I would agree with Daniel (2MERCS) that this is a good thread. First thing, people have to realize is that one ski boat cannot be all things to all people. For example, if you want a brand new high-end inboard ski boat, these boats most likely won't satisfy those people with a smaller budget. Another obvious example is that you won't see many triple rigged 20'ers pulling skiers at three event tounaments. For those people looking for an all purpose family ski boat, IMHO, nothing beats the value and versatility of a 17.6' or a 20' open bow Dyna-Ski. I've had numerous people either email me or call me and ask how I liked my 17.6 Dyna-Ski. In a nut shell, I compare my 17.6 to a motor vehicle as follows; the boat is a tractor, a sports car and a minivan all wrapped into one. Of course there will always be a tractor that can pull more, a sports car that can go faster and a minivan that will hold more people, but I think Dyna-Ski has balanced these requirements well. Remember, every boat will have limitations and cannot be all things to all people. IMHO, there is a lot of bang for your buck in a base model open bow 17.6. I personally wouldn't power these boats with less than a 115hp motor and after that, prop selection is based more on what you plan on using your boat for. The twin rigged 18' Dyne remains my favorite boat of all time. Of course, even this boat has it's own limitations and at my place, a twin rigged 18' Dyne wouldn't pass the "wifey test" for family use. Kevin
I am glad to hear that someone is starting to push the outboard ski boat market again. I really hope that you can make something positive out of it, and help people realize that the boat they are looking for may not be that brand new mastercraft X-Star. The one thing I like about the way the various dyne boats have been sold is that you have options when you "order" one. I personally enjoy ordering the bare hull and picking out and installing my own components. I am one of the .01% of the population that will do that though. I think a fair portion of the population may like to still have the option to pick their components though. This is where a knowledgeable sales staff, quality web site with good information about the various options (and cost of each option), and good marketing can really help. Yes, you will still need to have your "standard" boats, from the base model to the pimped out model, mainly as displays and test boats. Base modle boat: Hull, no windshield, 2 color? Quality bolt together trailer (not cheap a$$ trailer) basic 2 color interior with decent quality material (again, not cheap) Tach (multigauge), waterski pitot speed (similar to airguide - please find a new manufacturer!), fuel 115 horse motor Cable steering (twin cable?) Good throttle (new BRP flush mount?) Upgrades: Graphics packages, custom colors, etc... Custom trailer, aluminum rims, bow stop, etc.... More colors and better material for interior, other interior options, etc... more gauges (individual and/or packages), I-command, gps, etc... motor selection up to max cap. for the hull, or even dowsize (for reduced cost) for restricted lakes etc... hydraulic steering digital throttle sound system boom/extended pylon from factory (maybe KW would be willing to work with you on this)
I forgot to add, I'm not a big fan of swim platforms on outboards. It gets people too close to the motor, and even if the motor is off, the prop is still sharp, and inexperienced users can easily cut themselves while flailing around trying to use a ladder/platform that close to the prop.
This thread is a good one and the more people that respond the better it will be. We can offer anything on a Dyna-Ski boat that you can afford. The 20' Closed Bow has room for three big block motors on the transom. The older style cannot fit three big block motors on the transom. We have been asked about a twin rigged Open Bow 20'. It can be done but it won't be cheap and it will handle like a triple unless we can figure out a different place for the gas tank. But then I'm getting off the subject of this thread. Extended Pylons are easy. The BI Tower fits and works fine as does the V-Drive (or bent boom). The front mounted pylon is an option. KW also makes a nice boom that works well on either pylon. BI fat sacs fit and work also. Figuring out the minimum requirements that customers require is the trick. It is easy to leave off some stuff and reduce the cost. The motor costs help keep the price of the water ready boats up some. I do have some screaming deals at the end of the show ski season on used one season motors which typically have two years or more of warranty remaining. These motors can save a buyer $4,000.00. We build Dyna-Ski Boats one at a time and I'm told by customers that the quality is way above the cheap outboard boats offered by other manufacturers. One big question is a windshield necessary or should it be an option? We built a couple of 17.6 Closed Bows that are being used by ski teams and the last 17.6 had a windshield and a red stripe. See the pictures below. I'm crunching the numbers and $20 K with a 115 is going to be tough with a windshield unless it is a used one season motor. There are not that many of the used one season motors available to start with. By now they are all gone! Your thoughts?
I thought of a couple more things to throw out there. The problem with putting prices on a web site are many. Prices from suppliers change and more than once a year. For awhile trailers were going up every couple of weeks. Shipping costs vary all over the map even for small items. I sold a single motored boat to a person in Moscow Russia last year about this time. The shipping may have added as much as 50% to the cost of the boat. I'm not sure as I didn't handle the shipping and did not pay for it either. I also sent a boat to the Cayman Islands a couple years ago. That boat I had delivered to a shipping company in Florida. Thanks to the web site we get inquiries from all over the world. This year I got two from Kuwait, one from Russia, one from Greece, one from Acapulco, several from Canada, etc. etc. Posting motor prices or rigging parts prices on line makes the manufacturer and some dealers mad. Yes I know there are folks that do it but I prefer to stay off the radar screen when possible. My agreement with the motor manufacturers says I'm not supposed to post prices on the internet. Motor manufacturers do not want boat manufacturers shipping motors to other countries. They want to protect their licensed importers and dealers. Unfortunately many dealers are not good at setting up outboards for optimum performance on water ski boats so it makes it tough to maintain our high standards.
Would it make a difference if it was a price to upgrade from "a" to "b" instead of the cost for "b"? The prices don't necessarily need to be posted online, but at least have a list of the "standards" and "options" listed with details about each item (links to manufacturers web site and a paragraph or two about what the benefits are for each item). If this isn't something you feel comfortable posting, then post as much as you feel comfortable with, and make it easy to contact a salesperson who can explain the options and pricing. Or just set up a bunch of different packages and hope people can do their own research to figure out what they really want.
It seems every boat we build is different as every customer has different needs. Barefoot International has a nice web site, not sure about KW Show Ski Equipment. Adding their stuff to my web site just seems like a waste of space. Evinrude and all the other motor manufacturers have awesome sites too! I'm looking to establish what the basic boat offered should have on it. Then there will be an options list. Selling bare hulls is easy but in the end the customer pays more for outfitting the boat to final configuration and often times it isn't as nice as the job that would be done at the factory. Besides our buying power pretty much blows away other sources for new rigging parts and pieces as well as motors and trailers. If you want to put used parts on a new boat you'll never convince me that is a great idea. Motors maybe but . . . . . .
Even though I really like the look of the rounded windshield on my families 17.6ft dyna-ski, I'm wondering how much you would save (if it was possible) to have the windshield flat on an open bow? I ask this because compared to other boats like bayliners the standard or basic models have a flat windshield, or even sometimes the windshield glass is all flat but arranged so that it more pointy. Walk_on_water
Interesting question. Complex answer. The windshield is an expensive portion of the boat. Making a new design of a windshield can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars if you need a special curve or curves. So everyone tends to use a "designers kit" that the manufacturers offer. You give them some basic measurements and they send you a bunch of pieces. Then you try the pieces and give them some more measurements and then send you some more pieces, etc., etc. After all the fitting is done they then spend a couple of months to give you a price based upon quantity. It can be a long tedious process. If you are making a completely new windshield requiring complex curves the process is even more time consuming and expensive. When you walk around a large boat show look at all the boat windshields. You will see that many of them look alike in shape except for the widths and lengths of flat middle panels and flat side panels. It is sort of creepy once you start really looking at this. Flat panel windshields can be fairly inexpensive. However then you have to change the boat mold so a flat panel windshield works on it. Changing the fiberglass mold is expensive. Flat windshields require very square flat surfaces for mounting them and most fiberglass boats don't look good with flat square surfaces. Aluminum boats typically have flat square surfaces By design we have one windshield that fits the Dyna-Ski Open Bow 17.6, Open Bow 20' and Closed Bow 20'. The 17.6 Closed Bow is the old style design from the slightly modified original Hydrodyne molds. If there was enough demand for the 17.6 Closed Bow we would make a new mold for a new deck so it would be able to use the same windshield as the rest of the Dyna-Ski line. It would also have the nicer modern curves and a few other innovations like the rear storage areas under the walk ways, flat area in front of the motor well and such.
This is an old thread but I just read it. Open vs Closed bow: I wouldn't trade the closed bow for an open bow. Just really like the storage area. Particularly as one who keeps the boat in the garage and trailers it to the lake. Have considered moving the gas tank up front but it still comes down to placing a greater value on the storage area. My boat has a "cleat" across the storage area. If skiis are put in right they will not slide out and hit the driver in the shin! Windshield: The best advantage to having the windshield is being able to get the mirror up high. My 17-6 originally had the mirror mounted on the top deck - just behind the windshield. Can't see over the motor or around any passengers. When this mirror broke I bought one that clamps to the windshield.
