Why smaller boats are cool.........20ft and under

So the new trend is bigger is better, my last boat was a MC tristar 190. Did the job nicely and didn't feel so cramped. While I would love to have a Malibu 247, seems like there are advantages to going smaller. Here are a few I thought of.

1. Chicks have to get closer to you.
2. Less weight to drop it.
3. Better gas mileage.
4. Easier to tow.
5. Better handling.


Lets see some pics and reasons.

beer is always within arm's reach. chicks would be too, then... hmmm...

No need for huge expensive tow vehicle.
If we are talking older Direct drives it makes maintance easier.
Less people in the boat is not always a bad thing.

Less to clean!

Theres a chance of it fitting in your garage

oh and

Less $$$

Less people = more riding time!

Why smaller boats are cool...

because the people who are riding the old ski boats with towers are normally the best wakeboarders on the lake. All the people who buy the expensive big wakeboard boats spend all of there time drinking, tubing, and kneeboarding. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I would rather wakeboard than do the other stuff.

if i could find a 20' boat that would make the wake my 23' boat does i would be all about it

better power turns and cutting off wakeboarders with my tuber.....j/k I think you guys covered it.

After having both (93 SNCB vs 06 21V) There is advantages to both:

Pro 93 SNCB
-less gas
-easier to work on
-less draft
-fit into the garage with the tower up
-more responsive around the dock
-better power slides

Con of 93 SNCB
-smaller wake even with floor full of sacks
-no room for the girls bags full of cr@p
-could only take a max of 4 friends (good and bad)
-beat the tar out of you on a windy day (don't like to open shook up beer haha)

After I put a tower on the SN, then towed the 21v, I didn't notice a huge difference. Both lets you know that they are behind a 1/2 ton. The 21v actually pulls better because of the tandem axils.

Easier to get both your boat and vehicle in your pictures.

Okay, I'm reaching here.

- Less to insure
- Beats the 20" under rule that a lot of private lakes have

There are lakes that require boats to be 20 inches or less???

The VTX is a sweet 20 ft boat. It is hugh inside

um a mastercraft x2
20 feet and throws a killer wake

ill second leo on the best are ridin old school, in some cases its sooooo true

Thats moronic to say Leo!!! The best riders in the world ride behind the best boats... the best amateurs!!! who cares what they ride behind! Leo you're a shoe in for hater of the year. This is about small boats Leo are you telling me old school boats are all 20' and under. use the thinker not the stinker

(Message edited by tyboarder03 on March 23, 2007)

Paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}

What!!!

I was mostly joking. And yes, I did mean amateaur riders, not the pros. Of course they get the best boats out there.

I wouldn't say all of the time, but most of the time, the only people I see on the lake actually wakeboarding are the guys with the old school boats or the under 20 foot boats. The guys with the brand new top dollar wakeboard boats go sit on the shore all day.

Hmmm most lakes I go to and people I ride with that have nice boats kill and ride quite a bit. Then again I kinda suck but I can do some spins backrolls and almost tantrums... so I guess that makes it ok for you to lump me in with those partying drinkin tubers since Im not the best on the lake. The best on my lake is Alex Scagliotti! maybe you heard of him he rides behind a bigger boat. Not trying to attack you just a very general and as far as I'm concerned somewhat offensive statement to those that ride nice boats and aren't very good. But props to small boats I guess Im about a foot and a half to long.

tyler, I dont think you have too much to worry about, your boat is sweet. Almost exactly the boat I'd like to get, just with the black speaker cans instead of the polished.

Wanna sell it to me?

I agree with Leo for the most part. But it's getting to be less and less of the rule. I rode (behind my '88 SN2001) by a SAN a few months ago and told them what an awesome boat they had, then proceeded to do a backroll. I then fell on a 360 attempt. As I was looking for my boat to come get me the SAN came by and a rider did a huge hoochie glide over my head. Result: I got served.

hahaha prolly not but we'd be willing to give you a pull anytime! We tend not to tube drink or sit on the shore though so don't get too excited.

We actually bought our boat because it would fit in our garage.

(It was cheaper than buying a new home with a larger garage!- But our next home will accommodate a larger V drive.)

And we are on a small boat and are below average skills. (shock!)

NO, you are taking what I say the wrong way. Props to people with nice boats, they can afford them. I am only 19, hopefully I will have one too one day and some 19 year old will say the same about me.

Also, Doesn't Alex have a dad named Randy? He has help from his parents, which is a good thing. It is the people without the help from parents who normally have to settle for the older boats at their young age. I owe my dad so much for buying a malibu with a tower when I was 16. I didn't know anything about wakeboarding except how to get up, yet he still got that is really expensive for his tastes.

(Message edited by malibuboarder75 on March 23, 2007)

I agree with what leo is saying. He is not trying to start some huge debate on the statistics of rippers behind newer or older boats. He is stating that people who ride A LOT are not on boats with a ton of bling. All they really care about is whats behind the boat, not whats bolted on to the boat. If the boat had a tower and a great wake, thats usually all that matters to them, not the chrome steering knob or the graphics on the side. There will always be kids whose parents support them, and thats fine. I was out at lake rollins last year and watched a kid throw a ts 5, whirly, hs 5, bs spins, etc. back to back right down the lake behind an un-towered reinell; now that suprised me.

OK, my turn. I have no problem with nice expensive boats, i'd have one myself if I had the money. If you have a nice boat, it doesn't matter to me how good you are, as long as you are out on the water trying to wakeboard. It pisses me off to see the only wakeboard boat on my home lake sitting on the lift every weekend for the last few years. Finally seen them out on the water last summer and they were sitting in the middle of the lake using the tower for a diving board. After 20 minutes, it went right back on the lift. I'm sure if you are a wakeworld member you are a little more dedicated than that so no worries, but if there are some of you out there....I DON'T LIKE YOU!

I agree with Leo too that some people who rip ride behind gnar lookin boats. But I will also say that most people on these threads have fairly nice boats, and many (i assume the majority) are better than me and are pretty good at riding. Are you telling me that CIE all the people who post pics on here of their riding have small old boats? Start looking at profiles on here and you'll see all the malibu and mastercraft and nautique, skiers choice threads all predominate that wake scene weather on WW or not. Just a bold statement from you that I'm sure you concur with that you should have better clarified what you were actually saying.

I also agree it doesn't make much sense to own a wakeboard specific boat and not wakeboard but in jakes case I bet they have wakeboarded before! So why dont you like them for having a nice boat and not riding? It doesnt make them bad people! it doesn't make them wise investors, but I find it pretty lame when you hate on someone for having something nicer than you and not using it for the same reasons you do. We aren't robots who do everything the same you know. Basically if you have mud terrains on a vehicle you better off road or "I dont like you" If you have a sports car you better drive real fast or "i dont like you" etc... get my point yet it sounds very childish. Not all think this way (thank god) but many do and should really think about how many people they must not like for what they seem to not do.

MEH...

It's OK with me if you don't like me Jake.
I got my boat so my kids would not grow out of it but I spend more hours floating and cruising than towing. You see, there was no prop hanging out to worry about. It had lots of room in it. And it handles much better than anything else.
I'm a little bummed that it doesn't do 60 but I'll live with that because the rest is so much better.
I sure loved the look of the 247RX but I went with a boat much smaller for all the above reasons.

(Message edited by rallyart on March 24, 2007)

I have a nice new boat but I agree that guys behind the old boats tend to be good and thers alot of guys behind sweet new boats that suck and never wakeboard and don't even know how to drive. I think it is because old boats, specially direct drives are small , not blingy, dont have great seating, handle chop like crap etc. So if you buy one chances are your hardcore or you would just buy like a bayliner. Now new wakeboarding boats are the blingest on the water, super comfortable, lots of seating,etc so a bunch of ppl buy them that don't care or know or even care to know how to wakeboard. Personally I think its dumb to buy an expensive hardcore wakeboarding boat if you don't ride but wahtever its their money