Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

[IQRaceworks]

I?ve been around boats all my life?.mostly fast outboard powered boats (Allison, Hydrostream). My current boat is a Hydrostream Vegas XT??fun and fast, but it really beats you up when you are out on the lake with lots of other larger cruisers and ski boats. I?m planning on selling the Hydrostream, and picking up either a 21? inboard/outboard bowrider like a Crownline, Fourwinns, Bryant?..or going with something like a nice used wakeboard/ski boat like a Mastercraft, Tigue, or Supra. I want something that will handle standard lake chop without beating up passengers, and also putt water toys like wakeboards and tubes.

I have no experience with v-drive or inboard boats. How do they handle rough lake water? Is the same kind of conditions (1?-2? chop?occasional 3? boat wakes), would a bowrider ride smoother ? What about maintenance on a sterndrive vs/ inboard or v-drive boats?

Thanks!

 

[scrit9mm]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

My Chris Craft has a pretty deep hull and I still get beat up pretty good on holiday weekends. Even though I love my boat I am starting to consider some of the newer tritoon's. I saw a bennington last weekend, probably 24-26 feet with a 300 on it and a small tower. It passed us with no problem and cut through the 2-3ft chop without even checking up. There were even passengers standing up! We spend about 1/3 of our time doing watersports and the other 2/3rd's cruising. If you want smooth go with a tritoon, even though you may look like a grandpa!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

My Chris Craft has a pretty deep hull and I still get beat up pretty good on holiday weekends. Even though I love my boat I am starting to consider some of the newer tritoon's. I saw a bennington last weekend, probably 24-26 feet with a 300 on it and a small tower. It passed us with no problem and cut through the 2-3ft chop without even checking up. There were even passengers standing up! We spend about 1/3 of our time doing watersports and the other 2/3rd's cruising. If you want smooth go with a tritoon, even though you may look like a grandpa!

I don't think that anyone who is serious about skiing or boarding is going to buy a pontoon to do it behind

To the OP - I replied in the other copy of this thread

 

[strokersquid]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

when you are talking ski boats you want to get up on plane as fast as possible which requires flat bottoms. this itself means you will likely get beat up in rough water. deep v boats will certainly be better on the chop, but will be harder to plane and need more HP and ga$ to run.

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

My buddy has a 2006 tige 22 footer that goes through the rough water pretty good. It is a v-drive. If you like watersports inboards are the only way to go.

I like I/O's for the ability to trim up and go into the shallow water or through channels to different lakes. I/O's make an ok wake for watersports.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

The I/O's will tend to do better in chop than any inboard will, simply due to the ability to trim the drive to change the attitude of the boat. They will also get significantly better fuel economy for the same reason. For wakeboarding, I know that v-drive tournament boats are boat of choice by avid boarders, but an I/O can make a great wake for boarders as well, so that's really a preference thing. If you were into slalom skiing, then it's about impossible to make an I/O have the flat wake of a tournament ski boat.

The I/O will be more expensive for maintenance, but not appreciably so. I wouldn't let it be the determining factor, as an extra few hundred in bellows/etc every 3-5 years isn't much to be concerned with. If you run anywhere near shallow water, or have worries about it, the I/O can be trimmed up or a prop replaced while in the water. If you mangle an inboard prop, you are going to have a heck of a time changing it while holding your breath. Also makes untangling ski/wakeboard rope from the prop quite the chore when you have to dive under the boat to do it.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

I have no experience with v-drive or inboard boats. How do they handle rough lake water? Is the same kind of conditions (1’-2’ chop…occasional 3’ boat wakes), would a bowrider ride smoother ?

That is decent enough chop I'd consider an I/O, and even in that category, I'd look for something with a known good ride. In GENERAL, a purpose built ski/wake platform will ride pretty bad, but some I/O's will ride just as bad.

 

[salty87]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

agree that inboards can be a little more uncomfortable in chop. skill of the driver has much to do with that. i/o's generally, though not always, have more freeboard. that means inboards will have a somewhat wetter ride from spray since you're sitting lower in the water. on a calm day there's really no difference but in 2-3' you'll notice it...anyone riding in the back won't be able to miss it. riding a bit lower in the water will also make the chop seem bigger. can be a little unnerving for the less experienced but inboards can handle 1-3' fine if you're willing to slow down a bit.

riding a wakeboard in chop is not fun so most inboards hit the water early or late around here. boat wakes are no problem, again driver skill is the factor.

if water sports are what you'll be doing the most, get the inboard. if you'll be cruising most of the time and occasional wakeboarder, the i/o could be what you want. the initial cost is generally lower and less gas expense. inboards typically hold their value better though.

what lake are you on?

 

[jkust]

Re: Sterndrive Bowriders vs inboard wakeboard boats? Rough water ride?

Where bowriders are concerned look for a steep deadrise and a heavy dry weight. There is positive correlation between the heaviness of the dryweight and the cost of the boat. Heavier dryweights all else equal yields a more expensive boat. The newest models don't adhere to this as much as most of the 2000's did. Where we boat, the bigger the water, the more expensive/heavier brands I see because they take chop well. I also see a suprising number of very expensive tow sports boats driven by old guys who aren't towing anybody.