Grandsport vs. SS 2000

What is your preference and why?

  • Grandsport

    Votes: 10 58.8%
  • SS 2000

    Votes: 8 47.1%

  • Total voters
    17

Charlie Bear

Member
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
6
Points
3
Location
Everett Washington
Which boat do I want to buy the Grand Sport or the SS 2000. This is my first post. I have wanted an Allison all my life. I first wanted one back in the sixties I am now 60 years old and it's on my bucket list. I have been involved in racing many years, now it's time to slow down. LOL

I live on the west coast near Seattle and there are never any Allison's around here. I have not had the opportunity to see the new composite models in person. I look at pictures and Allison's website but I'm just not getting it. I love the center steering with a sliding seat but that's not a must. I know I want more than one seat. I would greatly appreciate some chatter about the differences in the boats.
What one is faster, lighter weight, stronger, better in rough water, and what one has more room? Are the hulls the same and just the interior is different? Sorry to ask such a simple question but not having seen them in person and side-by-side makes it difficult no boats around here that needs to change!
 

harrells

Active Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
350
Points
28
Location
Asheville, NC.
Depends on what kind of boating you do. The GS is much more roomier inside for passengers and easier to board if the wife comes along. Also the GS handles chop a little better. The SS is faster with same power and if you are only riding alone all the time the SS center steer would be best. The wife and I love our GS. Good luck, hope you find what you're looking for.
 

Attachments

scj

Active Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
436
Points
43
Location
Carthage, TN
The hulls are different. The GS has a lot more room than the SS. Two adults and two small children is a full load in the SS whereas a GS can support 5 adults.
Both boats can run over 100mph with the right engine/prop combination.
I went with the even smaller and more racy XR-2002 which only supports two occupants in tandem but it's supposed to be a real thrill ride since they are sub 600 lb. boats. Hopefully I'll find out soon............
 

xb03fs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
2,370
Points
48
Location
STL
Easier to add power to go faster than it is to make more people fit in a smaller boat.
 

RoseXB03

Active Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
316
Points
28
Location
Kingston, TN
I prefer the GS for the room and a little easier to get in an out of. Love em both but to me GS is more practical for us and the SS is just damn sexy...
 

Charlie Bear

Member
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
6
Points
3
Location
Everett Washington
I appreciate the Great responses this is excellent information I can't thank you all enough.

I was thinking the SS from my old go fast days but it's sounding like the GS might be a better fit. I like the rough water ability and easier and more room to get in and out. If I'm understanding it correctly the SS must have A wider gunnel to get over.

Does anyone know if the GS has more freeboard? Freebord is a bit of an issue it can get a little sloppy where I run. I like to tie it to a bouy overnight and wouldn't wanted to swamp.

I have seen some older SS-20 boats. Got to love the traditional look. Anyone know how they Stack Up compared to the new composite boats? Obviously the new boats are better. What might be the drawbacks of the old boats other than condition?
 

Rick Propst

Active Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
Messages
134
Points
28
Location
Chesterfield Va
Depends on what kind of boating you do. The GS is much more roomier inside for passengers and easier to board if the wife comes along. Also the GS handles chop a little better. The SS is faster with same power and if you are only riding alone all the time the SS center steer would be best. The wife and I love our GS. Good luck, hope you find what you're looking for.
Who owns the white and orange ss
 

aeneas

Active Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
572
Points
28
Location
Sweden
I have an SS-2000 Excel and I am super happy! I can slide the driver's seat to the center and put the passenger seat where the sofa goes for a real tandem layout, it is very versatile. As I live in Scandinavia I had never seen an Allison in real life before my boat arrived - when the shrink plastic came off the looks really knocked the breath out of me - it is a simply stunning boat!
I show the occasional water scooter (pwc) off and go for adrenaline rush runs and since we are never more than 3 in the boat - it fits the bill for me. (We have two other boats for cruising and fishing).
 

Freebird

Active Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
235
Points
28
Location
Kingston, TN
I appreciate the Great responses this is excellent information I can't thank you all enough.

I was thinking the SS from my old go fast days but it's sounding like the GS might be a better fit. I like the rough water ability and easier and more room to get in and out. If I'm understanding it correctly the SS must have A wider gunnel to get over.

Does anyone know if the GS has more freeboard? Freebord is a bit of an issue it can get a little sloppy where I run. I like to tie it to a bouy overnight and wouldn't wanted to swamp.

I have seen some older SS-20 boats. Got to love the traditional look. Anyone know how they Stack Up compared to the new composite boats? Obviously the new boats are better. What might be the drawbacks of the old boats other than condition?
I have a '79 SS-20 over a GS or SS2000, for that very reason. I love the traditional look and the way the boat feels. Kinda nice being able to put your significant other in the seat right next to you, or sliding your butt to the middle when you want to balance things out at speed. If/when my dual RideGuide goes south, I'll look into a sliding hyrdraulic set up.

No doubt the trick is finding a good one or finding one and making it a good one. For what you'll spend restoring a fixer upper, you can have a GS. Sort of like comparing a split window Vette to a new one. The new one will beat it in every category, but it still won't be a classic and are a dime a dozen. My time in a GS is very limited, but I think the old 20's ride a little better.
 

Charlie Bear

Member
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
6
Points
3
Location
Everett Washington
How cool to have an Allison in Scandinavia. Love to see the water scooters scratching their heads. LOL.

The Corvette comparison is an excellent example and speaks volumes for your knowledge, thank you for sharing that.

It's becoming apparent to me that all the Allison's are so good it may be a matter of what I can find. I am noticing that people onw both or have had both. Many people seem to change back and forth but they always stay with Allison!

I do really like the traditional Allison SS-20. I'm becoming aware that I would probably put a fortune into one by time I was happy.

There's no question that I would buy the SS-20 Excel if I was a little younger.

I'm feeling that the Grand Sport will be the best fit overall. I am convincing myself that a little less speed is ok.
It's apparent why many people own both or change back and forth. I have always said if you can't make up your mind buy both!
 

Jr in Jax

Active Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
520
Points
28
Location
Jax Fla
I love my Grand Sport that I ordered back in 1998 and have loved every minute of owning it. The Grandsport has great features, seats five comfortably, has a huge amount of dry storage, has walk-in entry with hand rails from the rear, easy to dock and trailer, has a ski pylon option for watersports and speeds close to 100 with just a Pro Max [@5 MPG]. Every time I park at one of the springs, people constantly come by to look inside of it.
 

Freebird

Active Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
235
Points
28
Location
Kingston, TN
The Corvette comparison is an excellent example and speaks volumes for your knowledge, thank you for sharing that.
The Corvette comparison goes a tad deeper than that as Paul modeled the boats after the old Stingrays. This is my second one, but the first Allison I ever owned was a new '81 SS20. May have been an '82, but it's been a lot of years. Definitely bought it new in '82. Regretted selling that boat and liked it better than the XTB21 I replaced it with and the XR2002 that came after it. Always kicked myself for selling it and finally found another one. It felt good to be behind the wheel of one again.
 

silverbullet02

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2008
Messages
1,252
Points
48
Location
Knoxville, TN
A few years back there was an XTB, Grandsport, and XB-2003 running around the Kitsap Peninsula. Been a while tho.
 

Lotus 50

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2005
Messages
1,323
Points
63
Location
Windsor, Ontario
Great set of pictures Mr Flying07

I voted for the SS2000 because it met my needs better when I bought it and it may again. When I got my SS2000 I had a lightly modified 150XR4. There are several stories of fast SS2000's with small motors and mine is one of them. There are no stories about fast GS's with small motors. Maybe no one has tried, maybe the speed difference, SS vs GS, is bigger with small motors. I may get a 150 or 175 DI motor one day. It would allow longer cruises.

For the last few years I've had a 225 PM with the rev limiter. I think with this engine the speed difference is minimal. Not many people run bigger than a 30" prop and both boats can probably get close to the limiter with a 30. Maybe the SS accelerates better with the PM, I think it would.

Big power? The GS is reputed to hit a wall at 100 or so. There are some posted numbers well past that with SS2000. But that's faster than I care to drive.

Just buy the first nice one of either and have fun.
 

Charlie Bear

Member
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
6
Points
3
Location
Everett Washington
Thank you again for all the responses.

I really want to thank you for all those wonderful pictures that really really shows the difference I just couldn't get that from the website. You must be a professional photographer nobody ever takes that good of pictures. I really like the space between the seats in the Gs and a lot easier to get in and out of with the smaller gunell. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. I sure couldn't turn down the right deal on an SS but the GS is certainly what I should look for. The ss-20 would even be a option but I don't want fiberglass rebuild project
 

flying07

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
342
Points
28
Location
MN
Thank you again for all the responses.

I really want to thank you for all those wonderful pictures that really really shows the difference I just couldn't get that from the website. You must be a professional photographer nobody ever takes that good of pictures. I really like the space between the seats in the Gs and a lot easier to get in and out of with the smaller gunell. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. I sure couldn't turn down the right deal on an SS but the GS is certainly what I should look for. The ss-20 would even be a option but I don't want fiberglass rebuild project
glad the pics helped you out. . . . the power of the iphone camera. . . haha
 

mikesufka

Active Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
258
Points
28
Tough call to make on which one to buy - the XS2003 and the SS2000 are both great boats - some would argue the two best 20 ft. sportsboats made that are V-bottoms. I have owned two Grandsports in the past and just bought a SS2000 because I've always wanted to try one. I only have about 45 minutes in the SS total and maybe 15 minutes in the one I just bought.

Russ and I had them (XS & SS) side by side at his house (look at the above pictures) and there is quite a difference in interior room. That's good or bad, depending on how you look at it. The SS is like a true high end sports car when you sit in it VS. the XS being more of a sports sedan. The SS also feels a lot lighter on the trailer. We both moved them around on the trailers by hand and commented on how light the SS felt.

I loved my first XS ( Merc 260) and only drove my second one a few times (200 ProV Yamaha). The XS will run 100 MPH +/-, take four people out if you had to, and is a beautiful boat. For just a little 20 footer, it's incredible what it will do, especially considering it's a 25+ year old design.

My first impression of my SS is that it's a two person boat. I have only driven it once and for about 15 minutes but it feels faster and lighter than hell compared to my old XS's. Mine has a 280 SS which should pull to 105-110 MPH. I ran 94 on my first pull with a 29 SRX at ~ 7000 RPM. There was a 1000 RPM left to play with.

I commented to Russ once that it's like comparing a Porsche GT3 vs. a BMW M3. Do you need that little bit more room which will cost you a little bit of speed and quickness? If I was only going to have one boat in the 20 foot size, I'd own a Grandsport. Having said that, I own a Skater 28 that I'm gonna use 95% of the time, so when I pull an Allison out those few times a year to scratch that itch, the SS is the one for me.

Good luck. The hunt is more fun than owning the boats.

MDS
 
Last edited:
Top