I have owned a Heat with a 496 great boat and i miss it in many ways. A good freind of mine has a OB Flame. He actually does occasionally pull his kids around a little with it.
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z189/jdwop/061.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z189/jdwop/121.jpg

I have a MCOB Heat with around 1050hp. I use it to pull my kids on an innertube all the time...have also used it to pull wakeboarders and skiers. It works pretty darn well. Not as nimble as a ski boat...but definately first back to the launch from the far end of the lake.

Water sport activity setup:

26 pitch 5 blade Maximus prop.
tabs full down.
flagger/spotter sits in the nose facing rearward for ballast
plane speed 15 mph
top speed 92 mph

Speed/poker run setup:

Hard cover under bow cover for aerodynamics.
tabs up
30 pitch stock Bravo
plane speed 27 mph
top speed 103.8 mph

Full SCX drive...1.35 gears...two inches below the keel.

Chris

Guys thanks a lot for the input. It looks like I have a business trip to Utah late next month. I am going to jump over to the Nordic factory and take a look. Honestly, as most of you agree, the Heat is probably more practical for me. BUT, I really do like the flame. Hopefully they have some stuff to look at when I drop by the factory.

Depending on my take there, I may plan to visit the Sunsation factory.

One other boat I have looked at some is the Formula Fastech. Obviously this would be a closed bow, but wondering it any of you felt there was a significant difference in quality by going to a Formula.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

The guy in the pic i posted above is a Nordic dealer here in Utah. He has an awesome Heat with a 600SCI for sale that he would show you i am sure. It's new but i know he is pretty motivated to move it. His Flame is also for sale...I have a 28SS you are more than welcome to look at also.

This is the Heat Brett has.
http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/15654

Have owned three Flames, 2000 w/ 500's, 2004 w/525's & 2007 w/ 525's all were awesome boats great looking very fast (90 + mph).

In my opinion the mid-cabin destroyed this boat.

Just my opinion

Might want to look at Advantage boats. They build mid cabins in any size that you might want. I owned a 27 Victory and pulled tubes with it several times. I own a 28 Victory now and although I have not pulled any tubes or skiers on it, I believe it would handle the task just fine. They come out of the hole great, will stay on plane at slow speeds and still run 70mph+. The hulls have a little hook in them that keeps the bow down and most do not have or need tabs.

The thing that I didnt like about some of the west built open bows is the bow area with the sidewalls the extend over the top of the gelcoat makes it look like the boat was built as a closed bow & then cut the top off to make into an open bow. not saying thats what they do, just how it looks to me. Advantage & Sunny just have a better look to them. Do the nordics have doors now also? Ones I have seen didn't have any doors for overnight camping

I'll make you a killer deal on my 2000 Nordic 35' Flame, it needs to go! :)
Thanks,
Dean

That's one of the reasons I went with Sunsation, the doors are a big deal. Very often we encounter conditions where the girls want to be in the cabin and close the doors to stay out of whatever weather we are in.

Where do you have it listed at? Is it a closed bow or mid cabin?