Question for 185 Owners Who Ski/Wakeboard

Overextended

Member
Feb 13, 2007
307
chesapeake
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cummins
Is the smaller engine that is offered with the 185 enough for wakeboarding and skiing? Does anyone also have the wake tower installed on this model?
 
My Unlce's 185 has the 4.3L and I think that is ideal. I would be disappointed in the 3.0L if you ever have any more that 3 people (including the skier) aboard.
 
I agree with Todd. I have the 3.0L in my boat, and it's just fine for a 176. I would definitely go with the 4.3 on a 185 if you intend to pull any skiers or boarders. Also, if you ever sell the boat, you'll have a much easier time moving a 185BR with the larger engine.
 
Comming from an advid wakeboarder/water skier. You'll need all the power you can get, and I would really concider an inboard engine. I have a Tige 20i, with a 315hp inboard, 1/1 velvet drive. This is actually concidered minimum power for wakeboarding. First, we typically load the boat with 850lbs of water in fat sacks as well as as many "peeps" as we can find. :cool:

An inboard is not only safer for water sports, but produces a much cleaner wake. I have a true inboard rather than a V drive, because we like to slolom. At 30mph, our wake is flat as a board. Load the boat with water, and at 22 mph, I have probably a 2.5 foot wake. Perfect for wakeboarding.

I have never seen a "clean" wake or adequate power from an I/O. It makes is sooooo much easier to get out of the water with 300+ horses and a big 4 bladed prop. My top speed with all this power is only 38mph, but, I can rip a 250lbs skier out with ease.

Towers. They are critical to wake boarding, useless for slolom. When you on the coarse, you will use the slolom boom, which sits directly in front of the engine, directly on the boats center of gravity. Stops the skier from pulling the boat through the course and gives a nice flat wake. The tower has just the opposite effect, creats more wake, and relieves the wakeboarder of the downward pull when in the air. The only sturdy towers I have seen are on the water sport specific boats. I good wakeboarder, in the 200lbs or a couple of tubes being pulled will require something designed for sports, not just to hold speakers and a few boards.

There are many water sports designed boats out there, Sea Ray aint one of them.....Take a look at Tige, Mastercraft, Air Natique or similiar inboards for proper performance.

Sorry, I get a little opinionated when manufactures say their boat is perfect for "water sports".... :grin:
 

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