Wake boats. Any one else find them annoying?

[thumpar]

I am with you on it being the driver. My main lake is a dammed up river. It is pretty narrow but really long. There are some wakeboard guys that like to cross the lake back and forth the short way. It really tears up the water for anyone trying to get down the lake.

 

[Pusher]

Nobody has mentioned the poor feesh trying to enjoy their afternoon while basking near the sunface for sun. Fish lives matter.. (too).

 

[jkust]

Why do these tow sports boats sit so low in the water. I'm talking without the balast being used that they generally have their bow barely above the water level. I see it on 1980's Mastercrafts all the way to the 2017 models on the lake. Sometimes I see them take a big wake themselves and the water goes over the bow.
Were they designed back in the day to make the biggest wake possible...I mean there wasn't anything back then except waterskis and later on, kneeboards came along.

 

[oldjeep]

Why do these tow sports boats sit so low in the water. I'm talking without the balast being used that they generally have their bow barely above the water level. I see it on 1980's Mastercrafts all the way to the 2017 models on the lake. Sometimes I see them take a big wake themselves and the water goes over the bow.
Were they designed back in the day to make the biggest wake possible...I mean there wasn't anything back then except waterskis and later on, kneeboards came along.

Shallow V hulls and low noses so that you can see over them. The hulls were/are designed to make the smallest wake possible at speed (30mph +). In a ski boat it is necessary so that you can see the boat buoys in the course. The newer wake boats are pretty high, but people sacking out ski boats or cross-overs like mine need to be super careful to avoid chili dipping the nose when turning back to pick up a rider.

 

[Watermann]

I think maybe the bow is so low so they can see ahead while the stern is sunk down.

 

[Blind Date]

About 3 years ago the number #1 selling fiberglass boat in MN was a Malibu. I believe Minnesota Inboard Watersports sells more Malibu's than any other dealer in the in the country.

And no, a bunch of people out having fun on a lake being active doesn't bother me. Poor captains are not limited to wakeboard boats. I've wake surfed behind friends & family members boats, it's a lot of fun! Glad I didn't have to buy the equipment!

 

[oldjeep]

About 3 years ago the number #1 selling fiberglass boat in MN was a Malibu. I believe Minnesota Inboard Watersports sells more Malibu's than any other dealer in the in the country.

And no, a bunch of people out having fun on a lake being active doesn't bother me. Poor captains are not limited to wakeboard boats. I've wake surfed behind friends & family members boats, it's a lot of fun! Glad I didn't have to buy the equipment!

They sell more Malibu's than any dealer in the world

 

[thumpar]

Before wake boarding was as big as it they used them mostly for skiing so they didn't want ballast. Now you put ballist in what is already a low boat and it sits lower. There is also the guys that have permanent ballist. On those you can't just empty the tanks to head out. The guy I bought my boat from had a supra with concrete ballist.

 

[oldjeep]

The guy I bought my boat from had a supra with concrete ballist.

That must be a load of fun getting on and off the trailer. I think my trailer would complain a bit if my tanks were all full and the boat was an extra 1250lbs

 

[thumpar]

That must be a load of fun getting on and off the trailer. I think my trailer would complain a bit if my tanks were all full and the boat was an extra 1250lbs

Yea. He only launches and retrieves 1 time a year so he may pay a company to do it.

 

[frantically relaxing]

In my youth, I lived to water ski. That's all I did every weekend all summer every summer. Keep the boat at 28-31 mph. Make an easy cut to the right, wait for the slack, then lean left... Catch a little air over the wake, dig in a bit and hit 45 or so, just getting past the stern... start leaning right, pick up speed, and catch a foot or so of air over the wake, dig in and pick up speed, look back and check that roostertail... -- about midship the boat catches up... Then lean over hard as hell, and hope the rope don't break! Fly over the wake with my left shoulder almost touching the water, digging and pulling until I pass up the boat... YEEEHAAAwww!

Rinse, repeat...

Gawd, to be young again

Which brings me to all the excitement wakeboarding, and especially wake surfing offers...

And I don't think it's just me, because every other boat on our lake is a 'wake' boat, yet I hardly ever see anyone actually boarding behind them...

 

[89retta]

There was a girl last year at Haynes point campground in Osoyoos, BC. Canada. She was out on the sandbar which is only about 3' deep and 10' wide. A large wake from a passing boat pushed her off the sandbar and into deeper water. Sadly she lost her life. Not to put a damper on peoples fun but respect other people. And other boaters. Or the government will start with more restrictions.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

In Canada it is illegal to create a wake with your boat that affects the shoreline. I have seen it enforced too on a local river where there are few ski clubs that was getting out of hand. We fish the Great Lakes so it's not really a problem for us. But we do get out on the Grand River and it can be a zoo. I can run WOT on wider sections of the river but why would I. If I see a tinny sitting anchored I will reduce speed to a minimum, it's called being a nice guy. When I was younger I was too inexperienced (stupid) to realize I wasn't being nice what with all that testosterone surging through my veins.

I have a new rule, no boating on the river on the weekends or holidays. It's like Golfing on those days, a 3 hour round may become a 5 hour or more day. I can go out during the week and have the water to myself as I only work for my wife now and not on weekends and holidays, that's overtime and she's too cheap to pay it. Actually even Erie is getting to busy on weekends now that more and more are buying boats where during that recession the lake was empty. You had a choice of slips at any Marina now there are waiting lists.

 

[89retta]

It maybe illegal. But where is the enforcement? I just spent the last 2 weeks in the Shuswaps and never seen any law enforcement. In the last 10 years I have seen the RCMP once on the lake and fish cops 3 times. And that's in both Alberta and BC

 

[roffey]

I am on a large lake and believe live and let live. I give all boats a wide berth and are extra careful of sail boats, fishing boats, surf boards and canoes. Its a big lake and lots of water for all. Concerning wake boats, I don't mind them and for the most part they look like really nice boats just to much money for me.

 

[SkiDad]

I've waked surfed before and it's OK and all, but on our small 200 acre lake these type of boats really irritate me. Especially this week when all I want to do is get some glass water. It's no fun hitting 2 foot rollers at 30+ mph

I'm not sure why skiing is dying (so I'm told) - it's much more fun, challenging and rewarding than going 10 mph behind a boat.

I live near a small dealership and they sold something like 15 of these surf boats over a sale weekend - I don't get how people can afford that much money... most of them were 70-80K - some were 125k. No to mention how heavy they are to tow. Something is amiss with what water sports meant to me growing up in the 70's and 80's - it was affordable back then and we had a LOT of fun

 

[jkust]

In Canada it is illegal to create a wake with your boat that affects the shoreline. .

My lord...I though MN was an overbearing, nanny state. What does affects the shoreline actually mean. We are on a lake and every single boat creates a wake that 'affects' the shoreline...even a 900lbs waverunner will 'affect' the shoreline. Why not just force every body of boatable water to be a no wake zone and call it a day.

 

[Pusher]

If I'm in a 12' row boat trolling with 2 others in the boat and a wake boarder cuts through my half of the lake without considering using the other half, then yeah deep warm feelings roll up through my body.

 

[bruceb58]

The only problem we have with wake boats are the drivers not paying attention and letting the observers be the ones doing the watching. There have been some close calls with wake boats on our lakes. They are almost worse than PWCs.

 

[oldjeep]

I'm envisioning the steam roller scene in Austin Powers as a surf boat is getting closer and closer at 8 MPH