The mountains have a way of changing plans quickly. At Petit Lake, the Rowley family was locked into one of those perfect summer moments—flat water, warm sun, and 8-year-old Cashy carving confidently across the wake behind the boat.
Then, almost without warning, the weather turned. Dark clouds rolled over the ridgeline, pulled in by the surrounding peaks, and the air shifted instantly. Within minutes, thunder followed—and the first raindrops weren’t far behind.
Nick Rowley didn’t hesitate. As the storm rolled in, he sprinted for the truck, leaving Whitney to do something she’d never done before—load their Axis A200 onto the trailer by herself, with weather closing in fast. "There was no room for error. We were in such a hurry," Nick laughed, recounting that moment from their epic four-day, two-lake summer adventure through the Idaho Mountains.
But Whitney crushed it. She got the boat centered on the trailer, secured, and covered before the storm really unleashed. And according to Nick, the A200's compact size made all the difference. "That small boat makes it easier to correct yourself," he explained. "She did a great job, got it right on the trailer, got it out there, in the middle of the rain with the thunder coming."
It was exactly the kind of moment that defined the trip—and showed why the A200 fit their kind of adventure.
The plan was straightforward: four days, two Idaho mountain lakes, and as much riding as possible. Petit Lake first. Redfish Lake next.
What Nick didn't anticipate was just how much the A200's size would work in their favor. For starters, towing it into the mountains was effortless. "Compared to the bigger boats, it's so easy to tow," he said. "There were times while towing it that it felt like there wasn't even anything behind the vehicle."
The real first test came at Petit Lake. The boat ramp was dirt. No concrete. Just a rough access point leading into shallow water. For bigger boats, it would've been sketchy. For the A200, with its shallow draft and nimble handling, it was no problem.
From the shallow launch, they navigated a narrow channel that barely looked deeper than the hull—before the lake floor dropped away to 180 feet. The A200 handled it all without drama.
At 7,500 feet, some people expect engines to struggle. The thin air means less oxygen, less power, and compromised performance. Nick was curious how the Malibu Monsoon M5Di Engine would handle the altitude. The M5 exceeded expectations, getting the boat up on plane quickly and maintaining smooth power delivery, even when conditions got choppy at Redfish Lake. "I threw some weight into the center ballast to keep us from bouncing too much," Nick recalled. "It took off and rode great. The Monsoon M5 did a phenomenal job."
The fuel efficiency was another win. They filled the tank before arriving at their destination, and drove home four days later with gas still in it. "It's a small fuel tank, so it's cheaper at the pump," Nick pointed out.
Nick was especially impressed with the preset wave settings, which made it easy to dial in the right setup — without constant tweaking. "I think it's a really good boat and people will really like it," Cashy declared with the straightforward confidence of an 8-year-old who knows what she wants. "The wave was the perfect size and speed for me."
"Its wake is such a great wake for beginner riders," Nick explained. "Cashy was able to surf with Power Wedge on 1 and a couple times on a 2. Based on our experience with it, it's a great boat for beginners for sure, but it performs on high levels too. Any beginner family can get out there and make a perfect wake. The wake on the beginner setting is really mellow. There's not too much buck or sweetness on it; it's not too intimidating."
"That boat is small, but there's a lot of space," Nick noted. "Being able to put the cooler under the seat, out of the way and out of the sun, helps keep stuff cooler. The storage room onboard is legit surprising." They found that keeping it clean between sessions was easy too. "It's a small boat so it's easy to keep it clean. We wipe it down every time it comes out of the water to avoid deeper end-of-season buffing."
The A200's compact size also makes it easy to store. Many subdivisions have HOA restrictions about storing boats in driveways. The A200 solves this. "You can back it into a garage with the tower down," Nick explained. "It's like a Chevy Suburban, the same size. So storage becomes another aspect you don't have to stress about."
When Nick spoke about who the A200 is for, he was refreshingly honest. "A lot of people looking at a 20-footer are just getting into boating or operating on size-restricted waterways,” he said. "It's a great boat for getting your feet wet with your family to see if it's something everybody enjoys."
But that doesn't mean settling for less. "The price point is really friendly considering some boats these days are borderline mortgage-style prices," he noted. "You can get into an extremely well-designed and high-performance boat in the A200, for a really decent price."
For the Rowleys, the A200 served its purpose beautifully and was the perfect companion for their big adventure. They loved the boat's Capri Green Metallic gel coat sparkling on the water and found it exceeded their expectations at every turn. They've since ordered a T250 for the summer because as Cashy's friends see them out on the water and want to join, the extra space is becoming more important.
But for families just starting out, or those who want to maximize their investment without overbuying, Nick's advice was clear: "If your needs are to just get out on the water and start making memories, the A200 is the perfect boat for you."
Want to see how the Axis A200 fit into the Rowley's Summer Adventure? Watch the full walkthrough with the Rowleys as they take the A200 across two Idaho mountain lakes—launching, riding, towing, and doing it all in changing conditions.
Want the full picture? The Rowleys documented their entire two-lake Idaho trip on YouTube. Check it out here.