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  1. #1
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    Ballistic vs phoenix

    Looking at a 920 vs a 204 - both 2021 and lets say loaded the same with 250 4 stroke merc and exact same hours (for sake of conversation). I dont have a ballastic I know of close to go look at so relying on you guys here.

    Would appreciate your goods, bads, thoughts....

    THANK YOU!
    Where are the BIG ones? When are we going?
    LOOKING for a Great deal on a Slightly used 20-21' Boat.

  2. Member
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    #2
    I don’t think anyone would deny the fact that the Ballistic is a better built boat

  3. Member
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    #3
    If I had that choice in front of me I would go ballistic all day but would have to have a warm feeling about support from the Ballistic guys.
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  4. Member
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    #4
    I've had a Phoenix, I have several friends that have Phoenix boats and they are a good boat for sure. However, the level of quality in the build process in a Ballistic is vastly beyond anything most brands are making. The hull of the boat has layers of carbon fiber and Kevlar and the whole boat is completely vacuum infused, top cap and bottom cap. Their crush test rating of their fiberglass is double and even triple of most brands. I flew to Arkansas to test drive one and I was blown away. I've also owned a Falcon, Bass Cat, Nitro, Ranger, and 3 Legend's. I test drove just about everything before I made my decision. They are incredible!
    Last edited by Craigjc00; 11-20-2022 at 11:03 PM.

  5. Member
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    #5
    Also comparing a 920 to a .204 is not apples to apples. I think a 920 is just over 20ft and the .204 is over 21.5ft so there will be a huge difference in size, storage and deck space as I would also imagine ride quality with the bigger boat. I have never owned a phoenix but we used to be sponsored by bumble bee way back in the 90's and they make fine boats. That being said the construction of a Ballisitic is in my opinion is second to none as far as fiberglass is concerned. There should be a few Ballistics in TX at this point you could see and take a ride in.

  6. donnybassfishing..com
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Craigjc00 View Post
    I've had a Phoenix, I have several friends that have Phoenix boats and they are a good boat for sure. However, the level of quality in the build process in a Ballistic is vastly beyond anything most brands are making. The hull of the boat has layers of carbon fiber and Kevlar and the whole boat is completely vacuum infused, top cap and bottom cap. Their crush test rating of their fiberglass is double and even triple of most brands. I flew to Arkansas to test drive one and I was blown away. I've also owned a Falcon, Bass Cat, Nitro, Ranger, and 2 Legend's. I test drove just about everything before I made my decision. They are incredible!

    Of the boats you have owned in order what are the top 3 best rough riding?


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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by chass75 View Post
    Also comparing a 920 to a .204 is not apples to apples. I think a 920 is just over 20ft and the .204 is over 21.5ft so there will be a huge difference in size, storage and deck space as I would also imagine ride quality with the bigger boat. I have never owned a phoenix but we used to be sponsored by bumble bee way back in the 90's and they make fine boats. That being said the construction of a Ballisitic is in my opinion is second to none as far as fiberglass is concerned. There should be a few Ballistics in TX at this point you could see and take a ride in.
    The .204 is 20'4" with a 94" beam, the 920 is 20'6" with a 96" beam

  8. Member PumaDave's Avatar
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    #8
    The .204 refers to a rifle caliber not the length of the boat. The overall length is 21'5"

  9. Member
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    #9
    .204 is only 7-8" shorter than a .223 which is 22' 3". Like Thomas mentioned its rifle calibers and not actual length. I have owned both a .223 and now have a .204 and the difference is pretty minimal. The .204 is much wider in the very front to flush mount a graph in the fiberglass. I believe when we measured actual fishing deck space the difference between a .223 and .204 was less that a square foot. These boats are big and the .223 is an aircraft carrier.

  10. Member
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by fishin fever View Post
    Of the boats you have owned in order what are the top 3 best rough riding?
    Well I just spent 20 minutes typing out what I feel would have been a lot of good information on several models and it all disappeared. I am not a boat brand fan boy like most guys. Just because I bought something doesn't mean its the best or the best for someone else. Nor do I ridicule others for how and what they spend their money on.(all too common on here) I've had buyers remorse and I have had sellers remorse at times. I'll just tell you how I see it.

    I live on the side of Lake Michigan and also fish Lake Superior so we see it all here. These places have sunk ships. Us Michigander's perspective on different types of rough water is pretty diverse.

    #1? Ballistic 223 - I test dove it in Arkansas and was beyond impressed. It's just insanely solid. When you hit waves it cuts right through them and when you land it's super soft and there is not a sound other than maybe stuff in the boat. Unlike a couple other brands where either the boat sounds like its going to crack in half or jars you so hard you need to go to the chiropractor on the way home. Between what I experienced on my test drive and the 6 other guys I've contacted to talk about their boat I do believe it is going to be #1

    #1b Legend Alpha 211r 2014-2018 models - Not a wide deck boat model though so it has advantages.
    #1c Champion 211 - Splitting hairs here but some things have evolved since its day

    #2 Legend V-20 - Wedowee Marine who sold both said it the best. "If the Phoenix is 8.5 then the Legend is a 9.0."

    #3 Falcon Predator - Test drive one of these for sure! I loved mine but didn't have it long enough to get it into some real crap to test it.
    Last edited by Craigjc00; 11-20-2022 at 11:45 PM.

  11. Member
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    #11
    Ballistic all the way! the Phoenix doesn't hold a candle to it.

  12. donnybassfishing..com
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Leo Carrillo View Post
    Ballistic all the way! the Phoenix doesn't hold a candle to it.
    tell me why? Have you been in both if so which models? I’m more concerned about rode than anything. My Phoenix rides better then any other 7 boat manufactures I have ran


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    #13
    you can actually go see a phoenix in a showroom an get one in a reasonable time.

  14. Member
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    #14
    I've owned both, and it was my 223 that CraigJC carried out. I owned a 20 PHX which is suppose to be one of their best rides and it did in fact ride awesome. It fished great as well, but I hated all the plastic dash board and crap. It did landed a harder than the Ballistic does when coming off a big wave. Fit and finish, there isn't another boat built in my opinion that compares to the Ballistic. Its best of three worlds - it's fast, it's build/finish process can't be beat, and it fishes like an aircraft carrier.
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by ssmithboats View Post
    you can actually go see a phoenix in a showroom an get one in a reasonable time.
    That's my question. How many boats are actually getting made? I haven't seen much from ballistic lately other than prototype and pro sponsorship photos. I sent an email about info a while back and never heard back from them, understandable if it was during the fire / move to Texas era.
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by PumaDave View Post
    The .204 refers to a rifle caliber not the length of the boat. The overall length is 21'5"
    why does their own website state that the .204 is 20’4” and the .223 is 22’3”? Both have 94” beam. Not questioning anyone, just trying to figure out what is what

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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by chass75 View Post
    Also comparing a 920 to a .204 is not apples to apples. I think a 920 is just over 20ft and the .204 is over 21.5ft so there will be a huge difference in size, storage and deck space as I would also imagine ride quality with the bigger boat. I have never owned a phoenix but we used to be sponsored by bumble bee way back in the 90's and they make fine boats. That being said the construction of a Ballisitic is in my opinion is second to none as far as fiberglass is concerned. There should be a few Ballistics in TX at this point you could see and take a ride in.
    I believe you are a little backwards there my friend. Ballistic doesn't count their sponsons in the length of the boat. The .204 Ballistic is 20' 4" from the nose to the transom. The .223 is 22' 3" nose to transom. These are not not arbitrary bullet caliber names given to the hulls. There was a reason for them. Nose to transom is the measurement that counts in all reality. Other manufacturers include sponsons in their advertised length which is misleading to the public. They also do it to get higher horsepower ratings. A Bass Cat Eyra for instance is listed at 20'2" with a 94" beam. If Bass Cat listed it as its actual length from nose to transom, it would be rated for no more than a 225 if that. A 198 Charger/Champion is a little bigger of a boat nose to transom but is only rated for a 225 because it doesn't have sponsons to claim as boat length. Phoenix, Bass Cat, Nitro, Triton, Caymus all claim the sponsons in their length. You can lop 6 to 8 inches off the back of all of those if you want to compare them to a Champion, Charger Elite, Ranger, or Ballistc. With the exception of Ballistic they don't have sponsons to claim in their total length.

    A Phoenix 920 is roughly 20' nose to transom. There is only about a 4" differnece between it and the Ballistic .204, not a roughly 12" difference.
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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by mr.coon View Post
    I believe you are a little backwards there my friend. Ballistic doesn't count their sponsons in the length of the boat. The .204 Ballistic is 20' 4" from the nose to the transom. The .223 is 22' 3" nose to transom. These are not not arbitrary bullet caliber names given to the hulls. There was a reason for them. Nose to transom is the measurement that counts in all reality. Other manufacturers include sponsons in their advertised length which is misleading to the public. They also do it to get higher horsepower ratings. A Bass Cat Eyra for instance is listed at 20'2" with a 94" beam. If Bass Cat listed it as its actual length from nose to transom, it would be rated for no more than a 225 if that. A 198 Charger/Champion is a little bigger of a boat nose to transom but is only rated for a 225 because it doesn't have sponsons to claim as boat length. Phoenix, Bass Cat, Nitro, Triton, Caymus all claim the sponsons in their length. You can lop 6 to 8 inches off the back of all of those if you want to compare them to a Champion, Charger Elite, Ranger, or Ballistc. With the exception of Ballistic they don't have sponsons to claim in their total length.

    A Phoenix 920 is roughly 20' nose to transom. There is only about a 4" differnece between it and the Ballistic .204, not a roughly 12" difference.
    Are you saying a ranger 20 footer is 6-8 inches bigger than nitro z20? I understand they get their lengths different, but I don't think it's that big of a difference.
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  19. Member
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    #19
    I have never put my .204 next to a phoenix but I do know how long my boat is and how long my .223 was. The .204 is 7" shorter. With the front deck in both of these boats it felt alot bigger than a Phoenix.

  20. Member
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Bigguyone View Post
    Looking at a 920 vs a 204 - both 2021 and lets say loaded the same with 250 4 stroke merc and exact same hours (for sake of conversation). I dont have a ballastic I know of close to go look at so relying on you guys here.

    Would appreciate your goods, bads, thoughts....

    THANK YOU!
    At least you can actually get a Phoenix. With Ballistic lately, you don't know if and when your boat will ever be delivered! Go with a company that stands behind it's product.