Should I get a 200 or a 196??

[swc5150]

I'm busted

[SNMike]

I'm busted

It's all good budro!!

Regards!! Mike

[DealsGapCobra]

Writing that check was painful but I LOVE my 200. Having said that, I don't know anything about the 196.

[MARK-S]

$$

If you have the cash, 200.
If you dont, 196.

I love both boats and they both will give you everything you need in a boat for waterskiing.
The 196 value has crept up since the 200 came out and they are holding value really good right now.

[gride300]

stimulate the economy and buy a new 200

[boatbuddy]

Open Bow or Closed

Seems like most 200's out there are Open Bow

Any comments about advantages or disadvantages (other than the obvious)?

[SkiTower]

On the 200, they designed the OB and CB to be the same weight and have the same wake. If this is true (haven't personally verified it yet), I can't imagine any advantages of the CB.

[AirTool]

On the 200, they designed the OB and CB to be the same weight and have the same wake. If this is true (haven't personally verified it yet), I can't imagine any advantages of the CB.

The one advantage to CB is that surprise double up wakes and rough water won't come over the bow and into your lap like they do in my 206.

I know, ...200 owners will likely be in calm water, pulling high end skiers that only fall at the end of the course. Not like me and those crazy kids with their toob and board thingies.

Honestly, I have gotten surprised with some BIG wakes at Canyon Lake and thought....."wish I had a closed bow." I'm sure some of those 196 folks that head up Lake Conroe to the quiet areas appreciate their closed bows.

[dip]

If you have a 230 (I think you mentioned that), then what would be the point of the open bow 200 with a tower? If you have enough people in the boat you need an open bow, take the 230 out. Then get either a closed bow 200 or 196.
I guess if you already have a 230 and you're thinking of adding a 200, money can't be too big an issue

[boatbuddy]

If you have a 230 (I think you mentioned that), then what would be the point of the open bow 200 with a tower? If you have enough people in the boat you need an open bow, take the 230 out. Then get either a closed bow 200 or 196.
I guess if you already have a 230 and you're thinking of adding a 200, money can't be too big an issue

Had a 211 and was not happy with the ski wake

Went to the 230 for the wakeboard wake, seating capacity and rough water cruising

25 years ago I skied behind a 196 and said this is what I want when I can afford it

I have waited 25 years and now they come out with the 200 to complicate things for me!

Money is always an issue .... but I have been patient and have paid my dues ......

[ClemsonDave]

Seems like most 200's out there are Open Bow

Any comments about advantages or disadvantages (other than the obvious)?

This is one of those subjects that starts WWIII around here ;-)

FWIW, I was one of those die hard, ain't no @#$@ way that I would ever have an OB ski boat. Having owned an 200OB since March, I will never own anything else. You can swamp a 196 too (had a couple drivers do it to mine). Just have to be careful!

The biggest advantage I have found is on hot days, you open the window and it cools you off. We just had two 105* days in a row, so I would know. The only disadvantage I've heard is that you have to wipe down the OB vinyl. To me, that's easier than polishing the CB fiberglass.

[swc5150]

Dave's right, you can take a roller over the 196 bow, although it seems the 200 nose does hang a little closer to the water. Coming from a CB and spending all my 200 time in an OB, I'd still opt for the CB. The OB will be and is popular, as most skiers in this market have family, and OB's are simply more desirable.

In the 200, the OB would be nice for trailer loading, but it's not a large space to comfortably seat more than a couple of people - kids or adults. I've always wondered how many OB 200 and MC197 owners actually use the space for seating, versus just a higher resale? When the Prostar 205 came out, my family bought one immediately, thinking we'd have the perfect family ski boat. In reality, we maybe used the OB to watch some fireworks once. In the end, we wondered what the point was and went back to a 190.

My dream would be to have a family cruiser OB, and a CB hard core ski boat - but this is your dream:-)

Drive them all and the decision will come to you. Cheers!!

[Racerdj]

I had an 01 197 OB and an 04 MC 190 and simply loved the closed bow. I then had the chance to get a 2007 197 TT but really wanted a CB. We never had any passengers upfront. It was easier to wipe down but hard to keep clean (seats). With NO regretts, I'm back to a CB but we're hard core slalmon course skiiers on a private ski lake.

[chris196]

Regarding CB vs OB taking a wave.
Someone mentioned you can swamp a 196, sure you can, but I'd be willing to bet it's much easier to swamp an OB 200 than a 196. Remember the thread a couple of days ago with the 200 filled with water? The report was that it was swamped much like the famous MC video.
I ski on a public lake that is great for skiing in the early morning, but is usually quite rough in the afternoon. I really enjoy having the closed bow if we're doing a social cruise with a few friends. I have had some big waves actually come over the windshield. I didn't get much water in the boat, but some. I sure would have hated to be in an open bow for those.
I really like the cab forward (as someone else described it) design of the 196. The view is great.
If I were to buy a 200 today, not sure which I'd get. I know the resale is better on an OB, but if I wasn't worried about that, I think I'd go with the CB. It would be a tough choice for me.
The advantage of having extra people caring capacity might be negated by the fact that when I need that capacity is also the time I'd be most likely to take waves over the bow.

[BrennanK]

Here is what I was thinking.
If you already own a 230, and have no plans on selling your 200 in the near future. Then why even consider the open bow? If you needed to carry a lot of people you would use your 230.
The only reason I could understand you getting a open bow is if you were planning on selling in the near future.

When we were getting our 196, all of my family wanted to get the 206. (the 200 was too expensive for us) I ended up talking them into this stellar deal on the 1997 196 we currently have. After putting 43 hours on it this season we have no regrets. Everyone says it is much roomier then expected. You really can't till until you spend a some time on the water in each of them.
I have also been out 3 or 4 times where we had 5 people (17 yr olds) in the boat and had no problems, we just always were towing someone.

When was the last time someone had a person sitting in their open bow while towing someone? Not likely, and with most of these boats, you are always towing someone.

We use our boat for skiing, footing, not cursing around. You have a 230 for that.

Just my observation.