Open Bow or not?

[fu_man]

Skiing+kids=open bow

[kstateskier]

I'm in the market for a boat and my wife says she wants an open bow... ;) So we'll be getting an open bow!

[LakeOneSkier]

The only thing I use the open bow for is to store the boat cover when the boat is in use.

 

Next boat, if I ever justify the need for one, will be closed bow. Preferably a CP. :-)

[Skoot1123]

With little kids we don't use the open bow too frequently. Little as in 2 <4 years old. As they get older an open bow might be nice - but since we are on a private lake it isn't such a big deal. If I was on a public lake all the time our usage of the open bow may be much more. The extra space is nice, but I don't utilize it enough for it to be worth the extra $. At least for me.

[skier2788]

I own a closed bow boat and don't want an open bow.

[jipster43]

I'm an old fuddy duddy. I like a closed bow.

[skidawg]

My old boat had open bow, used it everyday w kidos! Only neg about the centurion.

[Timber]

I don't like open bow but I have 3 kids. I need the new Prostar!!

[MrJones]

We only use it when we have non competitive friends, etc., out for fun skiing. Because of that and resale I like it. Otherwise the seat cushions stay in the shop and I have no need of it.

[oldjeep]

Open bow = multipurpose boat. Closed bow, useless for anything but skiing. One thing to consider for the folks that change boats like underwear - your resale market isn't just people who run back and forth between buoys and then park the boat.

[Kelvin]

I have an open bow, but don't use it. When the kids were smaller, it was nice to have, but now they are grown and it doesn't make sense to have. It just adds to the cleanup time of the boat. Preference at this stage is for a closed bow next time.

[elr]

Open Bow = more maintenance with boat house and private ski lake

[Fine409]

I think ideally for me, if I had two boats (on a public lake), one would be a closed bow ski boat and the other would be a pontoon for cruising around and getting the dogs out. But with just one, open bow for me.

[skibug]

An open bow boat opens up your resale market to more than just die hard slalom skiers. I have seen it first hand, many times.

[GOODESkier]

A new nautique or mastercraft OB would be my 1st choice........ just for the rest of the day when we want to be on the water, cause LIFE ON THE WATER doesn't always mean 34.2 for 16.95 seconds........

[BRY]

I like the extra storage, better "real" seating and swamp resistance of the closed bow for a ski boat. Open bow inboards have dinky, shallow bow area's (center engine pushes seating/driver/windshield forward). People up there block drivers view and its real easy to toss them out. Seem to recall Mastercraft got sued and lost when a girl fell out of the front and the boat ran her over. I also like to buy my boat for me, not the next guy, or I would go used.

Never had issues selling the closed bow, good demand as "hard to find". So yea, you guys get blue open bows if going new. Need to keep the demand for mine up...

[Lieutenant Dan]

I'm sure it all depends on how you use your boat. Myself, I use my "classic" Sunsetter LXi for all purposes - just as it was designed and marketed. It is my slalom course tug at the ski club and it is my air-chairing, wakeboarding, tubing, open water and cruising boat for all waters. For the wakesports and airchairing (off the tower) it is best to have more seating up front when you are out on the water all day. And kids like it.

[Chef23]

I think it depends on where you use your boat. My guess is that most people that live and/or boat on open water prefer an open bow particularly if you have kids/family. If you are on a private site I don't think the open bar is an issue.

[scuppers]

I own a boat with an open bow and I HATE IT! You read me -HATE IT! If you 3 event only or do any 1 of the 3 events do not buy an open bow. PERIOD.

 

[skinut]

I went from a closed bow to open. I bought the open bow(200) for resale. I have come to hate the open bow for the following reasons: too shallow for young kids to use, acts as a bucket when in rough water, and lose extra storage space. I love the MC solution with the hard top cover.

[6balls]

I have two closed bows, but if it's the same hull either way I'd go open bow every time as it gives flexibility with very little downside.

For the ski swamp, I don't want a big boat so will be late model 196 or CP when it's time to upgrade. At the home public site would be the larger big 3 offerings with open bow.

[E_T]

I just want to take the top of and admire the beauty every so often

[MISkier]

When I moved from my old I/O to my first tournament boat many years ago, the equivalent seating was a mandated requirement from my wife. I could choose open bow or open cockpit (e.g., V drive layout). I chose the open bow to avoid sacrificing the wake. I'd probably choose it again. My latest boat has the "step over" open bow, which I like for the "real" observer seat, some under dash storage, and windblock qualities. I admit that I initially ruled out the "step over" a long time ago in favor of the "walkthrough", but grew to like the "step over" better when replacing the original "walkthrough".

[Wish]

I bet you will see Bu and SN create a MC type hard cover for their bows in future designs. So far the results seem to steer the market that way. But I think CP has a good thing going for 10K less.

[Porkfight]

I own a boat with a closed bow and want a boat with an open bow.

[ALPJr]

Closed bow

[DW]

Assuming = wakes, either is fine with me. CFO pushes the meter over to OB, dog(s) demand OB a must...cat does not care. Solution for swamping although not perfect, a snap on vinyl cover with some foam strips does wonders and if left on particularly during the cold sessions, keeps maintenance to a minimum and is the poor man's hard cover.

[Chef23]

I don't get the swamping issue but maybe my lake is too small for it to be an issue. You certainly need to pay attention with an open bow but if you pay attention when driving and don't blindly plow back into wakes it isn't hard to keep the bow from swamping. I don't think I have an issue more than once a year where I get distracted and get some water over the bow.

[Than_Bogan]

I'm kind of a wacky outlier. I am very uncomfortable with seeing anyone riding in an open bow at anything above idle speed. If somebody gave me an open bow, I'd sell it and use the proceeds to buy a closed bow.

[andjules]

RESALE

I think living/cottaging in Ontario, Canada, or NY's finger lakes, or Michigan is a lot different than skiing on a tiny man-made ski lake in California or Texas. The vast majority of boat owners/buyers up here have a cottage on a medium/large lake, and boating-for-boating's-sake is a huge part of the lifestyle.

I'd guess a closed-bow suffers at least a 20% discount on the used market in this part of the world. In other words, it doesn't matter whether you use the open bow or not. It preserves the value of your boat for later resale.

 

 

[Than_Bogan]

@andjules Or current resale. I'd take the difference in value and put in my pocket :).

[LeonL]

@Scuppers, why don't you tell us how you really feel! I have no use for an open bow either.

[scuppers]

@Than_Bogan‌ I agree - just an opportunity for disaster with anyone moving around up front. Most Kids just wont sit still.

[mellig]

Got to please the family to keep my personal addiction to skiing going! I side with @scuppers I don't let kids ride in the open bow unless at really slow speeds!

[BraceMaker]

I own two prostar 190's, both of course closed bow.

 

I think that for a retail standpoint this does limit buyer - this is offset by the relative cost points of the boats/utility of the boat.

 

If I am selling I want the open bow, if I am owning/buying I prefer closed - I'm not of the school of thought that the bow makes it swamp happy - the weight can - but the reality is I've gotten wet enough sitting in closed bows 196's to know that its all about the driver. If I had an open bow I would have a tarp maker set me up with a good taut snap on cover with its own pole.

[Monkstr6100]

I have a partial open bow (no walk through, just walk through windshield) and don't use it a TON, but as my Daughter gets older I know I will be using it more.

[6balls]

Coolest deal going is the hard-top cover on the MC. I seldom use my barefoot boom, but when I want it I really want it. I would seldom use an open bow, but when I wanted it then it sure would be nice.

 

I will say as a compulsive wiper, it's easier to wipe the hull from the open bow seating rather than splaying myself across the closed bow like spider man hoping whatever board shorts I'm wearing don't have anything that could scratch the hood.

[bkreis]

My kids live the open bow, even the teenagers

[gregy]

My kids, 19 and 22 still usually go straight to the open bow. When I take my nieces and nephews out that are all teenagers they're usually arguing over who gets to set up front. I have a 99 Malibu RLX with the step-over and a bench seat in front. I was wanting a walk-thru when I got it but now I love it. There's still a ton of storage space under the windshield and bow seat areas. The bench keeps people setting toward the back of the bow area.

 

I grew up on public lakes, we always had an open bow boat. We set up front as kids but my father was very firm about us setting down and not leaning over the front at all. I personally don't allow smaller kids up front under power without being accompanied by an older kid or adult. I see boats out a the lakes cruising along with a bunch of kids hanging over the bow, there's got be some common sense with any boating. I only allow 2 people at a time in the bow, I think if you use common sense it's reasonably safe.

 

 

[Waternut]

For course skiing only, I have no issues with the closed bow we ski behind. I personally would never own one though unless I lived on a slalom lake and only skied the course. I hate going for a casual day on the lake in a closed bow boat...people sitting on the floor, everyone steps on your gear, and it's hot with the bulk of the wind going over your head.

 

Girls love open bows. Not sure why anyone wouldn't want two pretty girls sitting right in front of you while you're driving. I'm not staring at you...I'm just watching where we're going. haha Honestly though, I do enjoy getting out from behind the windshield, sitting in the bow seats, and enjoying a nice day on the lake while people are getting ready.

[crashman]

I own both- open bow V drive that I bought pre buoy addiction and still take to the open water, and closed bow ski tug that stays at the pond. It really confuses the neighbors when I shift them around in the spring and fall but I spent less on both boats combined than a new slalom boat would cost.

[rockdog]

Mine doesn't have one and I don't want one, my kids are little and would likely use it if I had one, but they don't know any different so all is probably good until they start seeing others floating around.

 

The main reason I don't want one is the not insignificant issue of getting swamped by G23's and the like getting around on the local public lake. I would think this alone is a deciding factor for folks on public lakes versus private.

[Brady]

@Horton if the Carbon Pro came in an open-bow version, I would never own another boat! That wake is butter, and the boat is good looking.

[ozski]

Open all the way, LXI - great wakes, great for the family.

[Zman]

Only use the bow seats when taking others out on the lake for just goofing off. By "use it all the time" I mean I use the convenient walk-through to start installing the mooring cover, bow first while it sits up on the boat lift. Sure makes this easy.

That's why the 2007 RLxi still looks almost new. Anyone looking to buy one? Might refresh to a newer Txi soon.

[Ed_Obermeier]

For all you open bow haters a couple of points. 1) If your open bow is too small to be useful you bought the wrong open bow boat. The LXI/TXI i.e. has plenty enough room for the wife and I to lounge in quite comfortably and still has world class slalom wake, tracking etc. Agreed, the MC and CC have tiny, basically useless open bows. Better a closed bow than a basically useless tiny open bow IMO. 2) The swamping issue. If you're getting swamped the simple fix is to turn your boat sideways to the waves or throttle up enough to get the bow above them. 3) A snap down cover makes a great de facto closed bow out of your open bow when the bow isn't being used. Cool weather the cover stays on. Warm weather it's off. I could go on...

 

FWIW if I skied only on small private ski sites and only used a boat for course skiing I'd prefer a closed bow myself. If you do ANY public laking or family boating at all an open bow is an absolute must. IMO.

[BraceMaker]

Love how folks dislike opinion pieces.

[gregy]

I had a load of water over the windshield of my old Prostar 190 more than once. At least with a open bow the folks in the front get it, not me in the driver set. I haven't swamped my RLX yet, I think I'm more conscious about with an open bow boat. My buds PS 197 is worse about it, it really dips down in the front.

[greghayes]

Kids+ boat = open bow

[baja]

If you have kids, an open bow is often a requirement depending on the vote of the family CFO. If you only ski on private ski lakes you don't really need one, but 2 of the top 4 choices (MasterCraft and Malibu have mostly come with open bows for the last decade. At my vacation house we use the open bow in my 94 MC Prostar 205 all the time. At my private site we never use the open bow in my 2007 Malibu RLXi (with ZO upgrade). Some day the Malibu will retire to baja and the open bow will finally feel the love.