Wakeboard Boat VERSUS Bow Rider

I have a quick question for you experienced boaters. I wondered if anyone could help describe to me the ride and handling differences of an average new model 20' bow rider style boat (Crownline 202BR for example) versus that of a wakeboard boat of about the same size. I realize that a wakeboard boat is built for a specific purpose, and doesn't ride (or handle?) as well as a bow rider style boat with a deeper hull. I just wondered if anyone with experience on both styles could describe to me how varied the rides really are?

Thanks,

Charlie

Well I can help you a little bit. I have owned
two regular I/O boats, a 1990 bow rider and a 1995 Larson. The Larson was 21.5 ft and when we first got into wakeboarding we didnt really see the big difference between the wakeboard specific boats either, that was until we rode behind one.
Its a totally different wake shape and riding experience. Given the fact that you do sacrifice
some of the luxuries on non wakeboard specific boats, if you love wakeboarding as much as I do
and are willing to give up a little to gain alot, than a wakeboard specific boat is the way to go.
The biggest difference you will notice is the I/O's just handle choppy water better, but hopffully you wont be wakeboarding in the chop, so
it really doesnt matter now does it. . BTW. We sold our Larson last year for a 04 X-star and never gonna look back!

I had a 19' Four Winns first and started getting into wakeboarding and traded it in after 1 year. It was a great boat and real nice, but we just found ourselves wakeboarding more than anything. An I/O might handle chop better, but definitely does not handle better than an inboard. If you can afford it and justify it, then the inboard is the way to go...

Things you give up for an inboard;
Ride, Top speed, Reverse steering.
Things you gain from an inboard;
Speed control, HP, wake shape, accessories(SP?), handling, resale, safety, and chicks dig them.

>>> Chicks dig them <<<<

Can you put a $$ on this option?

Optimize your experience.

The tell tale is told by the swim platform...

If your boat is about cruising over the water get an IO runabout.

If your boat is about playing in the water get a ski/wake boat.

+ no IO in the swimmers face
+ surfing is an option
+ better swim platform
+ better wake production
+ better in-tow drivability

My V210 handles choppy water(almost?!) as well as any I/O I've been in.

Go Test drive a wake specific boat...tell them you want to ride behind it, and then you will see the difference.

Barry I would suggest that the chop that you have been in isn't very big in that case
(although I could be wrong)
I have had our old bayliner1950classic crossing the bar in our harbour jumping from wave to wave and getting airbourne in between sometimes I wouldn't be doing that with a Sanger orv any other wakeboard boat

GD, there are some awesomely huge platforms in I/Os now.

About all I can tell is handling the chop and if you want to surf.

The thing I hated about i/o's was that when you pull it out of the water you have to remember to put the motor up. I must have dinged our prop half a dozen times doing that. I will never buy an i/o. Ever. Even when I had 1000+ lbs in our Sea Swirl the wake was exactly the same. You could make it a little better by raising and lowering the motor, but not much. Now I am putting 2000+lbs of sacs in our Nautique plus people and have side effects at all. Other than a huge wake, which obviously isnt a problem.

We just traded in our 190 Cobalt (2002 I/O) for a 05 Supra, big difference. We think the Supra handles the waves just as good as the Cobalt maybe the length has something to do with it, but like as guys stated earlier if wakeboarding, skiing, surffing, or even airchairing, and tubing is your thing than the inboard can not be beat.

I owned my 2001 Cobalt 206 (21ft)for almost 4 years, and that is the boat myself and all of my crew learned to wakeboard in. After looking more into a true wakeboarding boat, we realized it would be much better for what we do 95% of the time, to switch to an V-drive. Just picked up my 05 VLX 3 weeks ago, and am stoked. I really can't see much that I had to give up, other than rough water handling of the deep V Cobalt, that type of thing. The VLX handles the normal chop and other boat wakes great. Probably about as good as the Cobalt. I do not plan on taking the Bu out into the ocean like I did the Cobalt, but no big loss. The gains in the VLX FAR outweigh any losses over the I/O.

2 things that are most noticeable:

1) Steering while backing in the duo-prop Cobalt was like driving a car. I could put it anywhere.

2) The cobalt had taller sides, so you felt like you had a lot more boat around you, kind of like an SUV compared to a sports car. No loss there really. The Bu feels great in that aspect.

The Cobalt was an excellent boat, one of the nicest runabouts available, IMO. You can't be a more excited new boat owner than me and my VLX though. I have not slept in weeks!!

Like others have said, if you want to really get into wakeboarding, get a wakeboard boat. If you just want to cruise around, maybe a runabout would suit your needs better.

I can go on, but I won't. Charles, PM me if you need more info. Like I said, 4 years in a runabout, and now with the VLX, I as well as many others here can give you more info and comparisons if you need.

Happy hunting.