supplied CIPA mirror mangled the trim on the windshield

The wake:
- For skiing:
I think it's just ok. I've had three competitive type skiier behind the boat. 2 thought the wake was too big, and the third said it was nice and soft
- For wakeboarding:
I'm by no means an expert wakeboarder so my opinion means squat. The wake is nice and rampy with little to no kick at the top.
I am riding at 22.5mph and out at 70feet; this seems to be the nicest spot for me. I am working on my backrolls right now and unloaded the wake kicks me up high enough to try them.
I also have a fat seat which I use when we have a bunch of boarders in the boat, but I really need weight in the front as well when I use it.

I give the boat a cautious thumbs up. I bought the first years edition of the SV609, and although I got a
fantastic deal, I think I'm paying for it by being the guinea pig. Our lake has a newer Svfara which seems
to have addressed some of the ugly stuff.

I haven't been stranded on the water yet, and other than the vapour lock it has performed flawlessly.

Trash
Old     (wakeskier)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-11-2003, 10:04 AM Reply   
Thank you for all the great information!

I asked the dealer about the boat being built on a Mastercraft Hull and they replied that they didn't know where that rumor came from, but it's not true.
They told me it was a newly designed hull (the main engineer was previously from Glastron?)

Where did you hear that the hull is an old Mastercraft?
If it is, then this boat should be almost identical to the Mastercraft X-5 in terms of wake?

With the Fat Seat and weight in the front, how much better does the wake get?

Overall, It still sounds like a viable boat.

How much $$ would you think is a fair price for the Svfara boat?

And at what price point would you jump into another comparable boat?


Old     (trash)      Join Date: Jul 2001       08-11-2003, 10:19 AM Reply   
Take a look at the boat lines, then take a look at a mid 90's Mastercraft. If it was newly designed, there's been some MAJOR plagiarism going on. My info comes from no real reliable source though. I believe the X7 is the closer match, not the X5

I don't have any weight in the front, so I have no way of knowing what the wake would look like. What kind of tricks are you doing?

Fair price for a Svfara? I dunno....we got ours at a fantastic deal. The new one on our lake sold for around $50K CDN after taxes I think. Two selling features of the Svfara is that a) it's Canadian, and our dollar is cheaper, and b) it has a Mercruiser engine so that I have places near where I live that can fix it.

My only other options at the time were Mastercraft X7 (too expensive, dealer was 6 hours away, no repair shop there), and Malibu (other than the 21XTI and innovative Wedge, I'm not real fond of their boats). Tige wanted me to fly down to Port Arlene, TX to testdrive one of theirs, and there is no Nautique dealer anywhere near me.

Trash
Old     (wakeskier)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-11-2003, 10:51 AM Reply   
OK, I will have to take a closer look at the boat lines and compare for myself :-)

I thought the X-5 would have been a closer match because the beam is the same as the Svfara, the X-7 has a wider beam.

50K CDN seems about right, that's right about what I'm looking to spend, not much more though.

I've looked at Mastercraft - pricey, Tige - too heavy, Malibu - wakesetter direct drive is probably the other boat I am seriously considering.
The Svfara seems to have a better build quality though

As for tricks, I am no pro either, but getting into inverts, scarecows, backrolls etc...

I think my favorite wake for wakeboarding I have ridden behind so far is the Centurion Hurricane.
It wasn't big, but very poppy and easy to land in the flats. Seemed about right for the level riding I am at now. That boat is however a V-drive, so it's not a consideration (I still need good ski wakes)
My least favorite I have ridden behind is the Centuron Typhoon, I found the wake to be too wide and sloppy, I felt I had to ride it at a much higher speed, began to get ok at 24mph at 65ft.

I am used to riding 70ft length at about 22mph
I would like to lengthen it to 75ft eventually.

Old     (wakeskier)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-11-2003, 1:21 PM Reply   
How does the Svfara sit in the water with people up front, how much weight do you think could be put up there?

I'm thinking that since the front seat doesn't seem that great, would it be a good idea to put some weight up there and make myself a cushion to cover the hole, so it would be kinda like playpen seating? Is there enough room? would it be worth while?

So far, for a boat that can do both wakeboarding and skiing reasonably well, the Svfara seems like the best bet, especially when you factor in the price.

I don't know what it is, but I've just been infactuated by Svfara boats... Am I insane? I should probably be looking more closely at the big 3, but the more I check out Svfara, the more I like them. Have they somehow brainwashed me???

Old    tommyadrian5            08-11-2003, 2:12 PM Reply   
Looks like the same hull as my 99 Sportstar(which is the same hull as the x-5), decent wake with weight (1200#'s+). nice looking boats
Old     (trash)      Join Date: Jul 2001       08-12-2003, 8:00 AM Reply   
Talked to the mfg this morning on a warranty related question. They confirmed that it is not a Mastercraft hull, but their own. Go figure.

I would like to repeat though that their customer service is outstanding! I am soooo glad I went with them. We are almost at 100 hours this year on our boat (which in my neck of the woods is almost unheard of)

Trash
Old     (wakeskier)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-13-2003, 9:17 AM Reply   
Well, it's sounds like it is an excellent company to deal with.

Do you live near the factory? Just wondering where you get your warranty work done.
There are no dealers real close to me, but they said they would work with any local shop...

I'm glad you confirmed that they do not use a Mastercraft hull (I was considering just finding an old Mastercraft for a minute there...)

Doing some more research, the Svfara was the only boat rated as both "Core Wakeboarding" and "Core Skiing" by Waterski Mag. I know it may not be the best source of imformation, but there must be something to it.

Any suggestions about which tower to get?
They offer basically 2 types (both made by Roswell?) The basic one is like a normal tower, and the more expensive one has speakrs built in but looks lower?

I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy the Svfara SV609.
But before I jump into it, is there any other similar type boats I should really be looking at?

My requirements:
Best boat for both slalom skiing and wakeboarding.
probably will do 70% wakeboarding, 30% skiing, but don't want to compromise on the ski wake too much...
90% of the time will only be 3 people on the boat, but need the option to have atleast 6-8 people out occasionally
Will be trailering, so I want a relatively light boat (so Tige is out...)
Also needs to be on the smaller side for storage, 21' max
Mostly used for 2-3 hours after work (100 hours per summer)

Anyone have experience with the trailers Svfara provides? just wondering if I should go with their trailer, or buy one locally?

Thank You everybody for your input!


P.S. anyone see the specs for the new Svfara SV696??? it looks sick from the sketches I've seen so far! too big for me though and wakeboard specific...
Old     (trash)      Join Date: Jul 2001       08-13-2003, 9:31 AM Reply   
I live nowhere near the factory. There is no dealer even near me so I have been doing the stuff that comes up myself (except for the engine, which there are tons of repair depots in my area).
Don't get too caught up in the "Crossover boat" hype. The skiwake is not for competition, but excellent for just free skiing around (so I've been told). The wake is fine for wakeboarding without any weight (my opinion) and even better with the rear seat out and a fat seat filled 2/3 (again my opinion). I wakeboarded behind a 21' 2002 Tige and I thought the wake was more poppy, but there were 10 people in the boat, so that may have helped
Trailer I got is from Shorrider. Excellent double axle trailer with waterproof lights. Very solid, although you hear the springs creaking on the highway. Mine has surge brakes which work ok to great (first time with surge brakes, so I don't know any better/worse). I think all told, it will prob weigh in around 4000 lbs (boat, trailer, gear, gas). I use an 5.3l Avalanche to tow, and on flat land it's great.
Get whatever tower you want. I have the pre Roswell tower. It's high enough and not in the way, but it doesn't follow the windshield lines (makes it harder to talk to boarder when he's in the water). Looks really sharp on my yellow boat. Roswell towers are well known, so I imagine they will be solid.

email me if you want more information re: warranty stuff I needed done, etc. I love my Svfara, and it has not failed me yet!

Trash
Old    hk_usp_45            08-13-2003, 6:01 PM Reply   
rick, i was in the same situation as you 4 month ago. my only two choices was the x5 or the svfara,
because i was space limited in my garage.
i liked the svfara for what it is, but decided to buy the x5!
i skied behind both of them for a test drive!
the svfara has a bump at about 28off, that is verry noticable, even for free skiing!
i also found that the trailer (tandem) they provide is verry much unbalanced. it had a 450 pound tounge waight!!!.
i am towing my x5 with a subaru outback.
also for your info!, i was looking at re-sell value as well, where you can't compare it to a mc.
the hull is identical to the x5 or 19skier, the only difference is that they raised the gun-rail by about 2 inches to eliminate water coming into the open bow.
i don't now why this would cause the wake (for skiing) to be that way, but you sure can tell, "trust me" iv'e been there.
i don't want to change your mind, or talk bad about the svfara, because i still like the boat, but you asked us so there you go.....later
Old     (wakeskier)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-13-2003, 7:04 PM Reply   
Bernie,

Thank you for your information, this is the type of stuff I am really interested in.

Too bad they don't make the X-5 anymore...
I'll check out some used ones, or maybe find a new leftover?

Did you find the Mastercraft to be more expensive?

I'm still thinking of the Svfara though, I do really like it and it should fit my needs.
Most of the time will be spent wakeboarding.
I will keep the bump at 28off in mind tough.

So what is the tongue weight with your x-5?

Thanks!
Old    tommyadrian5            08-14-2003, 5:34 AM Reply   
There is an x-5 for sale on flipsell.com, just went on there 2 days ago. I have the identical boat to the x-5, hull, tower, engine, just no internal ballast (i took care of that "internally"), its a good boat for both skiing and boarding, needs weight for boarding but what doesn't.
Old    wakeboarddad            08-14-2003, 7:13 AM Reply   
I also have what is basically an X-5. Awesome for skiing, and if you weight it correctly you can get a very nice wake for boarding. I was able to get a 2000 Prostar 195, added a tower and bimini for $25000 total. That beat a new Malibu Sportster LX, which doesn't have nearly the storage.
Old    hk_usp_45            08-15-2003, 5:23 PM Reply   
rick,
my tongue weight is 280pound, so i be able to tow it with a class 2 hitch. that is the biggest hitch i can put on my wagon! my rating is 350 max.
not everybody has the luxury of driving a "duramax" diesel, nore do i want to...hehe
i bought my 2002 x5 4 month ago, "used" with 200hrs, in mint shape (full 3 year warranty) with all the options on it!
i paid the same as a 2002 svfara "new" with no tower!
also check out the belt drive on the mercury mpi315!!! that thing is about "1 mile" long and was very noisy on our brand new demo-boat, when i tested it!!!
on my indmar tbi310, it is short and quiet!
maby this does not matter to you that much, but it bugged meeeee.
i still like the svfara, don't get me wrong, it is made in canada where i'm from, but "accelaration","wake","balanced trailer" and "engine quietness" mattered to much to "me"!!!
good luck.........bernie
Old    prestige            08-17-2003, 1:53 PM Reply   
I bought a new 2003 Svfara two weeks ago and have put on 20 hrs in three lakes. We had 6 adults and 3 kids quite comfortably even though it is smaller than some of the bigger boats. The wake was great for wakeboarding and wake surfing (landlock). I live in Kelowna where they are made (Winfield) and the pre-sales and follow-up service has been prompt and friendly. We were given a test drive of the boat and a tour of the factory before making our decision. They take pride in making a boat with top quality parts. The boat is loaded with features and the only change I want is to add the Perfect Pass option. Mine is bright orange and I love the fact that it stands out from the crowd - it turns a lot of heads and gets a lot of compliments.

Every seat has it's own handle, cup holder and speaker. The spotter's seat is a bit of a bumpy ride in rough water, but the storage behind it is great.

I don't think Svfara supplies the trailers? - the dealer does? Not sure on that, but mine is a single axle EZ loader with chrome wheels and disk brakes. I drive the boat on with ease and it slides off just as nice.

I think they fixed a number of the problems with the initial posting here (Rick Sleeper). With the engine cover off, the rear floorboards lift all the way to the rear of the boat. The paddle wheel for the speedo is a bit tight to reach by just opening the cover, but it works. I always replace it with the dummy plug for travelling.

Mine has an orange Roswell tower with the wide board racks. The tower folds down and the front legs collapse inward, but the racks have to come off first. I think the racks could have been designed better - I've seen some pretty nice ones around.

I paid $50K cdn including the trailer and have no regrets to date.

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