196 CB vs SNOB

[aupatking]

One of my ski partners is looking for a boat and all of a sudden, I’m the expert? Whenever people treat me like I must have vast knowledge I’m always thinking “have you met me?”. 

On topic though, he’s sent me a couple open bows and I keep sending him closed bows. Basically, I know the current Prostar is freaking awesome. That’s my experience with an open bow.

on the other side, I’ve owned 7 closed bows, 6 of them some variety of 196 CB. 

He sent me a 206 which I’ve heard from 1 person, who’s about 50/50 on the expertise scale, and he says it’s not good. Ski partner sent me a 1999 SNOB today. I have zero knowledge of that one. Not even secondhand unreliable knowledge. 

Can someone tell me: is a 206 or SNOB good, as compared to a 196 CB?

[Killer]

The 97-01 ski nautique CB and OB are effectively the same boat, I believe they pushed the helm back just very slightly on the ob.  The previous gen 94-96 hull, they moved the engine back for the ob and it doesn't ski the same at all. 

Any 97+ ski nautique 196 is still a great skiing and driving boat by today's standards.  Not much room up in the ob though!

206 is a rec ski boat and a wake boat in comparison to the 196.

[jjackkrash]

A 206 is basically a 196 hull with an extra foot on the back of the hull and a bit more weight.  It tracks great but it's got a bigger wake at slower speeds and longer line lengths and doesn't feel as nimble while driving it.   If you are cutting rope at 34/36 mph I think you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference blindfolded between the wake on it and a 196 if it is properly set up and you are not running an old heavy tower.  Add a tower, add a bunch of wake.  If you are skiing -15 off 26 mph and hit the wakes flat and unstacked you want a 196.

When I owned a 206 we rotated with a 196 and a response lxi of similar years and none of the skiers who cut line at max speed complained when it was my turn to haul the boat out.  I do recall one female long line skier in our group hated skiing behind it.  She skied slows speeds and -15 and was flat when she hit the wake.  

The 206 is a good trick boat as it tracks nice and the wake is a bit bigger at slower speeds.  

Punchline:  In this era boat, I'd personally take a 196, but a 206 isn't a horrible compromise if you want a little more room and don't ski slow/long line speeds a bunch.   But skip the tower.  

 

 

 

[Ski2000]

The Ski Nautique and SNOB from 1997-2002 are identical in almost every way. The difference is to fit the basket open bow, the helm and observer seat moved back 8”. 
they ski the same and both track like great. The cabin of the SNOB does get a little cramped with 4 guys ski gear. I have a 2000 SNOB and one of my ski partners has a 2001 closed bow. We both have Re-powered for zero off and I feel they are very comparable to most modern ski boats in feel. 

[thager]

@The_MS had a few SN 206 promo boats through the years. Only difference I ever noticed was wake was slightly harder than a SN 196. Note: Boat was never fully fueled and loaded with the kitchen sink. 

[Jody_Seal]

actually there is a big difference between a snob and a sn.

engine is 4-6 " ( I forget) farther back in a snob then a sn. this requires a steeper shaft angle. wakes at slower speeds are far more pronounced and cleaner then a sn. snob at slalom speeds are great but not as good as sn at real short lines, drop off at 35,38 are rough behind the snob. playpen area in the snob is useless except some place for ski gear.

[The_MS]

206 was a great boat. Wakes at 15 off as good or better then the like year Response at the time. -28 and in were same as 196. 
 

[thager]

@Horton Am I being punished or something? 

[jhughes]

I was going to say the same as @Jody_Seal, the engine is pushed back in all years of SNOB, the strut is a different part completely between the boats. If that is not the case with TSC1 boats then that's news to me, first time I've heard that.

I do think it is awesome that CC would go SO FAR to make an open bow by pushing everything back AND keep the helm as far forward as humanly possible for the closed bow version, making both respectively as good as they could be, instead of copping out with a simple "let's just cut out the bow" that the other brands did at the time. I was always impressed by how much harder they tried for both of those configurations.

 

Edit: Looks like the same strut for SNOB and SN 97-02! https://nautiqueparts.com/strut-s-14/

Learn something new every day!

Edited August 10, 2023 by jhughes

[6balls]

@Jody_Seal and @The_MS write the truth on this one.  If 196 get a closed bow the open bow is rather useless it's so small.  If you need an open bow, especially if you ski short--get the 206 that was Nautiques promo boat when it came out for tourneys.  Anything at 36 mph 22 and shorter and 34 mph 28 off and shorter is great.  Nice space, Nautique build quality.  

Of course there is also the 'Bu Sunsetter Lxi for that purpose, or a Response Lxi.  

Edited August 11, 2023 by 6balls

[escmanaze]

I own a SNOB and Love it!!  I'm a 15 off guy.  I would dare anybody to pass a blind taste test between my wakes and the CB, at least at the speeds I run.  The only boat I've ever skied that even touches my boats wakes are the new prostar - probably a tiny touch better.  Every other boat I have ever skied has a wake that is at least "noticeably" larger and/or harder than my boat.  

Some are saying my boat turns bad at deep shortline.  I can't confirm or deny, I'm not good enough to be skiing there.  

My buddy had a 93 SNOB, and after skiing my boat, he knew he had to get to the TSC hull, so he went out and found himself a great 99 snob and loves it.  

And older fella in our club used to have the 206.  His opening pass was shorter than -22, so he thought the 206 was just dandy.  Those who were at -15 and slower speeds didn't think it was dandy at all.  

FWIW, I also make pretty good use of my open bow as well.  And I didn't really lose much storage since it is a step over open bow.  I have nothing but a ringing endorsement for my SNOB.  I will ONLY ever replace it with a 2014+ prostar.  

Here is my youtube channel that shows some various speeds behind my boat.  Any footage at Utah Lake is my boat.  A few Calls Fort videos on there are on a 200.