In the south, spring starts early, and summer ends late! What does this mean? More time on the water to enjoy our favorite activities!
Whether you’re heading out on the water for the inaugural run or for the hundredth time this season, it is essential to keep your boat summer-ready. There are many types of boats and engines, each with its own maintenance requirements. Is your boat or PWC ready to hit the water? If you are unsure, we created a Spring Readiness Guide. This is meant to assist in planning for your boat’s maintenance and ensure you stay on the water!
Boat Maintenance & Spring Readiness Guide
This checklist serves only as a guide. Refer to your boat’s owner’s manual and reach out to your local boat dealer with questions related your boat’s service and maintenance.
In addition to engine preparedness, State laws require safety items on board your boat:
Navigation Lights: When underway from sunset to sunrise, all vessels must be equipped with prescribed navigation lights in accordance with the Boating Safety Laws.
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) – PWC’s, boats less than 16’ in length, and boats over 16′ in length each have certain PFD requirements. Visit your state’s boating site (listed below) for a detailed list of required PFD’s for your area.
Fire Extinguisher – all vessels must be equipped with a USCG-approved fire extinguisher (type and capacity requirements based on the type of vessel).
Sound Device (horn/distress signal) – Vessels must have a proper signal device (i.e. horn, bell, whistle).
To find the complete Boat Equipment Checklists for Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, visit:
Boating season is right around the corner! Have you decided how you and your family will spend your days on the water? If you’re interested in watersports, we’d like to help you discover the best boats for watersports!
Several different water activities are popular among boaters these days. They include water sports like skiing and wakesurfing, hobby sports such as fishing, and simple activities such as anchoring in your favorite cove for the day.
In this article, we will focus on the watersports options and guide you in your next decision for your perfect boat for summer.
What are the best boats for waterskiing?
Whether you are a traditional, slalom, or barefoot skier, your ski boat should stand apart in these three categories: Flat wake, tracking ability, and helm comfort. But if you’re new to skiing, how do you know how a ski wake is supposed to look? How do you know what you’re supposed to feel when skiing behind a boat?
When shopping for your next ski boat, keep these points in mind, and always ask for a lake demonstration.
Minimal Wake
Skiers need as little wake as possible to enjoy their set on the lake. A boat that maintains minimal wake at all speeds is ideal for this sport.
Tracking
A boat that can track straight without veering far off course during a set makes both the skier’s and the driver’s experience more enjoyable. Take the boat for a spin at ski speeds during your lake demonstration. Test the boat’s handling while towing a skier. Pay special attention to how the boat handles the weight of your skier as they complete a pass or two.
Helm Comfort
When you’re on your boat demo, sit in the driver’s seat! Is the seat adjustable? Are you able to see clearly out the windshield? Is the dash technology intuitive and customizable? All of these factors make or break your boating experience as an avid skier!
There are several brand options for a quality ski boat. One that we recommend at Skier’s Marine is the MasterCraft Prostar. It boasts hull rails and tracking fins to make it the easiest driving ski boat on the market. In addition, MasterCraft redesigned the motor box to reduce noise and provide better airflow for optimum engine performance. Whether it’s just you and your buddy, or you take the whole family, the Prostar has room for seven people with bow seating and removable rear seats. Skier’s Marine offers the MasterCraft Prostar at all of our locations, so when searching for ski boats for sale in TN, AL, or GA, check out our dealership first!
What are the best boats for wakeboarding?
Wakeboardingis a watersport that involves a motorboat towing a rider on a wakeboard. Compared to the ski wake, a wakeboarder thrives with a wider wake with a nice lift to help the rider grab some air.
When buying a new watersports boat for wakeboarding, things to look for include a reliable wake, interior comfort, and premium technology.
There are several reputable brands available to wakeboard enthusiasts! Supra, Moomba, and MasterCraft are just a few of the options.
set themselves apart using premium materials and class-leading fuel-efficient Indmar engines. You will find four model options from Supra Boats ranging in sizes from about 21-24 feet long with ballast capacity ranging from 3300 lbs to 4100 lbs. Included in each of the models is the Supra Boats AutoWake technology. AutoWake offers rider profiles and AutoWake leveling, so the boat automatically adjusts each surf plate until the boat is level.
provides a reliable wake boat at a price point most boat owners will appreciate. The lineup of Moomba Boats includes six models starting at 20 feet, going up to just over 24 feet in length. Each of these models includes AutoWake technology to help create a consistent push-button wake each time you head out onto the water.
offers four wake boat families with multiple boat length options. One thing that sets MasterCraft apart is that each boat comes equipped with the same wake and surf system. So no matter which boat family, length, or style you choose, you will always have the same wake experience behind each of the MasterCraft wake boat options. MasterCraft utilizes its SurfStar system, which provides the most customizable wave for wakeboarding and wakesurfing.
What are the best boats for wakesurfing?
Wakesurfingis a newer watersport for boat owners that brings the love of surfing the ocean to the lake.
When wakesurfing, your rider is towed on a short surfboard behind a boat. The boat’s speed stays around 10-11mph. Slow speeds with full ballasts produce a nice wake for your rider to surf.
As mentioned above, MasterCraft Boats offers the most customizable wave for wakesurfing. The SurfStarcomponents on each MasterCraft include an intuitive dash display, maximum surf durability, and flawless wake precision. Save surfing profiles for all of your riders using the preferred settings, or create your perfect wave!
The options from Supra Boats and Moomba Boats are capable of creating solid surf waves. AutoWake combined with the Swell System from Supra or the Flow Surf System from Moomba will create an enjoyable experience for any rider.
Another brand that offers a more versatile overall boating experience is the Surf line from Chaparral Boats. Chaparral offers models made for a day on the water that comes equipped with a spacious interior layout and numerous storage options. The Surf line from Chaparral includes five boat lengths to choose from, each set up with the Malibu Surf Gates™. Like the brands mentioned above, the driver controls the Surf Gates on the Chaparral Surf via the touchscreen.
If cruising the lake with the option to tow the kids in inner tubes is something you enjoy, most pontoons and tritoonshave ski rope attachments. Each of the boats we mentioned above also make great tubing and day boating options!
