Anyone tried wakeboarding behind a jetrib?

Magnum

Magnum

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The physics isn't ideal. New 104HP Avon 4-stroke 3.2m long. No outboard/rudder to help with lateral force exerted by man-sized wakeboarder.

A non-starter?
 
We had the old Avon 320 2 stroke JetRib on the last boat.
We are, by no means waterskiers but it didnt seem powerfull enough.
We also have a Manta (towing inflatable that flies) and it just managed to get it off the water if the wind was in the right direction.
I have some photos if you are interested.
 
Back in the eighties I skied and used a very early form of a wakeboard behind a Jet Super V. I know its not the same as the jet rib but its similar hull shape and power to weight ratio.

I was about 11 stone and a decent standard, and on a mono I could pull the boat all over the place-in fact one of my party pieces was to steer the boat while sking behind. The early wakeboard could not exert as much force but would still move the boat. At no point did we feel the performance of the boat was dangerous, it was just something you learnt to deal with.

The jet rib wont be upto competition towboat standards but it should pull the wakeboarder quite easily and still give a safe and stable ride.
 
Yep, we wakeboarded regularly behind the 2 stroke jet rib, so you'll have no problems with the higher power 4 stroke. You're right that the stern can be pulled about a bit by the wakeboarder, but it just means you have to steer into it a bit. We're quite experienced wakeboarders, so will have exerted a fair force on the boat cutting in hard for turns, and it never felt uncontrollable.

The biggest problem of course is you get no wake behind any small lightweight RIB. Now that Pred 72 on the other hand .. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
I have done this on the 320jetrib 2-stroke, and used to mono/slalom ski competitively and can still manage a half decent performance. I agree with llp and houghn. You will be able to do it fine, but a good monoskier/boarder will be able to exert quite a lot of lateral force, and you're better with an exp driver who can resist it. Not competition standard, but fine for recreation
 
It'll be ok, just use the full 75' rope.
Anyway, it wouldn't make sense to pull that strong, since as Nick said the main problem is that you won't have enuff wake to play with...
On the other hand, don't even think to try a slalom course.
There are also alternatives for great fun with small boats and no wake, as the air chair.
But beware, it's extremely addictive.
 
To start off with - I am enjoyiong the pred 72 buying process you are going through on here and in MBY. looks a cracking boat.

We have used 2 stroke Avon 320DL and recently a Williams TJ both have been great fun for ringos, wakeboards, air chairs, skis etc. Same as all the other comments re power and slippage but if you wanted to ski properly then get a mastercraft etc.

We did some great boarding behind my Pred68 last summer, not ideal but for teh odd day was good fun and teh wake was great, couple of mates who run a ski club in Oxford were doing loops agross the wake etc and looked awsome.

In my 68 (now sold) we had the larger garage which we had a seadoo twin engine jet boat which had load more grunt than the avon / williams. Can the 72 garage be adapted to take a larger boat?

Also Seadoo do a 'wakeboard' jetski which could go on the platform AND have the rib in the garage? If you like having the platform free for relaxing then leave the seadoo wakeboard ski on a jetdock on your mooring? best of both worlds that way

Mike

http://www.offshoretoys.co.uk/2008-sea-doo/sea-doo-wake.asp
 
Well, it took a while to reach the level shown in the video... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
...seriously, it's not that difficult really, but you must have at least a reasonably good monoski practice of course.
The main hints to start mastering it are:
- dead calm waters;
- make some practice riding on the table at veeeery low speed before lifting it up;
- and most important, an extremely careful balance of the body when lifted on the wings. The smallest movement towards the front or the back has a huge effect on the ride. Some bad nosediving are unavoidable at the beginning, anyway...
I never saw for real anybody capable to jump out of the water and play tricks as that amazing guy in the video, though.
It must be great fun just to sit in the boat and look at that!!!
 
Thanks for the advice folks. I've been towed by a Mastercraft with 2 huge barrels full of water in the cockpit - that thing produced some wake!

This is just a bit of fun really. Just wanted to know if there was enough go to get out of the water and whether I'd pull the stern from side-to-side too much.
 
There's probably enough grunt - SWMBO has wakeboarded behind SteveE's contraption and reckoned the acceleration was a bit vicious for boarding (she likes the power to come in a little more smoothly). Our little 15hp outboard gets her up, albeit slowly, and tracks reasonably well although (I'm sure she'd agree) it's hardly competition level boarding.
 
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