Here's The Problem with Moombas!

The problem with Moombas is no one talks about the quality wake! Everyone seems to have a "wakeboard" boat. I tried wakeboarding twice, first time it hurt, the second time it hurt worse! I'm a skier! Moombas have a wake that is just as good as any Nautique! I just read in Waterski that the Moomba outback has a bump at 22 off, I never felt it. I guess that there are not that many skiers left out there but I'd like to hear other people's opinions. I know that with the towers and all you can get some sweet tunes going on... you haven't heard my boat! No tower, but I create some wakes in perfect glass without the boat moving. Let's talk about how sweet it is to run a pass on the course with our Moombas, we all know that Moombas can create a kick axx wakeboarding wake... what about the flat wake? Anyone out there that cares?

I'd say it is well known (at least on this BB) the Outback is a ski boat.
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B

Shane - It's a head turner (in the water or on the trailer) and great boat. I'm teaching my boys how to drive. Only the middle one feels comfortable driving for me. Last season I got maybe five pulls before breaking a rib. Loved the acceleration into and across the wake. I'm an average skier. It's been more than twenty years since I was last in a tournament and don't remember enough to compare the current ride behind the Outback to a MC or Nautique. I sold my Nautique in 1987 to pay for graduate school. The Outback we boat last year has been a real joy. - Deerfield

I ski behind a '98 Outback and I can't see that there would be much difference between boats of the same size and weight. I could see adding a wake plate would allow the driver to adjust the wake and knock down the prop wash. I don't have a wake plate and I see there is a small bump or ripple behind the rooster tail but skiing at 35mph I never have time to notice it except driving the boat. I see ski boats have gotten larger but I still prefer the smaller direct drives for the best wake and skiing like the 19' Prostar but it isn't any good for anything else and there is more to my boating than watersking.

Shane: I have a ski family. My, my wife and parents and now our children. For years I have wanted a direct drive ski boat and finally had the chance this year when my parents old I/O started sinking (slowly, but still sinking).

I test drove and skied behind a Nautique 206 and was almost ready to buy it, when I had a look at the Outback.

The Outback is a fantastic slalom boat. As for wakeboarding, I'm happy to try, but still afraid of adding ballast.

I just spent 3 hours on a plane with nothing to read but the waterski mag's 2008 buyers guide. If this were a medical journal article, it would be slammed for horrible bias. Objectively, the Outback is as good as any other direct drive slalom boat. However, subjectively, the authors show a bias directly proportional to the ad space in the magazine, even mentioning that Malibu sponsored one of their tournaments.

I think I would have been just as happy with the Nautique. But, now I have $20 000 extra in my pocket to spend on the 'extras' for the boat.

As for comparing boats,I too bought an Outback DD and am more than satisfied . As a ski boat it has been second only to a Malibu Response with no tower as we have various friends with other ski boats.I've compared to a Mastercraft 209 ,2 Malibu's a Gecko, Centurion,2 Supra's and many runabouts and Bang for your buck I/We win.Everybody wants to ski my boat except when Malibu is around then its which boat is available first.As for wakeboarding I have the tower but no ballast and a wakeplate only and other than a couple of serious wakeboard riders absolutely no complaints.We have not wake surfed yet but who knows.Most of our friends bought there boats for various reasons and features But all but one admit Bang for your Buck this one wins. This is a nice skiboat and very family friendly. Now if the weather would just warm up we could get back to using it. :lol: 8)

I have to agree that the Outback is the best all around boat on the market. It's a tournament grade ski boat with the added advantage of the tower, wakeplate and ballast making it a formidable wakeboarding machine. Its the perfect combination for a family of skiers that all do different things.

I've noticed a bit of a hop behind our Outback between 32 and 35mph. If your form is correct and your riding the edge of the ski thru the wake its not even noticable. I only get it when I flatten out.

I think you can buy a better boat for specific uses. The bigger Moombas and Supras with the 4' wakes are obviously going to make the wakeboarders happier and there are boats out there with flatter slalom wakes if you want to pay 50,000.00. And by the way, try a slalom pass behind an LSV and a wakeboard run behind a small Mastercraft. :D They just aren't versatile like the Outback

Possibly the best thing about the Outback for me is that I have yet to find anything I really dislike about the boat. Its a very well rounded, affordable, family skiboat.

We have a 99 Mobius DD with carb. I think this is probably the predecesor to the current outback?? We are primarily skiers and have no real problem with the wake.

But I don't like 22 off . Out at 15 off there is no problem and in at 28 off and shorter at 34mph - no problem. I am not sure how much of the 22 off bump is in my head though. I heard long ago that all ski boats have that bump to some degree, so I feel it in my boat whether it is there or not. I think I have had some skiers mention it.

I think it is more sensitive to weight. If I have a boat load of people I will stay out at 28 off. If I am down to a driver and spotter and maybe one passenger and the boat is balanced I will go 38 off...

The wake is also pretty sensitive to load distribution. I often annoy the passengers by directing them from behind the boat to try to balance.

My c2ts
Dave

I have a 1975 MasterCraft Stars and Stripes in very, very good condition! There is really no wake to speak of because the boat is so little and light. I have never had to think about crossing the wake, it is NO issue. BUT!!! I cannot take my friends, my kids cannot take their friends and when we bought a wakeboard this year there was nothing to jump off of. So yes if you are only going to ski through the course and just do tournaments get a Pro190. But for us we want to do it all and have fun with our friends so from what I see nobody does this like Moomba!

PS Very Good Condition MC for sale!!!!

I've not noticed this bump. The prop has some to do with this as well. I put a 13 x 13 4 balde stainless on last summer and instantly I had a bump. For me at 36 mph it was a none issue, but for my wife and son at slower speeds it was a real pain and very unpleasant.

Overall I can't see how you could improve the boat without jacking up the price with fancier interiors and bling. The new EFI motors are top notch, the trailer is a dream and the bow is the nicest on the market. My wife sat in the front bow of almost every ski boat on the market becasue that's her favorite place to hand out when we are floating around and it was believe it or not a big part of her decission making process and you know what they say "if she's happy your happy"

I've been skiing behing tournament boats for 20yrs and this boat is as good if not better than anything out there and it's plenty comfy for a family of 5

sled is right. The prop definately makes a difference. I run the standard 3 blade and the bump is almost nonexistent. The only skiers that notice it are the ones that are VERY particular or guys like me that are a bit past their skiing prime and need all the help they can get. :D

Benson makes a valid point too. The passenger load can really effect the wake. Too heavy in the back, the wake gets bigger, too heavy up front and the prop wash gets nasty. I use the wake plate to adjust the prop wash if we have a load in the front. And like sled, my wife and kids hang out up there alot.

I bought my 05 Outback after skiing with the INT league for a couple of years. The first year I skied behind an Outback and a Nautique and then the next year the boat rotation changed to a Nautique and a Malibu. I missed the Moomba. The wake was great but I thought that I wouldn't be able to afford the Moomba, it must be as expensive as the others if it skied like the others. Good thing I was wrong!

If I win the lottery next week I would still have the Moomba, maybe two! Everyone I have pulled has told me how great the wake is.

It was a pretty good feeling and also a little funny... I went to a Moomba Reunion at Lake Havasu last summer and I had the only boat with no tower. I was asked more that once "where's the tower?" I had to reply, "I Ski" the only answer to that was "OH".

My point with the original post was that us Moomba owers have such a diverse boat but the magazines and most consumers only think about the wakeboarding side of it, but this year waterski magazine put the Outback in the same category as the Nautique 196 & 206, the funny part about it is the Moomba has better standard features, such as 50 more horsepower for 20K less... I guess I should say that on the Nautique web site!

I think there is a bias against Moomba at Waterski Mag. I'm not too surprised as alot of the advertising money comes from the big three.

Their recent 2008 guide showed that the Outback could compete quite well against the other boats, but I bet there would be no difference or advangate to Moomba if they blinded the skiers to the boat that was pulling them.

I also noticed that the acceleration curves did not match the reported times to 30 and 36mph. The curves were fastest for lighter boats (such as the Outback).

Of the big three, I nearly bought a Nautique 206. Then I discovered Moomba and am very pleased with my decision. There are no gimics with the Outback. There is lots of room for the family, no compromise on slalom performance and more wake than anyone in my family can handle for wakeboarding.

Laz,

It's funny you say the big 3! I was talking to my dad about this whole subject and he remembers a day when Malibu was not even close to being a quality boat. They were just another boat. Funny how things work. I guess if you put a big price tag on something the average person will think that it must be a quality product. You are right about the magazines being bias to them, I guess I would be too if they were paying my bills. I saw a copy of the pricing per page in Waterski and it is stupid what the big 3 pay per month, no wonder they cost 20K more. About the pull... I get up like an anchor! Behind my boat it is easier than the others, I guess it's that 50 extra horsepower! For Less Cash! I often wonder why people are so stuck on a Name Brand, do they really need to impress others that much? I impress everyone that rides in my boat! My cousin who bought a Centurion (for 5K more than a Moomba) rode in my boat this summer, she said she got it because she could take it home that day. She told me that next time she'll wait for the Moomba.

The Nautique dealer called me a few times to see if I'd made up my mind after testdriving the 206. I told him I would be happy to buy the Nautique if he could tell what I'm getting for the extra $25 000.

He couldn't answer that question and no amount of asking or Google searching could. So the Outback choice was obvious.

Nice! What can they tell you? You get a better engine... well no but You get a better prop... well not that either... you get a better stereo... ok they're the same... the upholstery... no not that either... I know! Ours has a Nautique sticker on the side and those aren't cheap, you know!

Easy now ED,

I was surprised, no impressed that they mentioned that the Outback was one of only 11 boats that got the AWSA certification and that they more or less implied that they were very hard on the Outback because it is so much less in price. In fact they said the savings was not hundreds but thousands under the other tournament boats driving the point home about what a good deal the Outback is or Moomba for that fact.

I have friends with all kinds of ski boats like many here, and they are all impressed with our boat.

I have been going down the slalomcourse since 1978! I remember when I was lifeguarding on the Lake watching the MasterCrafts or Nautiques go by wishing I could own one. There were NO other skiboats. Finally in 1985ish I bought a 1975 MasterCraft for 7500 bucks! That was expensive back then. So yes I maintained our boat and held my nose very high around all other pretenders. And I must admit the gelcoat on this boat still shines, it was made of excellent material. But yes even with the old MC I was a snob. Well 2 years ago the driveshaft broke (OK 31 years old!!!) and some kind Gentleman about 1/2 mile away saw us waving frantatically (as the sun was setting) at the passing bassboats. He lowered his ski boat down from his lift drove out to us and offered us a tow. I stayed in the boat while my wife and kids took up his offer to get in his Moomba Outback. I was thinking what is an outback?! All I could hear was "wow daddy you need to look at this boat." So when we got to the dock I jumped in his boat and checked it out! I was impressed! When I got home I looked them up on the internet. This sumer I even stopped a couple of Moomba owners on the Lake and talked at length with them about their boats. I always had smiles from friendly people. In June we visited the Moomba dealer in Atlanta and checked out the boats. I have over 15 years experience as an automotive engineer and 2 years designing Mine Warfare equipment for the US Navy. Moomba makes an outstanding product! And I will purchase one this Saturday! I just have one question that I can not find the answer to? If everyone else can sell a boat for over 50k that is equal to or less than this product why does Skiers Choice do this? What ever the reason I am sure after I take mine home and use it I will give them a call and thank them, and just maybe ask the question!

ZEGM,

Are you nuts! We as owners were hoping they figured this out :lol:

I just hope they (SC) don't realize they could make more money by this Saturday!!!! I am actually writing you an email right now!

I hope you find the boat you want, dont rule out the LS vs the outback V. My wife was dead set against the direct drive boat after sitting in the outback until she sat in the LS and fell in love with it. Have fun and dont be shy about asking for throw ins!!!!

Our goal is to check them both out. I want the roomy interior and she wants the DD because she is a slalom course girl! I went to the boat builder and printed up both of them (with the options we want) so we are ready to compare, the LS actually is a few hundred less!! What did you get off MSRP from the dealer?

We ended up paying about 38,400 for ours. That was about 3-4 thousand off I think. We were pleased with the price, it is pretty loaded. We liked the LS more as far as roominess. It seemed to fit us better that everyone wasnt going to be seated in the U shape. It seemed like it will be more comfy then the V was. Just my 2 cents..........

Well right now I am 60 V and 40 LS but I never even looked at an LS when I was at the dealer. I really like DD better because you loose power going through a transfer case like the V has. I also like the fact that the boat is longer so it will be faster. I do enjoy drag racing other boats with the Old MC, she is exceptionally fast out of the hole as she weights nothing. I don't ever remember being beat, but of course as the speed gets near 40 the big ole 2 strokes on the bassboats finally catch up and leave us.

Well we were 100% V 0% DD until we sat in it. It really is quite different from the Outback as far as room goes. None the less have fun, let the wife find what pleases her. Its funny, my wife said absolutly no DD and definatley no Black on the boat. Well she picked the DD and she picked a black and white color scheme. She sat in the V and the LS and liked the roominess and the depth of the sides better then the V. It is deeper when you sit in it......... Have fun, what colors are you thinking about?

Well you and Sled and both on the side of the DD and I do own one now so I really can't wait to check out the LS. The dealer in Atlanta put an Outback and a V side by side for us to look over. My wife loved the Outback but we looked at it first and then after jumping in the V we liked it better. BUT! the Outback is a smaller boat. The LS is also almost a foot longer and 2 inches wider than the V. So again we are not going go and buy a V, our first goal to to check out the LS and compare it. And really it is because of you and Sled that we starting thinking about this so Thanks!!! Our main issue is no one can sit behind the engine now when my wife is skiing, but at all other times you can. So she only skis a fraction of the time when we are out there so it wouldn't be an issue. Now my son loves the cooler under the seat in the V, where is the cooler in the LS?
A solid Brittany Blue with the Block Lettering. I want someone to see what the boat is from a long way away!

You could sit about 4-5 people in front of the engine not including the driver! I am not trying to change your mind or anything, just telling you that the outback and the LS are 2 very different feeling boats when you compare them side by side. In the outback and the outback V you also sit higher then the LS. The LS does not have a cooler under the seat however, that was an item I liked too but it wasn't even a factor in my decision. We just felt like we acually had more room and comfort in the LS. You just have to compare the 2 side by side, we made the choice on what was best for us as a family as I am sure you will also. we are going to the boat show later this month to search for a new ski for myself. Since we already ordered our Moomba we still wanted to seee all the new toys out.

BamBam you have me now at 50%!!! Especially if I can sit that many people in front of the engine. I do prefer a DD for everything except for the lump in the middle. Man I wish it was Saturday!!! I can't wait to look at the LS!

How far from a dealer are you? Too bad you cant just run down and check one out before the show. Outback, V, LS I think your going to be happy whatever you choose!! Hey Z are you a slalom expert? I bought a ski I am trying to ID its value and year, any ideas? It is in the slalom section if you have any ideas let me know........Bambam

I have to agree with the rating, there is a bump at 22 off and 15 off is a bit bumpy as well - both are soft rather than hard though which makes them easy to cut through.

Once you get to 28, and especially 32 and 35 the wake is flat as can be and if you go shorter the dip is negligible as well, The Moomba Outback wake may be a little larger than a Malibu, and is definitely larger than a nautique's, but the softness makes up for size.

I still think that the features and the price were our key factors though, I mean, if I had a promo offer from Malibu I would in no way turn it down as the lxi is a nice boat. We get the SS cupholder and popup cleats for almost half the price though. Promo boat driver will agree that this is a nice boat for the cash.

I do like the wake the other way too, if I want to give myself a rest and skate or wake for a while, a simple switch of the plate and I can clear both wakes.

Hey, guys - For those going to the show to order a boat, I'm more than glad to email you a spread sheet I used for my boat show purchase a year ago here in Chicago. It is a detailed list of what I paid, from the basic boat all the way down to taxes, including options, services, and items that were negotiated at no cost to me. The all in cost for our '07 Outback DD just the way we wanted it came to approximately $37,000. The show and process of buying the boat was fun for the whole family. Have three boys, all three of whom are beginner skiers or wakeboarders. My wife is a great sport and rides in the boat for fun. I'm home this evening so can email the information in an Excel file for anyone interested. - Deerfield

deerfield,
i would love to see your spreadsheet. i have one made up for myself, but the more info i can have will be very helpful. especially knowing what may be some of the dealer flexibilities.
please send it to [email protected]

how much off the boat builder pricing should i expect to get? i am really looking forward to Z's report. i trust he will be timely:)

Deerfield,

Can you send the file to [email protected].

thanks!

All:
I am not sure if your spreadsheet is different than the one I have. I got it from the dealer I purchased my LSV from.
It has the retail prices of all the models - you select the options you want and it rolls up a total price for you. That way, you can check off the options a boat has and get a good idea for retail price. The deals these guys are willing to make are unbelievable, but this spreadsheet really highlights that.

If anybody wants it, please send me a PM.

zegm and yearround - Just sent you guys an email with budget. - Deerfield