Rider, Comp ts6m

[chris young]

Just wondering if anybody knows whether these in essence are the same boat. (ie Hull shape, engine placement, etc.) I've looked over the 1989 manual for the Comp, and on the surface, the basic boat looks the same as my Rider.

Cheers

[haugy]

In short. No,they are not even close.

The rider sits higher than the comp. Layout is different. I could go on for a while. But no, they aren't the same.

[crystal waters]

not even close!
ditto what Haugy says!

[chris young]

Right you are. I was kind of surprised by your response, as when I look at the image of the Comp from the manual, it just looks like the identical hull with 6" or so carved off the top. But upon closer inspection it looks like there is a blunter curve to the chine portion of the hull on the rider. I was curious because the Comp has a pretty good reputation as a slalom boat, which is what I bought mine for.

I guess the only way I'll find out if it's good for skiing, is to ski behind it. But that'll have to wait till spring now.

Cheers

[haugy]

The Comp is a wicked Slalom boat. My first Supra was a comp. My friends called it the Ferrari. While I can't ski for crap, I have friends that actually can, and they loved slaloming behind the Comp. The wake was almost non-existent if you wanted it that way, and it was a bullet out of the hole. If you are a skier, you will love it. As long as your engine is dialed in, and running good, I've not found another boat that could beat them out of the hole (except drag boats). That much torque and power can get any sized person out of the water. Whether they can hang on or not, well that's their problem. You're gonna love it. Just make sure your driver does realize it has that much OOOMPH, and not to gas the hell out of it, or it will yank your arms off.

You think I'm kidding, but it was always fun on the tubes, someone would say "hit it!". My response, "you really want me to?"
"yeah!! Hammer it!!!"...............................Me: "okaaaayyyyy" :D :D I'd hit the gas, and if they weren't paying attention, the tube would just disappear from under them. And if they managed to hang on, once they got their eyes back to the front of their heads, they were huge. :p

But yeah, the Rider sat higher, had a deeper hulle and more free-board. It was the model before they realized, we can trim this sucker down even more, and streamline it. Then the Comp came about.

[Jetlink]

What Haugy said about the comp, it will come out of the hole like a banshee, turn like its on rails, wake flat almost to the point of being non-existent, will tear your arms out if not careful and will take water over the bow if the driver doesn't pay attention. Deep water starts on a slalom ski for me don't even require full throttle usually and my prop isn't in the best of shape either, noticed a few nicks in it when I winterized it. All said and done though, nothing beats a direct drive for skiing in my mind.

[chris young]

I guess I wasn't very clear. I believe all above of what you guys say, that's what I've heard elsewhere. I didn't buy a Comp, I bought a Rider. I was curious if both boats skied the same. (or at least similar, wake being the truly most important bit) At my club, I ski behind a new Nautique, so I'll have a pretty good reference to report back on here once I get skiing behind the rider.


Jetlink, I'm not sure what you mean by
nothing beats a direct drive for skiing in my mind. Excuse my ignorance, I'm completely new to these boats, but aren't the boats we're talking about here direct drive?

[chrisk]

Yes, they're direct drives, I think there was a misunderstanding there.

No, the Rider will not be anywhere close in slalom wake comparison to the Comp.

The most common 80's model Supra's started at the smallest, pure slalom form in the Comp, then progressed up to Sunsport, Rider, and finally Saltare. If a tournament slalom wake is what you're after, the Rider isn't going to deliver it to you.

[haugy]

It will still be a great boat for it though. I know lots of boats that are rocking the ones similar to the rider, and they have great performance from them. The big difference will be weight and hull design. The Comp was bred for one thing, slalom skiing. It's like a true sports car created for one race type only. The Rider is more like an Audi/BMW/Merc, great performance but rounded out enough to be able perform well in a variety of settings. But not excel in just one place.

Don't forget about your wakeplate on the back. That will really help you dial in a good wake for your boat. Get out on the water early, put that sucker down a good bit and ski your heart out. Once your done, you'll want to move it back up because cruising around like that is not fun. Once you play with it a bit, I think you'll still be very pleased.

[Jetlink]

Yes, they're direct drives, I think there was a misunderstanding there.No misunderstanding on my part, I was merely trying to say that although the rider is only like the comp in that it comes from Supra and is a direct drive, that having a direct drive ski boat is still hands down better than anything else in my mind.

[chris young]

It is a tournament slalom wake I'm after as an ideal, but this boat was purchased so that when I was up at the cottage I could ski. The bulk of my skiing will be behind the ski club boat close to my home, and then I'll ski as many sets as I can whenever I'm at the cottage. I did pick the Rider out of other possibilities because I wanted something that had a bit more versatility than a standard tournament boat, and, the price made it a no brainer.

Now I get the direct drive bit. Agreed. I originally started looking for a big HP I/O because I didn't think I could afford a proper direct drive, but when I mentioned it to my instructor, he alerted me to two things; I would hate skiing behind anything but a proper boat, and the market was so soft I could have a decent ski boat within my budget.

I'm sure at my level, this boat will be excellent to practice behind, and there's still lots of room to load it up with folks and bomb around with tubes and kneeboards etc. I was just secretly hoping I could have both;)

As for the wakeplate, I certainly will mess with that for my best wake.

Cheers

[chris young]

You'll enjoy the Rider's wake

I'm sure I will, as I said, the boat is for practice and fun, I don't see a slalom course in the boats future for at least a season or two, maybe never. My "real" skiing will be done at the ski club.

Heavy??!! Ya think? I researched the weight before I built my cradle and railway setup but it didn't really sink in until I started moving the boat around. I've moved a few boats of that size in the past, but wow.