Should I get a 200 or a 196??

[jasper]

The CB/OB issue is important and wished someone had shared with me their pros/cons. Went from a CB to and OB for more people room. I missed the storage of the CB and found I only cruised around slowly with people in front. Passengers in the bow blocked the view of the driver, added weight to the front and lowered the bow. Went back to a CB and for how we use it, the CB works better. I do miss stepping in the bow for launching.

[east tx skier]

I do miss stepping in the bow for launching.

That's about all I miss about the open bow. Love all the storage in my SN.

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.

Same with our 205. We had people in the bow maybe once or twice per year. I didn't like the kids being up there and built a jump seat for extra rear facing seating in the cockpit. The walkthrough was used primarily for storage, the seats required more cleaning, the ski locker looked like a live well with the water that would get into it and you could fit a slalom ski in either gunnel compartment or under the observer seat until they expanded those compartments in 1996. It was a great boat. But I like my closed bow better.

[swc5150]

I have to agree with Jasper and Tex. I either had an obstucted view in the 205, or was constantly yelling at the young family members to stay seated and hang on. Those issues aren't as apparent when you're in a cavernous OB, like an SA, but are amplified in a playpen OB. Just a side note, whoever sat in the front of our 205 also felt disconnected from the conversation going on in the rest of the boat.

When I switch to CC in '06, I popped a Boat Buddy on my trailer (like MC), which makes loading effortless, although I don't think they work on trailers with crash pads.

Dave mentioned the nice breeze you get from the OB. Does anyone know if the 200CB will be offered with the window opening, like you could get on the 196? The sano pad is on the bow, so it would make sense.

[ClemsonDave]

Yes, walkthrough is an option for the CB.

I have more storage on my OB 200 than on my 196. Of course the CB 200 would have even more, but not sure what else you would need. I can store at least 5 skis with full gear in mine. Kneeboards and wakeboards will fit in the bow compartment of the OB 200.

I also do not like the look of the CB200. I think the bow is too big, too much fiberglass. To me, the OB looks much better. Opposite from the 206/196. But, that's why they have options! Everyone has their own opinion.

Ya'll just don't have the right passengers up front! Certain ones are worth looking over/around. ;-) I don't put anyone up there when we are running the course. Just for the occasional tricker or kids skiing.

[swc5150]

Agreed... I wish they would've done the cab forward design on the CB. There is a lot of fiberglass up there. A little too reminiscent of the Prostar 190, but the 200 does share the same concept of one hull, two layouts.

Good point on passenger selection!

[ClemsonDave]

Have you ordered yours yet, Scott? I ordered mine on Tue. They are filling up quickly to get it done before Dec 31.

[swc5150]

My dealer has a production slot in November I could take, and I want to see what the new color options will be before making a decision. I would also like to sell mine before committing to a new boat, so I guess I should lower my price like Shane did. I certainly don't want to buy a Cat motor for no reason!

Did you go with the yellow and black? Have to change your ID to Bumblebee or Stryper (remember them?) :-)

[SNMike]

Did you go with the yellow and black? Have to change your ID to Bumblebee or Stryper (remember them?) :-)

Ooooh yeah!! To He!! with MC & BU...............er.......uh......I mean To He!! With The Devil!! >;-)

They have a new album out btw. For all the latest greatest on melodic rock, ie: all the bands we grew up with still making music, and GREAT new stuff, go to www.melodicrock.com . Best site on the web bar none.

Mikey

Ludwig, Zildjian, Evans, Vic Firth, Shure Mics.................LOTS of water.

[swc5150]

Ooooh yeah!! To He!! with MC & BU...............er.......uh......I mean To He!! With The Devil!! >;-)

They have a new album out btw. For all the latest greatest on melodic rock, ie: all the bands we grew up with still making music, and GREAT new stuff, go to www.melodicrock.com . Best site on the web bar none.

Mikey

Ludwig, Zildjian, Evans, Vic Firth, Shure Mics.................LOTS of water.

Oh ya, I bought it. Great album, and they are incredible live!

[SNMike]

Oh ya, I bought it. Great album, and they are incredible live!

Yes they are mi amogo. I saw Bad Company last week. Thank You God for music!!

Regards to ALL!!!

Mike

[cotton]

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.

I agree. With direct drive boats why would anyone with kids that aren’t into competitive skiing want anything other than an open bow? There's just not enough room in DD closed bow boats with the hump in the middle.

On the other hand if all you, the wife and kids will ever do is run buoys on private lakes with orderly rotations, then there’s no huge wakes or rough water to deal with so why would anyone “need” a closed bow (since there's no debating the resale on OB’s are better than CB’s)?

How many MC's or BU's do you see with closed bows? Seems obvious there's a reason for this and THE reason the 200 (as Andy says) HAD to ski the same with either bow.

[east tx skier]

Two kids. We ski, but not exclusively on private lakes. Had a MC open bow and went to a CB SN. No regrets and don't miss the rarely used bow seating for the storage we gained. Different families have different needs.

[j2nh]

Two kids also, always had a closed but but through the club had access to open bows. Just never wanted one or saw the attraction. Nobody rides up there when people are skiing which severely limits the usefulness plus there is more vinyl and floor to keep clean. I am sure that there are families that enjoy their OB's but for myself and those that I ski with the downsides are greater than the upsides.

Never had a problem selling a CB and wonder if some of the "demand" for a an OB is created by dealers looking for higher margins.

Variety is the spice of life.

[cotton]

east tx skier: "Different families have different needs. "

j2nh: "Variety is the spice of life."


I agree; and it’s probably a sure bet that the resale on 196 closed bows will get better and better now that the 200 is out.

We hit a new lake today that was full of those danged wake board boats (sorry wake boarders). There was a cool looking 2001 slipping through the rough water with it rolling off of the closed bow, and I thought about this thread.

Of course if it weren’t for my being 4 months and 8 days from ATR surgery, we would have been at the ski lake where wake board boats are not allowed, and we would not have been dealing with those danged 3 foot wakes!