We know that most of our readers are experienced boaters. In fact, our average reader currently owns their third boat and has been boating since childhood. That’s real experience.
The other side of that coin is nobody can know everything. Plus, some classes of boats, such as watersports boats like the Supra SA 550 pictured here, have evolved exponentially in just the last few years. The systems and features these boats possess might just impress even the most experienced boaters in our readership.
Electric Tower
The Supra Power Tower is a great example of a watersports tower that folds for storage, trailering or a low bridge at the touch of a button.
High-Performance V-Drive
High-output engines, like the Indmar Raptor in the SA 550, turn props through a V-drive gear for maximized torque and speed control and provide safety while wakesurfing.
Swivel Board Racks
Board racks, like these PTM swivel board racks, provide ease of access and space-saving functionality.
E-Z Bimini
Supra’s Max Coverage Bimini is a great example of a Bimini top that snaps into place rather than requiring cumbersome pins, and it can be deployed or folded by one person.
Big-ScreenControl
The newest boats feature big-screen displays, such as Supra’s Vision Touch Dash, that enable monitoring and operation of all systems in a convenient, easy-to-see manner.
Steering-Wheel Controls
Supra places audio and wake-shaping control buttons so that adjustments can be made without the need to take your hands from the wheel.
Power Heated Seat
The “cool” factor of a heated seat that’s also power-adjustable is undeniable. Few comforts prove more coveted on cool mornings with mist rising from flat water.
Ballast Systems
Most modern wakeboats offer subfloor ballast tanks that can be filled with the push of a button to beef up wakes and waves. Up to 3,500 pounds can be pumped aboard the SA 550, in four locations.
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AutoWake Control
While precise adjustments and custom profiles can be dialed in manually, Supra’s AutoWake takes the trouble out of shifting weight or passengers around by detecting the boat’s pitch and roll and automatically adjusting ballast as needed for optimal wake shape and size. Settings can be saved as presets so that AutoWake can adjust for each rider.
Wake Shaping
Wake-shaping devices come in two forms on today’s watersports boats: center-mounted transom tabs and port and starboard plates. The port and starboard plates are designed to be used for wakesurfing. Once deployed, the plate changes the direction of water coming off the boat’s hull on that side, thereby making a large, surfable wave on the other side. Center-mounted tabs, like Supra’s Smart Plate, change the hull’s running surface, which allows them to adjust a wake or wave’s height and length.
