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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Posts
    2

    Default New Member New Boat

    Hello all. I am a new member to the Supra Forum. Very Used to the forums as I have owned tow boats my whole life having many different brands. Very familiar with team talk, wake world, Tige and Moomba Forums. I have owned north of a dozen inboards.

    I've been out of the game for a few years and started back last year. Purchased a 1995 Brendella pro comp we had been using up until a few weeks ago. Really liked the boat, but as a closed bow we finally decided over the 4th of July Holiday we needed a bigger boat. 5 people in a closed bow with boards just isn't that fun.

    So we sold the Brendella and found a 1996 Sunsport. I'm fairly familiar with the hull having spent plenty of time behind a riding partners original Launch from 1999. We really like the size and layout of the boat. I've always liked the Sunsport/ Launch hull for its size and depth.

    As everyone knows used boats are at a 20 year low so it's tough to be as picky as I would have liked to be. So the boat does need a little love. The hull is in really nice shape and from my experience I believe the 1996 is an all fiberglas boat, having the curved windshield versus the square. The interior is a bit wore and we are going to start with doing all seat bottoms as most of the backs and the bolsters are pretty decent. I am going to add a tower as I don't want the cable of an extended pylon. Here's the not so perfect. Boat has 1378 hours. 2 owner boat that seems to have been very well maintained. Prior owner owned for 6 years and was pretty anal about maintenance. I water tested the boat and it runs very well. I put it thru it's paces and didn't run into anything that concerned me. Honestly the only thing that says 1400 boat to me is the interior. It hasn't been beat, just shows wear. It came with a very solid 2006 Supra badged Boatmate trailer. End of the day $9500 seemed like a solid buy.

    Opening questions. Anything I need to watch for in this era Sunsport? Does anyone know specs on the PCM carb motor of this era? The engine cover says its an EFI GT40 Pro Boss, but it has a Holley carb on it so I am guessing the original owner put that on(plastic cover over the air filter) as the guy I bought it from said it was in the boat. Can anyone suggest starting weight set ups for wake boarding and possibly surfing? My plan over the coming months is to add a tower, perfect pass, update/ upgrade stereo and likely plumb in some semi permanent ballast. Suggestions to these would be awesome. Also planning on doing all seat bottoms when my upholstery guy has some time.

    Thanks in advance for any input.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Flowery Branch Georgia
    Posts
    2,742

    Default

    Yes it is a composite boat [no wood]. By the time you put a stereo , perfect pass, tower, upholstery and ballast system I question weather you would be better off to spend the extra money and buy a newer year launch that is already set up?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Lake Nottely, Blairsville, GA
    Posts
    1,247

    Default

    You did good to get the boat for $9500.

    Make it your own but that year Sunsport isn’t made for surfing. I’d do everything but the ballast system. Upholstery will be 5-6k easily from a reputable shop so Michael’s point is dead on.

    1983 Supra Rider aka Mischief IV
    1983 Supra Beast
    1985 Supra Rider
    1986 Supra Sunsport Skier
    1987 Supra Marauder
    1991 Supra Comp ts6m
    2012 Supra Sunsport 242

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Posts
    2

    Default

    I totally get what you guys are saying. But the cheapest Launch I have seen is a 99 with carb motor and no PP with some of the same upholstery issues I have. That boat was a 16 hour drive and just shy of $30 grand. That leaves me some room. I can also get a lot of what I need well below market cost having been around the industry most of my life.

    But you do bring great points. I think I will hold off on plumbing in ballast and maybe the PP. I say maybe because I'm the one who suffers the most as the Wifey isn't an experienced boat driver. Personally I have no issue holding speed nor does it bother me to hand throttle. Only 3 or 4 of my boats over the years have had some form of cruise.

    I think for now I will just do an inexpensive tower and a little stereo work. The head unit is new as well as the inboats. The sub is non responsive so I am just going to replace that. I think I have a suitable amp in the garage so just looking at a mid level sub and some wood to build a box. I likely have the wood and carpet in the garage also. As to upholstery I have a buddy who owns a shop and won't kill me on it. I only plan to do the seat bottoms.

    I completely understand the Sunsport/ Launch hull was not made for surfing. I just figured with the high freeboard that you could load it up and add a wake shaper and get some kind of semi respectable wave out of it. I'm sure there are people who own this hull that have tried it or are doing it. I don't expect it's going to produce a surf wave like a $150K surf boat. Just possibly looking to mess around with it.

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