Boat setup
V-Drive
An inboard drivetrain in which the engine sits at the stern facing backward and the driveshaft runs forward, placing the propeller safely beneath the hull ahead of the transom—the standard layout for wakesurf boats.
In a V-drive, the engine is mounted at the rear of the boat oriented 180 degrees from a conventional inboard so the driveshaft runs forward, tucking the propeller safely beneath the hull ahead of the transom. This layout is the standard for dedicated wakesurf boats for two reasons: safety and wave quality.
For safety, the prop sits well forward and a few feet under the boat, so a fallen surfer in the riding position is unlikely to reach it. For wave quality, placing the engine's mass at the stern adds weight where it deepens the hull and helps generate the ideal wave; inboard wake boats are also built with deeper hulls for more displacement. Sterndrives, with the prop located aft of the transom, are unsafe for wakesurfing.