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2001 GEKKO GTR

bananaronbananaron Posts: 561 Mega Baller
in Boat Talk

I bought this Gekko GTR new in 2001 from Mark Overbye president and founder of Gekko boats.I sold the boat in 2016 to a young college water skier and his family.Over the past many yrs I was able to ski and enjoy the boat many times a summer.As many of you ballers know I have owned many boats during the last many yrs and for me this is without a doubt my favorite boat.I just bought the boat back and its on my lift to stay.ITS PRISTINE CONDITION! For me at my age the wake is ideal and the pull is good.With the prices of boats today this is a steal.I have a brand new interest in skiing now and prefer it over the MC PS 197.Obviously the boat mkt is not changing anytime soon so buying and selling is not going to happen.I think I am more happy now then when I bought it 21 yrs ago......
Ron Engblom Brainerd lakes,minnesota
ALPJrWishDaveD

Comments

  • VermontSkierVermontSkier Posts: 58 Baller
    PRISTINE!
  • LoopSkiLoopSki Posts: 966 Mega Baller
    It will be for sale before labor day !
    RednucleusUWSkier
  • skihackerskihacker Posts: 500 Crazy Baller
    It's already for sale.......
  • bananaronbananaron Posts: 561 Mega Baller
    NOT FOR SALE TODAY OR TOMORROW!! This is the best boat I will ever own and certainly at my age at this time of my life.
    Ron Engblom Brainerd lakes,minnesota
  • UWSkierUWSkier Posts: 1,902 Mega Baller
    Boats are like girlfriends. Sometimes you hook up with an old flame but there's always another one around the corner...
    boats are like girlfriends you love them however there is another one around the corner - bananaron, July 21, 2020
    Dragobananaron
  • 6balls6balls Posts: 6,113 Mega Baller
    Those were fun boats. Bro Jim had one before he went MC in '05 and continued same. Look cool in the water and on the trailer. Great top end speed, low but firm wake for slalom--incredible tracking, does pretty well as a footing boat.

    Easy to take water over the bow, baby it into the hole or can take it over the rear as the wake washes up. Seats lack cushion and other materials cuts to save cost over the big 3 were apparent.

    I liked that boat a lot--we had a bunch of fun with it.
    Dave Ross--die cancer die
    bananaron
  • prkprk Posts: 64 Baller
    ron i have a 2002 GTO same colour love it only way it could be better is if it was a GTX closed bow
    bananaron
  • bananaronbananaron Posts: 561 Mega Baller
    @6balls I actually think this GTR is very well made and the fit and finish is excellent.I have owned many boats from the top 3 makers and a ski centurion and this boat for its age looks great.It has held up just as good if not better then all of those other boats and in fact when I sold it I got a better price for it then what I paid for any of the big 3 boats.All of the big 3 boats depreciated more then the Gekko.I love this boat and its staying on my lift and might be my last boat.The boat mkt is dead as far as buying and selling for now.
    Ron Engblom Brainerd lakes,minnesota
  • 6balls6balls Posts: 6,113 Mega Baller
    I understand Ron. I had a '91 Centurion Falcon Barefoot and babied it...so when it sold to my nephew a few years ago it's pretty clear it seemed to hold up really well for nearly 30 years--but it was as much the care as anything. Having said that the 91 was built far better than the '88 Barefoot Warrior we had prior to that boat.

    Fineline industries built those boats, I believe built the Gekko as well. The Gekko is screwed together well, but you can't say the materials used for dash, seats, carpet etc are as high end as the big 3--I think that was the point was to undercut price.

    At the time of the Gekko, if one could have tweaked the hull just a bit to soften that low wake, put a little reverse lip on the transom so as to keep from water up the back side on settling in the hole, added some cusion to the seats and put in a really nice dash--would have been a true competitor in the market IMO. Time and again, tho, price point boats don't make it.
    Dave Ross--die cancer die
  • Keith_MenardKeith_Menard Posts: 816 Mega Baller
    I have a 2002 GTO, I actually think the materials they used were every bit as good as the similar year Mastercrafts I have compared it against. When I went to have a couple seats redone 2 years ago the upholsterer was impressed with the vinyl they used.

    As @6balls said, there are a couple tweaks I would make to the boat if I was building one today. You have to be very careful not to take water over the front or back...fine for private lake...NOT fine for public. Tweak the wake a little bit, and change the cup holder for the driver :)

    The price point boats are a really tough sell, if you are looking to save money, you are probably going to buy a name you know used because you are taking a gamble wondering if the company will still be around to do warranty work.

    It is a shame the Gekko didn't last, and I would LOVE to try one of the newer releases with zero off and the 6.2, but the real shame is that Overbye isn't involved. Very few instances have I had the kind of customer service he provided and that was for a used boat.
    thager6ballsRAWSkibananaron
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