With so much information and subjective reviews of new boats, Waterski Magazine © asked potential buyers to document their boat search for use in their publication.  Below is an account of one skier’s shopping experience.  He has also sent a complete copy for use on this web site so that it might help future buyers on what to look for in a ski boat.

     Gordon Slingerland of South Carolina is looking to upgrade and buy a boat primarily for skiing in a ski club environment with the occasional trip to a public lake for a day with the family. 

     He ski’s with the Lake Martin Ski Club in Gray Court S.C. Each club member has their own boat and they rotate out 2 boats on a weekly basis.
Gordon now has a 1985 Ski Supreme. And while it’s a good driving boat, it is becoming dated and has limited room and storage as well as a harder, steeper wake and more side spray than most new models.

What type of boat are you looking for?

     I’ll be attending our local boat show and there are plenty of boats there that cater to specific needs such as 3 event Skier’s, Wake boarders, the weekenders and even family boaters that just want an Inboard. 
I’m looking for a Slalom specific boat for running the slalom course but with enough room to spend the occasional day on open water. I’ll trick a little and pull the occasional jumper but its main use will be in the slalom course.

What specific things will you be looking for in a boat? 

     First I’ll look at general appearance. If it doesn’t look good, function isn’t enough. I’m more of a traditionalist so the lines must be clean with no abstract designs. Also I try to look at boats without towers on them. It’s hard to get a good overall concept of the boat with one on it. This being a boat show makes that more difficult since most dealers try to combine features.

     Second I look at how much interior room the boat has. Does it have adequate room for 3 to 4 slalom skiers and gear? Our club ski’s out of the boat rather than off a dock so this is very important. Is it easy to get out to the platform? Since that’s the reason for buying it in the first place.

     Next I look at where gauges and switches are placed. Where is the cooler located? Are cup holders nearby? Grab handles? Is there a place for towels, gloves and vests that is easy to access and still be out of the way?

     The next thing I look at is the overall quality of the boat and trailer. Does everything fit tight? Is the engine easy to access? A lot of people may overlook the trailer but it is just as important to get your boat to the lake safely. Brakes are a must. And don’t forget where you’re going to store it. I’ll have to remove the platform and get a swing away tongue to fit a 20’ boat in my garage. How easy does the platform remove? Does the trailer have back-up lights?

     I also don’t get hung up on engine type, horsepower or gauge brands although I am partial to Perfect Pass. These boats all offer over 300 hp and use quality components so the manufacturer has taken care of those concerns. But I know I don’t want another carbureted engine.

     Then the most important aspect is the skiing and driving. Obviously I can’t test these boats at the show but I already tested several at the end of last season knowing I’m going to purchase this spring.

Are there any specific brands you’re already looking at?

     The main boats I will be checking out are; Malibu, Mastercraft, Infinity, Ski Nautique, Moomba and Tige. If something else catches my eye I’ll check them out as well but I have already done some preliminary study on these.  The Waterski Magazine Boat Buying Guide gave me some needed information as well as web sites to look at so I can go into this show well informed.

     The first boat I looked at was the Mastercraft 190. That is one beautiful boat!

     It has room for all our gear and had all the bells and whistles. I skied and drove one last year and was disappointed in the driving. It planed so high that it was difficult to keep on track through the course. Some of our guys get to 39 ½ off so with them it was a real pain. The wake was average. A little higher than I’d like. They did add a significant hook in the back to bring the bow down for 03. Getting to the platform was a stretch with the rear seat in or out and I was concerned about tearing the rear pad with the ski fin. Someone not paying attention could do that easily. The quality and appearance are flawless. But overall it wasn’t the boat for me. Especially for the price they’re asking. I’d say it is the ultimate family ski boat. Comparable to a Cadillac Escalade. Very nice but way more than I need.

     The next boat I looked at was Ski Nautique. Now this is the Z-71 Tahoe of boats. Inside is lots of room. The rear locker is not too wide so with the seat in or out getting to the platform was not bad at all. The driving and tracking were flawless and the quality is without question. Skiing behind it I was well pleased with the wake size and softness. The only negatives for me are the keyless ignition, which I see no reason for, the clam shell motor box and the price. I could get used to the keyless and if price were no object I’d stop my search right here. I was unable to get pictures of a Nautique for this article.

     Third is the Malibu Response. This boat is more in line with what I’m looking for. It is comparable to Mastercraft in style and finish.

     It Ski’s and tracks as well as Nautique and has the interior features I’m looking for without being over the top in price. It’s as if it was designed to counter the previous boats with what an affordable quality ski boat should be. I would need to upgrade engines to get fuel injection and the rear locker is a stretch to get over. 

     But if I were looking for a boat for open water first, course second, this would be the boat for me. I could easily spend a day on the water with this boat. 

     The forth boat I looked at is Infinity. My first impression was that it is a stripped down bare bones ski boat. It had no rear locker but made up for this with ample space under the observers seat. 

     After studying this boat closely and talking with the sales staff I began to view this boat as something that would fit my situation nicely. The placement of everything is well thought out. The gauges are well placed, the cooler is in the dash and the motor box opens as one piece. When we ski our club site we usually have 3-4 skiers in the boat with the skis on the floor. 

     Because of the openness of the interior this was not a problem. The salesman allowed me to pack this boat as if going for a run. I put three skis flat on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Vest and gloves fit easily in the side pockets. It even has a box in the back for binding lube. The rear seats are removable bucket type so getting to the platform was the easiest of any boat I looked at. I tested this boat last season and was well pleased with the tracking. No effort at all to keep it in the course. The wake was the flattest of any other boat I tested, perhaps due to the wake deflectors on the side. The only negative I found with this boat was louder than average engine noise due to the unique V-drive. It wasn’t bad, just more noticeable than other boats. This boat is going to be tough to beat for my situation. The price isn’t bad and the quality is very good. 

     The next boat I looked at was Tige. The appearance was a little more abstract than I was looking for but I kept an open mind.

 
     The interior was well laid out with the gauges and switches within easily reach. The location of the Perfect Pass was a little cumbersome being behind the steering wheel. I thought the interior room was a little snug as well. With the back seat in walking around was real tight.

     But the rear locker was easy to get over with the seat out. The price was reasonable and a nice boat but not what I’m looking for. It was also the heaviest at 3400 lbs. 

Last but not least was Moomba Outback. I liked the lines but they no longer offer a closed bow.

     The open bow was nice and all the extra storage lockers were good. But I didn’t care for the small angled observer’s seat and the rear locker was a stretch to get over. The dash layout is somewhat plain and the gauges are a little far away to reach comfortably.

     Overall it was a very nice boat for a good price that I will have to consider.

     I was hoping to see a Gekko and Centurion but neither was at the show but I did check them out on their web sites. The Gekko was to long for my garage with the integrated platform but the Centurion Lapoint looked promising except for the angle observer’s seat and the interior looked cramped. I would have liked to check one out in person but there are no dealers in this area.

     All the trailers offered brakes, a swing away tongue and most all the platforms removed easily. I didn’t understand the Clam shell motor boxes on some boats. When I service the engine I want full easy access. I also noticed several of these boats had the interior more for cruising comfort than ski function and some of the rear lockers were very wide. I want comfort but my main goal is a “towboat”. We have 2 boats in our club with rear lockers. During practice sets they never get used. I also don’t need or want an open bow which saves a little weight and money.

     One other major aspect of buying a new boat is price. I can’t deny that a $40,000 Mastercraft is a beautiful boat, but for someone with only a $25,000 budget, a Moomba would be hard to beat. The $28,000-$35,000 range gives you several options.
I also heard all kinds of trash talking about this brand over that, but the fact is there are models and prices out there for everyone.  The best thing you can do is to become informed and test as many boats as possible. Listen to what others have to say about their boat while remembering they bought a boat to suit their needs. One size does not fit all.

     Summary: All of the boats I looked at and tested are beautiful and quality. My search was paired down to Infinity ZX-1 and Malibu Response. My final choice was made based on looks, function and price. 
The Infinity ZX-1 fit all my criteria and the sales staff at Boat, Ski’s and Boards of Roebuck S.C. worked well with me to make sure I was pleased and would enjoy my new Infinity for years to come. Brand loyalty or the status of a certain brand no longer means what it once did. Any of these boats could please you but with so many models of boats available you can now get a custom fit without a custom order. 

     I hope my buying experience will help future buyers in what to look for to suite their needs. _Gordon

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