All through the years, people have been led to believe that the only boat design on the market that operates well for competitive skiing is the inboard. A few of the inboard boat manufacturers have concentrated their efforts in producing a boat that will handle the demands of todays competitive skier, and theyve done quite well. But by staying with the same basic design and technology of a straight inboard, skiers have been short changed.
The basic design of the inboard is ancient. The only bottom design that has ever worked well with the inboard is the Warped Vee design, in which the front portion of the planning hull has a Vee shape, and as it continues back, it flattens out almost completely. This bottom shape is inefficient and rough riding. This bottom design operates best with a center-mounted engine that takes up desirable interior space. To make the boat turn and handle well it has to have two or three fins mounted on the bottom towards the front to give it a pivot point to turn on. Since the inboard boat has no directional qualities built into the hull, the ski bar has to be located towards the front of the boat, usually over the fins. This prevents the skier from pulling the boat from side to side. Back seat passengers have to then dodge the rope.
Besides the interior room discomforts, the inboard boat has many design problems. The first problem is a major one - overheating. This is largely due to inboards picking up their cooling water through the bottom. Since it uses surface water, debris can get picked up and clog the cooling system.
Hull vibration is another inherent problem in design. Due to the location of the prop under the hull, extreme vibration can be felt. It is caused by the turbulence and constant cavitation against the surface.
There has never been successful positive steering in reverse on an inboard hull. Another problem is the the exhaust system~ two rubber hoses connected to fiberglass mufflers that deliver the noise and cooling water outside the boat. Besides the excessive noise problem, both the rubber hose and fiberglass mufflers cannot withstand the extreme heat buildup from loss of cooling water.
Keeping a dry bilge is impossible in an inboard due to the number of thru-hull ports such as rudder, prop shaft, exhaust, cooling, ect. These are only a few of the drawbacks to an inboard boat.
There is a state-of-art ski boat now availible that solves all of these problems. The prototypes of this fantastic new design were built in August of 1981. The have been under rigorous testing ever since. This state-of-the-art technology is extremely efficient and offers a superb ride. It has absolutely no hull vibration. It leaves a turbulence free wake and table with no rooster tail. It has no noisy exhaust system. The boat will maintain planning speed in the 12 to 14 mph range. The boat weighs 2300 lbs . With comparable horsepowered engines it will run 13 to 15 mph faster than the best inboard, making its top speed around 60mph. This computes to a 17% more effeicent hull- thus 17% better fuel economy. The boat handles and performs like a sports car and holds all of waterski magazines records for speed, acceleration and handling. It has less bow rise than most inboards and can move up to 20mph in REVERSE! Thats fast enough to pull a wakeboarder!
Dollar for Dollar this boat will outperform out handle and has more storage, leg room and creature comforts than any inboard on the market. It will run in shallower water and give a smoother ride than any inboard. And Yet people still like driving inboards???
Ive been in the boating industry for around 20 years and have driven a large number or tournament approved and recreational ski boats and cant seem to find another boat to match it. This model of boat wont cause inboard manufacturers to go bankrupt but it will give that serious skier something to consider. Why spend your money on a boat that wont perform?
Note: In case your wondering the name of this boat ill tell you. Its manufactured by Moore Marine Marketing in Mcqueeney, Texas. Its called the Ski-Pro Extreme.
[ August 04, 2003, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Boater2003 ]
V-Drives can handle unlimited HP. Not much else to say. Besides, who the hell wants clamshells anyway.
RiverDave:
Post some pictures of it or a link to a website or something.
RD hey dave didn't everyone say it would go back to 0 at 10K posts? Guess the jokes on them eh?
Now that is some funny shizzy!
Ignorance at its finest.
BTW - several competitive ski boat mfg's have messed around with the "new" technology of stern drives. They are targeted towards the more recreational people - but have not made it into competitions (real sanctioned competitions) because they miss the performance required by competitive skiers - as that is the compromise to attain better high speed performance. Notice they are really after the bare-footers anyway, and most of the competitive bare-footers use boats DESIGNED for the performance required for them.
Looks like a nice boat! (looks like a Tige' hull with a stern drive.)
An 18 ft Biesmeyer is the only way to go when skiing.
Why spend your money on a boat that wont perform?
Wow, I don't even know where to begin with this response. First off, how are you related to the Ski-Pro. I actually got to drive one back in 1994 while we were beginning our boat search. Good top in, but no qualities that I saw compared to a comp ski boat.
Everyone knows that comp ski boats are not made for top end power. However, there are a couple out there that will run up near that 60 mph mark (Malibu Corvette Edition).
The reason that the inboard hulls are designed the way they are is for the ski wake. But not for it to necessarily be small or big, but because of the shape they want to obtain. Any comp boat will have a ski wake that rolls over smooth and there isn't any "wave effect" (wake rolling over the outside caused by sterndrives) that the skiers will have to deal with.
Cavitation, exhaust problems, cooling problems,water constantly in the bilge, etc??? My basis for my statements are as follows- 1) my best buddy has owned the right to the Mastercraft promo boat since I was in 7th grade in Arizona. I learned behind the Mastercraft and have never experienced the problems you are mentioning.
2) my family owns a Malibu Echelon LX ski boat with over 700 Hours and haven't experienced any of the above problems.
The boat you are referring to has been around a long time and has never been that successful, atleast on the west coast where I live and boat. For what reason, I have no idea. I will not dis the boat by any means, but have a hard time with your quote I started this post off with.
As for engine in the middle- you got most of it right. Its there to center the weight in the boat. At 36mph, you don't want the weight in the back of the boat because the skier will pull it out of line. The fins are in place solely for the purpase of the skier not to pull the boat side to side, and to guarantee a straight consistant pull. You get a better pull and can stay consistant with the pylon in the middle. It was made to seem like the boat will not perform (as in drive) without the fins, and pylon in the middle, which is BS. The boats handle as well as any boat out there, if not better.
The market has been expanded greatly by innovation for the market, but not new to boating. Want more room in the boat without the engine in the middle, buy a V-Drive. Plenty of room, more top end, and still GREAT performance for any aspect of water sports. The open bow--people consider these boats family boats not just skiing machines because of the open bow design.
Brainwashed?? No, but know what performance and qualities they are buying with and for their $$$, absolutely. They are buying a performance ski boat with the appetite for family fun. Until a boat offers the performance, ski ability, storage, value and family atmosphere and is proven better, comp ski boats are here to stay.
I remember this Ski-Pro back in the day that was yellow and had banana George barefooting next too it. Great pic!
Roln 20s
Looks like a nice boat! (looks like a Tige' hull with a stern drive.)
Tige is located in Texas.
Roln 20s
roln 20s:
Looks like a nice boat! (looks like a Tige' hull with a stern drive.)
Tige is located in Texas.
Roln 20s What a coincidence! LOL!
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