Other Superfreak, EME q8 & B.O.B Review: Powered by PowerHousePerformance

[XJCrawler]

Thanks for the reviews, I still really want to try a freak! It's pretty much the only hull I haven't tried.

I will say this for the BOB review, there is a learning curve with this hull since it rides nothin like a superjet. If you had me review this thing after an hour of riding, to after a day of riding the reviews would be totally different. Btw I'm 6-4 and 220 and have no problems plaining on the gen3

 

[Str8huckin]

Awesome a review based on nothing. Never rode a fw boat before. No s&^% you liked the freak its way longer and easier too ride which means nothing cause you spend 20 plus thousand to do tricks not ride around....

 

[Matt_E]

Awesome a review based on nothing. Never rode a fw boat before. No s&^% you liked the freak its way longer and easier too ride which means nothing cause you spend 20 plus thousand to do tricks not ride around....

A -4.3 Freak is almost identical in length to a Q8 (within half an inch) and only about 3/4 inch longer than a Gen2 BOB.

 

[Seanc]

great review but i think there are way to many variables to make an opinion without riding them yourself. each of those skis is set up vastly difference so any comparison is kinda void. such as the freak has a powervalve 937 with TL and a PFP and a mag, the bob has a stock 760... the Q8 has dual carbs, ported 760 and a set back... all of these variables will completely change how a ski planes and handles. throw the drivetrain from the freak in the bob and see how you like it..

 

[Str8huckin]

A -4.3 Freak is almost identical in length to a Q8 (within half an inch) and only about 3/4 inch longer than a Gen2 BOB.

Are you trying too say 4 inches is not a big difference? Cause that alone is the reason noobs like the freak. Get on a super short surf board your first time out let me know how that goes.... Then post a review based on doing nothing.

 

[powerhouseperformance]

great review but i think there are way to many variables to make an opinion without riding them yourself. each of those skis is set up vastly difference so any comparison is kinda void. such as the freak has a powervalve 937 with TL and a PFP and a mag, the bob has a stock 760... the Q8 has dual carbs, ported 760 and a set back... all of these variables will completely change how a ski planes and handles. throw the drivetrain from the freak in the bob and see how you like it..

The carbon gen3 bob has a fully ported PHP 760 in it with a pipe very similat to a PF.

 

[jamesgunter68]

great review but i think there are way to many variables to make an opinion without riding them yourself. each of those skis is set up vastly difference so any comparison is kinda void. such as the freak has a powervalve 937 with TL and a PFP and a mag, the bob has a stock 760... the Q8 has dual carbs, ported 760 and a set back... all of these variables will completely change how a ski planes and handles. throw the drivetrain from the freak in the bob and see how you like it..

He gave his personal opinion on 4 different people's skis that he rode
he never said the freak was the best set up in the world. I'm sure that riding the bob with a different set up would be different but these arent his skis to make changes too
the people that own them like them how they are so each one is good for for the right person

 

[lilracer94]

I weigh 195lbs and have no problems getting the Q8 to plane and just ride it. In fact, I think it's a very nice comfortable FW boat. But riding technique, preferences, rideplate, and pole setup have a lot to do with it.

But hey, the OP posted his personal impression of those boats.

Im 5'10" and weigh 160 lbs. I learned how to ride on my stock length Superjet so my riding style (for the time being) is tailored for a longer ski. Comparing the effort/learning curve required to get the ski to plane out the b.o.b was the hardest, then the q8 and I had no problem with the Superfreak (-4.3). Thanks for the input tho. Its good to hear others opinion.

 

[Matt_E]

Are you trying too say 4 inches is not a big difference? Cause that alone is the reason noobs like the freak. Get on a super short surf board your first time out let me know how that goes.... Then post a review based on doing nothing.

Where are you getting 4 inches? I am pretty sure the OP never stated that it was a full length Freak and I kinda doubt that it was - most of them seem to be -4.3 to -5 inches.

 

[powerhouseperformance]

Are you trying too say 4 inches is not a big difference? Cause that alone is the reason noobs like the freak. Get on a super short surf board your first time out let me know how that goes.... Then post a review based on doing nothing.

Matt's trying to say even with the freak being 4 inches shorter than a standard SJ John loved riding it...everyone did. It's only 3/4" longer than what the BOB is and there is a huge difference in stability between the two. I will agree that there are more mods on the freak, but I owned it when it had a 144 pump in it and it wasn't any less stable. Don't get me wrong, I like riding BOB's, but they are definately more challenging to ride than the freak and not nearly as versitile.

 

[Matt_E]

Im 5'10" and weigh 160 lbs. I learned how to ride on my stock length Superjet so my riding style (for the time being) is tailored for a longer ski. Comparing the effort/learning curve required to get the ski to plane out the b.o.b was the hardest, then the q8 and I had no problem with the Superfreak (-4.3). Thanks for the input tho. Its good to hear others opinion.

I expected the Q8 to be very difficult to ride when I first stepped on it - only because I was so used to my Freak that I couldn't ride a SJ without failing horribly all the time anymore. But no, I was able to hop right on and ride it just fine. It surprised me.
Only two negatives I have noticed about the Q8 were a tendency to tip at very slow speeds and that it's a bit heavy (comparing to my boat with a much bigger motor).

 

[Str8huckin]

Where are you getting 4 inches? I am pretty sure the OP never stated that it was a full length Freak and I kinda doubt that it was - most of them seem to be -4.3 to -5 inches.

Dude I line my g3 up on a stand next to a 4.3 freak everyother day its way shorter and smaller all the way around.

 

[lilracer94]

What length was the Freak? It has been top on my list for a while now and as soon as I can afford it I would like to get one.

-4.3

 

[Matt_E]

Dude I line my g3 up on a stand next to a 4.3 freak everyother day its way shorter and smaller all the way around.

I measured a -4.3 Freak and a Gen2 BOB front bondline to rear bottom deck. About 3/4 - 1 inch difference.
Maybe the G3 is shorter?

 

[Str8huckin]

I can flip my bob on a 850 no problem but I struggle on the freak with a 1000.
I spent the money to do tricks. Not idle around and worry if its riding nose high. Grab some throttle jeeze.

 

[Matt_E]

I can flip my bob on a 850 no problem but I struggle on the freak with a 1000.
I spent the money to do tricks. Not idle around and worry if its riding nose high. Grab some throttle jeeze.

I have no trouble believing the BOB flips a lot easier, after seeing it in person and riding a couple.
But you struggle on the Freak with a 1000? That's a pretty easy move on flatwater even without trim with that much motor. Mine was flipped with a 760.
I routinely over-rotate trimmed flips on my -4.3 SF with 1000cc.

 

[lilracer94]

I can flip my bob on a 850 no problem but I struggle on the freak with a 1000.
I spent the money to do tricks. Not idle around and worry if its riding nose high. Grab some throttle jeeze.

That's cool. Trevor was flipping no problem with a 760. That's what the ski was designed to do. Made for the purpose of flipping as stated in the ski's name.

 

[Str8huckin]

Bottom line the BOB is smaller and less boyant than the freak. So of course it is less stable. The freak is so easy to ride and has no bad tendancies so of course if u spend 5 mins on each boat its the clear winner. But for the average guy trying to learn flips n rolls its a lot easier on a bob and you don't need as much motor.

 

[chadman154]

What length was the Freak? It has been top on my list for a while now and as soon as I can afford it I would like to get one.

Freak is -4.3

 

[lilracer94]

Bottom line the BOB is smaller and less boyant than the freak. So of course it is less stable. The freak is so easy to ride and has no bad tendancies so of course if u spend 5 mins on each boat its the clear winner. But for the average guy trying to learn flips n rolls its a lot easier on a bob and you don't need as much motor.

If one wanted to learn how to flip it would be a great boat to learn on with a limited setup. Agreed

Ross C - "This boat was designed to flip and it does that really well. I've certainly never ridden a boat that was easier to flip. So much so, that I kind of feel like it would be a good backflip trainer ski. Someone learning to flip could really make a lot of mistakes and still make it come around if they got the process 50% right."