2019 Makai (Rough Water)

[bergermaister]

The sumbitch was swimming along 300 yards from any land. I didn’t identify the species but about crapped my board shorts when I went to the back of the boat. Then it got punted.

Stories like this are why I keep 1) a machete and 2) .45 on board. The wife no longer questions it after our rattler encounter last summer and that one was already dead.


You guys would love an old MobiusV in rough water. It's the ride of your life....

[tre]

I'm surprised at the responses here. I would have no worries at all taking my Supra SE on the great lakes. My SE handled some super rough days this year without any issues. I don't think a 23' to 25' I/O would have been better (with the exception of a center console boat made for the ocean). I had many I/O before I got into inboards. I don't think I'd worry about a Makai. That said, I'll add some caveats. Anyone who has been on the great lakes knows how fast a storm can whip up if you are way out. I would not take a wake boat way out. I'd stick close to the shore but that is likely where you would wakeboard and surf anyway. Here is the old model Supra SE on Lake Michigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeWxB1n6-tE You can see they have no issues. That old model SE had a front end that was very low to the water too.

I'm shocked at the advice to get an I/O. Don't do it if you like surfing. They are not good for surfing. Likely as bad as your current boat. Maybe the I/O manufacturers will have perfected them 10 years from now but for now the inboard manufacturers have a massive jump on the I/O industry and the results are not even close.

I'm also somewhat shocked a the advice to get a Centurion. Centurion does have a deeper V but this costs. If you like to drive for your kids standing up, get a Centurion because you can't see when sitting down. Yes, you can adjust the weight so the bow rise is less but then the wake is no good. The bow rise is massive and you can't see where you are going. I suspect this is due to the V. The outside edges of the rear of the boat are a lot higher in relation to the center so the center must sink more to get the outsides edges to sink. I may have no idea what I'm talking about but I know it takes a lot more weight to sink a Centurion and the bow rise is horrible. Personally, I'd steer clear (and I did). I like the ramfill but the speed is useless since you have to wait for the other half of the ballast to be filled by pumps. In the end, Supra and Moomba fill just as fast. I looked very seriously at Centurion, Mastercraft, and Nautique before I purchased my latest Supra and I chose Supra. Not that it is right for everyone but I would not make the choice based on the great lakes.

The reality is that no inboard and no surf I/O will handle a storm on a great lake so don't get caught in one.

[larry_arizona]

I am not saying a Supra won’t work on the Great Lakes, had my SA out plenty on East and West Grand Traverse bay and to me, the prettiest water on earth.

As soon as winds are higher than 6mph, the chop is rough, 9mph it gets dangerous.

Supras/Moombas are not rough water boats.


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[MJHSupra]

My grandfather opened a fish tackle shop as a retirement business in PA. Spent entire summers along the lake shore until college.

I spent two summers in high school as a 1st matte on fishing charter boats on Lake Erie. Granted that was 5 to 15 miles offshore, but love being on the lake. Wind blows everyday.

No way I would want my SL. Spend over $100k to have a boat not practical for the typical conditions.




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[Oldernotwiser]

My only comment is that the Supra SL handles rough water as well or better than a Centurion RI 237 (spend a lot of time on them.) and the SL doesn’t rattle or stand on end. That being said, would want neither 5 miles offshore in bad wind.

[Shoebox]

I'm also somewhat shocked a the advice to get a Centurion. Centurion does have a deeper V but this costs. If you like to drive for your kids standing up, get a Centurion because you can't see when sitting down. Yes, you can adjust the weight so the bow rise is less but then the wake is no good. The bow rise is massive and you can't see where you are going.

I found that to be true of the Fi, but not the Ri. Big price difference though.

Personally, I'd steer clear (and I did). I like the ramfill but the speed is useless since you have to wait for the other half of the ballast to be filled by pumps. In the end, Supra and Moomba fill just as fast.

This is 100% true.

The other drawback to the the Centurion deep draft is the possibility/likelihood of hydrolock if you stop and sit with full ballast for more than a couple minutes.

[sandm]

discussed the hydrolock issue when I was out a month ago with boardco. their take-and said they haven't had a single issue with it- are that the boats are designed for the ballast installed. if you add more on top that's where the issue comes in. surfing the ri there is no reason to add more weight. the wave was amazing with only 4 or 5 in the boat and factory but I get there are those that think another 2grand is what it needs.
they did say if you are going to add a bunch of lead or run with 15 in the boat, dump the ramfill before parking to swim. takes 30 seconds to drain/fill. leave the pnp as is. as they said, it's the one drawback to a boat that has 5000+lbs of factory ballast. we stopped several times to swap riders or pick up new peeps and they never drained.

bow rise was substantial in the couple I was in and especially when compared to the SL/SE(sorry, don't remember which) I got to spend the rest of the afternoon on. not as bad as 'bu's but still more than our tige or the supra. I had to stand to drive the ri237. was interesting that the sales girl never pointed that out as I stood and she talked up the boat. and I'm 5'11.