Carbon Pro is at the top of my list and I have had many boats under $25,000 before this pandemic hit.I had a 2011 CP that was a great ski boat for all skiers of any level.Also the LXI I think is excellent choice along with the 196.Boats are so over priced now I can't believe it.If I had all of boats for sale now and sold them I would be rich and could retire and be a neighbor to @The_MS .
@AmandaLR if you haven't tried a butterknife or the hovercraft - you can go REAL slow like 15 mph if needed. I'd probably go butterknife because youd want a better binding than the ones HO has on direct connect.
These are exactly what you're talking about full pass slow as you can go. And not expensive.
@Horton you need to re-read my posts. I agreed that 4 re-rides was unlikely, but possible. The only comment I made on a bet was for the older/heavier guys to have "multiple" re-rides
"@Horton I agree the scenario I put forth is unlikely, but is possible with less than ideal conditions - and you need a skier capable of running 41.
What I think is more likely is a bunch of heavy 55k skiers, say capable of running 39 on a good day, will have their scores reduced and/or multiple re-rides. There are a lot of L tournaments that don't have the elite level skiers OR elite level drivers.
And then you have guys like Mongo and JackQ. Pulling 30mph shortline for those guys isn't easy even for a good senior driver. I will bet that bottle of Scotch that they will have multiple re-rides."
Simple math says that unless a skier is capable of running 39, there is no way he can get more than 2 re-rides anyway, so that's a very small group to begin with.
The real problem in my mind is not for the elite level skiers at elite level events, its for the multiple places that host L events with a handful of shortline skiers and may not have the world's best drivers.
@Chad_Scott I think we are in agreement. A really good driver can keep Mongo in tolerance, but he will have to work a lot harder than keeping Nate in tolerance. A mediocre driver won't have a chance.
I agree Sure-Path is a good thing that will improve all drivers and weed out those not capable. I know more senior drivers than I care to mention that are past their weed out date. At the same time, there are good up and coming asst and regular drivers who will be helped immensely by surepath. They also need time behind the wheel in different boats and with different skiers. I just hope the fine line between weeding out the unqualified and using it as a learning tool can be balanced.
I believe most here are commenting on running tournament speeds +32mph through a course. Lots of variables and if by open water you mean outside the course then there are even more options. Other factors are your skiing speed, amount of people and gear you plan/need to carry other uses etc. There were may great boats from half a dozen different makers in the early 2000's before V-Drives took over. Find a well cared for and a good dealer that has some knowledge of the boat if possible.
Yes what does "open water" mean? How many in the boat typically when you are skiing? Open water to me means not necessarily a course, but there could be one? It also means just a bigger lake which all are sometimes glass calm--at least that's when we weanted to ski 'em growing up--later in the day sometiems they became a shit show of rollers and wind, but by then we were done and off the water.
Do you need to recreate some, have a bunch of folks in the boat, do other stuff? How will you use the boat?
U need a wake--196, "Bu" Response. You need more room--Sunsetter Lxi etc.