Setting up our I/O

brumby · Newbie Joined: 02 May 2012 Posts: 12 City: Discovery bay

Been looking at wakeboard boats and have concluded that we can't afford to buy a new or semi-used boat right now so we are looking at setting up our 2000 Chris Craft 262 Sportdeck with an Aerial tower for now until we can upgrade to a newer V-drive. I've watched some videos here on wakeboarder.com of some stern drives. Thought I would seek some insight from peeps who've been down this road.

Years ago I had a huge custom formed swim platform made specially for the boat ... it's massive ... 4ft ... looks like a beaver tail and works great, puts the sterndrive well out of the way. I also set the boat up with a 502 MAG after our 454 died a horrible death, so we're pushing around 500 - 520 HP. Pops out of the hole like my wife after the ice cream truck. I know the deadrise on the I/O's is not dialed in like the V-drives however it is a deep V hull with a 3'6" draft at around 8500lbs ... pretty much a beast as far as open bow boats go. I've skied behind her quite a bit.

Looking to install perfect pass and possibly some sacks along with the tower.

Any other stern drive projects out there?

brumby · Newbie Joined: 02 May 2012 Posts: 12 City: Discovery bay

Thought I would at least catch some flaq for this but no input?

mgs917 · Addict Joined: 17 Sep 2008 Posts: 532 City: Spartanburg

I can't really offer any insight, but here is a really long thread on I/O's.

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=40609

pat8839 · Outlaw Joined: 18 Mar 2010 Posts: 106

Brumby I have an I/O as I am in the same boat as far as not being able to afford a v-drive at this point. I have a Bayliner 195 so it obviously is not nearly the same size of yours, but we use it to wakeboard all the time. I put an aerial airborne tower on it in September which we love. I have 2 350lb fat sacks that we fill when we ride. I put one on the floor in the bow and one in the ski locker. We also adjust the trim up about a quarter of the way.
Works great for us!

pet575 · Posted: May 14, 2012 8:51 am Post subject:

Read through that thread mgs917 posted. About the best discussion you'll find on here. Most universal rules are probably that you need to get a 4 or 5 blade prop that is pitched lower to hold plane at lower speeds. You're going to have to give up some top-end speed in order to achieve that.

brumby · Newbie Joined: 02 May 2012 Posts: 12 City: Discovery bay

Am reading the thread mgs917. I'm running a counter rotating stainless prop DPS outdrive. How will that effect the prop choices? Haven't seen anything on the Duoprop setups yet.

pet575 · Posted: May 15, 2012 7:51 am Post subject:

If you are Duoprop you probably don't need to do anything. You are essentially running a 6-blade prop, even though some would probably argue that you are getting less than that due to slippage and ventilation on the rear prop due to the front prop wash. I'm set up with a Mercury Bravo 3 and it is the same deal-2 26P props. I have absolutely no issues with holeshot or staying on plane at 16+ MPH so I would guess you'd be similar. You have a bigger engine and probably a heavier boat but are still probably just fine.

I have PP wakeboard pro as well and would not do without it. I get a decent wake for an I/O out of my setup and other than length it is probably not a lot different than your setup.

With your weight/length, I'd try going without weight to begin and with little to no trim on the outdrive. See how the wake is at 19-20 MPH and adjust the trim, speed, and rope length from there. Hopefully you don't have trim tabs on that thing. If you do, hopefully they are easily retractable. You'll want them all the way up because the trim tabs are a good wake's enemy.

brumby · Newbie Joined: 02 May 2012 Posts: 12 City: Discovery bay

Glad you pointed that out on the tabs.

Thx for all the input.

Is the perfect pass a difficult install?

pet575 · Posted: May 15, 2012 11:31 am Post subject:

No, the PerfectPass isn't all that bad. The worst part about it is getting up the courage to take that holesaw to your hull. If you get the GPS version you don't have to do that, though.

usmcpi9504 · Newbie Joined: 16 May 2012 Posts: 7

You say you can't afford a new (or at least new to you) boat, yet all the things you want to do to your boat arent cheap. I mean between the tower, perfect pass, ballasts (especially if wired up for autofill) is going to run you about $3k. Why not just use that money for a down payment on a boat? Then just sell your boat (dont know if you own it or finance it, but either way it will free up more cash). Say you bought a $20k boat, put the #3k down, financing on $17k at a decent rate will put your payments in the $150-200/month range. Just something to think about.