September 19, 2008, Newsletter Issue #90: Wakeboard Boats, What Are They and What to Look For

Tip of the Week

Wakeboarding has come a long way since the original Skurfer board was introduced back in the early 80s. Boarders realized that in order to up the margin of performance and to do bigger and better tricks to outdo competition, better boats were needed. Sure, any boat will pull a wakeboarder. However, in order to be competitive the boat needs to provide a large wake so that the boarder can get up in the air to do their best performance. It was discovered early on that the deeper the draft, the bigger the wave. Unfortunately, the boats that were able to make suitable waves were too slow to pull the boarder. Then came the ballast equipped boats. The entire concept of the ballast boat is to actually suck water into the boat to increase draft, while at the same time, keeping enough boat out of the water to for a suitable speed. This design took care of the problem completely.

If you want to see a great example of a wakeboarding boat, check out Malibu Boat’s line of Wakesetter wakeboarding boats. These boats actually have three ballast areas to create the best waves, cruise control to allow for easier wakeboarding and once you get out of the water, it even has a hot shower available.



What to look for in a good Wakeboarding Boat:



Good SpeedBig, Long WakeEasy on and off, a swim platform works wellAdjustable BallastSuitable seating for a rear facing observer (for use where laws require an observer)Reliability and Quality

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