Outback Direct Drive vs. V Drive

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Originally Posted by phospher

Sure, I agree 100% with everything you said. My only point is that you don't absolutely need a v-drive to go big wakeboarding.

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Yup, I agree.

I agree with Phospher 100% no offense to anyone on the boards, but I have seen on our lake and many lakes that I visit that big boats are used to compensate for little talent. I've seen guys at cable parks to better flips than anyone on our lake with a V Drive, and unfortunately that includes friends of mine with big Supra's. I believe the Outback is one heck of a boat and we love ours. But I also love the LSV and the Supra SSV's. I would never begin to tell anyone you can get a great ski wake behind a V Drive, but then how many people really ski at a level that it really matters.

Buy the boat that will make you happy. The 08 Outback V was smallish like the Outback, just it was a V (low freeboard). Who ever said this boat was there last? I sure didn't, I like the idea of someday getting another new boat, just like this one replaced the one before that I bought new.

I'm starting to not make sense, so I'll stop.

Doesn't matter which, just get a boat and take your family to the lake :)

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Originally Posted by phospher

I have to disagree with a lot of you here. Everyone always thinks they need the hugest wake which is only provided by a V-drive. Now, with the exception of surfing and pro level riding you don't really need that big of a wake. I have a 1982 American Skier that throws a very small wake(relative to v-drives) but because I know how to hit the wake and pop correctly I can still go higher than most people on my lake on their V-drives. Behind my American Skier (18ft Closed Bow DD) I can front roll, back roll, tantrum, 360's, blind side 180's etc.. I also use to wakeboard behind a sea ray IO and was able to do several flips behind that as well. And I'm not talking about head sciming the water.

I recently bought a 2008 Outback DD for a few reasons.

1) A lot more room than my 82 American Skier. I have a 18 month old.
2) An actual stereo on the Outback! This is a huge upgrade for us :)
3) Tower. The past few years I started wakeskating exclusively and don't do much of anything else. For wakeskating I don't need a huge wake as I can already go as big as I need behind any inboard DD. I used a Skylon on my Skier but a tower is so much better and looks cool too.
4) Fuel injection. This was a big one too, I wanted the reliability and turn key start up of a fuel injection so that my wife can pull the boat off the trailer while I park the truck. It was to much work that she did not know how to do to start and warm up our cold blooded 4 barrel carb on the Skier.
5) Classic Direct Drive looks and handling. Now, I don't think anything beats the looks of a closed bow ski boat but if you want the extra room a Open Bow Direct Drive is second best. For me, half the fun of owning an inboard is driving. I love to pull my friends and family and as part of that I want the sports car handling and speed of a direct drive.
6)Direct drives are easier to work on and the transmissions are a heck of a lot cheaper if I ever need a new one.


No offense to anyone here... but I think a main reason why everyone needs a V-drive is because it's a lot easier for people who are not very good at wakeboarding to launch of a bigger wake then to correctly jump a wake.

I'm planning on wakeskating behind my 08 outback DD with a 460lb fat sac and with that I imagine the wake will be a lot bigger than I had with my American Skier. My Skier only weighs 2200lbs.


Now, as proof you don't need a HUGE wake from a vdrive I highly recommend you all watch this old byerly video of him behind an Outboard barefoot boat. That's right outboard which usually has the smallest wake of them all. With all that said, I will again say that wake size is over rated.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...2377447193948#

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Bingo!

Bottom line; drive it and decide what feels the best for you. Like I said, there is a differance and chances are you will form an opinion as to what works best for you once behind the wheel.

For me, I would have a hard time giving up the incredible handling of my DD Outback, even with the added advantage of having the additional room. But then, cruising around with a boat load of people isn't my thing.

Bashton

i was in your spot last year-- DD or V drive-- my brother has a DD outback and i didn't like the motor in the middle at all. i too have a family that needs to do a bit of everything. i went the V drive route and actually went up to the LSV and it really paid off i think. Now there is a wake difference between the 2 boats but for me i need room, wanted it quite, and also like the higher sides of the lsv for safety sake. I ski fairly aggressivly and my kids wakeboard, ski and tube and the boat has worked out great. Can't imagine getting 8 in the DD outback?

Could have gotten a dd mobius

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Doesn't matter which, just get a boat and take your family to the lake :)

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This is all you really need to know! Doesn't matter what you get - you'll always long for something bigger, better, or more expensive. Eventually you'll upgrade to it. And then you'll long for something bigger, better, or more expensive. Eventually you'll upgrade again! And then you'll long for something bigger, better, or more expensive. And so it goes...............