196 vs 206

[Onthewater]

In a few years I hope to be stepping into a 02-06 196 or 206. My question to people with experience with both is what are the real world differences. I obviously know the weight, length, draft, blah blah blah. How is driving with a person sitting in front? is the wake and handling sensitive to how many people are sitting in the front? It seems that the top of the windshield would be right at eye height compared to the higher or more inclined 196 windshield, is distortion a factor? Backseat distance to motor box is another thing and space between driver seat and motor box seems very tight. As of right now I am leaning toward no tower but when buying used that will probably change. I am not at the point where the wake differences affect me. I would just like to hear opinions and pass my day at work. Our friends have a 2003 Prostar 209 and 99 Sanger DLX. The MC feels huge and the Sanger drives nice and doesn't feel as big and bulky.

Quinner, If you wouldn't mind I would really like to go for a ride in your 206 at Green Lake.

[MARK-S]

RE: 196 vs 206

They ski the same. I have had 3 stright 206s, (03/04/05) and loved them, but I didnt use the space for anything but air. I would put the walkway cover up and only pull it when it was hot out. Everything is the same except the driving around the dock. The 196 seams less barge like and can make a tighter turn. If the open bow cost is not an issue, get it. But closed bows rock. Of the big 3 open bows, the 206 has the best wake and pull for shortline sking. The windshield has good placement for driver and observer. I would never drive a slalom skier with anyone in the bow.

[G-man]

RE: 196 vs 206

If your into slalom and ski at slower speeds on a course the 196 is better IMO. If your open water sking and you like a open bow the 206 will fit your needs. Both boats way nicer to drive compared to a 209. Yes the room is tight, I have never worried about the room between the motor box and drivers seat because that side of the boat is where we put 2 slaloms. I think the closed bow has more storage and seats people better because of the wider observers seat, your view is always open in a closed bow. I rarely have 4 people on the boat so the 196 seating is perfect. The drivers seat was lowered in 05 on the 206.

[SGY]

RE: 196 vs 206

No vision problems with the 206--once on plane. The 206 is just as sensitive to weight as the 196, IMO. I've driven the course with two teenagers in the bow and was nervous about it. They have to lay down so I could ski. On our smaller lake, nobody is up front when we're pulling a skier. Visibility is slightly better with the shorter or stubby nosed 196. No distortion and I haven't noticed a difference in cabin space between the 206 and 196. My buddy has commented though that the 206 cabin space appears smaller than the 196 and the RLXi. The 206 drives fine in the course, but I like the 196 just a bit better due to visibility and agility. The 196 is just slightly better, but not real world better. I echo Mark-S comments above as well as G-Man. The wake at slower speeds is better on the 196. I've heard of kids complaining skiing behind the 206 at slower speeds.

[Quinner]

RE: 196 vs 206

Hey OTW,

I am in Lake Villa, IL, maybe not far from you? Come by and ski some time, more times then not I ski with just my neighbor, typically our 3rd is a mannequin head on a stick, heck bring Hollywood along also, the stick chick hasn't had a date in a long time.

[Onthewater]

RE: 196 vs 206

I just might take you up on that offer. When do you usually hit the water? I am in Niles, you are about half way between our house and where our boat is, our crew passes the area atleast twice a weekend.

Thanks for the responses so far.

[G-man]

RE: 196 vs 206

I'll add to my comments, if I'm not behind my 06 196 I'm behind a friends 206. These 2 boats beat anything else on the water for slalom.

[LT206]

I took my "new to me" 206 air out for the first time this past weekend and can totally agree with it being very weight sensitive. I have a boom attached for the kids and just to balance that weight ended up running with an empty port ballast tank and full starboard tank to achieve less spray in the kids face (5 year old on trainers w/ 5' handle section, he's awesome!).
With the ballast emptied and set up for slalom I was surprised at the bump at 15 off 34 mph, while not unmanageable by any means, you definitely know its there. When speed increased to 36 the single rooster tail divides into two smaller ones that are smaller, but still noticeable. I'm wondering if my tanks maybe didn't empty completely and I was still carrying extra water weight to cause this. Overall I was very happy with the way it runs with one exception with the starter, but that's another thread.

[SGY]

At 15 off, I don't really notice a difference between the 196 and 206. Maybe you had some water in there.

[MARK-S]

Was the bow empty, or were the kids up front? My wife skis 28-32 mph 15 off, and cannot tell the diff between my 05 206 and 06 196 wakes.

[LT206]

We had about 140lbs of kid weight up there (that's 3 kids), in addition to the driver and observer. I guess thats enough to affect it. I'll be interested to get it on the ski lake in the course with a light load and see how it does.

[MARK-S]

That would influance the size of the wake by pushing the bow down and making a deeper cut through the water. Keep the bow empty when slalom sking for safety and wake. There was a post a few months back about a 206 that took on water after turning to get a downed skier. It sunk to the gunwales.

[SGY]

Mark-S, you need to tell my wife that story. She loves the open bow.

[Hollywood]

Re: RE: 196 vs 206

typically our 3rd is a mannequin head on a stick, heck bring Hollywood along also, the stick chick hasn't had a date in a long time.

I don't date 'em, just **** 'em. :mrgreen:

I'm all about the 196. We have a ponton for lounging on.

[darrel409]

RE: Re: RE: 196 vs 206

It sunk til the only thing showing were tower speakers. He was loaded front heavy just as LT206 was (he was also very low on fuel). BTW it was up and running within a few hours of it playing submarine.

206 is a great boat and wake with a little more room. Another plus is the rear ballast. The observers seat is smaller on a 206 because of the walk thru and the "extended" version in my opinion is flimsy.

Love the feel of the 196, feels more like a sports car. Its a ski machine.

If you're not on a tournament lake, get a tower on either one. Looks good, gets stuff off the floor, great tow spot for wakeboard, wake skate, barefooting, and a place to hang more speakers. As an added bonus a tower makes a great place for Hollywood to handcuff his stick chicks to while he......