Info on 21v re: skiing

[jayhawk]

I am considering buying a 21V and would like some readers opinion on the boat as a ski boat. I know it is primarily designed for wakeboarding and surfing but can anyone provide me some info on whether my son who skies fairly aggressively (just open water, not on courses) would be happy with the boat as a ski boat. I like the looks of the boat and we live on a fairly busy lake with big boats so a pure ski boat (like a Response LXI) is not of interest to me. We do a fair amount of tubing. I think we would like to surf as well. I am just concerned about the boat for skiing. We currently have a Cobalt that throws out a pretty big wake.

Thanks for your input.

[tg0824SSVGG]

Jay,

You talking brand new, or some older used one? It probably matters as the hull
changes from time to time.

[jayhawk]

Good point, I am looking at a 2005 or 2006 Launch 21V

[TayTay]

I am guessing the Cobalt is an inboard/outboard, and if it is going to an inboard boat will be an improvement. I have a 22SSV and when you are going skiing speed (~30mph I think) the wake flatens out pretty nice. There is also the wakeplate you can play with to fine tune it. I am not a water skier by any means but it seems decent to me. It is not a BIG wake at all, just a couple little bumps. Thats my .02

[Diggs]

Yeah as long as you can get over 30 MPH it will flatten out ok. It is purely a recreational ski boat and not going to compare to a true ski boat, but if you are just recreational I am sure it will do fine. The 22SSV of that era (Pre 07') might be a little better for it. Also consider jumping to an 06 or 07 20SSV and they will be in the same price range and even better for skiing.
Good luck, you will love the boat.

[jzelt]

I slalom ski aggressively probably like your son does.
I come from behind 24 Baja Islander I/O that a friends dad owns.
I have a 20' Chaparral I/O.

The 2004 22 SSV is a wonderful change of pace from an I/O. He is going to yell at you why you didn't change sooner.

I would cut on the ski then tend to stand up so I didn't ramp the wake, get thru it then lay back down...

I have skied behind a Centurion (designed for ski) boat and it is a little bigger wake than that, but not much. (That is what made me start to look for a designed boat instead of staying with our I/O).

I think the Supra would be even better had they designed the wake plate to go about 1-2" lower than the hull and act like a trim tab. That would have been awesome wake for skiing. As it is, I have no problem cutting and holding the position from side to side instead of laying off during the wake part.

Also, no matter how you are propped currently on your I/O, the start pull from a deep water start is great. It goes from 0-40 before your head hits the prop wash. I don't think you will be disappointed.

A couple words of caution...Don't back the trailer in as far as you do you I/O to load. B) It takes some getting used to docking/handling/learning how it turns so approach things slow.

[LloydP]

The 21V is not a very good ski boat. The 22V would be a lot better. I know the comparison isn't the best, but a friend have a Moomba LSV which has a surprisingly nice slalom wake. The 21V wake does not flatten out. Great for wakeboarding and tubing though...

[Fman]

I towed a couple people last year behind my '08 22V and I was not impressed with the wake. It was not flat enough to aggressively cut back and forth between the wake without bouncing the ski. Going at that speed and having your ski bounce is almost a little dangerous. I was towing my friend at about 32 MPH and he was slalom skiing.

If you truely want a "ski" boat, might want to consider a direct drive or even a crossover direct drive boat. I think the MC X-7 is a crossover boat that produces a very flat slalom wake and a decent wakeboard wake and comes with a tower. Any V-drive is going to have to much stern weight that is going to create too large of a ski wake.

Just my .02......

[Fman]

Heres a link for an '02 MC X-7 crossover for $25k. Not sure if Moomba has a direct drive boat, I dont think Supra makes a newer direct drive but I could be mistaken.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/boa/1630660077.html

[Diggs]

If you are looking at 05 and 06 the 22SSV had a different hull and is definitely a better crossover than the new (07 and newer) 22SSV.

[NAW]

Like the others said, you should be looking at a 2005 to 2006 Supra 22SSV, not the 21V. This is if Vdrive is a must. If the slalom wake is more important to you than a wakeboard/surf wake, then you should be looking at Direct Drives.

The 21V is a sweet wake machine, but at the expense of skiing. Hey, we can't have it ALL right?

If memory serves me right, the Pre-2007 Supra 22SSV actually pulled the Australian Collegiate Slalom Ski championship and the winner set a collegiate record. I'm trying to find my source for this, but it's been awhile.

Also, the new 20SSV does a great job for slalom skiing when unweighted.

[Fman]

Like the others said, you should be looking at a 2005 to 2006 Supra 22SSV, not the 21V. This is if Vdrive is a must. If the slalom wake is more important to you than a wakeboard/surf wake, then you should be looking at Direct Drives.

The 21V is a sweet wake machine, but at the expense of skiing. Hey, we can't have it ALL right?

If memory serves me right, the Pre-2007 Supra 22SSV actually pulled the Australian Collegiate Slalom Ski championship and the winner set a collegiate record. I'm trying to find my source for this, but it's been awhile.

Also, the new 20SSV does a great job for slalom skiing when unweighted.

I have been told by others, the X-7 throws a very good wakeboard wake and a great slalom ski wake. Not trying to steer him away from Supra, but it sounds like skiing is pretty important to him and I think with any V-drive he will be disappointed with the wake for skiing.