Ikon VLX21: Blast to the Bass
The Ikon VLX21 sets a new bar for bass boats.
Few types of recreational powerboats are as specialized as the bass boat. These vessels are finely honed tools for serious anglers, growing closer and closer to perfection by the model year. Now industry newcomer Ikon has introduced the VLX21, and you’ll be hard pressed to deny that it’s pushed angling excellence yet another notch forward.
Ikon VLX21 Design and Construction
The VLX21 is new from the keel up and although this company is just a few years old, note that it’s a subsidiary of HCB Yachts—so these people have deep roots in building seriously high-end boats in the saltwater venue. This model was designed with substantial input from bass pros on the freshwater side of things, starting with utilizing a two-piece architecture and a stringer and deck system to expand stowage well beyond the norm for a bass boat. The bowdeck is immense and houses cavernous compartments — the tackle stowage compartment alone can hold up to 50 Plano boxes, rod lockers have space for 36 rigs up to 8’6”, and tall gutter systems are integrated to keep water out.
Like most serious competition-level bass boats the topsides is designed for two anglers and is divided between the foredeck, a svelte cockpit with helm and passenger seats, and an aft deck. Ikon also designed in a bow platform forward which keeps the trolling motor and electronics out of the fishing arena. The styling is a bit unusual with hullsides that swerve in slightly about a third of the way forward from the transom then flair out a bit before tapering to the bow.
A few of the construction touches provide evidence Ikon goes beyond the norm. Stowage compartments are lighted and have gel-coated interiors. Cooler and livewell compartments are insulated. There’s a NMEA2000 backbone and a dedicated 25-amp switchable circuit to the bow with four ports installed. The battery charger is a four-bank, 60-amp model. And the hydraulic steering system is Seastar Pro. The livewell’s design and construction is particularly impressive, but we’ll save that for the Fishing Features section below.
Ikon VLX21 Fishing Features
Okay: ready to hear about that livewell? It holds 33 gallons, and Ikon took a page out of the saltwater playbook to create what they dubbed the L2 system. It’s automated to control filling, maintain the proper level, and circulate and oxygenate the water. Incredibly it can even regulate the temperature with an integrated chiller plate, and if you opt for the FishIV system can automatically inject additives into the well. And all of these functions can be controlled at the helm, by tapping on the touchscreen.
Setting that livewell aside, for most anglers the biggest fishing feature on the VLX21 will be the epic foredeck. Pedestal bike seats can be added to the decks both fore and aft, the rod lockers are padded to protect your gear, and the boat’s pre-rigged for the optional Power Pole. Ikon also offers a wide range of both electronics and trolling motors, including Garmin, Humminbird, and Lowrance packages, as well as stand-alone Garmin Panoptix LiveScope, Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging, or Lowrance Active Target 2 systems.
Ikon VLX21 Comfort Features
Comfort isn’t always the first thing that pops to mind when it comes to bass boats, and comfort features that interfere with the bass-catching mission in any way, shape, or form are completely unacceptable. But when you’re casting from the VLX21 you’ll discover a few enhancements that eliminate some of the discomfort that can go along with fishing all day long. Once again, that foredeck is a biggie: it’s padded under the carpet. The cockpit also gets padded floor mats, and optional features you can add to boost comfort even more include a wireless phone charger, deck lighting, and tilt steering.
Ikon VLX21 Performance
Though Ikon just introduced a 21’ bass boat last year, the LX21, the VLX21 is a completely new and different hull. It’s designed for even more speed, and sheds 10” of LOA and 250 pounds. With a light load and in proper conditions the VLX21 is said to push into the upper 70s, and even with a heavy load, top out well above the 70-mph mark. Ikon also likes to point out that the hull is designed to maintain stability and comfort in a chop, even at speed. They’ve tagged the hull HSS (for hydrodynamic stabilizer system) and match it up with taking pains to ensure the ideal center of gravity is maintained for optimal performance.
Ikon VLX21 Specifications
- Length Overall: 21’0”
- Beam: 8’2”
- Weight: 1,900 lbs.
- Draft (minimum): 1’6”
- Max HP: 250
- Fuel Capacity: 50 gal.
It will surprise some people that Ikon chose to introduce a new 21’ model so soon after introducing the LX, but the slightly smaller size and slightly faster performance will be draws for many anglers. What will be an even bigger draw is pricing. Ikon manages to keep the base MSRP under $75,000 (at the time of this publication) and you can really load this boat up without getting north of $100K. In today’s bass boat market that’s a big win for a top-shelf offering that can fish against anything else on the water — and inches the bar up yet again in an extremely competitive market.
See Ikon VLX21 bass boats for sale on boats.com.
