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I'm new to the forum and new to supra boats so I need you guys!
I'm looking to buy a boat for wakeboarding and only have $3,000.
Since my search began I've fallen in LOVE with the older Supra line-up!
'85-'90 Ts6m Comp or '85-'90 Conbrio
I like the Conbrio because of the playpen (ofcourse) and the Comp for what I hear about handling and generally the price.
Any opinions???!!!:grin:
Maybe you can find a Rider. They have the deeper hull.
The Rider was changed to the SunSport in 1985 but BASICALLY same hull.
Yeah I did find one near Austin Tx within my price range, but it didn't come with a trailer. =(
Do you have any idea about the wake wedge? It seems like a really cool wake producer instead of using fat sacks. I don't like the idea of having huge bags of water laying around in the boat! My friends will pop them! hahahaa
WOW Dude I looked at all your pics a few times during my search for a Supra! So impressed! Your SunSport is really nice. And the lovlies too ;)
Conbrio is a fun boat for introductory wakeboarding, but becareful it loves taking water over the bow, I mean loves it! Small lake flat water boat!...
The deeper hull's with higher freeboard's are definitely better for weighting down to wakeboard with, you won't be able to weigh down a Conbrio that much, but I'm having fun trying!
Most weight I've put in it so far was about 750 lb in front of the rear bench, back of the boat was low, but the wake was the best I've seen it yet!
Keep in mind at idle speed it's only safe to have one adult in the playpen or you'll be a submarine in no time!
Goodluck with your search!
Hey again. The Wedge is owned by Malibu but it is possible to buy one and have it installed on any boat. I think it would probably cost $1500-2000 for product and install, so a little more than a ballast system. But if you get a SunSport, there is enough storage space to not have any sacs on the floor unless you are surfin (and then just one). The sacs are made of river raft material. Unless you buy the cheapest ones ever, they are pretty tough to pop. You can sit or lay or walk on them.
Do you have a place to keep you boat on the water? If you are like me and only use a trailer a couple times a year you CAN rent them.
Thanks for the kind words about my many pics, I didn't find much out there when I bought my boat so I vowed to change that! :) Good luck!
Awsome advice!
OK I've found an 86 Sunsport in stable condition. It needs some floor work, but all of the vynl is original. The floor decking was replaced and is "ok" and the engine runs strong. I'm going tomorrow to see and hopefully purchase it. Here's the link "http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/boa/1364950281.html"
Without the stereo I'm hopefully going to pay $1500!!
Tell me what you think
Did you have any luck witht his? The craigslist posting has been pulled and I don't see it relisted after a search. Usually you can tell what went wrong by what they replaced. If the interior is new, USUALLY it was left out in the sun.
If the floor has been replaced there may have been an original floor that was damaged. This can allow water to enter the subflooring system and can rot the structural support stringers or beams. This is a serious issue that can require $2.5k to have repaired or 150 hours of your time. However, this is an issue that happens to any wooden boat.
You can try and check this out by visually examining your main stringers that the motor is mounted to. Make sure the motor mounts are snug but you don't have to try and tighten them. If they spin it's trouble. You can also take a tiny drill bit and drill into the stringer to see the quality of the wood. Sometimes the wood can be rotton and only fiberglass coating holds it together. Then fill the hole with marine epoxy.
Even with these issues this boat would be a STEAL and I would jump on it!
Ok so I bought the '85 Sunsport!!! It's interior is all original minus the factory drivers seat.
The vynl is in "ok" condition and not sunrotted to badly.
I will try and post pics soon!
The engine and driveline are in excellent condition and it cranks with a touch of the key.
However the stringers do have some issues. They feel solid except where one of the motor mounts is. It will need attention this winter. I'm hoping to only have to replace the rotten section, but will probably have to do more.
Also, the teak deck, where mounted to the transom, is a bit shaky. I've removed the gas tank and found the factory foam full of water =(. I'm in the process of removing the foam and exposing the transom wall. I plan on epoxying a new transom size piece of 3/4 wood and fiberglassing it to the rear wall for structural support of the transom and the teak deck.
The stringers are in pretty good shape near the transom which was a surprise, they are quite solid and not rotten.
Q: What is the difference between "marine grade" and "pressure treated" wood?
I also don't like the floor laid by the previous owner and will build a nicer fitting one with better carpet and better wood. They use untreated 1/2!!! WTF hahahaa
Marine grade plywood is made from mahoghany ( hard wood) which has natural oils in it to resist the effects of water, usually pressed with more ply's than standard so it's also strong.
P/T is generally spruce plywood, dipped in preservative, cheaper and durable, for your floor marine ply would be better if it's within budget( yikes) Adhering fiberglass to P/t requires some sorta primer/bonder, p/t takes away the ability for stuff to stick to it.....
Ohhh, ok. So I called around and found marine grade 3/4 in. plywood for $122 for a 4'x8' sheet. I really only planned on using the marine for reinforcing the transom to add support to the teak deck. The deck seems to strain the transom when you put weight on it.
Plan: Remove the existing foam for about 24 inches away from the transom,
clean everything profusely, fiberglass/epoxy the rear section and
transom, I'm planning on putting it on real thick, then cutting my
marine grade wood almost the same size as the transom and fiberglsng
it in, then rebolting my teak deck.
Good idea OR bad idea?
Great idea, You may want to get this thread over to the service and repair aisle so that the fiberglass pro's will be able to chime in...
You're headed in the right direction, I just haven't done any fiberglassing to my boat.....yet......
transom strengthing is a great idea, it'll also put a little more back there, Ácetone is a good surface prep before adding new fiberglass, I'd also rough up the old stuff first.....
MBowl DUDE that is freaking sweet you got a project boat for a great price. It sounds like you are mechanically competent so you should have a $10k wakeboat on your hands after the winter! The work you are doing to the floor will give her another 20 years of life easy. Some improvements over the current floor will last much much longer.
Great idea for supporting the swim platform.
Start a new thread in the service and repair forum. Take lots of pics and document your process to help others!
Oh I almost forgot, CONGRATULATIONS! :)
ts6m is a ski boat (period). Lowest wake on the market.
I've run mine for several years and could not imagine trying to wake board behind it. No room for bladders either.
Be careful on wood rot for this old of a Supra. Hvae it checked out carefully.