What's best for skiing/tubing

mkuehnl

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 22, 2002
Messages
103
For some time now I have been trying to determine the viability of jetboats as ski boats. When I talk to the prop guys their reaction is that a prop is the absolute best way to go for skiing. The jet guys claim their jet boats exceed the props capabilities when it comes to skiing. <br /><br />What do you think??
 

DaveM

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Feb 27, 2002
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308
Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

If you are looking for the best boat for skiing, there is no question in my mind that you want a tournament style inboard ski boat. There is a reason the pros do not use jet boats.
 

mkuehnl

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 22, 2002
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103
Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

Dewd<br /><br />Thanks, the majority of the time we are skiing or tubing. I have been going round and round on this issue for some time now and wanted to get non-salesman opinions.
 

reference123

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 18, 2004
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118
Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

A number of my neighbors who have been boating a lot longer than me all now own the inboard ski boats and swear by them.
 

BillP

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Aug 10, 2002
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

For brute "pulling out of the hole" performance nothing beats a prop. Jets get the same results by using bigger engines. Jets only exceed props in safety.
 

KCook

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Jan 24, 2002
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

A big part of that advantage that the inboard ski boats have is their hull shape. Which is quite different from a regular bowrider, or jet boat. A good ski boat hull needs both high lift (for quick holeshot) and resistance to side pull (for slalom moves). Only the true ski boats provide both.<br /><br />Kelly Cook
 

reference123

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Jul 18, 2004
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

I understand the negative to the ski boats is handling chop. When we go across the channel at Lake Powell, my buddies with ski boats generally stay in my wake as I can trim up. They cant. So they either have to slow way down or stay in a lead boats wake.
 

mkuehnl

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Feb 22, 2002
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

The lake were I will be boating is a smaller lake and the majority of chop is from the wakes of other boats.
 

ZmOz

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Aug 13, 2003
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

An outboard will give you better hole shot...
 

snapperbait

Vice Admiral
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Aug 20, 2002
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

Many of the newer inboard ski boats are more family and rough water friendly than the older boats.. <br /><br /> The builders have done their homework and listened to the consumers.. They're building them bigger, and with much deeper v's to help with ride quality.. The deeper v tends to produce larger wakes for wakeboarding as well.. <br /><br /> A few builders have boats that come standard with trim tabs as well... Tabs are great for 'attitude control'...<br /><br />Mastercrafts newest inboard ski boat (a 28' twin engine jobby-doo) goes from 0 to 36mph in 164 feet.... That will jerk your arms right out of their sockets.. :eek:
 

Chris1956

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Joined
Mar 25, 2004
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Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

If you are going to water ski on a tourneyment level, an inboard ski boat is necessary. They have some that double as wakeboard boats. These have some wake inducing technology (water weight, wake inducing fin...). However, these boats are not good for shallow water (beaching) since they are inboards, and are not all that roomy with the center-engine design. Vee-drives are slightly better IMHO. Additionally, inboard ski boats are propped very low since they need to pull hard a 36mph, and have 350CID motors as a minimum.<br /><br />Outboards and sterndrives do not pull skiiers as well as inboard skiboats. Their wakes are usually bigger and the pickup is less. However, when you are not skiing, these boats go faster, are more roomy and beach better than inboards. <br /><br />Of the non-inboard skiboats, Outboard Speedboats are the next best skiboats. These have better HP to weight ratios, are usually lighter and therefore produce less wake.
 

chazbemerry

Cadet
Joined
Apr 28, 2005
Messages
26
Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

i bought a 1989 bayliner capri w/ a 125hp force outboard. my son is currently in iraq for his second tour, he comes home for his two week leave and i want to have the boat set up for some skiing. wot right is 5400rpms which is right on the high side of recommended. the prop thats on it is an aluminum 13 1/4"x15" pitch and it's in bad shape. would putting a 4 blade prop like 12.8"x17"pitch drop me to far down in rpm's, or would a 131/4"x 15"pitch 4 blade be better???<br />any suggestions welcome!! thanks chaz
 

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
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45,907
Re: What's best for skiing/tubing

I think it depends on what size sharks you are trolling for.
 
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