Fishing Boat/Yacht thread....Fl and Miami scene.

[Eddo Rogue]

My experience is mostly I/O or inboard or tiny outboard like handle steering.

My buddy had a 23' super air nautique wake surf boat and agreed to take me out for some practice launching, driving, docking, pulling him on surf board and whatnot. I guess sparing him having to do all that is not a bad deal, he gets to just surf all day for providing the boat lol. Its been 10 years or so since I've done all that, probably a little rusty lol. Hopefully I dont bonk or beach the boat lol.

 

[Chapap]

My experience is mostly I/O or inboard or tiny outboard like handle steering.

My buddy had a 23' super air nautique wake surf boat and agreed to take me out for some practice launching, driving, docking, pulling him on surf board and whatnot. I guess sparing him having to do all that is not a bad deal, he gets to just surf all day for providing the boat lol. Its been 10 years or so since I've done all that, probably a little rusty lol. Hopefully I dont bonk or beach the boat lol.

What’s a small inboard like? I’ve heard that big ships can use the prop walk as a sort of rear thruster

 

[Eddo Rogue]

What’s a small inboard like? I’ve heard that big ships can use the prop walk as a sort of rear thruster

Its a little tricky doing things like docking or no waking through a tight crowded channel....but its kind of all I know, I probably suck, but used to it enough to pull it off lol.

Inboards are more difficult than I/O's IMO. Its like rear wheel drive vs "mid" wheel drive lol.

We don't even usally dont even dock per se. Usually just pull up close and whoever is fetching the truck jumps off the bow, then hit reverse and float till the truck shows up. Besides that we mostly anchor or just half beach it and tie off lol. That was back when we were younger with crappier boats though lol.

Idk how small you are referring to, but I am talking your average 18-27' speedboat with an inboard v8 and an outdrive prop. But the ski boat is I think all inboard, as is most of em for apt reasons.

As far as pulling a skier, there's also a learning curve, but these new surf boats do it all for you. This thing has a screen where you set everything up: wake/surf, regular or goofy, speed etc, then just hit the gas and the boat does the rest. it takes off and settles to speed for you, you can even adjust the speed in 1mph increments on the fly. Now I see why it was $130k lol.

I drove a little jet boat with a 455 in it once, that was a blast.
IDK about the big ships doing that, interesting....

 

[scotts90ranger]

I like my jetboat, it has what, 2 moving parts on the drive? jet shaft and reverse bucket... jetboats are stupid expensive though (aluminum ones at least) unless it's the old fiberglass ones that someone bought cheap for the big block and are selling dirt cheap without an engine... Mine's one year younger than me and was just under $10k with a rebuilt 351W... it's a beater but perfect for what I want to do... it's like 21' long and does about 40mph, good enough for me, I don't have to worry about scratching it, the gas gauge and coolant temp gauge are the only ones that work but that's fine... the river by my house is anywhere from 2 to 60' deep depending on where you are so not having dangly bits is nice...

I've been at a boat ramp, had the wife drive the sploder with trailer to the top of the ramp, I beached the boat, backed the trailer in the water, jumped back in the boat, drove it on the trailer, had her run the jack and safety chain then drive the sploder out, I think that happened in like 3 minutes where others took 20+... would have been more entertaining if I wasn't waiting for them...