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View Full Version : Considering a boat purchase ... whats a good option for me?



ts40ounce
07-06-2007, 12:30 AM
Let me start off by saying the only reason I'm posting to a Moomba board is because I wish the answer to the subject line was "A Mobius LSV". However, the budget and storage aren't there currently, so I'm hoping some wakeboarders and Moomba fans can give me some advice.

My wife is a pretty good wakeboarder (I'm horrible, but love drinking dirty water ... so I try too), and we seriously considered the LSV at the boat show last February. But, she ended up getting into a grad school program last summer, which meant money was tighter, and we weren't sure how often we could get out. We usually boat with a Smokercraft deck boat, and Tahoe Q6 ... so decided to keep the SeaDoo I had to see how our first full summer of her in school went. This weekend we were out on the Mississippi on our SeaDoo, and decided we should start considering used boats instead of the new LSV we'd originally planned on. The SeaDoo is great, but if you just want to drop anchor and relax on a sand bar, you simply can't bring enough gear (washers, wiffle ball bats & balls, grills, other people, etc) ... plus with no radio I can't listen to the Cardinals slowly fall into NLC mediocrity. So we thought perhaps we could find a small used boat that would fit in the garage (neighborhood doesn't allow them in the driveway), but would still let us bring 2 - 4 people out, and let her perhaps enjoy a tow or two. I was looking at the SeaDoo Challenger 180, but it doesn't sound like it pulls well. We really don't need much as she already boards behind the SeaDoo when we're bored ... all I want is seating for 6-8, and a bimini top for a boat that won't depreciate so much that I regret switching from PWC to crappy small boat for 2 years.

Side note - My favorite boat that I've driven / ridden on was my buddies old 2001 Outback ... I hated how easy it was to swamp it on it's own wake when you turned around to pick up a skier, but that boat was a blast. I'd love to find a highly recommended runabout, jet boat, bamboo raft, set of water wings that would fill the void we have now that our boating is always on a timeline over the next two years ... but, at the same time, I wouldn't want our new little dingy to disappoint us too much if she was boarding now and then. Any advice?

JesseC
07-06-2007, 10:00 AM
Side note - My favorite boat that I've driven / ridden on was my buddies old 2001 Outback ... I hated how easy it was to swamp it on it's own wake when you turned around to pick up a skier, but that boat was a blast. I'd love to find a highly recommended runabout, jet boat, bamboo raft, set of water wings that would fill the void we have now that our boating is always on a timeline over the next two years ... but, at the same time, I wouldn't want our new little dingy to disappoint us too much if she was boarding now and then. Any advice?

The swamping is not an issue once you learn to properly run across your own wake. When my boarder falls, I cut the throttle and let the momentum turn the boat around. Once it settles, cross the wakes parallel to the boat and swamping is not an issue (I am running 1400 lbs of ballast and usually 6-8 people and do not have the issue). I think you should look at an 05 or earlier LSV. It is the same as the current outback V. I bought my 02 Mobius LSV used in 04 and have loved every second of this boat! If you can find one with a swing away trailer tongue, it should fit nicely into your garage. It can carry around 10 people comfortably. You would not regret the purchase.

JoeTechie
07-06-2007, 11:22 AM
Simple answer:

Outback V.

Larger, wider and more freeboard than the base OB, and a true wakeboard hull.

Still smaller, narrower and less freeboard than the LSV, but a lot cheaper. $32K vs 37K+

Much less tendancy to swamp or get waves over the bow.

(Learning to drive a towboat properly negates about 75% of this too)

If you go used like Jesse suggests - 05 LSV is same boat as above - try to get one with the EFI engine - fewer headaches.

Hope this helps,

Joe

ATLOUTBACKV
07-06-2007, 02:24 PM
get a used outback V for 30k....look in the classified section... i bought my 07 outback v anf friggin love it!

csumerall
07-06-2007, 03:44 PM
I bought the dd outback for my first boat now Im wishing I had opted for the v