Slalom Skiing Review

[MrsT]

Hello Friends,
I just slalomed skied behind our new boat for the first time and wanted to write about my experience to help any future Bennington owners decide what size boat and motor to purchase to pull skiers.
We purchased a 22 ft tritoon with a 175 Yamaha Vmax SHO. The dealer installed a 4 blade prop to increase hole-shot.
On other rides, we've topped out our speeds with 3-5 people on the boat around 32 mph.
For this ride we had two people on the boat, driver and spotter.
The waters were calm.
I weigh just under 140 lbs.
The boat popped me up right away.
We were just below full throttle, about 29-30mph.
The boat wake area is a bit rough with two little waves on the port and stern sides from the toons and churning water after it passes between the toons.
The water was calmer to ski outside of the boat wake.

Thoughts:
Overall, I'm happy with this boat and our decision to purchase it. I'm happy with my slalom ski experience.
I'm glad we went with the 175hp and NOT the 150hp.
If you want to pull larger slalom skiers, consider the 200hp or 250hp. (Those motors were out of our budget.)
Typically water skiers (with two skis) ski at 25mph.
For beginner water skiers, it might be tough to learn behind a tritoon because the toons churn up the water in the wake. In comparison, A V-hull or deck boat bow design cuts thought the water and creates smoother water for the skier. But, in my experience a V-hull also creates larger wake waves that can be difficult to pass through.
When a tritoon passes thought another boats wake, it does not dampen the waves for the skier as much as a v-hull or deck boat does.
For us, this boat will be great for our needs. We can ski and and we can slow cruise all with one boat.
Again, these are my opinions from my experience. Let me know if you have questions.
Happy boating!

 

[BigKahuna]

Welcome to the forum MrsT! We've been skiing/slaloming/wakeboarding behind our tritoons since 2008. First with a 220HP I/O and currently with our Mercury 150HP outboard. We have no trouble pulling anybody out of the water with the hole shot and torque of our 150. We take skiiers around at 25 mph and slalom between 25-28. We have taught so many family members and friends how to ski over the years. Where do you boat MrsT?!?

 

[Vikingstaff]

Hello Friends,
I just slalomed skied behind our new boat for the first time and wanted to write about my experience to help any future Bennington owners decide what size boat and motor to purchase to pull skiers.
We purchased a 22 ft tritoon with a 175 Yamaha Vmax SHO. The dealer installed a 4 blade prop to increase hole-shot.
On other rides, we've topped out our speeds with 3-5 people on the boat around 32 mph.
For this ride we had two people on the boat, driver and spotter.
The waters were calm.
I weigh just under 140 lbs.
The boat popped me up right away.
We were just below full throttle, about 29-30mph.
The boat wake area is a bit rough with two little waves on the port and stern sides from the toons and churning water after it passes between the toons.
The water was calmer to ski outside of the boat wake.

Thoughts:
Overall, I'm happy with this boat and our decision to purchase it. I'm happy with my slalom ski experience.
I'm glad we went with the 175hp and NOT the 150hp.
If you want to pull larger slalom skiers, consider the 200hp or 250hp. (Those motors were out of our budget.)
Typically water skiers (with two skis) ski at 25mph.
For beginner water skiers, it might be tough to learn behind a tritoon because the toons churn up the water in the wake. In comparison, A V-hull or deck boat bow design cuts thought the water and creates smoother water for the skier. But, in my experience a V-hull also creates larger wake waves that can be difficult to pass through.
When a tritoon passes thought another boats wake, it does not dampen the waves for the skier as much as a v-hull or deck boat does.
For us, this boat will be great for our needs. We can ski and and we can slow cruise all with one boat.
Again, these are my opinions from my experience. Let me know if you have questions.
Happy boating!

What type of “tritoon” hull do you have? Is it the SPS on that 22, and what specific model - S, L, R…. I ask because the type of boat model, and Tritoon hull, impacts weight and speed. Do you know what prop is on the boat: model, diameter, and pitch? What hole the motor is mounted in? These might help diagnose issue based on what I am adding below:

Maxing at 32 mph with a 175Vmax is WAY below what 22 ft full length tritoon should be at wot. One should be in the high 30’s (35-38 safely) with a 150 Vmax, and with that 175, you should be hitting 38-40mph.

If a new boat, I have to believe it is poorly proped. Motor mount height may be a factor too if a new boat, but for it to underperform that much I’d be re-accessing the prop. Somethings off. Way off!

If it is an older boat, or has been sitting in the water for awhile, I wonder if the pontoons are dirty (algae/scum) and significantly slowing the boat down. Dirty pontoons slow these boats up a lot.

Anyway, just providing some feedback based on what you mention about boat performance. If you have an SPS hull, on a 22 ft Bennington AND sprung for the 175 Vmax, I’d be wanting the performance I paid for. Right now, you are not getting it what that combo is capable of.

 

[CapKaz]

MrsT
Sorry but I just have to respond to you experience. Not sure what kind of watercraft you skied behind in the past so I can’t know your past experience. First of all I have pulled two slalom skiers behind a 22’ Tritoon with a 150 hp Yamaha with absolutely no problem. I have pulled and have been pulled behind many different types of watercraft over my nearly 60 years and I can assure anyone who wants to ski behind a Tritoon or probably even a pontoon with a 150 hp motor it will be a piece of cake. The hole shot you speak of with our watercraft is entirely different than a deep v or tri hull fiberglass boat. Our watercraft don’t need to plane out. They simply accelerate. I can assure you I could rip the rope right out of you hands with my little 150 hp Yamaha. The technique to successfully pulling new skiers and experienced skiers behind our watercraft is to ease them out of the water with throttle control. I weigh around 200 lbs and have been towed with my 170 lbs son with ease. The ride experience you describe behind our craft is definitely accurate. The area between the wakes is a little rougher than a deep v and there is a double wake. Most serious water skiers scoff at our watercraft until they actually ski behind one and see they are very capable of a great ski experience. Now for your recommendation of a 200 or 250 hp motor may be accurate if you plan on barefoot action. I have never done this. Looks like fun but I just can’t get past the thought of hitting that piece of debris that would most likely appear in my path. LOL
Just my ever decreasing 2 cents!!
Kevon

 

[BigKahuna]

MrsT
Sorry but I just have to respond to you experience. Not sure what kind of watercraft you skied behind in the past so I can’t know your past experience. First of all I have pulled two slalom skiers behind a 22’ Tritoon with a 150 hp Yamaha with absolutely no problem. I have pulled and have been pulled behind many different types of watercraft over my nearly 60 years and I can assure anyone who wants to ski behind a Tritoon or probably even a pontoon with a 150 hp motor it will be a piece of cake. The hole shot you speak of with our watercraft is entirely different than a deep v or tri hull fiberglass boat. Our watercraft don’t need to plane out. They simply accelerate. I can assure you I could rip the rope right out of you hands with my little 150 hp Yamaha. The technique to successfully pulling new skiers and experienced skiers behind our watercraft is to ease them out of the water with throttle control. I weigh around 200 lbs and have been towed with my 170 lbs son with ease. The ride experience you describe behind our craft is definitely accurate. The area between the wakes is a little rougher than a deep v and there is a double wake. Most serious water skiers scoff at our watercraft until they actually ski behind one and see they are very capable of a great ski experience. Now for your recommendation of a 200 or 250 hp motor may be accurate if you plan on barefoot action. I have never done this. Looks like fun but I just can’t get past the thought of hitting that piece of debris that would most likely appear in my path. LOL
Just my ever decreasing 2 cents!!
Kevon

My father in law was a big skiing enthusiast and he was an avid barefooter. He had the Mastercraft ski boats with the boom coming out of the side and he used to teach barefoot. Of course he challenged his 3 son in laws to at least try the experience and of course we had to do it. Big mistake! He used to tell us, when the boat comes out of the water you come out of the water. It's easy! I have fallen every which way you can multiple times at top speed. Never got the hang of it. Not a good experience for me! Ha!

 

[Vikingstaff]

I forgot to add above, if a new boat: Congratulations! Super excited for all of you. Also, thanks for sharing your skiing insights and experience. Not many of those threads around here for skiing, so that is nice. I think if you tweak that performance problem, you will also have a very different experience and could share that too.

Happy Skiing!!!