Noob here, have questions...

Hello fellow boaters. Apologies if this is overly long.

IÂ’m located in Northwest Arkansas right beside Beaver Lake (which Im a big fan of - awesome boating as well as fishing).

I am new to boating. We purchased a suntracker tritoon last summer because thats what the kiddos wanted. Dont get me wrong, its a fine boat and i enjoy cruising and tubing and swimming off of it and hosting other families and friends for a day on the lake.

But it was not my first choice of type of boat and i can see in the next year or so getting rid of it and getting into wake boating if the stars and spouse align haha. The versatility of these boats and the activities are very interesting and I can feel that my 11 and 9 yo daughters are going to want some more boating intensity as they get older. Heck, Im almost 40 and have never even waterskied before but ill be darned if i dont really want to try surfing behind a wake boat.

I initially didnt even consider a wakeboat because of the $ investment and zero experience with them. But i have found this Moomba brand and am really intrigued by the quality, value, and performance.


Having said all that, I have a few questions that IÂ’d like you to weigh in on.

1. My nearest dealer is over 2 hours away. Is it advisable to only have your Moomba serviced at a shop that deals with Moombas? Or would a place that deals Mastercrafts be just as qualified?

2. How do i choose the best model for me? My lake priorities are pretty diversified. We want to cruise, drive fast (faster than my tritoon with a 150 fourstroke), take guests with us, anchor and swim, tube, surf, wakeboard, a little of everything. In the model search I had honed in on the Max. Which by reading this forum a lot of people seem to really like. Liked the Max because of starting price/seating capacity/seemed like it could do it all. But would like input on which model to choose. Obviously Im a complete watersports novice, so i dont think I need the highest end of the Makai or Kaiyen (or supra/mastercraft/malibu etc).

3. I have played with the websiteÂ’s boat builder a ton. So IÂ’d like input on what colors and options look best/aid in the overall experience. Im not going to get a barebones boat- but it seems very easy to go overboard with the options. So what do i need for what I want to do and is advisable for resale down the road?


Thanks for reading and Im sure Ill have more questions soon.

I’m relatively new here as well however have been boating virtually my entire life. I learned to ski very young behind my dad’s (even old at the time) aluminum V bottom fishing boat with a 40 hp outboard. He later upgraded to a fiberglass fish “n” ski with a 150 outboard and we were high on the hog with water sports. Surfing was unheard of back then and I never even knew of a wakeboard either but I’m sure they existed. I’ve owned several boats my adult life even a couple go-fast boats. We now own a cruiser but also just this year purchased a Moomba. My first wakeboat. I too really like the Max and in fact ordered one just prior to the virus. During the uncertainty and the factory shutting down I switched things up with the dealer and ended up with a Makai.

Enough about me....I think the Max is a great boat and if you like it - get it! My wife and I have 4 kids ranging from 7-12 and the cruiser just wasn’t getting it done anymore for the kids and I couldn’t be happier with our decision to buy a second boat. Time will tell if we end up keeping the cruiser many more years.

As far as dealer support - you may just have to bite the bullet and travel the 2 hours for any warranty work but I would be willing to bet the local dealer will be happy to take your money for regular service work.

Colors - you should really get what you want...this one is a to each their own

Options - my opinion - upgraded ballast with 6 pumps, gatorstep, stereo to your liking, surf pipe, boat cover, trailer steps, and the rest is up to you. Your sea level elevation should be ok for the 400 motor (it’s what’s in my Makai). Expect high 30’s for top speed but I bet you don’t drive that fast very long very often.

Good luck!

Max20, I appreciate your input!

Glad you are enjoying your boat.

I have gotten this question a lot when filling up with gas... "how fast does she go". pat answer is "38... with 4000lbs of water and 10 people" :)
don't buy a wakeboat if you are looking to cruise across the lake at 45+mph. that's not what these are built for. we never cruise above 25ish mph. gas mileage sucks and it's not enjoyable to carry on a conversation. but to each their own.....

that said when you get serious take the family down to the moomba dealer and see which boat fits your lifestyle. any of them will do what you want. helix on the smaller side and max if you need a big ride.

when service time comes nothing wrong with going to a MC dealer BUT my experience from wisconsin was be prepared to pay out the nose for service. they were the most spensive dealer in the area and knew they had a lock on the area. ymmv. I have always done most of my own service and it's not tough to do if you have the time and are mechanically inclined. being in the south winterization can be a little easier with lack of long-term freezing conditions and if stored indoors, you might not have to do a full blown winterization during layup.

color choice as max mentioned is personal preference. our first ride was orange. was a tough sell. second was black flake and pink. sold in a few days. current whip is white/blue/green and will sell quickly when that time comes.
even this boat color has been replicated and sold several times but it'll take a minute longer and need the right buyer.
https://boats-from-usa.com/sites/def...-x46-88354.jpg

good luck....

I don’t cruise more than 23-24 mph.

I personally don’t understand fast boat guy ripping across lake at 60-70mph. But that’s just my opinion.


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Fellow Razorback boater. Awesome questions, and yes a Moomba will serve you well in all the diversified activities you'd like to do mentioned in item #2.

I'm out of Little Rock, and have road/owned a Moomba boat since 2004. I've ridden on or behind on nearly all of them (Supra, Mastercraft, Tige, Malibu, Moomba, Centurian, Ski Nautique, etc). I like to say the following regarding Moomba and the industry as a whole. Moomba set the standard for most boat for the money long ago. You didn't see a Mastercraft economy boat (Axis) or the Tige economy boat (ATX) and others back in the day. Moomba was the Supra little brother that gave you as many options as possible without breaking the bank. Fast forward now in the industry and there are tons of great boats at good pricing in all feature ranges (although getting out of control) that you have to choose from. I'm bias and am going to tell you that Moomba will fit the bill for what you've listed in your requirements. The Craz or Max would be awesome choices. May be great to buy new, but you might want to shop around for "newer" used if you want to save a little money.

So let's walk through your items and then get to the bottom line. Remember, these are my opinions, lots of smart folks in this Moomba Community that can chime in and give great/better advise than mind.

#1. Go into this one with questions up front to Moomba. What/who do they allow for warranty or maintenance work without getting sideways on your warranty. All I will say about this is: if you buy new, but a boat regardless of type that fits your requirements and stands behind customer service without compromise. Moomba boats are great, but folks on this forums can witness that the boat is awesome until you need help or repair and your dealer dodges or avoids going above and beyond for you as a consumer.

#2 Yes to all, awesome boats that hold tons and provide all capability of water sports. 1 issue, Wakeboard boats aren't made for tops speed. They are made to pull and for torque. Most will push 40 ish in MPH, but not much more. What is the need?

#3, Get what you want. Talk to your dealer, some offer wakeboard and surfing classes, boat driving classes, etc. Other Moomba/Supra owners in NW Ark will be happy to help, take you out, offer advise.

Good luck, chow for now.

We also cruise in the low to mid 20’s. Top speed with surf prop was 38 mph or so but we never rev the boat out to go fast. Not what these are built for as mentioned. My last boat would do 50 mph at ease and we don’t miss the speed at all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sandm

I have gotten this question a lot when filling up with gas... "how fast does she go". pat answer is "38... with 4000lbs of water and 10 people" :)
don't buy a wakeboat if you are looking to cruise across the lake at 45+mph. that's not what these are built for. we never cruise above 25ish mph. gas mileage sucks and it's not enjoyable to carry on a conversation. but to each their own.....

that said when you get serious take the family down to the moomba dealer and see which boat fits your lifestyle. any of them will do what you want. helix on the smaller side and max if you need a big ride.

when service time comes nothing wrong with going to a MC dealer BUT my experience from wisconsin was be prepared to pay out the nose for service. they were the most spensive dealer in the area and knew they had a lock on the area. ymmv. I have always done most of my own service and it's not tough to do if you have the time and are mechanically inclined. being in the south winterization can be a little easier with lack of long-term freezing conditions and if stored indoors, you might not have to do a full blown winterization during layup.

color choice as max mentioned is personal preference. our first ride was orange. was a tough sell. second was black flake and pink. sold in a few days. current whip is white/blue/green and will sell quickly when that time comes.
even this boat color has been replicated and sold several times but it'll take a minute longer and need the right buyer.
https://boats-from-usa.com/sites/def...-x46-88354.jpg

good luck....

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Thanks for your input.

I will clarify about driving fast, haha. My tritoon will not get above 25 mph, and that is about as plenty fast as I would ever want to go. Maybe 30 just to get somewhere quickly. But yeah I dont want a boat just to drive around fast and realize that is not the best use of these types.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ArkHog

Fellow Razorback boater. Awesome questions, and yes a Moomba will serve you well in all the diversified activities you'd like to do mentioned in item #2.

I'm out of Little Rock, and have road/owned a Moomba boat since 2004. I've ridden on or behind on nearly all of them (Supra, Mastercraft, Tige, Malibu, Moomba, Centurian, Ski Nautique, etc). I like to say the following regarding Moomba and the industry as a whole. Moomba set the standard for most boat for the money long ago. You didn't see a Mastercraft economy boat (Axis) or the Tige economy boat (ATX) and others back in the day. Moomba was the Supra little brother that gave you as many options as possible without breaking the bank. Fast forward now in the industry and there are tons of great boats at good pricing in all feature ranges (although getting out of control) that you have to choose from. I'm bias and am going to tell you that Moomba will fit the bill for what you've listed in your requirements. The Craz or Max would be awesome choices. May be great to buy new, but you might want to shop around for "newer" used if you want to save a little money.

So let's walk through your items and then get to the bottom line. Remember, these are my opinions, lots of smart folks in this Moomba Community that can chime in and give great/better advise than mind.

#1. Go into this one with questions up front to Moomba. What/who do they allow for warranty or maintenance work without getting sideways on your warranty. All I will say about this is: if you buy new, but a boat regardless of type that fits your requirements and stands behind customer service without compromise. Moomba boats are great, but folks on this forums can witness that the boat is awesome until you need help or repair and your dealer dodges or avoids going above and beyond for you as a consumer.

#2 Yes to all, awesome boats that hold tons and provide all capability of water sports. 1 issue, Wakeboard boats aren't made for tops speed. They are made to pull and for torque. Most will push 40 ish in MPH, but not much more. What is the need?

#3, Get what you want. Talk to your dealer, some offer wakeboard and surfing classes, boat driving classes, etc. Other Moomba/Supra owners in NW Ark will be happy to help, take you out, offer advise.

Good luck, chow for now.

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woo pig

man, i wish there was a dealer closer to here. The two in Arkansas are in Higden and Hot Springs which are both pretty good hauls from Fayetteville. but yeah, good perspective on the dealer/service commitment.

def dont need to go over 30 mph



What body of water do you frequent?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by larry_arizona

I personally don’t understand fast boat guy ripping across lake at 60-70mph. But that’s just my opinion.

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we are right with ya larry. go really fast, burn a bunch of gas and stop. go really fast somewhere else, burn a bunch of gas and stop. makes no sense but to each their own.......
I think a go fast would be fun for, oh, maybe a day. novelty over.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by haknslash

We also cruise in the low to mid 20’s. Top speed with surf prop was 38 mph or so but we never rev the boat out to go fast. Not what these are built for as mentioned. My last boat would do 50 mph at ease and we don’t miss the speed at all.

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I was scorlling Instagram several days ago before finding this forum. I stopped on your posts because I dig your color combo so much lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sandm

we are right with ya larry. go really fast, burn a bunch of gas and stop. go really fast somewhere else, burn a bunch of gas and stop. makes no sense but to each their own.......
I think a go fast would be fun for, oh, maybe a day. novelty over.

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yeah when i say go fast i just mean relative to my tritoon. which, dont get me wrong, goes decently quick for a 22 footer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

I was scorlling Instagram several days ago before finding this forum. I stopped on your posts because I dig your color combo so much lol.

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Thank ya! We LOVE the Ultra Blue flake and white combo. We get a lot of compliments on the boat when we pull up to the docks to grab a bite to eat or when we’re pulling out somewhere. The flake just grabs their attention :D

that would be my flake color of choice for sure.


I wish there was more option to add flake to other parts of the exterior as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by haknslash

Thank ya! We LOVE the Ultra Blue flake and white combo. We get a lot of compliments on the boat when we pull up to the docks to grab a bite to eat or when we’re pulling out somewhere. The flake just grabs their attention :D

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how did you get the color combo laid on the way you did?

maybe your year had a different spray pattern, but the boat builder on the website now, i wouldnt be able to lay the colors out like that that I can figure out.

And is that captain blue on the side?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

how did you get the color combo laid on the way you did?

maybe your year had a different spray pattern, but the boat builder on the website now, i wouldnt be able to lay the colors out like that that I can figure out.

And is that captain blue on the side?

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gonna reply to myself here, but i'm looking at your boat some more and i think that's just the way the sun hits it, lol. It looks like two diff colors. i will prolly just copy your pallet lol

hak's boat would be one of my first choices in colors with the blue flake. it's a good lookin ride......
one of my favs on here.

Yea it’s all ultra blue and no special scheme or anything. The blue flake tends to change how it looks based off angles and light hitting it so that’s why it might look like two colors of blue. You can spice it up a little different since 2019 by having a separate top or bottom hull color. I will say the only negative with my color scheme is the interior gets HOT AF on the gray areas. Really wished we had the Chill Tech fabric like the Supras get. I went as light as I could and it’s still a hot mofo at times...and to think one time I was going to do dark gray interior lol!!

Thanks sandm!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by haknslash

Yea it’s all ultra blue and no special scheme or anything. The blue flake tends to change how it looks based off angles and light hitting it so that’s why it might look like two colors of blue. You can spice it up a little different since 2019 by having a separate top or bottom hull color. I will say the only negative with my color scheme is the interior gets HOT AF on the gray areas. Really wished we had the Chill Tech fabric like the Supras get. I went as light as I could and it’s still a hot mofo at times...and to think one time I was going to do dark gray interior lol!!

Thanks sandm!!

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this is the insight i came to this board for.

I really dig the look of some of the brown gator step floors coupled with the brown interiors. i think they just look sweet. i wonder if those get as hot as well?


and I'm with you on the light. yours is very light colored. seat temp is a sneaky issue. my tritoon has tan seats and the vinyl type quick dry flooring, and it also gets pretty hot in the sun.

I'd like to hear some comments on the interior seating/space capabilities compared to these models. The Helix and Makai look like they are wider than the others.

Do any of these models stand out in terms of roominess (particularly bow capacity) besides just the raw passenger count and boat length?

I really dont imagine i would ever go past 12 passengers. prolly 8 is the sweet spot for me most of the time.

Attachment 28711

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

I'd like to hear some comments on the interior seating/space capabilities compared to these models. The Helix and Makai look like they are wider than the others.

Do any of these models stand out in terms of roominess (particularly bow capacity) besides just the raw passenger count and boat length?

I really dont imagine i would ever go past 12 passengers. prolly 8 is the sweet spot for me most of the time.

Attachment 28711

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When we were shopping I sat in the Craz and Mojo boats along with the Max and although the traditional bow of the Craz will have sleeker lines than most of the other models in the lineup, the tapered bow stood out to us how much room gets ate up by the taper. Might not be an issue for you or your family but for us we wanted a very deep, wide, play-pin style layout. The Max is very squared off allowing for a lot of bow space. The Helix is similar but shorter bow space front to rear since it's a smaller boat. The Mojo is more of a hybrid style bow layout like a mix between a Craz and a Max in terms of shape and roominess. The Mojo is I think the oldest in the line-up with now an upgraded interior. It is also the only boat in the lineup that has a 100" beam compared to all others having 102" beam. 2" might not seem like a lot but some models carries their beam further along the boat than others which adds to them feeling roomier.If I had to guess I would think the Mojo would be next on either getting completely redesigned hull or possibly replacd by a new model. I've had I think around 15 people in my Max (on stock ballast) and yes that's a ton of people and more than I ever care to carry but it did not feel cramped and we still had room for a few other people if needed. Not that I would ever want that many people on my boat again but just saying it can certainly hold that many and still not feel cramped, at least for those in the cockpit. I had I think 5-6 people in the bow all of them were adults. The Craz, Mojo, Kaiyen and Makai now all have a similar "offset" dash design based loosely on the original Helix and Max interior designs but they come with the larger 7" screen. There are times I really wished we had that screen instead of the smaller 4.5" screen as it just gives you more data at a glance rather than having to toggle between screens like you have to on the smaller screens. The Helix and Max are a little less bells and whistles than the rest of the models but for us it was perfect and still looks good imo. I'm sort of a minimalist anyways so it doesn't bother me not having all the latest do-dads and whatnot. Well, except for the 7" screen as I'd really like to have that lol.

I don't think you can go wrong with any Moomba in the line-up as they are all great boats. you just need to go to a dealer that hopefully still has some inventory on his lot so you can sit in all the boats and demo the ones that get your heart pumping. I do wish they offered more gel coat layouts and options across all of the line-up but they all look great IMO. There is not another Moomba in the line-up I would trade my Max for and only upgrade I'd move to would be a Supra, especially the new sexy SA as it reminds me of a Max but a bit more refined and higher end. Not to say a Moomba isn't refined as they all use nice materials and detail but Supra of course is a few notches more in style, comfort and do-dads...also a bit more coin too lol. I also heavily researched before buying and checked out other brands like MasterCraft, Axis, Malibu and MB Sports but I kept coming back to the Skiers Choice products. A lot of that was dealer decision and the other half was I just liked everything Moomba offered at its price point compared to the competition. Some of the other brands may excel in one area or another over a Moomba but it's the total package you have to consider and for us the Moomba's just check more of the boxes for what matters.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

I'd like to hear some comments on the interior seating/space capabilities compared to these models. The Helix and Makai look like they are wider than the others.

Do any of these models stand out in terms of roominess (particularly bow capacity) besides just the raw passenger count and boat length?

I really dont imagine i would ever go past 12 passengers. prolly 8 is the sweet spot for me most of the time.

Attachment 28711

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Coming from a tri-toon, I think you'll appreciate the extra space of a larger boat. I would get the biggest boat that fits your needs, you are willing to tow and fits in your garage. I can't believe I am going to publicly admit this but, I too came from a pontoon. :? OK there it is, its out. A 22ft Bennington. It was just a phase. My 23ft Mojo was a perfect choice 4 us. Plenty of room and storage for stuff. She's gone now, but not forgotten. I'd say 22-23ft is the sweet spot. Re: the Max, the nice thing about the max is how deep it is which allows to add loads of ballast and still have plenty storage. Its a great value for the money.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Isaguel

Coming from a tri-toon, I think you'll appreciate the extra space of a larger boat. I would get the biggest boat that fits your needs, you are willing to tow and fits in your garage. I can't believe I am going to publicly admit this but, I too came from a pontoon. :? OK there it is, its out. A 22ft Bennington. It was just a phase. My 23ft Mojo was a perfect choice 4 us. Plenty of room and storage for stuff. She's gone now, but not forgotten. I'd say 22-23ft is the sweet spot. Re: the Max, the nice thing about the max is how deep it is which allows to add loads of ballast and still have plenty storage. Its a great value for the money.

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Bruh, tritoons are very versatile and comfortable. Very popular type of boat. No shame lol.

Can you guys advise me as to what these options/extras do and if they are important/advisable/worth the $ to the build of the boat?

Walk through screen
Fire suppression system
Removable seat back kit
Duel battery setup with charger
Heater
Side storage bins
Surf pipe exhaust upgrade
Water strainer and flush kit

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

Can you guys advise me as to what these options/extras do and if they are important/advisable/worth the $ to the build of the boat?

Walk through screen
Fire suppression system
Removable seat back kit
Duel battery setup with charger
Heater
Side storage bins
Surf pipe exhaust upgrade
Water strainer and flush kit

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My opinion
Only if you ride in cool/cold weather
No because your boat comes fire extinguisher
Nice upgrade
Dual batteries and charger is awesome.
Yes if you are in northern climates
Very nice upgrade
Surf pipe should be a requirement
Water strainer kit is a must.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

Can you guys advise me as to what these options/extras do and if they are important/advisable/worth the $ to the build of the boat?

Walk through screen
Fire suppression system
Removable seat back kit
Duel battery setup with charger
Heater
Side storage bins
Surf pipe exhaust upgrade
Water strainer and flush kit

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The only thing on that list I wouldn't get is the fire suppression.

The 2 absolute musts to me are the dual batteries and surf pipe. Heater is a close second. I don't use it, but the wife and daughter do, almost every time out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shoebox

The only thing on that list I wouldn't get is the fire suppression.

The 2 absolute musts to me are the dual batteries and surf pipe. Heater is a close second. I don't use it, but the wife and daughter do, almost every time out.

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So the heater is a heater for people? Ok. Was thinking it was for the engine or something lol. Interesting. Your fam uses it in the summer??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

So the heater is a heater for people? Ok. Was thinking it was for the engine or something lol. Interesting. Your fam uses it in the summer??

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Yes, for people. You could add it later, but why? Just get it from the factory.

Yep, they use it in the evening on the way back to the dock. They're girls, they're always cold. [emoji23]

The heater is awesome for early morning sessions and early season sessions,

Heater hoses will reach almost anywhere in boat.

Excellent resale feature too.

Surf pipe is a huge bonus at ordering time, $750 ish when ordering or $1700 at dealers (someone recently was quoted).

You can add surf pipe after, PITA to install.


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I was skeptical on the heater at first but id say it has extended our season with the kids. Heater with wet suits and they can get in and out of some really cold water all day.

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Originally Posted by Surgical_ass

I was skeptical on the heater at first but id say it has extended our season with the kids. Heater with wet suits and they can get in and out of some really cold water all day.

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Is it like a space heater? Or does it plug into wetsuit like an astronauts suit? Lmao

Remember, complete noob

Mine has 2 flexible hoses that come out just behind the port Observer seat. There is a switch on the panel to turn them on. The kids usually throw a towel around them with the hose tucked in. Dosent hook to anything you just hold it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Surgical_ass

Mine has 2 flexible hoses that come out just behind the port Observer seat. There is a switch on the panel to turn them on. The kids usually throw a towel around them with the hose tucked in. Dosent hook to anything you just hold it.

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Wow, thats blowing my mind haha

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RB56

Can you guys advise me as to what these options/extras do and if they are important/advisable/worth the $ to the build of the boat?

Walk through screen
Fire suppression system
Removable seat back kit
Duel battery setup with charger
Heater
Side storage bins
Surf pipe exhaust upgrade
Water strainer and flush kit

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Everyone’s input here is spot on! [emoji1360] the only other thing I would add is you might pass on the storage bins. They are really nice to have but you will likely want to add larger bags to the boat which will render them useless. You could save your self some $ and put it towards upgrading the bags.


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My Max does 70mph........when its on the trailer ;)

Ultra Blue FTW

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Originally Posted by DNIXD99

My Max does 70mph........when its on the trailer ;)

Ultra Blue FTW

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Not gonna lie, u had me in the first half ;)

Greer's Ferry and Ouachita mainly. We'll pull to Table Rock in Missouri from time to time.