Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 vs Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 — Same Brand, Different Boat
Matching a modified vee Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 against a deep vee Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 at 27,0 ft versus Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 tips the scales at 475 lbs — 419 lbs less than the Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 at 56 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 375 hp for the Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 and 375 hp for the Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 carries 72 gallons versus 8 gallons in the Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Chaparral SSi 246 Bow Rider 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 24,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Chaparral 250 Signature Cruiser 2007 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeChaparral
MakeChaparral
Model250 Signature Cruiser
ModelSSi 246 Bow Rider
Model Year2007
Model Year2008
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)
Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Inches102
Beam - Inches102
Bridge clearance - DetailWith Arch: 9 ft. 1 in. (2.77 m) Without Arch: 6 ft. 7 in. (2.01 m)
Bridge clearance - DetailWith Wakeboard Tower 8 ft. 10 in. (2.69 m) Without Wakeboard Tower: 4 ft. 11 in. (1.5 m)
Bridge clearance - Meters2.77
Bridge clearance - Meters2.69
Bridge clearance - Inches109
Bridge clearance - Inches106
Deadrise20℃
Deadrise22℃
Draft [drive up] - Detail17 in. (43 cm)
Draft [drive up] - Detail24 in. (61 cm)
Draft [drive up] meters0.43
Draft [drive up] meters0.61
Draft [drive up] inches17
Draft [drive up] inches24
Draft [max] - Detail33 in. (84 cm)
Draft [max] - Detail36 in. (91 cm)
Draft [max] - Meters0.84
Draft [max] - Meters0.91
Draft [max] - Inches33
Draft [max] - Inches36
Weight - Detail5,600 lbs. (2,540 kg)
Weight - Detail4,750 lbs. (2,155 kg)
Weight - kg2540.12
Weight - kg2154.56
Weight - lbs.56
Weight - lbs.475
Length - Meters8.23
Length - Meters7.59
Length - Feet27
Length - Feet24
Length [over all with swim platform]27 ft. 0 in. (8.23 m)
Length [over all with swim platform]24 ft. 11 in. (7.59 m)
Length - Inchesnot available
Length - Inches11
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typeDeep Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine/s standardVolvo 5.0L 270 hp DP
Engine/s standardVolvo 5.0 GXi MPi SX drive 270 hp
Fuel tank capacity - Detail80 gal. (303 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail72 gal. (273 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters302.83
Fuel tank capacity - Liters272.55
Fuel tank capacity - Gal8
Fuel tank capacity - Gal72
Fuel typeGas or Diesel
Fuel typeGas or Diesel
Drive typeI/O
Drive typeI/O
Engine max375 hp (280 kW)
Engine max375 hp (280 kW)
Max no of enginesnot available
Max no of engines1
Operational Info
Headroom6 ft. 2 in. (1.88 m)
Headroomnot available
Sleeping capacity4
Sleeping capacitynot available
Water capacity13.5 gal. (51 l)
Water capacity10 gal. (38 l)
Maximum capacity1,874 lbs
Maximum capacity1,755 lbs. (796.1 kg)
Maximum people1
Maximum people13
Holding tank capacity - DetailWith Standard Porta-Pottie: 3.8 gal. (14 l) With Optional VacuFlush: 10 gal. (38 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail3.8 gal. (14 l) With Optional VacuFlush: 6.5 gal. (23.95 l)
Holding tank capacity - Liters37.85
Holding tank capacity - Liters26.5
Holding tank capacity - Gal1
Holding tank capacity - Gal6.5