Boat choices.......

[Tiltboy]

Hi all, I have just purchased a lake place w/some friends of mine, and I'm looking very hard at a Moomba. My question is......Which one? We are mostly novice skiers, really just recreational. I would like to try wakeboarding, so I like the idea of the Outback with the tower. I guess I'm looking for the best combo ski/boarding boat. I'm also trying to decide between new and used. What are some of the major differences in the older models? Did the Outback get a deeper V-hull in 2003? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Gharvin]

I just bought a 2005 Outback w/tower four weeks ago. I looked all over for a used 03 or newer outback and the ones that I found were around $23000 plus fuel to drive to get them. I bought mine for around $26500 and am very pleased with the boat. We are also novice skiers and wakeboarders. I think that the vdrive outback and mobius models are truly intended for skilled wakeboarders that can take advantage of the hull and the boat. I will probably buy a fat sac for my boat and help out the wake if I can ever accomplish getting over the darn thing! What part of the country are you in? The dealer I bought my Outback from was in Alabama and was great!

[smokedog2]

Yea what lake? Post a pix.

I've got the Mobius LSV (05 50 hrs) and am very happy. There is a lot of info here on options where you can find my opinion and others.

The dealer is important.

SD2

[silverski]

Something to think about.... I went to the boat show fully intending to order an Outback. Brought the family and sat in every boat in the line up. There is a noticable difference in the boat between the Outback and the rest of the line up. The hull is deeper on the other models which does a couple of things. It makes you feel like you are not going to fall out into the water as the "sides are higher". Second it provides much more storage space. In addition, a v-drive opens up seating and provides another level of storage.

Price was a big factor for me but in the end I went with the Outback V-drive. Wasn't a big wakeboarder so I didn't do a tower, sacs, speakers, or racks which is where you can drop a lot of money. Still cost an additional $5k for the bigger hull and the v-drive.

Half way through the first season, and I think it was a great choice. We don't have a place on the lake so we are loading up the boat with people and young kids and it is very comfortable. The ironic part is that the wake even without a tower and sacs has made me wakeboard much more than I ever have. I'm guessing that I will be adding a tower in the future and am already looking at a wakeboard upgrade for next season.

Your decision may be different if you have a place on the lake and you don't have to load up for the day. Plus the cost of stepping up is a barrier.

[Rob-MobiusLS]

Mobius LS Direct Drive with a wake plate. We ski primarily and wakeboard occasionally.
Gets you a great ski boat with tournament quality wakes @ 32, 34, 36 mph and a good wakeboard boat. We have plenty of storage even with the big bump in the middle.
We would have got the Outback LS, but the boat show special got us the Mobius package (tower, ballast, 4 blade prop) for almost the same price.

[Tiltboy]

Thanks for all the input. How much off are the boat show prices everyone is getting? Gharvin, what city is your dealer in? I live in Alabama too. Our place is on Smith lake. I guess I need to take a closer look at the Mobius. Are most of the boat shows in Jan/Feb?

[Gharvin]

Alabama Watersports in Athens was my dealer. Coogan Preston the owner is very helpful. When I was there last month I think he had a few mobius models left. I have worked with him after the purchase and he has been just as responsive as before I made the purchase.

WWW.alabamawatersports.com

Regards,
Gary Harvin

[OnTheH20]

My wife and I were 99% sure we wanted the Outback direct drive. We even put a bit of money down on a boat at the '04 Atlanta Boat Show. Shortly thereafter, Atlanta Marine put the Outback we reserved and an additional Mobius (both direct drives) in the water for a test drive. boy were we surprised!

The Outback was/is a great boat, but not what we were looking for. For several reasons, we opted to save an additional year and get the Mobius LSV at the '05 show. The price was discounted some plus we optted to get the 3-year maintenance, hydraulic wake plate, tower speakers and bimini top as "show-freebies".

The best thing we did was take a test drive and find the Moomba "calling" us. I think everyone here would agree...whatever Moomba you choose, you can't go wrong.

[smokedog2]

BTW - I've had a lake place 5 years. We got by with my Lund the first four years. I hope you use your lake place as much or more than we have ours. We average 2 weekends a month. A lot more with the new boat. Baseball is not an option but we have been able to work all other sports for the kids. It is the destination of choice for many friends and well worth the investment.

Here are a few unsolicited suggestions assuming you do not live there, you have kids, and the drive is more than an hour.

Take two cars. The wife leaves with the kids and I bat clean up, you cannot get out with kids “helping.” Getting the wife on the road gets the kids started on Sunday bed routine earlier. I can also leave home when I’m ready and get a jump on the set-up. I own a lake place so that I do not need to pack. My wife insists on a suitcase. Getting me out of the house is good for both of us. The Sierra Mist & wine is on ice when she arrives.

Get a little storage barn for all the back yard stuff, it really cuts the set-up & tear down time. In a year you will have more yard toys than you ever imagined.

You need two hammocks if you are going to ever get to use one.

Turn off the water when you leave. 80% of all insurance claims are water damage. (This is doing as I say not as I do but still a good idea).

Motion detectors in the garage will eventually fail due to moisture and you will get to drive out and disable them.

You want an alarm system you can control by phone.

Use 1 & 2 ton come-alongs and TWO logging chains for pulling trees out of the water (this is a real pain).

A place down the road is for sale after the group of owners had a big fight over maintenance, repairs and cleaning. It was heard by all the neighbors and apparently quite a show. I have no advice here but to own your own ASAP and define things in writing. Your definition of clean and mine would probably not coincide.

You should own this in an LLC.

Anything you leave there, including your boat will eventually be used by someone else. Possibly abused by someone. For example I have a canoe, my theory is that I would love to use it so much that dragging it to and from the water wears a hole in it. My friend stores his kayaks there. He would be appalled to see one drug to the lake. Understanding these differences is really important.

I love the fire ring sold at Bass Pro with the moose & pine trees. It works great. See attached picture.

I now have flat stone around the fire ring since we kill the grass every year.

My $.02, worth what you paid for it.

Good luck,

SD2


P.S. Unless you are a ski nut, get the LSV. Even my ski nut friend with a 1990 Supra is getting an LSV.

[Tiltboy]

Man, After that last post, I don't know whether to buy a boat, or slit my wrist. LOL.......I think I will stop by the dealership and compare Outback and Mobius models. I know he has a few of each. When do the 06' models come out, and at what point will the 05's be discounted? Also, when are most of the boat shows?