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Looking for that elusive all-around boat. Would like to be able to use up to 10 miles out in the Gulf (on good days) AND use it for wakeboarding & kneeboarding (not pro). Is this feasible? It looks like the only saltwater boats I could get with a ski pylon are the (glorified bass boat) bay boats. I looked at Skeeter 22Bay's, but read the posts about the broken stringer and soft deck's, checked out the Ranger 2180(new one on the lot looked like it was 15 yrs old (left in the sun/rain) so it would prob look 30 after I was done with it. I saw a Champion 21 but don't know much about them. I toured a couple aluminum custom builders shops as well (want something that will last with min upkeep). My favorite so far is a Rinalli 2100 except the $$$$$. Does anyone know if it would be feasible to use this boat 10 miles out. Would I get home if the weather suddenly got nasty (like it did to me last weekend when I came home looking like a drowned rat)? Should I forget the pylon and get a deeper V 21 and put up with it handling like a barge?
those"good"days are few and far between, and never seem to occur on weekends. Decide what is MOST important to you , and get the boat that does that the best.
Alright - the ski pylon is not critical. I do alot more fishing that wakeboarding, but I would still like to be able to do some. Any conjecture on how far out I could take a Rinalli 2100? They seem to ride really flat and I was wondering if that would result in me taking alot of waves over the bow (haven't gotten the test ride yet). Any Rinalli owners out there?
Muddy, the center consoles and dual consoles will do all the things you want. My boss bought a boston whaler 17ft Montauk that he uses strictly as a lakeboat to cruise and pull waterskiers, and its bottom is flat enough to do well as such (modified V).
I'm also in the process of choosing a boat, and I'm going the dual console route because the wife likes the way they look and because we want the wrap around windshield for cruising in the winter months.
As far as the ski pole you can get a pole from overtons that mounts in the rear seat hole. You just need to drill two
holes in the rear deck for the supports. I had rinalli install one that I sent them on my 2100. I haven't had my boat out in anything over a 2-3' chop, but it did ride well and does have 18 degrees deadrise, which is more than most bay boats have. You might give Greg at Rinalli a call and ask him to put you in touch with an owner that uses his boat offshore.
I forgot to comment on the sking. One thing you might want to check on any boat is the wake size an shape for the type of sking you do, as well as making sure the boat will plane slow enough for wakeboarding. My old boat was fine for sking, but the wakeboard speed was too fast. The Rinalli with stay on plane at about 20mph which is plenty slow enough for me to wakeboard. The wake is also real good for slalom sking, but is kinda hard on the feet while barefooting.
There is no such thing as a 'perfect' boat. All are a collection of compromises. Around here the center console is king. Go fish with it. Cruise a bunch of people with it. Who needs a seat? The raised bow platform is a good bikini supporter. If big enough & it has a bow dodger & clear plastic to the bimini , you can sleep on it. Make a bridle to go between the stern rings & you have an adequate skiboat. Hose the whole thing down when you are finished.
Muddy,
I live in Pa. and ski, wakeboard, drink adult bevrages on the susquhanna river near T.M.I.. I also fish the deleware bay when I have time. I have a proline 202 D.C. The kids love the air they get off the wake & the beating they get on a tub. As for me the skiing is just fine. As for fishing, I travle to the Deleware bay. I can go from Lewes Delewere to Cape May New Jersey without any problems 13 to 15 miles. This D.C. style boat is great as long as I have kids at home . However when the do leave the nest I will have a 22ft cuddy.The wife is growing tird of the bucket.
Have & include the family in on the chosing of the boat.
Dog
Thanks for the info guys. I plan to drive over to Seguin and talk to Greg and the Rinalli guys. If I don't go with the Rinalli, I will get a custom built Gravois bay boat so that I don't have to worry about upkeep. As far as the boat's wake goes, I love the air you can get off a deep V boat wake. Thanks to gwilliams on the Rinalli info - I had been wondering how well they can go slow (everybody knows they can go fast I suppose I can put a swim ladder on just about any boat, but it seems like the trim tabs would get in the way (Rinalli doesn't need TT's supposedly). I suppose a boat would become just plain unwieldy for skiing at about 23' handling and gas wise because of all the stopping, going, and turning.
My brother has a wake board boat The boat has 0 deadrise as measured at the stern. YEah he also has the tower and an inboard engine all the cool stuff. I was surprised at the lack of deadrise until I saw him filling the boat with bags of water and lots of it. The boat squats down to generate a huge wake.
We wakeboard behind my boat also. It works fine. A competition wakeboarder would not be satisfied but a weekend guy having fun would find it more than satisfactory.
I plan on wakeboarding from my 20' Aquasport. I've been told there are ski poles that mount in rod holders, or you can always skip the ski pole and just get the rope that ties on cleats on both sides of the boat. It's not ideal but it works fine for amatuers.
just bought a key west 186 with a johnson 140 4 stroke. i take my wife and i skiing on our lake we just put a floating ball hooked to the boats transom.
so far just fine at 4500 rpms its pulling us 30 mph.
My 19' dual console Scully's does all the things you describe. I've had it 20 miles out w/ a buddy boat on a great day. The addition of trim tabs really improved the boat's ability to plane at low speeds which helps with the kids hydroslides (haven't stepped up to the wakeboard yet). I'd consider tabs on whatever you get.
Feasible to use bay boat for fish and ski? 
I suppose I can put a swim ladder on just about any boat, but it seems like the trim tabs would get in the way (Rinalli doesn't need TT's supposedly). I suppose a boat would become just plain unwieldy for skiing at about 23' handling and gas wise because of all the stopping, going, and turning. 
The boat has 0 deadrise as measured at the stern. YEah he also has the tower and an inboard engine all the cool stuff. I was surprised at the lack of deadrise until I saw him filling the boat with bags of water and lots of it. The boat squats down to generate a huge wake. 
