24ve interior compared to 21V?

[jhillard]

We are considering at 24ve as a possible upgrade to our current 21V (2001 Limited Edition). How do the interiors of the two boats compare? One of the wife's big reasons for upgrading is she feels the 21V is too cramped inside when we take 9 or 10 people out, which happens often.

I understand th 24ve is 3 feet longer, but where is that space used? In the bow, the main cabin, the sundeck, access to the engine? We realize it won't have the same space as our 23' Yamaha, but that's an acceptable tradeoff for being able to surf and wakeboard with a V-Drive. We just don't want everyone to feel like we are knee-to-knee with the typical crew we take out.

I have been on a MC X-45, is the 24ve interior similar? Unfortunately there are not any Tige's nearby for us to look at, so I am asking for the forum's help as we start the selection process.

Also, does the 24ve have snap-in carpeting? It makes cleaning the boat much easier if I can pull the carpet out to let it dry during the week.

Thanks!

-jhillard-

[Ewok]

It will have much more room in the cabin, the bow seating will be a little bigger but not much more than your 21v. The snap-in carpet all depends on what year boat your looking at, 2010 and newer will have it, 2009 and older will not. IMO, if you are looking at that many people on a regular basis, look at a RZ4. The RZ4 will have a slightly larger cabin and a much bigger bow than the 24ve. In my RZ2 I had 12 adults onboard last weekend and while we all fit and there was actual space between eveyone when seated, the RZ4 will help the people spread out a little more in the cabin. I had 3 adults in the bow and 9 in my cabin, including me, and the extra 2' in the cabin would have been nice for that crowd.

[talltigeguy]

Relative to the X45, the cockpit is a little larger and the bow is much smaller. Like Ewok said, the bow will be a small amount bigger than your 21V, but the main cabin will be so much bigger for crowds.

Good luck in your search.

[jhillard]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like most of the added room of th 24ve is in the cabin, not the bow. That works out well for us.

Another question on the interior... our Yamaha has a 1" channel molded into the fiberglass under all the removable seat cushions. It acts like a gutter to channel water back into the cockpit (and eventually the bilge). It does not make the compartments water tight, but it does keep them dry under most conditions. On our Tige, the fiberglass is flat. Some of the water from wet riders, rain, waves over the bow (oops, it happens sometimes!) always winds up in those compartments and soaks into the carpet. Do newer Tiges have anything like the 'gutter' on the Yamaha? Just curious.

Thanks again for all the info,

-jhillard-

[chpthril]

Although the space will be distributed differently, I think you will find the 24Ve interior larger then your 23' yamaha. Its common practice for bow rider/run-a-bouts to include the integrated swim platform into their advertised length. Tow boats on the other hand, typically do not include the swim platform. So the 24' Tige 24Ve will be much roomier then the a 23' bow rider. One thing I cant find, is the beam of a yamah. looking at a pic online with peeps sitting one, its looks to be no more then 100". The Tige is 108".

[jhillard]

The beam on our Yamaha (2006 SX230) is 102". According to the model specs on TigeOwners the 24ve is 102" as well. There may be some manufacturer's fudging on those numbers, but I thought that was the maximum beam for a trailer boat without needing special permits for towing.

Our Yamaha also has dual captain's chairs. That eats up passenger space in the cabin. But that is the feature my wife is most regrets giving up in the wakeboard boat. She likes the seat, and being able to stand up in front of it while we are underway, especially when the waves get rough.

There are tradeoffs to everything!

-jhillard-

[Ewok]

To answer your question about a channel under the seats, no, there is no channel that I can tell, it's all carpeted. I use a product called Dri-Deck, http://dri-dek.com which are interlocking tiles that keep stuff up off the carpet floor so they don't get wet and so the carpet can dry out. At the end of the day when I put my boat in my garage I open all the hatches and cusions so everything has a chance to dry out.

My wife was the same way, felt weird about the observers seat facing backwards, but she likes it now, it makes it easier for us to talk when we are cruising becuase she sits in it like a lounge chair and it is very comfortable on my boat.

If your heart is set on the looks of the 24ve, it's a great boat and you will love it, I love the look. Took me a little while to get used to the pickle fork of the RZ2 but it has so much room inside it's worth it. I have only slightly less room than a 24ve thanks to my larger bow and just the design of the cabin benches. If you are always out with 9-10 adults then I would at least look for a RZ4 and see if you like it, it does have a bigger bow and cabin area than a 24ve.

[chpthril]

yeah, brain fart, Tige is 102". Looking at a couple of pics with people in the boat, they looked knee to knee sitting across from each other.

[jhillard]

thanks for the info on the dri-dek tiles. Would they be okay to put underneath the ballast bags as well? Or would that cause a problem with the bags weight not being spread out evenly?

-jhillard-