When it comes to choosing an All Star team to review the performance and specs of any wakeboard boat, it’s hard to think past Ballistics’ Justin Hamlin, … Darryl MacFarlane and – for the northland location of the Spectacle Lakes in Mangawhai – Whangarei’s Keith Russell.

Justin has owned more wakeboard boats than you can shake a stick at, Darryl knows more about wakeboard boats than most, and Keith is a pioneer and just a good guy to have aboard even though a knee injury is still keeping him out of the water. Here are the questions, the answers and the photographic evidence.

What were your first impressions of the Supra Launch 21V?

Justin: It’s a good-looking boat. Sexy.

Keith: Honestly I think I just liked the whole shape of the boat and the way everything was laid out.

Darryl: I thought it looked really neat, I liked the layout and hands down the bimini and tower just looked like they would do a good job.

What was the internal seating and layout like? Can you describe the comfort levels for the driver?

Justin: It was pretty standard for a V-drive. Cocktail lounge feel. It was nice, plush – I definitely noticed the quality of materials, I like it. There was plenty of room - there were only three of us – but there was plenty of room for lots more people to lax out. I liked the height of the driver’s seat, it wasn’t too low down which is always a problem.

Keith: It felt really roomy, from driving the boat all the control panels were perfect, everything was right there. You couldn’t say you were driving because it was so stress-free. You basically just had to turn at each end of the lake.

Darryl: Most of the v-drives are very similar in layout. I liked the wide walk-through and the centre rear facing seats and the driver’s seat. The back lumber support for the viewing seats fold up and down to act as a windbreaker making it really nice and comfortable, you don’t get a lot of wind hitting you in the head. There was tonnes of room due to the width of the boat and the quality of the materials were really nice.

How did the wake ride?

Justin: The wake was good. A little wider than I’m used to and a good wake shape. It was a good size for a factory ballast.

Keith: From an observer’s point of view the wake was sick, it had a really nice transition to it even without any weight in it. I didn’t even see the wake fully loaded and it was still really big.

Darryl: My partner Sally loved it, I thought it was really nice and rampy. The wake seemed wide but riding it doesn’t seem bad at all. A guy riding 75ft – 80ft may want to shorten his rope. There’s a nice flat table, not too much wash and a nice solid lip. I don’t think there’s going to be any problem for a beginner through to intermediate riders.

Were there any standout features to the Supra Launch 21V that are worth mentioning?

Justin: The board racks, definitely, they were sick. They were easy to use, they swivel into the boat and were really trick. Quite snazzy and tech.

Keith: The wake plate system at the back of the boat for getting in and out made a huge difference with the transition of the wake as well. The board rack is awesome, they just looked so good, this boat just looked so bling, it’s an awesome looking boat. One thing that did impress me about the boat was the rider profile option where you enter a name and the boat sets to an automatic profile of how the rider wants to ride – that was probably the most impressive thing on the boat without a doubt. Another really cool feature was the stereo control panel at the back of the boat for the rider to set his music just making life that little bit better.

Darryl: Tower speaker and bimini layout is hands down the best around. It’s nice and solid, wide enough to give you shelter and you can use it as a roof rack for boards on top which is a killer idea. The whole package with the trailer which is U.S manufactured and specifically built for that hull, it’s not a multi-use trailer so it tows solid as. The folding draw bar for storage and the tower folding nice and flat are also great features. Every boat is so different, comparing it to malibus and nautiques and stuff I’ve driven overseas.

How about the people you are dealing with in New Zealand – how did the Supra brand rep come across?

Justin: “Devan? Very professional. It was good, we had a great time. Great conditions, nice lake, a good casual attitude and a good wake. It’s all about the wake.

Keith: He was the best salesman I’ve ever met. Devan knows everything about what he sells, right down to the last nook and cranny. He likes to know everything about the whole deal.

Darryl: Devan is going to be the man for it, the things he’s doing are going to be really beneficial to wakeboarding in New Zealand. He’s a rider so he knows about it, and enthusiasm is what this whole sport needs.

Supra Launch 21V
Length 6.45m/21ft
Width 2.49m
Draft 0.64m
Boat Weight 1542kg
Standard Engine Indmar Assault 325 HP MPI Engine with Supra Cruise
Stock Price $106,000
Capacity 13
Factory Ballast 800kgs