Interested in the A20!

[prorider17]

Hi all - I am looking to learn more about the Axis A20, as I may be in the market for a used one. I searched this forum, and the web and cannot seem to find anything on the changes for each model year. Visually, I see the 2016 looks to have received an all-new interior and hull design. Surf gate appears to have become an option in 2014. What else is there in terms of big changes for this boat? I surf goofy and am looking for a rockin' wave, but can't go over 21'.

[onewake09]

I have a 17' a20. It puts out a great surf wave, and in my opinion the best wakeboard wake for a 20 foot boat. I run alot of weight in my boat including ballast bags and lead. Its a simple no frills boat and does what I need it too do. I also surf goofy and Ive got a great wave dialed in. The biggest change from 16 to 17 was the base motor. Base in 16 was the 350 and for 17 though 19 its the 409. Let me know if have any specific questions. 

[prorider17]

Thanks @onewake09. What’s your setup and how’s your goofy wave?

[ahopkins22LSV]

2016+ will have a better surf wave due to the hull redesign. Plus I much prefer the interior of 2016+. 

[granddaddy55]

G

You gain walk thru windshield and lose 3-500 lbs if nose weight, old design had 950 mushroom sac that filled to app 775-800? I believe new size is 350-400?

i wouldn’t doubt there was “some” improvement thru hull redesign but I think it’s the mounting placement depth and angle of the surf gates relative to platform that made improvements and fir transfers fir 16 you get the much faster surfgate actuators but also their less dependable and have more issues , the older slower debugged 2013 Malibu actuators used in 14 snd 15 are rock solid and seem to never  have a problem not correctable by surfgate calibration and service modes

wakeboard Wake with my 1235 prop limitations is very good with or without wedge, can’t wait fir spring to see what 4600 lbs water lead and fuel plus wedge will look like with my 2315 prop I just bought, bet it’s insane!!!

Gets ridiculously low gph when surfing heavy listed with the 330hp and 1.49/1 drive train , 4-5.5 tops gallons an hour, I bet even better with my new prop

new tower design a little  ugly but ten times more convenient to lower or raise than the older tower with 4 knobs per side and having to completely remove the support stansion with racks , almost impossible to raise safely with no possibility of damage alone . My 4 Titan fixed racks make them sort of like a weapon with sharp edges on stansions and points on racks that stand ready to damage anything they touch 

putting down a little easier and I can do it myself with 2 rev 8. I planned to add one 410 in middle but that’s out cause wife said she’s not supporting anything heavier while I install the stansions with racks mounted, it would also complicate me putting it down alone cause I can’t use one support in middle in tranny cover and now need two that go to floor in either side of tranny cover

and everybody puts their hard side cooler in the ‘16 walk through area and often lose the walkthrough anyway and cooler not as heavy as that stem of mushroom sac that terminated in that area, so you stepped up to walk thru but with cooler you will do same 

i like my chillax seat right there as well and the front chillax serves as a wind block 

when chillax seat down in cabin snd no one using it serves as a shelf to throw phone or other on and it just sits there ,

as usual goofy wave is great , but with more speed we recently dialed the regular wave as well , it’s just not a clean wave but long and pushy , never as good as  the goofy wave

set up is heavily listed with full mls , 750-800 surf side rear, 150-200 opposite rear , bow sac full (750-800), 335 lead in bow surf side , 3-330 lead surf side cabin, 70-100 non surf side, driver only 

no real good reason to buy the newer models really though I haven’t experienced the new surfgate placement in newer models , if you can get the’14 cheaper with more options or less options , no real reason to go newer unless better deal with better options unless it’s the year with 5 year warranty depending on costs of warranty transfer , but after about 1 year or far less your issues are solved already and then comes the bullet proof time of operation , not one problem since 1st 6 months 

with the boatmate trailer on older models , boatmate has replaced for free my jack twice already and a 3rd one very soon , all out of 1year warranty 

Edited December 16, 2018 by granddaddy55

[granddaddy55]

On 12/15/2018 at 11:52 AM, prorider17 said:

Hi all - I am looking to learn more about the Axis A20, as I may be in the market for a used one. I searched this forum, and the web and cannot seem to find anything on the changes for each model year. Visually, I see the 2016 looks to have received an all-new interior and hull design. Surf gate appears to have become an option in 2014. What else is there in terms of big changes for this boat? I surf goofy and am looking for a rockin' wave, but can't go over 21'.

As far as a rockin wave goes , very few 20’footers will do what a 22-25 will do , so I hope that’s not your perspective , if not where your experience is coming from you will be quite happy! But if you can spend less for older in better shape and more options , there’s nothing other than the 409 in ‘17 that would make it worth it, snd probably that’s only true at elevation where you have large crew

save the money for the likely prop and stereo upgrade you will want as well as that new custom or other high end surf boards and wakeboards and if your state requires sales tax or unknown yet repairs necessary 

snd you can still get for a while any factory skins that older boat may require or even just the factory raw skin material as well 

Edited December 16, 2018 by granddaddy55

[prorider17]

Thank you @granddaddy55. Where I boat, the lakes have a 21' max length, so the A20 seems like a good option. I've been pretty happy with my current boat, but would like a bigger / longer wave. Only issue is that I've just about max'd out my boat's ballast, unless I throw bags all over the place, which I'm not a fan of. I've been asking what's the best 20' surf boat for the money, and the A20 kept coming up. Hoping to demo one soon to see how it performs. I was also told that surfgate-equipped model years outperform an earlier model year with a wedge or shaper. We'll see!

[granddaddy55]

To severely lenthen your A20 wave you’ll be heavily listing (bow lead too) and running 11-11.4 surfing 

[ahopkins22LSV]

33 minutes ago, granddaddy55 said:

To severely lenthen your A20 wave you’ll be heavily listing (bow lead too) and running 11-11.4 surfing 

Completely disagree. The new hull and  better surf gate (they changed the size of the gates) he should easily get a very good long wave running level, no list. Your 2014 and the 2016+ hills are completely different. Here is an example of our vtx, also 20’ on the diamond hull, not wake hull. This is full hardtanks, 550 pnp and 300 in the bow. He should easily be able to accomplish this wave if not better. If that wave isn’t good enough, it’s not the wave...

Edited December 17, 2018 by ahopkinsVTX

[Peebalz]

@prorider17 I currently have a '17 A20 that I picked up last year.  We had a blast in the boat last summer (140 hrs).  We were new to surfing and everyone was able to learn pretty quickly.  On my boat the regular wave (vs goofy) seems to be cleaner and have more push, but goofy runs really well too. (see picture).  I have to run the auto wedge to get push on the goofy side, but it is not needed for regular.  I run full factory ballasts, with two plug n plays in the rear and one in the nose under the seats. 

Boat is great for tubing, descent for water skiing, and awesome for wake boarding.  My only complaints are that the factory sounds system leaves a lot to be desired.  You have to  make your ears bleed from the tower speakers, then turn them all the way down in order to even hear the internal speakers.  The head unit resets every time to the AM/FM radio, which means you have to reset it to Bluetooth every time you turn the boat on.  I have absolutely BRAINED myself multiple times in this boat due to tower speakers being very close to where you enter and exit the boat when docked.  

In 2019, you get the upgraded interior, volume knob on the head unit (way better than push button), new rear facing wakeview seat, and a new captains helm.  Probably the best upgrades i have seen in a few years on the boat interior.  

Overall it is a great boat!

Hope this helps!