2011 Chaparral 224 Xtreme

A crusader for sterndrives for tow boats

By Matt Spencer

Extreme is a very “in your face” kind of word. In terms of water sports, it was first used to classify wakeboarding along with many other “extreme sports” such as skateboarding, snowboarding and biking. This terminology has evolved over the years and they are now known as “action sports.” However, no matter what they do, these sports will always carry that “extreme” tag along with them.

Naturally, Chaparral chose Xtreme as a suitable handle for its dedicated wakeboarding line of sterndrives. With in-your-face styling, graphics and performance, they are quite worthy of such a moniker. The company has four Xtreme models ranging from 20 to 26 feet, with the 224 sitting at the shorter end.

But let’s talk technical for a moment. I’m sure as soon as you read “wakeboard boat” you might have assumed this was an inboard, either a centre engine or V-drive. That’s because the tow sports industry has long extolled the benefits and virtues of the inboard. But Chaparral is a crusader for sterndrives in tow boats. They’re making a strong case that they allow you to achieve all the same benefits as an inboard, with their Xtreme line as the Johnny Cochrane of their defence team.

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Full performance data and specs: Available at BoatTest.ca.