Let's see them Boats!!!!

Friends new boat - wave is killer.

 

Family convinced me to upgrade last Fall…. 2007 Centurion Elite V Air Warrior. Didn’t have a chance to use it much before winterizing so I’m anxious for Spring.

 

Congrats!! How was the learning curve maneuvering the v-drive?

 

It’s been an adjustment. Docking on the starboard side is a breeze. My problem is driving it straight into my narrow slip. I’m not ready for that yet without people standing by to push off…

 

I have always owned deep V boats for fishing. I am very curious on this V drive just so I have the knowledge.
Googling tells me it is the configuration of the engine.
How does it affect how the boats drives?

 

Our Mastercraft X30 is a V-drive. The learning curve for me isn't complete yet. Once underway on the lake it's great! Mooring and loading - not so great. I can dock on either side and get her moored if I approach slow enough to not slam the pier, but fast enough to still have steerageway with the rudder.
I still cannot put her back on the trailer. Upon application of forward power, the stern pushes starboard and the opposite with astern throttle. I just can't get it between the trailer guides to save my life.
I hook a rope to the eyelet on the bow and pull the boat onto the trailer and then hook the winch strap to the eyelet to complete the maneuver. I free up the boat ramp faster with less frustration and less risk of damage to the boat, trailer, and my pride.
I have a friend that gets his daughter to drive his V-drive onto his trailer and she hits it perfect most of the time. It's really humbling to me but she wakeboards and surfs every weekend when the weather is nice whereas I'm lucky to get out there a few times a year.

 

I still get mine on the trailer that way and I have been doing it for 10 years. I’ve got the going forward down but really have no direction when going in reverse for the most part. Maybe the newer ones have gotten a bit better in that aspect.

 

Lack of steering control in reverse is the main challenge. I can get it on the trailer no problem when I can use the forward momentum and then the trailer bunks slow the boat. My challenge is pulling straight into a slip that’s 9 feet wide and stopping without hitting something hard.

In general, you only have good steering control when applying forward thrust with a v Drive or straight drive inboard. With an outboard or I/O, you can use the motor to pull to one side or the other in reverse, not the case with v drives. With the rudder straight, the boat wants to spin in reverse. With careful application of intermittent applications of reverse and steering, I can back up pretty straight. Some of the high-end new models have some sort of thrusters that make this easier, but I wasn’t about to “invest” six figures in a ski boat.

 

The best thing that happened to me was smashing into the dock one of my first times bringing it in. Spent probably 20-25 hours the next spring practicing. Not really something that you can tell someone how to do - all planning and feel.

 

I’m sure my scout master was on a different level when we all were doing the motor boating merit badge at canyon lake, we all did really well with docking. There were definitely a few extra milky beasts under his chair that day.

 

People who only drive I/O or outboards have no clue what it’s like to have no steering at all under 3mph.

 

we are using March-23 to practice docking.

a Mastercraft x26 does not do well going slow. our salesman docks it like it's a outboard skiff. Me...not so much.

I've about learned the nature of bumping it into rev to kick the stern starboard.

Considering adding the damn stern thruster....

wake stuff? it's the best on the water.

lounging? untouchable.

and I think it automatically veers towards fuel docks.

 

Sounds like a plan…I was thinking I need to keep it winterized til the first of April here in NC.

I’m sure that’s the case. I just didn’t have much time in the Fall of the practice…

 

Prop wash and zero reverse steering, just have to get used to it

 

First weekend of April is usually when we start getting back on the water here in southeast MI, but I'm not getting into that water lol

 

07 skeeter

 

Looks like the same boat as my BIL, he has an 07 Skeeter ZX225 with a 225 Yamaha VMAX 2 Stroke, solid boat

 

I tell ya, since last year was our 1st year with a boat (we purchased in Aug), we are chomping at the bit to get back out on the water.

Kids are gonna get me up on a wakesurf board. whatever.

 

Nice!

 

I'm right there with you. Summer can't come soon enough for us.

 

We have a direct drive and it all about momentum. Also learning to just bump, forward and reverse to control the direction of the boat when docking or putting on the trailer really helps.

 

Yessir she is solid…I’m old truck was a Tocoma and it struggled to pull it on long trips..so I upgraded to the Tundra (still breaking it in so I haven’t pulled with it yet)

 

Very interesting pic….

 

Now that I was reading this thread again it started my spring fever. Lol

 

I was dreaming about waterskiing the other night.

 

Cool to see the slalom skis on the tower racks. Around here we see mostly wake surfers these days.

I’m old school and still like throwing up a wall of water on a ski. I have two new Radar slalom skis I can’t wait to try out.

 

We are big slalom skiers and go every chance we get. This is a direct drive Prostar with a mini tower. We have had or kids skiing since they were 5. Which Radar did you get?

 

Union and Session. Got them for super low end of year prices. I like to think I can take advantage of the higher performance Union, but in reality, the Session will probably be better between the V drive wake, rough water and my 40 year old body…