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WATERSKI MagazineIn 1998, a radical-looking boat known as the Wave made its debut at our boat tests.
Billed as the first true wakeboard-specific boat, the Wave created a brief flurry of excitement but ultimately failed to live up to the initial hype. Power was a bit on the sparse side, the extended pylon brace cut into cockpit space, and the overall look and feel of the boat just wasn't quite right. We gave the builder an A for effort and innovation but a B-minus for execution.
In 1999, another wakeboard-specific boat made its appearance at our tests. At first glance, our test team labeled the Gekko Bazooka “a Wave with a tower and new paint.”
But as we soon discovered, changes and enhancements on the Bazooka go far beyond the graphics. The Wave didn't just change names and companies; it evolved into the boat it was expected to be.
For starters, Gekko replaced the 260-hp power plant with a MerCruiser 315-hp MPI, then upgraded the steering system. With ballast tanks filled and a half-dozen riders aboard, the difference is immediately obvious. Handling, turning and speed control are all greatly improved, acceleration to 36 is a second quicker, and top speed is up 4 mph – even with the extra weight and wind resistance of the tower.
And, yes, your Bazooka will come equipped with a tower. While some companies offer towers as high-dollar options, the Bazooka sports both an Air Raid Tower and extended pylon as standard equipment. Also included in the base price is a pair of self-filling 25-gallon ballast tanks, which use independent fill controls to provide up to 400 pounds of side-to-side trim-ready weight.
Other noteworthy standard features include tilt steering, dual Airguide speedos, full VDO instrumentation, a large Cipa tournament mirror, a stainless-steel prop and a fully equipped trailer.
Test reports confirmed that the Bazooka indeed delivers the wakes expert riders crave. And despite Gekko's assertion that this is a boat for hard-core riders only, we let our slalom and barefoot teams take a turn – with good results.
As the final report card shows, the Bazooka not only earns an A for boarding, but also some pretty good marks for all-around towing performance.
