G23 vs G25 Questions

[Bevostein]

In the market for a 2015 or earlier G series boat and have some questions about the G23 vs G25. I know about the transmission differences and have decided that a 450 2:1 or 550 are the only setups I would consider. I also know the 550 is thirstier. I think I am indifferent on the G25 vs G23. There are weekends where it is just our family of four and there are weekends where we have 13 or 14 people with us. I know a G23 would fit us but isn't extra space always nice. Right now we 50/50 wakeboard and surf but I can see us increasing our surf time with a boat that you don't have to list significantly

My questions are mainly about the G25.

How is the wake on the G25? I have read the statements that the G23 is the flagship boat from a wake perspective. I get that but what does that practically mean for a G25 and its wake? Is it just a little different than a G23 or a substantial step down?

What about ballasting a G25 to compensate? It would seem a little bit of well placed ballast could compensate for the increased displacement a G25 produces.

Wouldn't a G25 need a 550 or would the 2:1 450 be sufficient? The boat should get on plane easier given the increased running surface. Obviously loading it up or ballasting would impact that.

On the G23 my only real question is about ballasting the 450. How much can it reasonably handle? Thanks

[Noelb]

I have some experience with this, although limited.

To begin, one important factor for me when I buy something this big is resale. For most people, the G23 is more than enough and as you said, it is the current flagship, so I'm under the impression that a G23 will hold it's value and sell much quicker. That said, it depends who you are talking to. One G25 owner I know in Biscayne Bay (Marcos at Gator Bait Wakeboard School) turns his boats very often and he says that in his area you must go with a 25 footer or bigger, otherwise there is no resale market in that area, presumably beacause of the rougher water.

That said when I rode behind his G25 for wakeboarding lessons, I thought that the wake was noticeably flatter and smaller than on my G23. Now mind you, this could have been a completely distorted image because I was there to learn new tricks, so he most certainly must have toned down the wake for easier learning and to avoid injuries. Plus we were riding in rough water when I was there, which has an effect both on the wake and on my riding. And sorry, I never tried surfing with the G25.

There are many posts out there about the 450 vs 550 for the G23. I have the 450 on mine and it will handle our needs very well. Wakesurfing with 100% ballast and as many peeps as you want on board is a non-issue. For wakeboarding, it will handle 100% ballast as well, but if we are like 8 people or more on board on top of that, there will be a bit of battle before the boat goes on plane. Nothing serious enough to make me want a 500 on my next boat, and keep in mind that we do 90% wakeboarding.

Storage is suggestive. If you have a house on the lake you won't need that much, but if you take day long trips with 14 people, well I don't know about you, but even a 40 footer will feel cramped to me. And if you need to add ballast to your G25 to get its' wake up to par with the 23, then there goes half of your strage space right there!

Good luck in your research.

[jgrun]

I purchased a 2015 G25 450 this year to replace my 2013 G23 450 and I am very happy with the switch, even though I realized that I don't really need the extra space. I cannot really speak about the wakeboard wake as I haven't wakeboarded so much this year. Regarding the surf wake, it is as good if not better than the G23 in my opinion. I used to place a Ronix 8.3 ballast 800 in the middle of the G23, so I purchased a Ronix 8.3 1'100 for the G25. After not having time to fill the Ronix ballast once, I now surf without any external ballast and I am very happy with the wake. Hope it helps, Jeff.

[JoeA]

Two things to think about initially. If you are going to have a crew of 14+ more often than just the family then I'd say the G25 would be the answer. I'd also have to consider my exit strategy as to how desirable is a G25 in your area. Will it be easy to sell when you are ready or will you have to drop the price more than you want to get it sold. I've never been in a G25 but the G23 has crazy amounts of storage.

It sounds like the 450 is plenty but on the used market I suspect a 550 will sell faster. Maybe look at the used G25s and see how they were outfitted.

[Bevostein]

Thanks for the responses. All very good points

jgrun, I am envious of your water and that setting. You said the surf wave was good with no ballast. How many are on your boat normally?

[jgrun]

Bevostein, These pictures are with 6/7 people on the boat, but the wave is fine even with 3 people on the boat...just a bit smaller!

[ironj32]

I have had a G23 for 4 seasons now, and have limited experience with a G25. My personal opinion is that there is a noticeable difference in the wakeboard wakes between these two boats. As Noelb mentioned, he thought the G25 was smaller and flatter - this was my experience as well. Compared to most other boats out there, the G25 will still be a significant improvement in the wake department. For a wake junky, compared to G23, it leaves a little to be desired.

As for the 450 with a 2:1, you should be able to run approximately 2k pounds in addition to factory ballast.

[V8 Killer]

I second everything ironj32 said exactly. I have had a G23 since 2013 and our friend down the way has a G25. The G25 is smaller and flatter but still better than almost any other boat out there.

Good luck,

Dusty