Air 216 vs X-9

[wetfoot]

I was wondering if anyone else has compared the Air 216 to the X-9?

How do you think these two boats stack up?

Fit, finish, components, performance...

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks.

[G-man]

It's just an opinion coming from someone who had a great MC for 11 years. I don't like this about the X-9, one soft tank in rear, boat porposes with a few people in it and faster speeds, wake for boarding or sking not great. It is advertised as USA waterski approved. What they don't tell you is it approved with the 6.0 litre engine and the powerslot transmission. Not many dealers stock it this way. I ski more than board my choice was the the 206 Nautique.

[SGY]

The 216 is an awesome boat. I haven't seen the X-9 yet. In looking at Water Ski Mag's test edition, I didn't see the X-9 was even tested. Are you talking about the X-7? If so, the 206 is a better comparision. Is the X-9 the same boat basically as the 209? If the X-9 is the 209 variant, I think you'll find the wake for both boarding and slalom skiing a bit better on the 216. Also, the 216 is longer--7.5 inches--but not quite as wide as the 209--91 inches vs. 96 inches. You need to test drive them both and see what you think. Both are nice boats and built to last.

Hey George. How are you liking your 206? What line lengths and speeds do you ski?

[G-man]

Love the 206, I am not a tournament skier. I ski 30mph, 15 off and make the course. 32mph and 5 balls with ball #6 doing the backstroke away from me. Some of the guys I ski with are skiing 34mph and 32 off. They love the boat. At the tournament we had where the Perfect Pass went out on the promo boat and my boat was used skiers said they felt the boat pulled stronger than the 196. Doesn't make sense to me because the boat is running the same engine and perfect pass version. In driving the boat I like handling of the 196 when slowing down at the ends of the lake better. After 30 hours I'm still getting use to the boat. The driver for the tournament has pulled the open a couple of times and pulled nationals, his comments were to add in some rudder torque and the seat was to high. He thought it was outstanding in pulling jump. I have since adjusted the rudder. Here's where we ski if your interested: www.princetonlakespoa.com Let me know if you get in the area.

[SGY]

Hey George. I'm glad you like the 206. Not to highjack this thread further, but I concur with your thoughts. Somewhere there is a posting on setting up the perfect pass on the 206 for a softer pull. Maybe Mark S, a promo driver/skier in Minn. can give us some advice. As far as the seat is concerned, I think its the same set up as the 196. When on plane, my field of vision drops right below the top of the window.

Nice digs out in Dallas. Maybe I'll quit my job and move out there. Do you have a nice double walled cardboard box I could live in?

[AbunDiga909]

I don't know much about the 209/X-9, for I haven't been on that since '99, where it was then called the 205. Now our friends have a 205V, which is the vdrive version of the X-9. Before we got our 216, I really thought the wake was great! For slaloming, the wake is somewhat high, but smooth. And for wakeboarding, it is excellent, very high and doesn't get smaller at high speeds. However this is the vdrive so I'm sure that the x-9 would have a relatively small wake compared to this.

Anyway, as for our 216, we love it. It will suit all wakeboarders that are below advanced levels. but for slaloming, it suits almost everybody below pro. Its your choice. The absolute must is to test drive, I'm sure i'm not the first and wont' be the last one to tell you that... :lol:

[Tony-M.]

I've tested both the 216 and the x-9. My observation was that the x-9 is verrrry sluggish with the standard engine. Last year I pulled my buddy barefooting behind his 209. I had to go to full throttle to really get the speed up. I would definitely get the powerslot trans and maybe an engine upgrade with the x-9. The 216 has great acceleration with the standard engine. The 216 has a narrower and steeper wake than the x-9. Neither boat will have a huge wake like the 210. Fit and finish: IMO CC has the best quality. Probably not by much, but I don't like the styling of the MC boats. The x-9 has more room. It all comes down to preference, but to me the 216 handles better, is faster, has a better ski wake and has a better wakeboard wake. But, I am probably a little biased.

[882001]

did you post this at mymastercraft.com too? it would be interesting to see what they have to say. see if it leans the other way.