How Much Do Ski Boats Weigh? (17+ Examples)

The weight of a ski boat can vary, mostly depending on the length and if the boat has wake features. Boats with wake features are often considered to be called wake boats, and they generally weigh a little more. In this article, I will be going over the weight of both ski boats and wake boats.

On average, ski boats weigh around 3,100 pounds. Wake ski boats weigh around 4,000-6,700 pounds. Their gear and fuel generally add another 250-600 pounds, and their trailers weigh around 1100-1,900 pounds.

This means the average Gross Trailer Weight (The weight of everything on your trailer including the trailer when towing a boat) for a ski boat is about 4,500 pounds. For wake boats, it is 5,400-9,250 pounds (this mostly depends on the length of the boat).

Most ski-specific boats are about the same length and size (20 feet); however, wake boats vary a lot. Continue reading to get a better understanding of how much wake boats weigh based on their length and other factors.

Related Article: How Much Do Boats Weigh? (Ultimate Data Chart)

What’s the difference between ski boats and wake boats?

Wake boats (also known as wake surf boats or wakeboard boats) are designed in a way to produce a larger wake. They do this by placing their engines in the back of the boat. Wake boats also have a large wake rack that allows you to attach a rope to a higher point on the boat. Ski boats are designed to make as little and flat of a wake as possible. Two ways they do this is by putting the engine in the center of the boat and making the boat very light.

Here’s an example of what a wake boat looks like:

Photo Credit: Blackbeard Marine in Kingston, OK.

Notice the large profile, wake rack, and engine located at the back of the boat.

And here’s an example of what a ski boat looks like:

Notice the smaller sleeker design and the engine in the center of the boat

Factors that go into how much ski boats weigh

Besides length and if the boat is a ski or wake boat, some other factors that go into how much your ski boat will weigh include:

  • Size of engine
  • Amount of equipment
  • Amount of batteries
  • Size of the fuel tank
  • Amount of fuel in the fuel tank
  • Amount of water within the boat
  • Amount of gear you have on-board

These are accounted for in the averages I’ve provided, but if you are trying to estimate the weight of your boat and you know you have an abnormally heavy or high quantity of these things, make sure to account for it.

Average ski boat weight based on length

In order to do this properly, I had to make two groups. One for ski boats and one for wake-specific ski boats. Wake boats weigh more, so it would be difficult to make accurate estimates without splitting them up into two groups. Within these groups, I used 3 examples of each at each length, I then averaged the weights out and rounded.

To understand the tables better, know that boat weight means an empty boat with the engine, but not fuel, water, or equipment. GTW means Gross Trailer Weight or basically the weight of everything combined. GTW is what you need to know for towing.

Average ski boat weights

Almost all ski boats on the market are the same or very similar in size. This size is between 20 feet and 21 feet. They also weigh very similarly. After comparing the Mastercraft ProStar, Ski Nautique, and Malibu Response TXi, here is the average weight:

Length (ft)Boat Weight (lbs)Gear & Fuel Weight (lbs)Trailer Weight (lbs)GTW (lbs)
20′3,1152501,1004,465

If you want to see the exact weights of each of these models, scroll down to the “20 more examples of popular ski boats and their weights” sub-heading where I have it listed.

Average wake boat weights

Unlike ski boats, wake boats vary a lot in length and size. Here are the average weights after gathering many different examples at each length:

Length (ft)Boat Weight (lbs)Gear & Fuel Weight (lbs)Trailer Weight (lbs)GTW (lbs)
20′4,0003001,1005,400
21′4,7003501,2006,250
22′5,3004001,3007,000
23′5,5005001,4507,450
24′5,8006001,6008,000
25′6,5006001,8008,900
26′6,7006501,9009,250

How to weigh a ski boat

The most accurate way to weigh a ski boat is to take it to a truck scale. Make sure your boat has all the gear and equipment in it that you need to have on the boat and weigh it. You can then subtract out the weight of the trailer (which can be found by either weighing the trailer separately or just estimating using my averages).

Here’s what a truck scale looks like:

You can find these by just searching truck scale near me. Then try to contact them in advance or just show up at a location and they will most likely be happy to assist you if it’s within working hours.

If you’re unable to do that, most manufacturers will have the weights listed on their website; however, you may still have to do some estimating for engine, gear, & fuel weight as well as trailer weight. The averages I provided above should help you out with that.

20 more examples of popular ski boats and their weights

Ski boat weight examples

BoatLengthBoat Weight (lbs)Gear & Fuel Weight (lbs)Trailer Weight (lbs)GTW (lbs)
MasterCraft ProStar20′3,3002501,1004,650
Ski Nautique 20′2,9452501,1004,295
Malibu Response TXi20′ 6″3,1002501,1004,450

Wake boat weight examples

BoatLengthBoat Weight (lbs)Gear & Fuel Weight (lbs)Trailer Weight (lbs)GTW (lbs)
Axis A2020′3,5003001,1004,900
MasterCraft XT2020′5,1003251,1006,525
Malibu 20 VTX20′3,9502751,1005,325
Malibu 21 LX21′4,5803501,2006,130
Tige Boats Z121′ 5″4,8603501,2006.410
Centurion Vi2222′5,1504251,3006,875
Axis A22522′ 5″4,9003751,3006,575
Tige Boats 22RZX22′ 5″5,8004001,3007,500
Centurion Ri23023′5,5005251,4507,475
Super Air Nautique S2323′5,5004501,4507,400
MasterCraft XT2424′5,5506001,6007,750
Axis A2424′ 5″5,5006001,6007,700
Tige Boats 25ZX25′6,3005501,8008,650
Centurion Fi2525′7,2006001,8009,600
Malibu Wakesetter 26 LSV26′ 5″7,0007501,9009,650
Centurion Ri26526′ 6″6,4006001,9008,900

What are the best vehicles for towing a ski boat?

Making sure you are using a capable towing vehicle is crucial for the safety of you and others on the road when you are towing a ski boat. You can see a vehicle’s towing capacity by searching the make and model of the vehicle and then typing “towing capacity” after in the search bar.

It’s generally recommended to have a vehicle that is capable of towing 1,000 more pounds than the total weight of what you are towing. So in this case, the GTW would be the total weight.

Most ski boats are light enough that you can get away with mid-tier towing vehicles. However, wake boats will generally require top-tier tow vehicles such as full-sized trucks.

Here are some popular SUVs used for towing bass boats:

Midsize:

  1. Toyota 4Runner (V6)
    • Can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
    • 2- or 4-wheel options.
  2. Dodge Durango (V6 or V8)
    • Can tow up to 7,800 pounds (V8), or 6,200 pounds (V6).
    • All-wheel drive.
  3. Jeep Grand Cherokee
    • Can tow up to 7,400 pounds.
    • Turbodiesel option available.

Fullsize:

  1. Chevrolet Suburban
    • Can tow up to 8,000+ pounds depending on the model.
  2. Ford Expedition
    • Can tow up to 9,300 pounds.
  3. Chevrolet Tahoe
    • Can tow up to 8,300 pounds.

And here are some other popular trucks:

  1. Toyota Tacoma
    • Can tow up to 6,700 pounds.
  2. Chevrolet Colorado
    • Can tow up to 7,000 pounds with the gas engine, and the diesel model adds around 700 more pounds of towing capacity.
  3. Ram 1500
    • Can tow anywhere from 8,000 to 9,000 pounds.
  4. Nissan Titan XD
    • Can tow anywhere from 9,700 to 10,900 pounds.

Final Words

As you’ve read above, ski boats weigh around 3,100 pounds. Wake ski boats generally weigh 4,000-6,700 pounds. Their gear and fuel generally add another 250-600 pounds and their trailers generally weigh around 1100-1,900 pounds.

It’s important to understand the difference between ski-specific ski boats and wake boats. Wake boats are heavier and much better suited for wakeboarding and wake surfing. Ski boats are light and provide a very flat wake which is great for water skiing.

Related Articles: How Much Do Bass Boats Weigh? (17+ Examples) | How Much Do Center Console Boats Weigh? (10+ Examples) | Pontoon Boat Weight: Can You Tow Them? (75+ Examples) | How Much Do Jet Skis Weigh? (Plus Trailer Weight)

Sam