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SkiBoy
02-17-2010, 12:05 PM
What is the deal with the new standard features? Why on earth would a slalom skier want the cage on his boat? It ruins the look, and throws all skiers into the wakeboarder group.

I was looking at buying a '10 or an '11 model, but will not if I cannot get rid of the ugly cage.
I have had nothing but good luck (with proper maintenance) on my '99 Outback LS. -700 hours- I would never buy a Moomba with a tower or cage or whatever you call it.

On my lake wakeboarders are a menace, just like tubers are. If one of them could actually wakeboard maybe I'd feel differently. All they do is create huge wakes and fall 10 times a run.
Looks like so much fun.

Sorry if this annoys the boarders here.

When I ski, I'm around the lake in under 5 minutes with 4-6 sets of 6-8 cuts or more depending on how I'm feeling. I ski short line at 36 and when I'm done, the next skier can get great water in about 3 minutes. A boarder goes out and chums up the lake for 15 minutes and ruins conditions for another 15 minutes.

Don't get me started on jet skis. We almost banned them the past few years. The lake is 190 acres, too small for safe operation. It will take a fatality to change the law.

I share the lake with those that are respectful of others. I am aware of other users, and other skiers are as well. Tubers, boarders and jet skiers are not. 99% of the time they don't care what they do.

Having said that, I skied over 300 times last year and of those runs, 275 were on good water.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much.

Never mind.

In closing, I'll repeat, I will never buy a Moomba with a tower or cage. Never.

Razzman
02-17-2010, 12:09 PM
Having a bad day? Why don't you tell us how you really feel? :p

You know you could always order one without the tower or "cage". Sharing the lake is a fact of life for all on the water we all have to deal with and not worth worrying about.

Now your day can get better. :D

deerfield
02-17-2010, 12:16 PM
Why on earth would a slalom skier want the cage on his boat?

SkiBoy - I will tell you why. I'm a slalom skier. That's what I grew up doing and the one thing I love to do behind my Outback. In fact, bought mine as a replacement to a Nautique. That said, I have three sons, two of whom wanted to learn how to wakeboard. Easier to do from a tower. So, in the Moomba line up the perfect boat for my family is: Outback w/ tower. It has been a real joy for them, their friends, their mother, and me. Lots of good reasons to put a cage on a boat. - Deerfield

kaneboats
02-17-2010, 12:35 PM
I grew up a (bad) skier too. Finally got an inboard boat and the first thing I did was put a tower on it. I learned to wakeboard right before I got the Outback and then learned to surf too. All 6 of the kids can do what they love behind it, whether it's kneeboard, ski, tube, surf, or wakeboard. Maybe you are the only one that uses your boat and that's fine-- order one without it. But, if you want to share, it doesn't hurt to have an open mind.

brain_rinse
02-17-2010, 01:12 PM
Is that you, Grandpa?! You forgot wakesurfers in your rant too. :mrgreen:

phospher
02-17-2010, 01:28 PM
What is the deal with the new standard features? Why on earth would a slalom skier want the cage on his boat? It ruins the look, and throws all skiers into the wakeboarder group.

I have to agree with you there. But as long as they allow you to order without the tower than that's fine.


As far as the water, I hear ya there too. Nothing bothers me more than a couple of arrogant people who have no idea that we prefer smooth water. I wakeskate, but I try and be very respectable to others in inboards weather they be skiing or boarding. I can usually tell right away if someone in a inboard boat is a serious skier/boarder or if it's just a wealthy family that doesn't know anything about lake etiquette. Now, if you are tubing behind an IO I hate you. :)

moombadaze
02-17-2010, 01:41 PM
Its all about lake etiquette, Pure and simple. Doesnt matter what you are towing behind the boat.

Just order your new outback without a tower and enjoy

Razzman
02-17-2010, 02:03 PM
I like tubing! I think it's a lot of fun getting whipped around.

I agree Ed! I used to think that way until I tried it myself and i will say it's a hoot when the right person is driving!

We do it all behind our boat, boarding, surfing & tubing but no skiing as nobodies interested in it. It's a dying sport on the west coast, rarely see anyone skiing anymore here. That being said we're also respectfull of everyone but there's nothing you can do about those that aren't except watch out for them and possibly politely educate them if given the opportunity.

It's hilarious because every year on WakeWorld there's a big flap over these same issues and it'll go over 100 posts with people fighting and argueing. Kills me as it's not even worth hasseling about. But some people just don't get that boarding is not the end all of watersports and they have no more rights than the next tuber, surfer or jet skier. Oh well they can let the stress get to them ...

sailing217
02-17-2010, 02:21 PM
I don't care what you're pulling as long as you use some lake etiquette. Meaning no unnecessary power turns, and drive straight.

Tubing is fun to get air, so go where it's choppy away from others that want smooth water. Majority of jet skiiers just are not safe. I could go on but it's the drivers.

SC should let you order a boat without tower and get $$$ credit for it. Having it part of the mobius package is ok.

maxpower220
02-17-2010, 04:55 PM
Sorry, but towers are great. In fact, I can't see a reason to NOT get one.

First, the tower is a great place to mount board/ski racks. Since my boat always carries 6 skis, it is nice to have the added storage. Also, many people like mounting speakers and lights up there.
Second, the tower mounted bimini is much higher and allows more headroom in the boat.
Third, towers are great for other sports, barefooting, boarding and surfing.

Towers don't limit anything that your boat can do; not having a tower does hamper your ability to do other sports well. I find it difficult to find enough people to ski, so there are a lot more boarders that fill my boat. Another good point that you made, I can only ski for 10 minutes til I'm tired. I can board for an hour. It fills up my time on the water.

zabooda
02-17-2010, 05:17 PM
It's resale value. Not that many people waterski compared to wake boarding and other tower based activities so the chances are you would be selling to someone that wants it. You can't hardly find an I/O without a tower either. Boats without towers are either considered to be the budget priced boats (even though the price difference may not be that much) or old. My 1998 Mobius was the first year to have the stock tower and people not knowledgeable would ask me what the roll bar was for.

I mainly water ski but the tower is a great place for bling, skis/boards and drying out towels and clothes.

The tower is also great for boogie boarding.

BRANDNIRON8971
02-17-2010, 10:32 PM
Count me in as the "Multi watersports" Outback owner with a tower. LOVE THE TOWER. Wouldn't own one with out it.

DOCDRS
02-17-2010, 10:38 PM
Its all about lake etiquette, Pure and simple. Doesnt matter what you are towing behind the boat.

Just order your new outback without a tower and enjoy

I totally agree with you, and i don't care what watersport you do , even slalom boat drivers can have no etiquette also........try being a barefooter waiting for glass.......but then again nobody owns the lake.....unless you build it yourself.
I say if ya can't beat em , join em.........even bigger :p how do ya like me now? or now with my 2000 lbs of ballast :p:p

phospher
02-18-2010, 12:54 AM
I think this thread is proving why Moomba includes the tower on the Outback. Most everyone wants one!

Sled491
02-18-2010, 09:04 AM
According to the Moomba Product manager, last year like 85% of Outbacks were ordered with a tower, so the logical thing to do was add the tower. I ordered my OUtback in 07 with no tower. Like you I am a hardcore skier, skiing almost every morning during the week and at least on morning on the weekends. I had my 10 yr old at 7 doing deep water slalom starts.

But and this is a big one, my 10 yr old now skies, boards and surfs, my 6 yr old surfs and my 8 yr old surfs. My wife 2 1/2 years ago sprained her back on a late season evening slalom pass and now gets up once a year to still prove she can do it.

A true slalom boat shouldn't have a tower I agree, but for some life changes, for others they consider resale, for you my friend, just order yours without. I bet the guys on the line will love the simple build that week :)

SkiBoy
04-28-2010, 10:24 AM
Thanks for all the replies and comments.
Water etiquette on my lake was better in the past. Weekends are of course a mess, and if I don't ski before 10-11am I'm likely to be shut out until 8:30 or later. Many times I just take the day off.

The problem is new lake members that don't respect others, and drop on boats and jet skis. I have had other skiers pulling their kids on tubes, stop and wait until I am done skiing and then continue on. I have done the same while coming and going from friends docks. A quick wave of appreciation and a smile. It feels good to share the lake with those that know smoother water is better for slalom. I prefer a slight ripple, so I sometimes wait until someone else skis and then I'll go after them. I think I can feel the water better when it isn't too glassy. I do enjoy the occasional glass run, mostly for pics.

Last time at McCormick's I ran deep into 35 off in glassy conditions and was surprised. (12 years ago)

Anyway, I wish that the tubers would tube when it's already rough, the more bumps the better for them it seems. There is no real reason for them to come out when the skiers are waiting for the lake to calm down for one last run. I'll sit on the back with my ski on the platform, and they still don't get it. Oh well, that's life on a public lake.

When I see a tournament boat with a tower drop on our lake, I cringe. I have yet to see one person do even a simple trick. It may be fun, but I don't get it. Mostly they tube and kneeboard, (!!) and some try wakeboarding. I rarely see anyone slalom from a boat with a tower anymore.

I trick skied and jumped when I was younger, but don't anymore. I only foot when someone asks me because they have never seen it from the boat. Slalom gives me the challenges I need to keep me interested. (and the release I crave)

Here's to a good summer for all. I'll be skiing from early May to mid October. Shooting for 350 runs this year. Time will tell.

sandm
04-28-2010, 11:11 AM
since all I do is wakeboard and surf, I guess I could say the same thing about that annoying pole in front of my engine hatch :) but the way I see it, I'd like a boat that can appeal to many forms of watersports that all members of my friends and family circle can enjoy. after all, isn't that the point of a boat? great times with friends and family on the water....

cab13367
04-28-2010, 03:10 PM
skiboy,

I'm sorry to hear that you have such a close minded view. It's great that you have a passion for slalom skiing but not everyone shares your passion or is willing to accommodate your need for smooth water. To expect tubers to wait until you are done slaloming or until the water is rough is pretty selfish, don't you think? And to say that all wakeboarders have no etiquette is generalizing in the worst way and frankly, I take offense to that. The fact of the matter is that a public lake is just that - public - so we need to all share the water and be respectful of each other. You don't have any more or less right to the water than the family with kids that like to tube or the wakeboarders or grandpa and grandma out for a cruise. I always give other boats plenty of room when I go by them, never follow them too closely, and when my rider falls, I bring the boat off plane and go back at a brisk idle to retrieve him/her so as not to create any unnecessary wakes (we like smooth water too). But if you expect me to wait until you are done with your slalom set before we go wakeboarding, surfing, or tubing, well, it ain't gonna happen.

Okay, off my soap box now.

Al

markcr
04-28-2010, 04:26 PM
SkiBoy, here's a video of Terry Winters at Diablo Shores Mastercraft Pro Waterski Competition. If Terry can compete behind a boat with a tower, I think you might be able to get used to it too - or take it off if you don't like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIil8qzjPlQ

Sled491
04-28-2010, 04:29 PM
Cab I read skiboys post 3 times to make sure I didn't miss something. He, that I can tell didn't say Wakeboarders or those with wakeboard boats have not etiquette, just that most had big shinny boats and no ability.

In some ways I agree with skiboy and others with you. I like my lake calm to ski, and the fact of the matter is when you 32 off at 36 mph doing 55 mph + across the wake a rough lake can be very very dangerous. That being said skiers wanting flat water have to set the schedule accordingly.

On my lake 1st am just after the fishermen get out, but done before the day trippers start to show up. No skiing again until just before dusk. This of course pisses off the fishermen, but oh well. If I want to get in some serious sets it's mid week all the way.

jeffrogge
04-28-2010, 08:29 PM
Cab I read skiboys post 3 times to make sure I didn't miss something. He, that I can tell didn't say Wakeboarders or those with wakeboard boats have not etiquette, just that most had big shinny boats and no ability.

In some ways I agree with skiboy and others with you. I like my lake calm to ski, and the fact of the matter is when you 32 off at 36 mph doing 55 mph + across the wake a rough lake can be very very dangerous. That being said skiers wanting flat water have to set the schedule accordingly.

On my lake 1st am just after the fishermen get out, but done before the day trippers start to show up. No skiing again until just before dusk. This of course pisses off the fishermen, but oh well. If I want to get in some serious sets it's mid week all the way.

I absolutely agree. Wake boarders don't like rough water either. We r always out super early to get glass. then when the water starts to get rough we switch to tube or surfing. With the tower and a bunch of different activities you can adjust you sport for the water conditions and not expect the water to flatten out when you want to ski. And also then you can spend more time on the water instead of just skiing twice a a day

Sled491
04-28-2010, 08:52 PM
We switch to surfing in the afternoon. Also just floating around enjoying the lake, maybe some snacks and a beverage. Sometimes I'll dive from my Outback and the kids will snorkle around me. We live on the lake though so we can be a little more flexible.

SkiBoy
04-29-2010, 11:43 AM
skiboy,

I'm sorry to hear that you have such a close minded view. It's great that you have a passion for slalom skiing but not everyone shares your passion or is willing to accommodate your need for smooth water. To expect tubers to wait until you are done slaloming or until the water is rough is pretty selfish, don't you think? And to say that all wakeboarders have no etiquette is generalizing in the worst way and frankly, I take offense to that. The fact of the matter is that a public lake is just that - public - so we need to all share the water and be respectful of each other. You don't have any more or less right to the water than the family with kids that like to tube or the wakeboarders or grandpa and grandma out for a cruise. I always give other boats plenty of room when I go by them, never follow them too closely, and when my rider falls, I bring the boat off plane and go back at a brisk idle to retrieve him/her so as not to create any unnecessary wakes (we like smooth water too). But if you expect me to wait until you are done with your slalom set before we go wakeboarding, surfing, or tubing, well, it ain't gonna happen.

Okay, off my soap box now.

Al

I'm sorry to hear that you think it's closed minded to expect a little decency from others.

I guess you have an open mind, one that is open to all ideas no matter how ridiculous or inane.

I prefer an active mind.

An active mind does not grant equal status to truth and falsehood; it does not remain floating forever in a stagnant vacuum of neutrality and uncertainty; by assuming the responsibility of judgment, it reaches firm convictions and holds to them. Since it is able to prove its convictions, an active mind achieves an unassailable certainty in confrontations with assailants—a certainty untainted by spots of blind faith, approximation, evasion and fear.

Take offense at that? (Maybe a little reading comprehension class will help)

Off my soapbox now.

Have fun.

hat tip to Ayn Rand

SkiBoy
04-29-2010, 11:48 AM
SkiBoy, here's a video of Terry Winters at Diablo Shores Mastercraft Pro Waterski Competition. If Terry can compete behind a boat with a tower, I think you might be able to get used to it too - or take it off if you don't like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIil8qzjPlQ

Thanks for that info. I think it's pretty obvious why I prefer a boat without a tower. Ability has nothing to do with it. I may be top dog on my lake, but I am not or ever will be, when I ski with the pro's at ski schools. I doubt I could run 32 off at 34 these days, without a lot of course time.

brain_rinse
04-29-2010, 12:40 PM
The horse is now dead.