Upgrade, or purchase new(er) boat?

[CaptnMike 3]

Hey folks,

It's been a while since I've been on the board, but I am struggling here.  Love my 07 Avy, but weekends at our lake house have become a bit of a chore with all the different types of towing we do now that the kids are older and into more types of water sports.  I want faster more automated fill/empty capability for the ballast (currently stock pump with the 3 tank valves, + Tsunami), I'd like to do a full audio upgrade, it needs an a-plate (preferably hydro-adjustable), and maybe a prop upgrade.  Goofy side wake is a washed out mess.....

Or....do I sell/trade this thing on a newer boat, that has more modern conveniences for changing ballast and has the sound and automation I am looking for? 

I really don't want the added expense of a new boat for the 10 times we use it every year, but not sure if the upgrades I would like to do on an 12 year old boat are worth it.   

Thoughts? 

Mike

[carguy79ta 67]

Do it...you will love it.

[Cameron 4]

My personal thought on this:

Get the new boat.

With the technology they have nowadays, the new boat will last for a very long time before you will need a new boat again.

I know they keep figuring out new ways to make the wake better but with my 2017, i dont really see the need for it to be better honestly. And the sound system rocks so no need to upgrade that at all.

Just get everything you could want in the new boat and you will be set for years. Ballasts, sound system, big engine, tower, seadeck, color of leather that is easy to keep clean, ETC.

 

Goodluck and let us know what you decide.

[prorider17 30]

You could probably do all the mods you want to your boat with the money you will spend on sales taxes buying a new boat. I say keep it and make it the best avalanche you can. 

Why?

timeless look.

no screens. No problems.

additional pumps and setup can be done for not a lot of money.

same for stereo.

you can add seadek

proven hull and layout

cost to use ratio seems off. If you used it a lot, newer boat conveniences are nice, but for the number of times you use it, that's a lot of money. 

I love my 2005 Lightning C4 when I am 225 pounds and have plenty of push on my goofy wave. Spend the time to dial in your wave and you will be thoroughly impressed. You're boat puts out a better wave than mine!

[rhino89523 34]

I could play Devils advocate with this one all day. You can make your Avy a really solid surf boat for minimal cash same with stereo.

You could buy a new boat that has it all and just enjoy it.

Usage vs Cost....It's totally up to you. I love my Avy and think my goofy wave is better than my regular wave. If I ever buy another boat it will probably be my grandpa boat...which I hope I never do and surf when I'm 80. My Avy surfs better than any other boat I have been on, I think some of these boats could be better than mine but they don't have the formula down the way we do for how we like our wave. That said if I won the Lotto I would buy a new boat in a minute, but our season is only 3-4 months so the Avy gets it done at a great cost to smile ratio. I upgraded the stereo, did a seadeck style floor, some ballast work, a prop and it works pretty good.

[prorider17 30]

@rhino89523 let's see that goofy wave!

[InfinitySurf 302]

If you only use the boat 10 times a year, probably better to just put a little money into what you have, so you have what you are looking for and not have a payment for every time you use it, the Avy is a badass boat....you could add a GSA surf system if you wanted automated surf system, but a $250 Nauticurl suck gate will get you just as good a wave (I use one on my 2014). Add reversible pumps, max out your hidden ballast bags, add 500lbs of lead and you will have a wave that is 90% of what new boats put out. If you do upgrade....buy a leftover, or a well taken care of used boat (wait till off-season to get best price and sell yours now, or once season hits next summer to minimize the Delta). On used/leftover, the biggest depreciation hit has already been taken and you get all the upgrades you want and then some.... and they are holding value pretty well considering its a toy that no one "needs".... (Quick surf system in 2015 when they came out sucks, tabs are too small). Ramfill is awesome, quickest ballast possible, it was an option from 2014+.

[dreikorncr 7]

I absolutely love reading these threads. There are great arguments for both sides and either one makes for a compelling argument. I'm a huge advocate for the refinishing of the boat you currently own. Remove those stock tanks, plumb in some 1100lb sacs in the v drive lockers, grab a suck gate, and make an appointment for the dentist because your jaw will drop. Seeing an old beauty throw a nasty curl in my opinion is a force to be reckoned with with all the new boats out there.

That being said, who doesn't like new? Flashy, new tech, easy wave set up. They are incredible machines and make setting up a great wave a breeze. Plus they look amazing in the water. However with your situation (riding 10 times a year) I'd keep what you have, throw on some upgrades, and watch how far that gets you. Lots of awesome people on this site have solid DIY projects on their boats and their results speak for themselves. But at the end of the day, it's your cash so you do what ever makes you happy my friend! 

Just threw some pictures of our old 06 avys wave for giggles. Viva la shred. 

 

 

[Willy.Fire 6]

Upgrade the avy would be my vote. But all comes down to personal situation. If money wasn’t a issue I would be going new. For 10 tines a year the upgraded avy should do the trick for you. You won’t get all the money back that you put into in upgrades at the time you go to sell but the avy won’t depreciate much more if any. Not sure on a new boat some will hold their values ok but definitely not like the older deep v boats.  But then again going new that isn’t a concern because money shouldn’t be the issue. Interested to see what you do. 

[CaptnMike 3]

Well, let me be clear, the ballast is not completely stock. 

• I do have the 1100# bags in the lockers (connected to the on board pump), and a 500# bag for the port bench (which I fill with the Tsunami).  The wake is pretty good on that side, but it is a bit steep, and not as long as i'd like it.   Thinking an upgrade in ballast towards the bow would be helpful, but when I add body weight up there, the wake washes out a bit, and so I thought maybe an adjustable tab would help.   
• I bought an upgraded pump for the ballast after the OEM pump died, but it is no faster to fill....I'm thinking the size of the ridiculous valves limits the flow regardless of the pump.   I tripped the master breaker a couple times, which also leads me to believe this.  
• The audio system is a hot mess.  A few of the speakers are not working, the amps are car audio amps, and not functioning well, The Memphis Audio tower speaker are completely blown, and the head unit, is a $50 Best Buy special which the bluetooth doesn't work.  I would likely do a complete upgrade there, but wondering if anyone has an worthy yet cheaper alternative to the very pricey Wetsounds system.  

In the end, I can fix the audio no problem, but my issue comes back to usability.   The boat sits on a lift all summer, except for the 5-6 weekends I can get up there.   When we go, we are on it almost all day, but the change from surf to wakeboard, to surf, to ski, to tubing, to surfing, and back to wakeboarding is a pain in the balls. 

Is there a pump system I can buy and have installed, which significantly reduces fill/empty times?   The Tsunami is really fast, and I use it on all bags to assist fill, but I want an upgrade to avoid the 20 minutes of "Ballast musical chairs" dance with a switch on the dash.   

I hope this gives you guys some perspective.   If there is no pump system out there that is ready-made that I can have installed, I think I am in trouble, but I'd really rather make upgrades to this boat, rather than invest in another boat.   

Thanks for all the comments, guys.   Keep em coming.   

 

 

[Willy.Fire 6]

You can upgrade your pumps but would also need to increase your thru hull sizes to make them useful.  As far as your steep wake I found with my old avy with just the rears full and center it was good but yes steep. Best we found was 1100 surf side rear. 750 non surf side rear. 400 under surf side bench and 400 in bow and center full with shaper non surf side. This was with 3-5 people. 

Maybe give wakemakers a call. I’ve browsed around on their site never ordered anything but they should have a idea of what all you would need to uograde your ballast. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by Willy.Fire

[Troy 234]

Upgrade the Avy. My 2 cents.   Pumps, sacs and tunes your are set. 

[Donny Mango 0]

On 8/1/2018 at 9:57 AM, CaptnMike said:

When we go, we are on it almost all day, but the change from surf to wakeboard, to surf, to ski, to tubing, to surfing, and back to wakeboarding is a pain in the balls. 

Buy the new boat.  You only live once.  This assumes it's an affordable choice!  Spending time with your family, you're a winner either way.

Edited August 9, 2018 by Donny Mango