Outback Direct Drive vs. V Drive

[E4NASH]

Newb here...was wondering if you all can give me your opinions on a direct drive Outback vs. the V Drive. We are looking for a boat. I found what seems to be a good deal on an 07 Outback. It has a tower, racks, and rear ballast. This will be my and my family's first boat. I mean I have had several PWCs and have been around boats all my life but never have I owned my own boat. I wakeboard a little and when I say a little I mean I'm able to get up and ride but haven't even tried the most basic of tricks but would really like to get into it. I have three young kids so the boat would be used for everything....tubing, wakeboarding, skiing, kneeboarding, etc, and riding around on the lake. We have a good bit of friends, none of whom wakeboard, who will go along as well when the kids don't. I think for the price and it being a newer boat that it would be a great entry into this market and then maybe in 5 years or so trade up to a bigger V drive.

I have always been weary of the DD because of the Motor in the middle of the boat and it seems to take up a lot of seating room. But have been told it offers more floor space for walking around and stuff. I'm sure many of you have different opinions so please school the Newb as this is my first entry into inboards.

-E

[saberworks]

I have a closed bow direct drive mastercraft prostar 190. It's way too small inside for a family. Might be better with an open bow but even then, having the engine in the middle is annoying. We're looking to upgrade to a v-drive, but truthfully we were happy with the direct drive for the first few years. I think it's harder to sell a direct drive.

[moombadaze]

E, welcome to Moomba, with what you are discribing for use I would steer you to a v-dive for family use and storage. Ive had both ddrive and vdrive boats.

[DOCDRS]

I've had both as well, and unless you want to do alot of long line barefooting or slalom i'd go vdrive all the way.......back when i bought my dd , vdrives and wakeboarding were n their infancy......wow what a difference 10 years makes
just my .02

[Hoopskier]

Well I currently have a 03 Outback direct drive. I don’t have any experience with a v-drive. I would think that a DD would be cheaper to purchase because its one less major component in the boat and less desired in today’s wakeboarding/wake surfing market. I am slightly bias towards a DD just because that is my preference. With a family an open bow is a must. Although if I were looking to buy again I would definitely look into a v-drive. The v-drive would be easier to be social when in the boat; everyone sits closer and not divided by the engine.

For me when I’m out in the boat (my DD) the area behind the driver’s seat is used to store my daily trip stuff.

Not being a wakeboard expert but just from looking at what’s on the market the v-drive is the way to go if you ever want to get into serious wakeboarding or surfing.

In either choice you can’t go wrong, you’re getting a great boat.

[deerfield]

I found what seems to be a good deal on an 07 Outback. It has a tower, racks, and rear ballast. This will be my and my family's first boat....I have three young kids so the boat would be used for everything....tubing, wakeboarding, skiing, kneeboarding, etc, and riding around on the lake.

E4NASH - Like you, I have three kids, although they are older. We ski, wakeboard, and tube. Our boat is an '07 Outback. Bought it new with tower, racks, and ballast. I love this boat and the direct drive. The motor box offers another place to sit for our crew when wakeboarding. The racks and tower help get the floor free of towels, lifejackets, and skis/wakeboards. If you load it up with people you are inevitably going to take water over the bow. Of all the models in the Moomba lineup, I think the Outback may have the least amount of freeboard. It's been a great boat for us and I plan to keep her for many years. - Deerfield

[deepcove]

I have a DD with an open bow. With 2 kids there is no way I would want a closed bow DD. One of the reasons I went with a DD was the motor is easy to work on without being a contortionist. I like to store all my wet stuff in a rubber maid bin behind the drivers seat which still leaves the back seat area, left side of the motor and observers seat open. I have a buddy with a 20SSV and believe it or not there is less usable floor space with the same bin in his boat beacuse of the wrap around seating. I realize I am making a comparasin to a small VD. The down side to my DD is I like to surf and there is no way of hiding 2000 lbs ballast!

Also I would trade my boat in a heart beat for a 210 Super Air!

[BensonWdby]

Part of the consideration is whether you trailer the boat or have a place on the lake. We have a lake place and the lake is small. We rarely carrie a cooler because we can all grab something out of the fridge before we go. For skiing we put as few people in the boat as possible and swap out riders on shore.

I am a serious skier, rarely pull wakeboarders, and would probably never consider a V drive. If I wanted all the weight in the back I would have bought a stern drive. There is a reason that DD are used for pulling tournaments. But an open bow is a necessity with a DD for those rare moments when we have a boat full, or the ladies want to stretch out as we putt around the lake.

[jmvotto]

Thinking of multiple sports and kids i would lean toward the OBV, we have an 07 and love it. Think of what type of lake you will run on as well. the OB sits very low in the water and willl ride extremely rough if you get rollers around vs the OBV. I was always a slalom skier, but now we board and surf more. but the skiis do come out.

my .02

[Sled491]

YOU Need to consider the lakes you will visit and what your goals are. For now it seems like the Outback will work for you. If the lakes or rivers you will run are on the smaller side this is also pointing you towards the outback. We live on a smaller lake, don't trailer, and have other boats to use. As well as being a hard core skier my kids are small enough to do anything behind the outback.

If however you are going to be on bigger waters, your kids are getting to be teens and want to be the next big air champs of the lake, and your not really hard core anything just want to recreate than consider the V Drive.