@DavidN, Can't dispute the 22 off thing. ;) BUT, I haven't had any complaints from guys that are at that length going from the 2019 PS to the 2020 Ski (perhaps because they're all at 34 mph), including the owner of the PS. The feedback I've gotten from them is that it's not a "hard" bubble, so as long as they're pulling through it, it's not kicking them. I have noticed in observing that if they back off before the wake, it's a more noticeable pop, as one would expect. Nothing is perfect, I guess. I love my Ford Raptor, and it will do unnatural things (in a good way) off-road when pressed. But I sure miss the Expedition's rear air suspension when I'm pulling my tractor.
As far as the SeaDeck is concerned, I can absolutely understand the look of it being a sticking point. But from a functional standpoint, I don't see anywhere that "makes no sense". Perhaps you're seeing something I'm not. I like having the entire gunwale covered, as it allows people to step in and out anywhere along the side from another boat, a dock, or the platform without slipping or grinding sand into the gelcoat. I hate feet on fiberglass, so maybe that's my own issue, but I also view it as a safety concern. Slips getting into/out of a boat scare the heck out of me. I've also found that the small step forward of the front speaker is quite nice for our shorter folks when entering/exiting from the side. I also like it on the motor hood both as a secure stepping point from the gunwale to the opposite side of the boat or vice versa when getting in and out, and for using it to work on skis.
The exterior upholstery? I get the criticism. I like the feel reaching over the side from the helm, but it certainly could have been made smaller. I've seen wear there on other boats from the bungee rope going from the pylon to a dock that's lower than the gunwale. I put a 2' shock tube over my bungee rope to prevent that. Luckily for me, our lake is actually a reservoir, and though it doesn't fluctuate too much, people's docks are generally higher to avoid the occasional rise in water level.
The looks are certainly subjective, as may already be clear, I personally love the angles and the snub nose. It's like a mid-engine supercar had a lovechild with a stealth fighter. It's aggressive, and certainly a departure from the classic look. I read an article in an auto mag a few years back talking about criticism of "modern" automotive design. One of the more controversial designers commented that, if everyone likes a new design, you did something wrong. His point was that if it's not causing some people to scratch their heads, it's not a big enough departure from past designs. He argued that, if it wasn't controversial, it would age much more quickly and wouldn't move the design language of the industry forward. As more people are exposed to the new design and warm to it, others in the industry start to incorporate elements into their cars, and eventually they all start to resemble a car that's been around for years. It certainly doesn't always play out that way, and this may not either, but I fully support pushing the aesthetic boundaries. Perhaps it will end poorly. Perhaps it's just ahead of its time, and others will emulate it more subtly until they resemble it. Perhaps it will crater and forever be known as the Pontiac Aztec of boats. Time will tell, I guess.