The Perfect Ski Boat
WATER SKI/ April 1998
by Pierce Hoover

"Dear Mr. Hoover, I read all your tests and compared all the stats. Now I want to know which ski boat is the best one."

Best for what? Are you in training for a slalom record on a private site, or will your family be pulling tubes and combos up the river? Do you need more speed than space? Are you willing to pay for just the essentials or all the extras? Does passenger comfort matter as much as wake shape?

The real question should be which ski boat is best suited to your needs, style and budget? Then research the market to discover which boats actually meet those specific needs.

TOW-BOAT DIVERSITY

The increasing diversity in ski boat design is both a reaction to the changing nature of the sport and a recognition of the unique needs of all segments of the market.

Skiers on big lakes got tired of bashing across whitecaps in a flat-bottom tournament boat, and the V-bottom inboard was born. Skiers with families needed extra passenger room, which led to the creation of open-bow models. Wakeboarding went big, and small wakes and small boats were out. Runabout owners wanted inboard performance without the motor box, and V-drives came back.

In addition, a number of leading inboard builders have now turned their attention to the broader demands of the "all-event" and "recreational" inboard market. Producing the new ride-friendly hull designs, wide-body interior configurations and maxed-out storage lockers.

Builders have gone to composite construction techniques and superior materials. New engine technologies boosted horsepower past the 300 mark, and speeds past the 50 mph limit. Movable trim plates, water ballast systems and extended pylons are now gaining mainstream acceptance.

PERCEPTION AND REALITY

I see to many skiers buying the right boat for the wrong reasons.

Take the weekend warrior who buys a high-end tournament inboard. It may have the best 41-off wakes and tightest slalom course tracking in the business, but if the family plans to split recreational skiing time with general boating duties it's irrelevant.

Or skiers who pay for a special engine package because it pushes the boat to 55 mph, even though he only needs to hit and hold 36 mph with plenty of torque and throttle response.

Another mismatched scenario we're likely to see more often in the next few years is the family that gets talked into buying an extremely specialized wakeboard boat by enthusiastic teenagers. The younger generation will love the rad graphics, huge fat sacks and tall towing tower, but what happens to slalom, barefooting and combo possabilities?

To some degree, every boat is a compromise. Your job is to find one that compromises in favor of your prefered activities.

A LOOK AHEAD

Specialty barefoot, slalom and wakeboard tow boats will always have a place in the market, but many builders will shift their primary focus to maximum versatility. Hulls will be designed with both ride and wake in mind, boats will incorporate some type of wake-adjusting trim system. More emphasis on controlling emissions and noise level will result in more sophisticated electronic engines and noise suppression systems that may include phase-canceling electronic exhausts.

Expect to see modular seating configurations, enhanced storage capacities and the use of new composite and formed materials. Mechanical and electrical systems will require less maintenance, and electronics will come aboard not only in the form of instrumentation, but also in waterproof sound, communications and speed-control systems.

Ski boat buyers will always expect precise handling, instant power, low spray and wakes that are appropriate for one or more chosen disciplines. Any builder who loses sight of these critical elements will lose the hearts - and dollars - of skiing enthusiasts.

One thing will remain true in the future, the perfect ski boat will meet the unique towing and boating needs of your family, and it will help make your time on the water more profitable and enjoyable.