Has Volvo Penta’s forward-facing twin propeller drive finally removed the handling hurdle that has kept many boaters out of premium wakeboats?
Supra Boats and Volvo Penta have partnered on a concept that challenges one of towboating’s most entrenched divides. The project integrates Volvo Penta’s Forward Drive technology into the Supra SE, creating what is believed to be the first Forward Drive installed in a dedicated wakeboat.
The aim is simple but ambitious. Deliver the handling confidence sterndrive boaters know well, without giving up the surf waves and wakeboard performance that define modern premium towboats.
“The purpose of the concept boat build was to explore solving the age old problem of inboard boat handling intimidation for sterndrive boaters without sacrificing surf waves or wakeboard wake performance,” said Rob Loucks, R&D Project Manager at Skier’s Choice.
Why stern drives have always been a compromise
Traditional stern drive boats have never been suitable for wakesurfing. With the propeller positioned right at the transom, the risk to a surfer riding close behind the boat is obvious and severe. Wakeboarding is safer due to tow distance, but hull design and weight distribution limit wake quality.
Add in bow rise during acceleration and less precise speed control, and stern drives quickly fall short of dedicated wakeboat expectations.
Forward Drive changes the rules
Volvo Penta’s Forward Drive repositions the propellers 26.5 inches forward, facing under the hull. The twin counter rotating DuoProp setup improves grip, reduces cavitation, and places the running gear well clear of the surfer.
The result is a propulsion system that retains trim control, manoeuvrability, and efficiency familiar to sterndrive owners, while making wakesurfing genuinely viable.
Why the Supra SE?
This is no lightly modified runabout. The Supra SE is the largest model in the lineup at 24.5 feet, seating 18 people and carrying 4,700 pounds of ballast. Supra’s patented and patent pending wake technologies remain central to the package.
By combining these systems with Forward Drive, the concept creates a true crossover platform rather than a compromise.
“We’re eliminating the intimidation factor and opening doors for more families to experience world class towed water sports,” said Ryan Lewis, Product Manager for Supra.
This Forward Drive wakeboat concept shows how propulsion innovation could reshape how new boaters enter the premium towboat market, without asking them to unlearn everything they already know at the helm.
Learn more: Volvo Penta, Supra Boats
