Firefly wrote:
You should really look at going with a 4 or 5 blade prop. I just picked up an '02 200 horizon with the 4.3 GXi, and I'll definitely be putting a 4 blade on, if not going all the way with a mercury High 5. Those things are supposed to get a skiier up in no time, not to mention allow for a slower planing speed.
I have a 5 blade stainless high-five blade on a 200hp Merc EFI outboard my Ranger Fish and Ski. Will do close to 70mph and jumps out the hole. It's a a great ski boat, w/ high factory ski pole. But... it doesn't throw any wake at all. Nor do some the the ski boats that you mentioned - unless they are equipped with bladders or other wake producers. Once you get used to getting up and cutting turns on the wakeboard, you'll want a wake to jump. Power gets you up, but if you're wakeboarding - you want a wake. That's one of the reasons we bought the 230. It's a wife pleaser (the large layout) and a kid pleaser (throws a much bigger wake than the Ranger - and the kids are not professionals and do not need a HUGE wake). Works for us since my teens are between are probably between 140-160lbs and the 230 has plenty of power to get them right up and out of the water. Anyway - if you're into wake boarding and considering swapping boats - think wake.