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R8 experience

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:15 am
by time2markit
Hello friends,
I sold my r7 2019 ,430hp and wondering if there are r8 owners ?
I will be happy hear real experience and not from sales man how the new model vs the r7,

speed? Fuel consumption? Upholstery?
Thanks in advance
Ben

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:45 pm
by BobRae99
Hi Ben, I don’t know if anyone here has taken delivery yet. Can you share why you sold your 2019 R7 ?

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:59 am
by tgrace98
I’ve walked around on an r8 but haven’t driven one. Interior seems bigger than the current R7. It’s 6in longer so maybe why. Besides that I didn’t see any immediate need to go sell my r7 for one. If I wanted to get into a surf model I would. But standard stern drive to stern drive it didn’t wow me enough to go for one

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 9:34 am
by Big Block Power
tgrace98 wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:59 am I’ve walked around on an r8 but haven’t driven one. Interior seems bigger than the current R7. It’s 6in longer so maybe why. Besides that I didn’t see any immediate need to go sell my r7 for one. If I wanted to get into a surf model I would. But standard stern drive to stern drive it didn’t wow me enough to go for one
Tank didn't you get pictures of it too?

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 10:36 am
by tgrace98
Big Block Power wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 9:34 am
tgrace98 wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:59 am I’ve walked around on an r8 but haven’t driven one. Interior seems bigger than the current R7. It’s 6in longer so maybe why. Besides that I didn’t see any immediate need to go sell my r7 for one. If I wanted to get into a surf model I would. But standard stern drive to stern drive it didn’t wow me enough to go for one
Tank didn't you get pictures of it too?
Yeah the ones I walked through are the ones you see in all the pictures and videos online. I just happened to be at table rock the week they were filming

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 10:34 pm
by Zhawker30
What was your thoughts on the upholstery for the new R6/R8? I’m in the process of purchasing R8 surf. I can’t decide on an interior color. I’m not sold on the new style/design of the interior. Did you guys think the upholstery looks better in person then in the pictures?

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:58 am
by AsLan7
Zhawker30 wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 10:34 pm What was your thoughts on the upholstery for the new R6/R8? I’m in the process of purchasing R8 surf. I can’t decide on an interior color. I’m not sold on the new style/design of the interior. Did you guys think the upholstery looks better in person then in the pictures?
Zhawker30 wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 10:38 pm I just purchased a 2020 R5 surf and I am registering with the Coast Guard and need to put the name on the boat. Struggling on what to do because the only options is to put between the two transom speakers and will need to remove the R5 badging and possibly the Surf badging which I would prefer to keep. As I understand, the boat name text will need to be 3 inches in height. Has anyone taken off the badging to fit the boat name?
.

Hey Z. Missed you the first time around. Glad you found us.
Did you sell the R5 already or are you trading it in for an R6/R8?

...and welcome aboard mate!

.

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:19 am
by higginspa1371
We were waiting for the R6 reveal and were very disappointed with the new upholstery. If it still had the quilted look, we would probably be proud new owners. That being said, traded in the R5 and purchased a R7 so at least we got a bigger boat. Maybe they will go back to old style at some point.

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:01 am
by Zhawker30
AsLan7 wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:58 am
Zhawker30 wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 10:34 pm What was your thoughts on the upholstery for the new R6/R8? I’m in the process of purchasing R8 surf. I can’t decide on an interior color. I’m not sold on the new style/design of the interior. Did you guys think the upholstery looks better in person then in the pictures?
Zhawker30 wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 10:38 pm I just purchased a 2020 R5 surf and I am registering with the Coast Guard and need to put the name on the boat. Struggling on what to do because the only options is to put between the two transom speakers and will need to remove the R5 badging and possibly the Surf badging which I would prefer to keep. As I understand, the boat name text will need to be 3 inches in height. Has anyone taken off the badging to fit the boat name?
.

Hey Z. Missed you the first time around. Glad you found us.
Did you sell the R5 already or are you trading it in for an R6/R8?

...and welcome aboard mate!

.
Yeah I am in the process of selling my R5 Surf. We absolutely loved the boat but looking to go up in size to the R8. The only hesitation I have is the upholstery colors/style on the R8.

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:18 am
by AsLan7
Zhawker30 wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:01 am
AsLan7 wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:58 am
Zhawker30 wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 10:34 pm What was your thoughts on the upholstery for the new R6/R8? I’m in the process of purchasing R8 surf. I can’t decide on an interior color. I’m not sold on the new style/design of the interior. Did you guys think the upholstery looks better in person then in the pictures?
Zhawker30 wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 10:38 pm I just purchased a 2020 R5 surf and I am registering with the Coast Guard and need to put the name on the boat. Struggling on what to do because the only options is to put between the two transom speakers and will need to remove the R5 badging and possibly the Surf badging which I would prefer to keep. As I understand, the boat name text will need to be 3 inches in height. Has anyone taken off the badging to fit the boat name?
.

Hey Z. Missed you the first time around. Glad you found us.
Did you sell the R5 already or are you trading it in for an R6/R8?

...and welcome aboard mate!

.
Yeah I am in the process of selling my R5 Surf. We absolutely loved the boat but looking to go up in size to the R8. The only hesitation I have is the upholstery colors/style on the R8.
.
That was a fast upgrade!
.

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 8:15 am
by Big Block Power
R you going surf again?

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:28 pm
by Zhawker30
Big Block Power wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 8:15 am R you going surf again?
Yeah going with R8 Surf.

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:18 pm
by Norris_Boating
First, I really like the R8 and debated updating, so don't take this wrong.
But it looks to me like seating in the R8 is slightly less than the R7. The seating behind the captains chair doesn't curve and thus would be less comfortable. The seat on the port side adjacent to the captains chair is smaller, nobody can sit behind when people are sitting in front, it also doesn't come as far out from the gunwale on the R8 vs R7, so two people in this seat would be a bit more cramped.

This is probably one reason it feels bigger. I think there is more floor space, less seating in the cockpit.
My other concern is that I think I saw in a YouTube video that the tower is 5" taller. It is hard enough to get a wake board rope on top of the tower now and it comes close to hitting the roof on my slip when lifted, 5" would certainly make both of these things more of an issue.

Re: R8 experience

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 1:29 pm
by BobRae99
I think you make some good points. I also notice the angular transom walk through creates an angled cushion on the rear bench which shortens the width of that bench.

There is some good/bad with respect to the new tower height though. People, in general are getting taller and on many surf boats with tower speakers, head clearance is a problem with many "head hits" on the tower speakers. They added some height to avoid that. On my R3, there is an opening in the Bimini top to allow me to reach through and help slip the rope over the tow point. I'm assuming surfers will use the surf ball attachments? Still a problem for the wakeboarder if they use the tower top mounting point.