Supra went against the trend of bigger and bigger boats when it introduced this sub-21-footer last year. It’s back for 2007 and still a great choice for anybody looking to get into a Supra. This model shares a lot of its attributes with the bigger 22SSV and 24SSV, but it’s more nimble, easier to trailer and slides into the garage better. New features this year include a super-wide driver’s seat and a deep-set sports-car-inspired dash.
Hull: Who cares about top-end speed? It’s displacement that counts, and you can’t have both. Supra knows that, which is why its Launch boats have a drop-keel design that slices through chop and double-ups, then digs the boat into the water to throw up bigger waves. All you have to do is glance at this hull compared to most other boats’ to see the difference.
Ballast: The standard ballast bags were redesigned to make them longer for the sake of looks and capacity. The three bags max out overall with 1,200 pounds. One of the reasons that Supra uses bags instead of tanks is to allow the maximum space in storage compartments when the ballast is empty.
Tower: The Rad-a-Cage model comes with swivel racks standard, like pretty much everything else on a Supra.
Wake shaper: The invention of PerfectPass was a big step forward. Now so is the new Smart Plate. Supra’s engineers invested three years in getting their hydraulic wake plate, Perfect Pass, Medallion gauges and Indmar engine to work together for this. The driver simply inputs a rider’s name and touches the throttle. Smart Plate takes it from there, minding the acceleration, the plate deployment and the cruising. So easy.
Seating: The playpen bow is here, thanks to a standard filler cushion. There’s also a very cool convertible seat that swings out for a rear-facing vantage point, yet it doesn’t lose the storage compartment underneath.
THE WAKE
This isn’t an overly big boat, so neither are the wakes. They’re more rampy than mellow, but they still have crisp peaks to boot beginner to advanced-intermediate riders. Plus, all that standard ballast helps boost their size.
SPECS
PEOPLE: 10
DRY WEIGHT: 3,200 LB.
BALLAST: 1,200 LB.
