Moomba Boomerang outboard conversion or unique model?

I recently came across an ad on Craigslist for a 1998 Moomba simply listed as 'Moomba ski boat'. It has an identical body to the Boomerang, white in color, the graphics say Moomba Speedster, and it's an outboard motor on it. Specifically a 200 hp Mercury EFI. I do not have a ton of knowledge about the Moomba product line, but this is definitely something I've never seen. Is this a factory model or was it converted from a direct drive Boomerang? I'm not in a position to purchase the boat so the seller wasn't being very talkative via text, but he claims it's been an outboard all its life and was never converted. I'm very curious!

Can you put the Craigslist link on the site so we can see a picture as I've never seen one with an outboard. I know a few other companies made boats with outboards for barefoot skiing and salt water use.

I once knew about the history of this, but what I can recall.....

a company called "lewis boats" also makes an "outback" model in Australia. At one time there was a connection with the SC founding fathers.

Your probably seeing a Lewis boat for sale.



Edit: I knew I had it somewhere!

read this: https://forum.moomba.com/archive/index.php/t-1695.html

I'm familiar with the majority of the old outboard tournament style boats, the (Malibu) Flightcrafts, Barefoot Sangers, Centurion BF Warriors, Mastercraft BF 200 and Prostar 200, Mastercraft Powerstar, etc. And all of them are pretty rare so it's interesting when they come up for sale here and there. That's why this caught my eye. Here's the link:

https://wausau.craigslist.org/boa/5629026557.html

I looked at the link about Lewis boats and that's pretty interesting. That would have made the most sense but I don't see anything on the Lewis site or anywhere else on the web with that boat exactly. The body lines, the windshield, the vents on the deck, the rear end, all suggest Moomba Boomerang. Plus the hose/control routing looks strange and there's no motorwell as you'd typically have on an outboard. This is why I suspect conversion but it just wouldn't make a lot of sense. If someone, say, blew up the 350 or didn't winterize properly, you can buy a crate marine 350 for what, $2,000?

I'm very curious!

The trailer IS designed for an inboard (lowered frame for prop) and the carpet obviously different where the clamshell once was, and it now has access to a lower hull compartment.

I'm betting you are right - it was modified for an outboard

The trailer is kind of irrelevant as it is not original. That's a Mastercraft trailer. However, all other indications are it's a conversion.

Someone did a very nice job rebuilding the transom and a not so good job on the interior. I suspect this was done by a pro glasser who was not that good at other stuff.

I'm curious though what work was done to the 'transom'. I guess I've never looked closely at that area in a direct drive but I would assume it's not built the same as with an outboard or stern drive. I'm also wondering how it handles, skis, what sort of barefoot wake it puts up. I assume it's very quick as the Boomerangs were very light to begin with and he probably shaved 300 or 400 lbs going to the outboard. However the weight has moved significantly rearward, and it looks like the gas tank is still back there, or at least the vent.

It's strange that there's no mention of the build in the ad, however I texted the guy and he said he was selling it for somebody. He also said I was wrong and that this boat had always been an outboard. I just know if I was in the market for this boat I would want every little detail of the rebuild process to know what I was getting into. The world may never know....

Alot of the older ski clubs in the Upper-Midwest used to run outboard ski boats. I am wondering if the difference in the flooring is an access panel to the fuel tank. They may have the fuel tank under the floor to balance out the boat to create a flatter ski wake. Wouldn't that be a rather large opening if it had been a DD boat? I thought the doghouse opening was just a square in the center. It just seems like a lot of fiberglass work to build up the transom for the motor mount and to gel it....then again, I am not familiar with fiberglass work. My vote is that it was originally an OB boat.

"I'm curious though what work was done to the 'transom'"

It "appears" that the transom on the boat has a built-up rectangular area for the outboard to be mounted.

To me it looks added on.

Then there are all those cables an hoses coming out of the top corner.

See photo #4 - right above lowered prop structure of trailer.

We need the SC Historian to chime in. They don't get many requests.