22i Ride Report

[rmarion]

This is our first direct drive, Tournament style ski boat. Our old boats were I/O, smallish in size. We mainly purchased the boat for it's roominess first, wakeboard second, but then, I was thinking, DD = Slalom skiing.

After slalom skiing behind the boat, I was disappointed with the wake for skiing . The wake is a little large to tear it up. But then, we did not by this boat, for skiing. I just assumed, being a dd, that it would throw out a flat wake as well.

Now, on the wakeboarding. (Were beginner/novice boarders, with 25 years of boating experience) I skipper the boat the first two times out without getting wet behind it. Looking at the wake while driving did not impress me much. But, then, no one riding was complaining, they all were excited and going large (for us anyway). Well, I finally got wet this weekend, (at the river, 78 degree water and butta) man; the wake is HUGE back there . I still have a slight concussion to prove it. Now I just need to learn how to fall!!!!!!!!!

Now at the river, we had nine, count'em, NINE people in the boat. It felt like 4 or 5. This boat ROCKS for its roominess and storage. We spent all day in it, boarding, floating, eating all day, both days.

We are so pleased with this boat.... ....we've put 29 hours on it already, with only one month of ownership. (Our last boat had 500 hours @ 20 years)

This Boat kicks BUTT!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again Tige Watersports of Corona.

Sincerely,

The Marion Family

[forjar]

Glad to hear that you are enjoying your boat. I also have a new 22I.

[joe8395]

That's really great....I'm sure you will have a great summer. When are you going out to the river again?

I'm headed out there on the 18th - 20th, I love that place.

[rmarion]

Joe

We went out of Blythe. We have rented a houseboat at Mead at the end of this month. We'll hit the river again in July.
Which part of the river do you frequent?

[joe8395]

I have only been hitting up Havasu this season....been trying to organize a house boat vacation but it's a bit tougher with a bunch of single guys.

You gonna go to the Regatta in August @ Bluewater?

[Tige22ityper]

Right on! Sounds like you are going to have alot of fun with your 22i!!

I was a little suprised that you didn't like the ski wake. How fast do you ski and at what line length? When I first skiied behind my 22i, I too thought the wake was a little intimidating, but once I started to get comfortable and got my form back, the wake was a non-issue. I usually ski between 34-36 mph and with 15-22' off. I have even run the slalom course with this boat. My wife will ski at 15 ' off at around 30 and she does really well. YOu just have to get used to the fact that it will never be as flat as a true DD slalom boat, so you will always have a little bump going over the wake.

[rmarion]

Originally posted by Tige22ityper
Right on! Sounds like you are going to have alot of fun with your 22i!!

I was a little suprised that you didn't like the ski wake. How fast do you ski and at what line length? When I first skiied behind my 22i, I too thought the wake was a little intimidating, but once I started to get comfortable and got my form back, the wake was a non-issue. I usually ski between 34-36 mph and with 15-22' off. I have even run the slalom course with this boat. My wife will ski at 15 ' off at around 30 and she does really well. YOu just have to get used to the fact that it will never be as flat as a true DD slalom boat, so you will always have a little bump going over the wake.

Tigetyper
I'm a little embarrassed here, but, whatever rope length they throw at me is what I run.....lol.
Regarding skiing speed, I never knew on our old boat??, we never had speedo, our rpm's were around 3k. My old I/O had a HUGE wake, which in later years was AWESOME for boarding........ My bud boats which I loved to ski behind is Ski Centurion, 18', outboard, when skiing you don't even know there’s a wake. When we ski behind his boat, our speed is WFO, as fast as the boat will run (no speedo). Now our Tige, we were running at 32-34, but the wake is massive (I don't enjoy catching air, while laying sideways anymore- Old Man here). (the problem might be, we have had no less than 7 bodies & full gear). I will try a few runs at Lake Mead, with the minimum weight & passengers in the boat.

Still LOVE the Boat............

[bakerds2121]

Blythe

rmarion

Any problems with sand bars and tree stumps a Blythe. I was out there on May 22 and it was nerve racking for me sometimes in 3 feet of water.

[rmarion]

Bake

This is our first new boat in 22 years. I was very concern and extremely nervous the whole time on the water. We went south of I-10. The water was high for Blythe (6' average). A few tree stumps were marked. I did polish the prop a few times.
We got off the river just when it started getting low. No sand bars were exposed. We boarded and floated about to the third bridge.
Had a Great time.

[bakerds2121]

rmarion

We were with a group of six boats. Almost all had prop damage and the jets sucked up stuff as well. Lots of fun but I won't be putting mine back in at Blythe. We bought a 22ir in March as our first boat and love it as well. Post some pics in the gallery.

[bakerds2121]

rmarion

Saw your boat on wakeworld.com......very nice

[rmarion]

Baker

I took the boat out again yesterday to Blythe, I had a crew working in town so I thougth I would treat them to an afternoon water play time. So we launch at 3:30, water was high, had a great time, stayed a little to long (lol), before returning, than proceeded to find all the sand bars that you mention. We did not get the boat back on the trailer until 10:30 pm. We were stuck on two sand bars and had to dig out. Talk about an adventure. I hope I learn from this expericance.
The boat was Christened.

[ssrgeoff]

That doesnt sound like fun..... going there anytime soon? lol

[bakerds2121]

rmarion

I had visions of my fins stuck in the sand bars like fish hooks when I was there. Sounds like you lived it. Any damage?

[joe8395]

what a freakin' nightmare...sounds like you had a good learning expeirence.