12f vs. 15f speed?

[cdarling12]

Hi all,

I am trying to buy a couple used 15F's but keep running into a 15F and a 12F together. Would I be disappointed with the lower HP/speed of the 12F?

Thank You.

[shuswap]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

I've only noticed a modest variation between the 12 and 15....which has just a bit more everywhere. Others may feel differently. Both are very good skis, for what they do.

[rlovebk]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

15F top speed 61 mph. 12F top speed about 55 mph. Both are great reliable skis. Change oil and inspect pump bearings every 50 hours.These skis can run forever with regular maintenance.
I am very familiar with both and own a 12F. Have ridden it in the ocean, all over.

[rotortiller]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

125HP verses 160. You will notice a difference. Acceleration and pulling power are very different. Unless you baby your toys I'd keep looking for the more powerful 15F if it were me.

RT

[kytoon]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

Who's gonna ride the 12f? If it were my wife or kids I'd have no problem putting them on 12

[Erie Rider]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

many guys on here tout top speed as being the end all be all in skis. However, I own a 12 and bought it for s specfic reason. Fuel economy! I did a 75 mile cruise this past weekend, (which is the reason I bought the ski, long distance cruising) and burned alot less than the 15 I was riding with. Matter of fact he stopped for fuel on the return trip as a precaution, while I was still one bar above half. It is just my opinion, but if I do all day cruising with the kids and pulling the kids on the tube I would take the 12 any day. Much lighter on the pocket book. I even wakeboard behind my 12 and I am 190 pounds, and it has plenty of power left and the motor has been a tank!!

[kawiski]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

I am trying to buy a couple used 15F's but keep running into a 15F and a 12F together. Would I be disappointed with the lower HP/speed of the 12F?

Besides the power difference...15F engine is more reliable/druable.

[shuswap]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

12f uses quite a bit less fuel than the 15f when they are on the same mission, no matter how they are ridden.
15f about 4-5 mph faster
engines are very similar/good for either ski.
I have one of each...will grab the 15f 1st, simply due its power advantage.
Just put the lighter rider on the 12

[kingbutthd]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

I have an 07 12-F and 05 15-F, I ride the 15F, my wife rides the 12F.

We love them both, I have never regretted not having 2 - 15F's!

[bikerdib]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

I also own both. Are you going to only be riding in a straight line at WOT all the time? I hardly ever ride at WOT in a straight line. We use the skis to carve turns and pull one another skiing, wakeboarding, trickskiing, wakeskating, kneeboarding, and yes even tubing. The 12 has never had a problem getting anyone up on a ski so that should tell you the 15 does well also. The 12 is about 100 pounds lighter so that makes up for some of the HP difference. Main difference I notice is that the 15 has a little more low end grunt but not significantly. The only reason I thought about getting rid of the 12 was to get one of the Yami's with cruise control. Since I like to trickski, the cruise would come in handy.

[Treecop]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

No.

[JohnWI]

Re: 12f vs. 15f speed?

Q1: Do you ride little or bigger water?
If smaller water on "glass," the 15F is great, but hanging on at 50+ on chop, sux, so if you can live with 40-50 in relative comfort, it's a non-issue. My riding is 35-40 with sprints from time to time depending on conditions.

Q2: Is it a gas cost or range issue?
I just put on 61 miles and got 8 MPG which was little WOT and SNW but 35-40 the entire trip (2 hours). I would say 7 is more normal as there's no way to always refill a tank to the same level as the tank and neck are not aligned to allow 100% refilling without nosing it up while on a trailer and tongue jack. 6 would probably be the lowest on a fast cruise. Didn't the manual say it burns about 12G an hour at WOT? But that's insane...anyone knows you can go 50% farther using about 10-15% less throttle. The key is getting the hull up on plane so you're not displacing maximum water nor going WOT.

The storage unit can take a 2G gas can if range is an issue. The gas gauge is also tricky that it will read E with a lot of gas still in it, but no one ever wants to get stranded. Run one down to E and see how many gallons it will take to fill it up and you'll see.

Keep in mind, too, that you need to go through some gas to keep it fresh. My first seasons I put on about 40 hours, each. Now after almost 7 seasons I'm only at 120 hours. Granted, I got into stand-ups after the second year and just got a boat earlier this year (for the toddler who doesn't go more than 10 minutes on the ski).

I got the 15F so that I wouldn't be at WOT all the time. Now that I know my time at 50+ is what it is, I'd consider the 12F if the price were right. But the 15F, new or used, is quite a bargain. I also wanted normal aspiration for simplicity.

I'd probably want a different make if I went smaller than a 15F just to trade off for different feeling. I've only been on one other ski, a "doo" with an early SC. We traded and stayed together until about 50??? and then I slowly passed him (he was on my ski), but it did feel different...taller, slipperier seat...not bad, but different. Yamis and Honda's are what I'd probably want for that 2nd ski. I hear Hondas are fun and Yamis better in bigger water. But I really appreciate the 15F I have.

My speedo is actually accurate within a mph or 2....59 (WOT) reads 61, so a dream-o-meter it's not. If I hadn't run it through some sand a few times (know your buoy markers, etc.) it might be just a bit faster as 60-61 seems about the norm for this ski. I'm only guessing but I'd say that there's mucho grunt (which is cavitation from a stand-still but more real grunt while underway) and about 5-7 mph on the top end over a 12F.