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2000 Seadoo Challenger with tower or X20 advice

justintime_3

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Boat Make
SeaDoo
Year
2000
Boat Model
Challenger
Boat Length
20
So I purchased a basket case 2000 seadoo Challenger a few years back and completely rebuilt the motor. It has the 240 EFI and am considering installing a wake board tower on the boat. I have wakeboarded behind a 20ft cobalt with a tower on it and am looking for some real world advice. I know this is not a wake board boat and doesn't putout a clean wake but really just wondering if its worth it. I am def not a professional but just really looking to take out a couple friends and maybe teach them how to board. So basically looking for advice positive or negative of is it worth it. Also have two little ones that will be enjoying the boat soon. Loving the boat as I only paid 1000 for it so the cost of a tower is really null and void. If this has been discussed point me in the right direction. I did a search and didn't really find a good answer besides a few naysayers stating "buy a mastercraft if you want to wakeboard"
 

Ronnie

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I had an x20 with stock tower. It had a basic setup , single ballast bag for the center locker, no lights or speakers, that wouldn't be confused for a pro or dedicated wake boat. However it did a good job of introducing newbies and those less serious about wake boarding to wake sports. It was also good for tubing and knee boarding I doubt it could put out a wave /sake for wake surfing though. The main thing is the extra height helps kill the rider out of the water. For that perspective if I see in your position I would install a tower or have one installed. There are many to choose from just be careful not to get sucked into buying all the options no matter how cool they are. For instance racks run $200 to $800 each, speakers $200 each, light bat, etc. I do recommend that if you get a tower buy a good mirror for it as well.
 

justintime_3

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2000
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Challenger
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That is exactly the info I was looking for. I understand it will never be a true wakeboard boat, but I will never be a true wakeboarder. Just looking for something to take out on the weekends and try a couple tricks and just basically learn the fundamentals. Prob not interested in the big speakers but as you said maybe a mirror and a rack to keep the boards out of the way. Just out of curiosity how big was the ballast bags that was in the center locker? And I realize it isn't possible to wake surf behind it. My buddy and I tried everything we could on his Cobalt, aside from sinking it with so many ballast bags, and it just could not do it you could go ropeless for ten seconds just barely not enough. And thanks for the pics. Those are the ones I have been finding also. There is a very good article about installing a tower on a challenger found here http://articles.richardhartman.net/tower/tower.htm that I will prob end up going with. I believe its called the "joystick tower" Thanks for the help
 

Ronnie

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The ballast bag that came with my used x20 took up the entire ski locker side to side and top to bottom but not front to back . As I recall it was only about 5 feet long. Not sure what the capacity was as I never used it and ended up selling it to someone here along with the pump that came with it.

The pump was a small and plugged right into the ballast bag, it also had a hose that hung over the side of the boat for water as well as a 12v power connection. Like I said I never used it bit still used the tower with out issue. My friends and i didn't need a wake to jump off of, we were just happy to get up on the board, jumps and tricks weren't even in our vocabulary.
 

biffdotorg

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I think I answered your questions on the Seadoo forum Justin. But just to address Ronnie's point, it's not a surf boat, but it's still damn fun trying even for a big fat kid like me. I learned on a shorter CWB RAZR and now have my Inland Surfer Blue Lake (Fat kid board) and it's a blast to surf behind.

of course the kids can go ropeless and I can't, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun. Let's be real, we didn't spend $140K on a surf boat. But that doesn't stop me from crankin up the tunes and trying like a fool out there. The littlest one in our group went ropeless around the bay, my daughter did for about half that. But they can go with the rope for as long as they want.

Don't let anyone poo poo your fun. It's just different fun.

 

Mainah

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Be careful running a challenger around 10 mph or with ballast on the deck. I took water in through the fuel breather. Yes probally a bad valve but that was hell to fix after both engines died on the water. That was with my 1997 that I sold this year (all fixed).
 

biffdotorg

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That is a very valid point. I never would have through of that. Good thing I surf on the Port side!

We have left the ballast out this season. We hated giving up the ski locker space as it is perfect for coolers and our portable volleyball poles.
 
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