New Wakeboard Boats

Wakeboard Boats

Warmer weather has started to show its face around the Pacific Northwest, and it’s only a matter of time before school is out and crowds start flocking to the lakes, rivers, and beaches we are surrounded by. One popular activity you see people engaging in every summer is wakeboarding. The wakeboarding experience is only as good as the boat it comes from, so we are here to give you a rundown on some of the key features and things to look out for when you’re in the market to buy a wakeboard boat.
 

Inboard Engines

The best wakeboard boats feature an inboard engine. They are essential parts of the wakeboarding experience. The best way to describe an inboard engine is to say that it is an engine that is enclosed. The engine and propeller are completely contained within the boat and they aren’t exposed at all. The idea behind this is to keep as much debris like the towing rope and any equipment away from the engine and propeller. You definitely don’t want any preventable accidents, especially when things are moving at a fast pace like they do when you’re making waves. Inboard engines themselves have two different options. There is the direct drive and the V-drive. A direct drive boat places the engine in the middle of the boat with the transmission in the bow of the boat and a shaft that then exits the bottom of the boat. The V-drive boat places the engine in the bow, backward, with a forward facing transmission. Externally, there’s no real visual difference between the direct drive boats and the V-drive boats. Most wakeboard boats have V-drive engines. This is because V-drive boats are generally better at naturally creating a good wake, which is essential for a fun wakeboarding experience. But that doesn’t mean all V-drive boats are the better option for everyone. They’re really only the better option if you spend the majority of your time wakeboarding.
 

Bow

There are a number of other considerations you can keep in mind when looking at different wakeboard boats. Your boat’s bow is another important thing to consider. There is a high probability that your bow is where your wakeboarders will be climbing in and out of the boat. The type of bow you have will impact the number of people your boat can hold. It’s likely you’ll be looking at a closed or an open bow. This pretty much determines whether there are extra seats in the bow or not, and how accessible the bow is. If you know you’re going to need more room for more people, you’ll probably want an open bow boat, rather than a closed bow boat. 




Of course, there are many other features and many other factors that play into purchasing a wakeboard boat. There are just some of the main features shoppers search for in their endeavors to find their perfect wakeboard boat. If you have any questions about these, or anything else, you should definitely make a trip to Active Watersports and let our amazing staff help you out. We have two locations in the Portland Metro area - one in Beaverton, and the other in Oregon City, and at both, you will find one of a kind customer service and high-quality wakeboard boats for sale. We’re not too far from Vancouver, WA, or Salem, and Eugene, OR. We also love serving our friends and neighbors in Central Oregon. Don’t wait any longer, come see us today!