HONEST OPINIONS FROM 20 I OWNERS!

[Muddbugg]

lET ME START MY SAYING I AM A SKKETER MAN FOR LIFE, IV'E OWNED A A HALF DOZEN BUGGS MOSTLY ZX 202 AND 225'S. I BOUGHT A 20 I LAST OCTOBER, I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE LAYOUT, FIT AND FINISH, AND OVERALL FISHABILITY, HOWEVER HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPOINTED IN THE BOATS RIDE AND HANDLING. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HAS BEEN PORPOSING AT LOWER SPEEDS( EVEN AFTER THE 2 DEGREE WEDGES), THIS PORPOSING ALSO SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN ROUGH WATER, I CANNOT GET THE BOW TO STOP CRASHING AND BANGING AROUND. I FISH ABOUT 5 TIMES A WEEK, AND HAVE 111 HOURS ON THIS BOAT. i HAVE TRIED TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE THIS BOAT RUN IN ROUGH WATER AND IT CONTINOUS TO BEAT MY BRAINS OUT! I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TURING AND HANDLING OF TH BOAT , WHEN RUNNING FAST IN TIGHT SLOUGHS AND CREEKS. I'VE HEARD SEVERAL 20 I OWNERS ON THIS BOARD TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD THIER BOAT RIDES. I WOULD LIKE THE HONEST ANWSER FROM 20I OWNERS IF THEY THINK THERE BOATS REALLY RIDE BETTER THAN A 225 OR 250 OR A 20 OR 21X TRITON(WHICH i'VE ALSO OWNED). I GOT ONE OF THE FIRST 20I'S OUT OF PRODUCTION, MAYBE THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT? I WILL PROBABLLY BUY A NEW 225 UNLESS I CAN GET THESE PROBLEMS RESOLVED, ANY INSIGHT WOULD BE APPREACIATED.

[jasonb01]

Can't help you on your problem, but Please, hit the caps lock button. It makes it Very hard to read a paragraph that is in all caps. Also, some percieve it as yelling. But most just find it hard to read.

Good Luck

[Skeeter Madness]

Bugg:
I had a problem with mine porpoising until I learned to drive through it. My boat is also an early '06 model with the 2 degree wedges installed. I have learned that you simply cannot trim until the boat levels off and then you can begin trimming. Mine will not take much trim (if any) until I get above 35 GPS. It levels off very well above 35. To run at low speeds I trim just enough to keep it from plowing (a couple bumps on the trim switch).

As for the ride...mine is the best riding boat I have been in (including Rangers and Tritons). When I enter a turn, I trim down some and the chines will grip the water and pull you through it. If I leave it trimmed up and try to turn pretty sharp, it will skip a little, but nothing major. I recommend changing everything you're doing when running it and trying to get used to not being so quick to trim until it settles and then apply a little trim at a time. It takes a little bit to get used to it, but I drive mine at most any speed without porpoising. Good luck figuring yours out.

[jasonb01]

I don't know if that is just a Skeeter thing in general. Cause I have an SL (fish/ski), and mine is the same way. I have to get it up pretty good before I start to trim it up or it will porpoise badly. If I do it right and the water is smooth, I can trim it as high as it will go and she will just scream along real smooth. Also trim down a little in turns and it works great.

[Doug Vahrenberg]

I get along fine with mine it was a Feb '06 Boat. I can make it porpose but I have learned how to trim to keep ifor doing it. Weight distribution is more critical on the early boats. I drove a 2007 at the Dealer meeting and photo shoot and I would highly recommend driving one of the new 2007's. I could not get it to porpose. Skeeter did some tweaks to make it even better. I would not make a decision until you drive one of the new boats.

[LittleBugMan]

What prop are you running and how high is the motor on the jackplate? All of these things will affect the low speed and rough water porpoise. Go to a four blade if you run rough water all the time and it will greatly enhance the slow speed and handling. High speed setups are not made to run slow- drop the motor and change props and everything will change.

[Muddbugg]

Can I run a four blade on my yamaha? If so can it be a trophy, I've tried several three blades and had settled on a 25 pitch tempest. As for Doug who has driven the 07 boats, do you think they do ride better than the 067's? Also, I see the new 225's have seats similar to the i-class... how far back from the steering wheel do you sit ( same or closer than the i-class) Thanks for the info

[Franklin]

Sounds like a driver issue.....buddies had problems with them popping but the wedges fixed that....my zx225 is pretty trim sensitve anyway....I dont slow down without trimming down and I dont trim up until I'm ready to lay down the power......so far it's the best handling true bass boat I have been in....also best out of the hole.......

Franklin

[LittleBugMan]

4 blade TXP I think is the prop of choice for most Skeeter guys-look at some of the posts.

[Doug Vahrenberg]

The ride is similar as far as top end. Which I feel is the best in the industry right now. The slow speed ride is awesome on the 2007's. You have to initially make it porpose. Trim all the way out on slow speeds, now. I think it handles truens even better, I was very impressed. You really need to get in one of the new 2007's and see the changes.

The ZX225 has a different seat than the I Class but is an improved seat over the prior ZX series. The deck layout is similar but the I class is the top of the line and is going to have more comfors and features than the ZX series. I would recommend either model but if you want the top of the line - then the I class is the answer. I will be ordering another I class for 2007.

[THE SKEETER MAN]

Porpoising!!!! I guess I never drive my boat that slow! I have had numbers of Skeeter boats and by for this is the best riding boat yet!!!

[Marc Marcantonio]

The others are correct about the sensitivity of the boat handling to trim adjustments. I see this as a good thing and feel the handling of the iClass is superb. I can run my boat at the full range of speeds without ever porpoising, but my Team partner who owns two Champions makes my boat porpoise all the time because whenever he slows down he never trims down until the boat starts to porpoise.

I don't ever let off of the foot throttle without first holding the trim lever in the down position. By trimming down before decellerating you can better control the boat similar to downshifting a manual transmission to slow a car's speed. The slower you want to run, the more you should continue to trim down. At the slowest planing speeds I run the trim all the way down. When I come out of the hole the trim is all the way in, and as I come onto plane I am trimming up as I am leveling out on plane. At midrange speeds I am trimmed slightly above half way, and at 3/4's speed and above I am trimmed all the way up and then back down two tiny bumps on the trim lever. I can tell the effect of trim by watching the digital speed on either my GPS or boat speedometer.

Hope this helps.

ciao,
Marc

[basspro]

Marc,

Congrats on your win at the NW Bass Championship on the Columbia.

Russell Baker
WBC Member

[Marc Marcantonio]

Thanks, Russ! I sold the boat already (it was a Triton/Optimax).