Outfitting your Ski Boat

Having a ski boat without dialing it in with a few sweet accessories is the equivalant of leaving the icing of your wedding cake. And since your relationship with your ski boat will probably out last most modern marriages, it's worth investing in some items that will greatly increase your appreciation and enjoyment of your boat and you time out on the water. So before you back that bouy bragging machine down the boat ramp to the envy of all your friends here are some things that will give your ski boat those finishing touches.

Spending glassy calm days on the slalom course under the summer sun is why you bought your boat. Sun burns and melanoma are not. So to get the most out of the former and avoid the worst of the latter you probably want to consider investing in a bimminy top. Most boat builders offer one or more styles of cloth tops as either standard or optional equipment, and there are plenty of custom marine upholstery shops ready to meet the needs of the topless boater.

Top maintenance is simple: Wash it occasionally, keep it free of excess dirt and store it properly before running or towing. Buy a quality top and you can expect to get between five and 10 seasons of regular use.

Your passengers will thank you and so will your dermatologist.

Since you'll probably have several differnet drivers piloting you and your friends through the slalom course you'll want to eliminate as many variables as possible that will contribute to your bouy count. Either as an optional upgrade when you purchase your boat or as an after market installation, a throttle controll system like Perfect Pass will help keep the playing field a litte more level for you and your slalom buddies Saturday morning bragging rights sessions.

Another option to consider, particularly if you ski in colder climates, is a hot water shower.

Finally you'll want to have a few items available on the boat for all those new "friends" that will be showing up at the dock to check out your new toy. A user friendly wide style ski and extra gloves along with a few differnet sized ski vest and wetsuits will keep everyone smiling. And if you think you might consider taking a run a wakeboard an extend pylon can let you flirt with the feeling of big air.