Call Us : 207-994-5109
Mon – Fri: 8 am to 9 pm & Sat – Sun: 10 am to 8 pm
Call Us : 207-994-5109
Mon – Fri: 8 am to 9 pm & Sat – Sun: 10 am to 8 pm
The Chaparral GTS 6 is the largest GTS-badged model, adding yacht certification, 1,080 pounds of ballast, a full head compartment, freshwater, and up to 430 horsepower to the GT Surf formula.
The Chaparral GTS 6 is the largest GTS-badged model, adding yacht certification, 1,080 pounds of ballast, a full head compartment, freshwater, and up to 430 horsepower to the GT Surf formula. The GTS 6 is a current 2026 Chaparral model.
The GTS 6 is the bridge between compact GT Surf boats and the larger 28/30 Surf models, with the same 1,080-pound ballast figure published for the bigger Surf boats.
For the GTS 6, the published ballast figure is 1,080 lbs.
The GTS 6 carries 65 gallons of fuel and is rated for Yacht Certified.
The GTS 6 is the first model in this requested group where freshwater, a holding tank, and a real head become part of the published specification. That changes the buyer from a pure day-sport shopper into someone who may spend full days aboard with a larger group.
The GTS 6 delivers a much more complete all-day boat than the GTS 1 or GTS 3, but 5,600 pounds of dry weight, a 33-inch draft, and powered arch hardware bring substantially more towing, winterization, and maintenance complexity.
A buyer should also compare GTS 3 or 28 Surf before committing.
The GTS 6 changes the character of the GT Surf lineup because it is no longer a small bowrider with surf hardware added. Yacht certification, a 26-foot-5-inch LOA, 65 gallons of fuel, freshwater, a head compartment, and an electric arch make it an all-day family platform that happens to have a serious surf system.
That added capability should be useful outside rider sessions. A family that regularly spends lunch-to-sunset on the lake can justify the head and freshwater system. A buyer who launches for two-hour evening sets may find the GTS 3 delivers nearly all of the fun with far less weight and fewer systems to winterize.
Published factory figures. Confirm every dimension against the individual boat before you commit.
The GTS 6 uses Chaparral’s Extended V-Plane running-surface concept with a surf-specific hull and Kevlar-reinforced laminate in the current equipment set.
At 26′ 5″ long and 8′ 6″ wide, the GTS 6 occupies a very different storage footprint from its nearest sibling.
Chaparral publishes a 22° transom deadrise.
Published dry weight with engine is 5,600 lbs.
Draft with the drive up is 33″.
Inspect a used GTS 6 along the keel, chines, strakes, transom, and swim-platform structure.
Finally, compare the capacity label with Chaparral’s published Yacht Certified reference.
The 33-inch drive-up draft is the deepest published figure in this requested family. That does not make the GTS 6 unsuitable for lakes, but it makes shallow private ramps and coves more important to test. A lake house that launches a 21-foot bowrider easily can still be a poor match for a 5,600-pound, 26-foot-5-inch sterndrive.
Configuration: Forward-drive sterndrive; current Mercury and Volvo builds include 350 and 430 HP
Current GTS 6 examples use forward-drive sterndrives because wakesurfing places the rider directly behind the transom.
The GTS 6 is not an outboard surf boat.
Maximum published power is 430 HP. That number should be viewed in the context of 5,600 lbs of dry weight, 65 gallons of fuel, and the normal passenger load rather than treated as a bragging-rights specification.
On a used GTS 6, document engine hours and service history.
The GTS 6 combines a 65 gallons fuel system with 1,080 lbs of published ballast.
The GTS 6 has 10 gallons of published freshwater capacity. The GTS 6 carries published freshwater and holding-system specifications, so the head compartment and plumbing are part of the ownership inspection.
The 65-gallon fuel tank gives the GTS 6 a useful middle position between the compact GTS models and the larger Surf boats. With a 430-horsepower option and 1,080 pounds of ballast, however, fuel burn can rise quickly during repeated rider sessions. The larger tank should be viewed as operating flexibility rather than permission to ignore consumption.
The GTS 6 has two performance personalities: ordinary Chaparral bowrider behavior and ballast-loaded surf behavior.
The GTS 6 publishes 1,080 lbs of ballast.
After the surf test, empty ballast and run the GTS 6 at normal family cruise.
The GTS 6 is the right performance choice when its ballast, power, passenger room, and storage requirements match the riders who will actually use it.
The jump to 1,080 pounds of ballast is a major part of the GTS 6’s surf identity. With several adults aboard, that ballast gives the hull much more displacement than the GTS 1 or GTS 3. The buyer should watch engine load and steering response during the surf test rather than evaluating the wave in isolation.
Current 430-horsepower Volvo examples show how much reserve Chaparral makes available in the GTS 6. A lower-power 350-horsepower configuration may still be entirely appropriate for a family that cruises more than it surfs. The sea trial should decide whether the more expensive engine materially improves loaded acceleration.
The GTS 6 is still a Chaparral bowrider first, which matters because the family may spend more time cruising, swimming, and sitting at anchor than actively surfing.
On the GTS 6, storage discipline matters because boards are long, ballast equipment takes space, and a loose cooler can block the walk-through transom.
At the helm, Surf-control touchscreen / Simrad integration on current configurations.
The EFX II electric folding arch tower should be viewed as both watersports equipment and a storage-height decision.
Infinity Power Step swim platform gives riders a staging area, and the forward-drive layout keeps propellers away from the extreme aft edge.
Its 33-inch draft with the drive up is the deepest published figure in this family, which matters for shallow ramps and lake houses. The owner should know local launch depth before assuming every GTS can use the same ramp as a 21-foot bowrider.
The full fiberglass head compartment changes the social rhythm of the GTS 6. Families with children or guests can stay away from the marina longer, and the 10-gallon freshwater system supports a transom shower after swimming. Inspect these systems as practical equipment because plumbing problems undermine exactly the convenience the larger boat is supposed to add.
Infinity Power Step becomes more valuable as the boat grows taller and heavier. A rider climbing back aboard repeatedly should be able to use the stern without an athletic pull over the platform. Test the step with the engine off, watch its full travel, and inspect the surrounding SeaDek and hinges for wear.
1,080-Lb Ballast System – The published 1,080-pound ballast tank gives the GTS 6 serious wake-shaping displacement.
The GTS 6 combines the Surf Gate system with a much heavier ballast package than the GTS 1 or GTS 3.
A powered stern step improves reboarding on a boat with a larger cockpit and taller freeboard.
The head compartment with vanity and sink turns the GTS 6 into a stronger all-day family boat.
The power-folding arch carries shade and tow hardware while reducing bridge clearance when folded.
The GTS 6 is yacht certified rather than carrying the numeric passenger plate used on the GTS 1 and GTS 3.
The GTS 6 has more systems than an ordinary runabout because surf control adds ballast pumps, gates, electronic rider presets, and a forward-drive power package to the normal bowrider equipment.
Start with Surf-control touchscreen / Simrad integration on current configurations.
Inspect batteries and charging.
On the larger GTS 6, freshwater and head equipment should be run long enough to reveal leaks.
The EFX II electric arch is a meaningful system because it affects shade, tow point, speakers, bridge clearance, and storage. Run it from fully deployed to fully folded several times and watch both sides for synchronized movement. A slight twist or hesitation can indicate adjustment, actuator, or mounting problems that are easier to correct before the boat changes hands.
The GTS 6 publishes 26′ 5″ of overall length, 8′ 6″ of beam, and 5,600 lbs of dry weight with engine.
The GTS 6’s 8′ 6″ beam stays within conventional 8-foot-6-inch road width, but the complete loaded rig still needs an appropriately rated tow vehicle and trailer.
Bridge clearance is 8′ 5″ with arch / 6′ 1″ folded.
Ramp depth matters because the GTS 6 has a published drive-up draft of 33″.
At 26 feet 5 inches, the GTS 6 can still travel on a conventional-width trailer, but length becomes the residential-storage issue. The published 6-foot-1-inch folded arch clearance does not include every trailer geometry. Owners using covered storage should measure from the ground to the highest point on their exact rig and account for driveway slope at the entrance.
The GTS 6 is new-generation current inventory, so exact build matters more than model-year depreciation. Engine choice, EFX II or HTX-style top equipment, audio, head equipment, windlass, flooring, and trailer configuration can change the transaction sharply.
The GTS 6 should have working Malibu Surf Gates, functional ballast, surf controls, and a drive configuration that matches the model year.
The best GTS 6 value is not automatically the cheapest boat.
GTS 6 pricing is especially sensitive to engine and top configuration. A 350-horsepower forward-drive boat with the standard EFX II arch occupies a different position from a 430-horsepower build with HTX hardtop equipment, upgraded audio, windlass, charger, and premium flooring. The exact option sheet matters more than a simple MSRP comparison.
Illustration only and not an offer of credit.
Illustration only and not an offer of credit. Your actual rate and term depend on credit profile, vessel age, loan amount and ownership structure.
The first cross-shop for the GTS 6 is GTS 3 or 28 Surf.
The GTS 6 is the bridge between compact GT Surf boats and the larger 28/30 Surf models, with the same 1,080-pound ballast figure published for the bigger Surf boats.
The GTS 6 publishes 1,080 lbs of ballast and 65 gallons of fuel capacity.
The main tradeoff remains: The GTS 6 delivers a much more complete all-day boat than the GTS 1 or GTS 3, but 5,600 pounds of dry weight, a 33-inch draft, and powered arch hardware bring substantially more towing, winterization, and maintenance complexity.
The GTS 6 versus 28 Surf decision is less about surf hardware than about how much boat surrounds it. Both publish 1,080 pounds of ballast and 430-horsepower capability. The GTS 6 keeps the hull 19 inches shorter and 500 pounds lighter dry, which can be more valuable to an owner who still expects to trailer frequently.
Start a GTS 6 purchase with the exact model year and engine package.
Verify the hull identification and compare the seller’s dimensions with the current published 26′ 5″ LOA, 8′ 6″ beam, 5,600 lbs dry weight, 65 gallons fuel capacity, and 430 HP maximum horsepower reference.
Fill the 1,080 lbs ballast system and drain it.
The Surf-control touchscreen / Simrad integration on current configurations should make rider setup repeatable without fault messages.
Walk every storage compartment.
On yacht-certified GTS 6 models, use common sense rather than treating certification as unlimited passenger capacity.
The GTS 6 can be a heavy loaded package, and tandem-axle brakes, tires, bearings, bunks, guides, winch, and tongue hardware deserve a separate inspection.
The GTS 6 is new-generation current inventory, so exact build matters more than model-year depreciation. Engine choice, EFX II or HTX-style top equipment, audio, head equipment, windlass, flooring, and trailer configuration can change the transaction sharply.
Price annual storage and winterization.
Finally, compare GTS 3 or 28 Surf. The GTS 6 should remain the better answer after the tow, storage, passenger, and service plan are all understood.
A GTS 6 inspection should include the freshwater and holding systems even if the current owner says the head was rarely used. Neglected pumps, hoses, and seals can age while sitting, and winterization errors may not become obvious until the next season.
The 28 Surf is the most important cross-shop. Both publish 1,080 pounds of ballast and up to 430 horsepower, but the 28 adds more hull length, 80 gallons of fuel, and twin-screen helm treatment. The GTS 6 is the better answer when the family wants the serious surf system without taking the final step into the larger Surf-series footprint.
Yacht certification can tempt shoppers to ignore passenger planning, but the GTS 6 still has practical limits created by seat count, storage, visibility, and ballast load. A crowded cockpit can make rider pickup more difficult and increase the amount of loose gear near the transom. Buyers should test the layout with the number of adults they actually expect to carry.
A financing-ready GTS 6 listing should identify the exact forward-drive engine, tower or arch package, trailer, and major surf options. That matters because a lightly equipped GTS 6 and a premium build can share the same model name while creating very different purchase prices and replacement costs.
The clearer the configuration is before financing, the easier it is to compare the boat with a real sibling rather than a generic MSRP.
Resale on the GTS 6 will depend heavily on whether the surf hardware still works as a complete system. A future buyer can see gelcoat and upholstery immediately, but ballast pumps, Surf Gate actuators, Simrad controls, drive service, and tower hardware determine whether the boat still performs like a factory surf model. Keeping records for those systems protects more value than cosmetic detailing alone.
The final ownership question is frequency of use. A GTS 6 makes financial sense when the household uses both sides of its personality: ordinary Chaparral cruising and the surf system. If the family rarely fills ballast or deploys Surf Gates, a conventional Chaparral sport boat may offer less maintenance and a lower purchase price.
If riders surf often, the integrated factory package is exactly what separates the GTS 6 from an improvised tow boat.
A GTS 6 buyer should inspect the fire-suppression and engine-compartment equipment on heavily optioned examples. Larger sterndrive boats concentrate more heat, wiring, and accessories below the aft seating than the compact GTS models. Clean ventilation, intact insulation, secure battery cables, and accessible service points matter because the 26-foot-5-inch platform is likely to spend longer days under heavier electrical and engine loads.
The GTS 6 is also large enough that anchoring equipment becomes more important on long lake days. If a windlass is installed, operate it under load and inspect the rode, chain, anchor locker, and switches. A 26-foot surf boat with several passengers can be frustrating to manage from the bow when anchoring hardware is undersized or neglected.
Send Float Finance the actual GTS 6 listing with model year, engine package, seller type, and asking price.
Engine package, model year, tower or hardtop, Black Edition treatment, electronics, audio, flooring, trailer, and condition can move the GTS 6 transaction substantially.
Chaparral publishes 26′ 5″ LOA with the swim-platform reference used on the 2026 specification.
Chaparral publishes 1,080 lbs of ballast for the current GTS 6.
Chaparral publishes 430 HP as the current maximum for the GTS 6.
Yes. The current GTS 6 is designed around Chaparral’s GT Surf / Surf system with Malibu Surf Gates, ballast, touchscreen surf control, and forward-drive sterndrive propulsion.
It depends on size. The GTS 6 is 8′ 6″ wide and weighs 5,600 lbs dry with engine before fuel, trailer, gear, and options.
Can I finance a used GTS 6?
Tell us a little bit about yourself and the boat you are looking to finance.
