Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

[Cosmographer]

Hi All,

I'm considering buying a RIB for use as a tender as well as a wakeboard boat. I'm curious to know if this boat will provide a fun ride for beginner to intermediate wakeboarders:

Length: 4.67m or 12 ft
HP: 40
Max capacity: 4 (Can squeeze up to 6 if using as a tender)

Here are also some pics. Could we have a driver, 2 passengers and 1 wakeboarder on a boat like this? Another thing is that the bow is always pointed upwards at high speeds, even with a spotter sitting in the front. Will this affect the wakeboarding?

Thanks!

 

[Dave.Mishchenko]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

You can see some similar threads below.

For a light weight beginner you'd likely be OK to get someone up, but for someone heavier it might be a challenge. For an intermediate rider (wake to wake jumps, basic spins / invert) the boat isn't going to create much of a wake which is helpful for that kind of riding and you would likely have a challenge maintaining a constant speed. I rode for a few years behind a 1800 lb - 17' boat with a 135 HP motor. It was Ok, but not something to use if you have someone that want to progress in their riding.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=245300
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=281019
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=297918

 

[86 century]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

What dave says is spot on I am 210# at times if I cut real hard I will drag our 3500# supra around a bit.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

Seems like the rope would be dragging in the water on one of those.

 

[Cosmographer]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

Thanks for the advice. None of our guests are even at the intermediate level. They are happy just to get up on the water for more than 30 seconds. I would assume that a RIB of this size and power is ok for that then?

 

[Dave.Mishchenko]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

I think you'd end up disappointed trying to use it for wakeboarding.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

I first learned to ski on a fiberglass john boat with a catamaran-like hull, and a hand tiller 35 horse outboard. Are you going to be turning heads doing great tricks with that boat -- no, but I think it might do as well as a sea doo wakeboard edition.

What the heck -- go for it.

 

[Cosmographer]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

The thing is, I need a tender anyway, and I have 2 options: a cheap RIB with 10-18hp that can do nothing other than ferry people or this one that can (possibly) serve as a beginner wakeboard boat as well as a tender. Price difference: $2900 vs. $6000.

If this one can't serve as a towing craft, then there's not much point in spending the extra money on it, hence my original question.

 

[Dave.Mishchenko]

Re: Another question about boat appropriateness for wakeboarding

Best thing would be to try it out.

Have you considered a jet ski? http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251972