Crazy wake boat idea

[2ndtry]

Sorry for the long post.
My son and daughter (11 & 15) like to tube, kneeboard, ski, and wakeboard. Up until recently, they did all of this quite happily behind my deckboat. Recently my neighbor bought a Centurian wake boat, and now they think our boat is no longer acceptable. They of course would like me to buy an 80K boat so they can wakeboard and "surf". Of course my boat throws a smallish (by comparison) wake and is absolutely not appropriate for wake surfing.

I got a crazy idea to combine my kids wants for "more wake" and and inboard with my dream of restoring an older wooden boat. Here is the project (1960 Chris Craft Skiff)

Its an inboard and has tons of room in the back:

The plan would be to drop in a larger motor and install ballast tanks in rear for when the kids want t surf or wakeboard. Any ideas?

 

[sebber83]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

I would love to see the finished product, I think it would be really cool, dont know how well it will work but would definetly be really nice to look at! I would even build a matching arch that could double as a tower!

 

[ThreeMileBayWaker]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

I would have loved to have bought a Malibu Wakesetter myself instead of my Glastron. However, a $50-60K boat that I'd be only able to use May-mid September just isn't a smart move. Kids unfortunately don't know how lucky they are for even having a boat, soo many people and kids don't even have access to one.

I am very grateful to have had the privilege of my family owning waterfront property and nice neighbors with ski boats that have taken me on them.

Fixing up that boat and still being young myself... I don't think your kids would be happy. We live in a materialistic era, kids gotta have the latest and greatest. I just know the value of a dollar now myself and know how hard it is to keep the toys I do.

I would appreciate an older V-drive with a big block V-8 in her and some lopy cams. )

 

[kyle f]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

Cool project idea, but poor choice for what the kids want.

There are many affordable boat out there for what you want to do. Don't need a new one. Try looking at 2000-2004 V-Drives.... around $15-25K and will hold their value pretty well. V-Drives are very family friendly. You will never regret your decision if you get one.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

Update: I didn't get it, it has been sold. Oh well, The dream lives on.

Kyle, I don't have the 15-25K for a V-drive. The boat in question sold for $1500. With a year of so of labor and expenses and 5x more for parts I still come out ahead.

Any particular reason why it would make a poor tow boat? just asking, I really am not an expert on any of this. I saw a guy doing flips behind and old wooden chris craft (certainly a straight drive) last summer and i guess it just planted the seed.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

ITs true its an inboard, so the safety factor would be there, but thats abotu where it ends.

The hull was not engineered to be a wake hull (create a big wake) or engineered to shape the wake for wake sports. Nor does it have built in ballast to help weight the boat down. Not really needed for beginner wakeboarding, but absolutely critical for surfing unless you can always have 6-8 people go with you to all sit on one side of the boat.

True Direct drive boats are not so great for surfing in general. You can get them set up to do it, but usually you are taking up a lot of space in the back of the boat with big water sacs.

V-Drives are the best all around boats IMO. Pleanty of seating room, open floor area, great wakes, drives well... doesn't turn as well as a true DD, and creates a bit more wake for skiing, rides almost as well as a I/O, but much better than a true DD.

 

[sebber83]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

I agree with you Kyle, but I think he had a great idea encompassing 2 needs. He wants a nice classic boat with classic lines and look, yet he was ready to add elbow grease and make it a usable boat for wakeboarding and surfing. I say go for it. I would love to see someone session behind a classic boat kicking up massive wake. Maybe your kids wont like it at first sight, but once they are slayshing 10 foot airs behind a boat that's not costing them a cent, then maybe they'll come around. Heck, I had to wait til last year to get a boat, my 26th year on this earth, and I still had to negotiate with the wife and still ended up with an I/O when I wanted a V-Drive, so if your kids arent happy with the classic 2ndtry, let me know....ill go ride with you!!!!

 

[smclear]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

As a lover of antique/classic boats, I would have hated to see the intended modification to that sea-skiff. Restore it, absolutely. Add a bunch of crap (bladders and such) to make it a "wakeboard" boat is blasphemy in my opinion. There are other boats available in that price range you could modify to fit your needs without messing with a "classic"

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

As a lover of antique/classic boats, I would have hated to see the intended modification to that sea-skiff. Restore it, absolutely. Add a bunch of crap (bladders and such) to make it a "wakeboard" boat is blasphemy in my opinion. There are other boats available in that price range you could modify to fit your needs without messing with a "classic"

Guess you missed the update, someone else bought the boat before I made a decision. Blasphemy? Thats a pretty strong sentiment for a couple modifications that wouldn't even be visible above deck. I agree that its a pretty cool old boat, but the lapstrake Chris Crafts just aren't in the same category as the mahogany ones. Its not like people are banging down the door to restore them, most seem to be rotting away.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Crazy wake boat idea

As a lover of antique/classic boats, I would have hated to see the intended modification to that sea-skiff. Restore it, absolutely. Add a bunch of crap (bladders and such) to make it a "wakeboard" boat is blasphemy in my opinion. There are other boats available in that price range you could modify to fit your needs without messing with a "classic"

Funny thing about money... he who can afford to, gets to do with it what he wants.

However, you are probably better off not getting this boat. It would have been a cool project, but I think you will be better served by somethign else. Look for some 80s model Ski Natiques on the 2001 hull (its not a year, its what they called it). Its a DD and makes one hell of a wake when weighted down. Lots of people love them to this day.

Look out for the stringers in this boat though. They are wood, and prone to rot, especially around the engine mounts. If you go to look at them, take a wrench and check the bolts. Lots of floor rot and other such things going on in these. However with that said, a saveable one that needs work, much like your plans for the one you were looking at, can be had for sub $3K and comes with solid Ford 351 Engines that are very economical to work on. PLus when you restore it, good ones go for as high as $8K, so you may be able to get your money back out of it.

I have never seen one in really good shape that someone had put a tower and a ballast system in (the make easy quick connect bags that can be disconnected and stored when not in use if you plumb pumps in to pull outside water) go up for sale, but I would say easily you are looking at a $10K boat.