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View Full Version : What the heck is a Lewis Outback?



NH Moomba
05-23-2005, 09:18 PM
I was scanning through the Monstertower.com customer photo section and there was a boat called a Lewis Outback and it looks exactly like a Moomba. I have heard various stories about Moomba being started by Skiers Choice as a cheaper alternative to Supra and have also heard stories of them buying out a bankrupt Austrailian company's tooling. What's the scoop? It looks like the company is still around- at least the web site is.

Andy

RickT
05-24-2005, 09:51 AM
Long and interesting topic.

Lewis is the original partner in the 80's that Supra sports (George Fowler) swapped molds with. He(Lewis) built supra in Aus and the old Boomerang was built here. Their relationship terminated in the late 80's I believe. Supra came up with the name Moomba to market the Boomerang. In Austrailia, it was a Lewis boat. All new models have been built and designed in US from the beginning(except for the Boomerang). The boat in question is model copied(popped) from our old Outback series. Apparently by Lewis in Austrailia. Unethical, but hard to stop in another country.

1. Moomba named originated by Supra
2. All Moomba's have been designed and built by Skier's Choice
3. The only Moomba that was ever built by both companies was the Boomerang in the Late 80's and early 90's.

FWIW,

Rick

Buttafewcoe
05-24-2005, 02:44 PM
I looked up the web site....found it interesting, also. Thought maybe Lewis was a "dealership / distributor" of ski boats. But thanks for the tidbit, Rick. :)

NH Moomba
05-25-2005, 07:50 AM
On the Lewis web site they have a " How to build a boat thing" I see they are using wood and spraying chopped fiberglass mat. I knew something was dodgy. I see they are also using Mercruiser power. So, someone might say the Moomba is a cheaper knock of of a Supra and this boat is a cheap knock off of a Moomba. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Andy

Legace
12-30-2005, 11:33 AM
Sorry to bring back an old thread. Is the kangaroo a Moomba knock off as well? Lewis seems to get alot from Moomba including the Moomba name. If anyone hasn't checked out their site: http://www.lewisboats.com.au/

JoeTechie
12-30-2005, 12:38 PM
Wow - old designs!

In the "how to make a boat "- I love how the factory is filthy and they keep saying how tidy they are. And then they say that resperators are important, and the guy with the chipper gun (the most dangerous job) has none and is squinting to keep flying resin out of his face!

Oh, and if the bimini upright does not fit the y-adapter - just crack it - they will never know - it's not like we use this boat for show! ;)

http://www.lewisboats.com.au/Challenger/CHImages/chall4.jpg

-J