Quote Originally Posted by E4NASH View Post
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.
You have two main decisions: DD versus V and new versus used. It is good that you have some experience. The less experience that you have, the more reason to buy used... because you'll suffer less stress when you make some mistake.

Once you own your own boat, boating will cease to be something that you could choose to do among many other things on a given day. It will become something that you will be compelled to do, and any alternative activity will be weighed against it.
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.
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: N/A. You'll be boating more. You will thus get more practise and acquire skills. You don't want to buy a boat (or gear) that has any limiting factor on your ability to progress. This was also a reason why I went straight from an 18' I/O straight to the Moomba XLV.
I have three young kids so the boat would be used for everything....
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: Old. You want the kids to be within arms reach, with no obstacle course. Kids have a way of doing lots of minor property damage too.
tubing
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: N/A. When adults are tubing, "adult" towing means creating a big wave, possibly two intersecting ones, and dragging them over it. Prepare for water over the bow in the outback.
wakeboarding,
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: N/A. You'll want the better ability to store and balance ballast.
skiing,
DDvsV: DD. NewVsOld: N/A
kneeboarding,
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: N/A. While beginner kneeboarding favours flat water like skiing, more advanced riding will involve jumping, like wakeboarding.
etc, and riding around on the lake.
DDvsV: DD. NewVsOld: N/A. Neither boat is really a cruiser or runabout.
We have a good bit of friends,
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: N/A. Greater numbers of people mean more socialising. You want the one big open area, sundeck, and bow (separate area for the exclusive seating).
none of whom wakeboard,
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: N/A. Unless they are hard-core skiiers, hey'll want to try wakeboarding.
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.
DDvsV: V. NewVsOld: old. If you know that you are going with a V in the future, you already know that the DD is unsuited to your needs. For you, there seems to be little point in going for a DD today.

The DD is a specialised configuration that favours people who mostly ski and who don't bring a large contingent on board. The V supports most other sports better and handles a crowd -- it's multipurpose. In your other posting, you said that you would be towing the boat to the marina every time, so this means that you are loading up with all people and gear for the day, so there won't be much rotating of crew. I think that a V-drive is the one for you.

Have you considered the LSV? As of 2006, it has a deeper (and I think slightly larger) hull, giving it more interior comfort, less risk of a small child heading overboard, and better handling in choppy water.