Ski Boat Help

[Mountain King]

I have just recently caved to my kids and sold our fishing boat to buy a ski boat. I am looking at larsons, campion, and glastron boats. I was just wondering if anyone knows which is a better built or quality of boat. Is there any other brands I should be considering. Thanks!

[Okotokian]

Shame about losing the fishing boat. That's too bad.

Thanks. :47b20s0: LOL

(I bought it)

[Mountain King]

I think it went to a great new home!

[EZM]

I was in the same "boat" (no pun intended) a few years ago and purchased a Lund Tyee with a ski package.

It's an excellent fishing boat and a decent ski boat if you are not super competition ski serious. If the kids are looking to tube, knee board or ski - recreationally - you can look at an option like this.

As far as ski boats go - the brands you mentioned are all decent mid market boats. I'd find one that is gently used and you can get some pretty good bang for your buck.

[fish99]

I have just recently caved to my kids and sold our fishing boat to buy a ski boat. I am looking at larsons, campion, and glastron boats. I was just wondering if anyone knows which is a better built or quality of boat. Is there any other brands I should be considering. Thanks!

i had a campion allente 185 for 25 years no issues ever, have now given it to my sons and purchased a fishing boat.

[dutchman]

sold our fishing boat to buy a ski boat. I am looking at larsons, campion, and glastron boats. I was just wondering if anyone knows which is a better built or quality of boat. Is there any other brands I should be considering. Thanks!

Nothing wrong with those brands, all middle of the road. All will have either a Mercruiser or Volvo penta powertrain, both very comparable to each other. MPI is nice to have over carbed but not a deal breaker.
I have a SeaRay Sport bowrider and what makes it stand above in its class is the fit / finish. Things like gel coated engine compartment, all the storage compartments are gel coated & carpeted, hydraulic supports for lids, snap in carpets, and multi colored nicer material for the upholstery. Little things that get noticed after you start using them.
We bought the Searay mainly for general boating, lounging, pulling kids around, skiing, tubing, etc. Not exactly a fishing boat, but still catch a lot of fish from it. I just don't bring that big jack inside the boat.

[Brandonkop]

It all depends to what level and what kind of skiing you are hoping to do. Be aware that one of the big things these days is Wake Surfing. You cannot safely wake surf behind any of those boats you mentioned due to the leg location. So if your kids ever want to Slalom ski or wake surf a direct drive or V-drive ski boat is the way to go. Brands to look at are Nautique, Malibu, Supra, Centurion, Tige, Mastercraft, Moomba.... there are many. They range in price from reasonable used ones to ridiculous $200,000 new. They handle great and since my parents got a Ski Sanger years ago and now a Sport Nautique I don't think they would ever go back to a run about.

Go to wizard marine... go for a test run if you have never been on a ski boat.

Most fun you can have on the water...haha... did I just say that on a fishing forum????

Anyways check out my Younger Brothers Summer edit from last year you'll see what I mean!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6CrlfevlV0

Sorry just realized that one has no surfing. Here is from 2014 probably even better than 15 haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZEhZ9_STxE

[newguy]

I have just recently caved to my kids and sold our fishing boat to buy a ski boat. I am looking at larsons, campion, and glastron boats. I was just wondering if anyone knows which is a better built or quality of boat. Is there any other brands I should be considering. Thanks!

We sold our Larson LX225 last year. It truly was an amazing boat! Yeah, I'm partial to the brand but it ran awesome, lots of room and the best part, resale value. One of the best in the industry. Just about the strongest hull in the industry. That boat crushed every wave that came at it.

I sold that boat in literally 2 hours on kijiji. Guy knew the brand and drove from ft Mac the next day.

[SamSteele]

Larson DX2020 might be one to check out.


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[SamSteele]

Sorry, that should be the Larson FX2020 DC. Couldn't edit the above for some reason.




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[mooseknuckle]

hands down. ski nautique. 200-OB best ski boat on the planet the open bow allows more passenger room and can still fish from it.

[SamSteele]

I'm fortunate enough to have my aunt and uncle in a neighbouring cabin and they always have a Mastercraft. Started with the Pro 190 and now have an X-Star. Nautique makes a good boat too, as does Moomba. They all have different models for ski vs wake too.

That all said, based on the brands you are looking at I'm pegging your budget at under $45k new or $28k used. If that's the case the big wake and ski boats are likely out. You may find a used one under that (say a mid 90s Pro Star) but it will have a lot of hours on it. And those big block V-8 inboards from that era suck back the gas. The Pro Star I mentioned had a 454 with 4 barrel Holley carbs in it. It could go through $100 in gas in an afternoon of riding, and that was 15 years ago when gas was cheap.

Of the brands you listed, I would go wth Larson. They also make a FX1850 DC that is a great fibreglass fishing boat with a ski pole option. The Lund Impact 1850 XS may also work for you. All this depends on how serious your kids are in skiing. I have a neighbour at the lake that sold his fishing boat and got a ski & fish Larson because that's what his kids wanted. They moved out and on a couple years later and now he's wishing he still had the old one. If the kids are serious, have at it. I was big into slalom in my youth (skied with the Canadian champ for a bit) and I still enjoy it, but my Lund will do all I need for a ski now.


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[Mountain King]

Thanks for all the help so far guys! My boys are 6 and 8 so water sports will be pretty low key mostly tubing and knee boarding for now. I have owned plenty of bigger almuinum boats this will be my first fibreglass boat.

[Bigmountainrider]

My vote would be to get back into a fishing boat, We tow a wake boarder and a tube behind our Crestliner all the time. The only time it struggles is when there are too many people in the boat while trying to tow. The only thing the Fishing boat does not provide is a "NICE" wake.

[Mountain King]

Dose anyone on here have any experience or information on the Larson escape deck boats. Any info would be great!

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Chaparral has a Ski/Fish boat...might be another model to consider or different Chapparal models.

[OutwardBound]

X2 on the chaparral. I have a 19 H2O fish ski. Works great for both applications. I added some flush mounts for rod holders, upgraded the fish finder and added a third battery for the trolling motor. Added a couple extra floor bases for fishing stools. Great all around unit at a decent price point.


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[bleedscrestliner]

Hi,

not sure if you have found a boat or not. I can help you in finding a Campion if you like.