SANTE 220 or 210

[ramzety]

Looking at picking up one or the other but not sure, and looking for Nautique owners input. I have read mixed reviews about the wake on the 220 for boarding, and being dificult to weight just right for surfing. As well as notbeing able to get a great surf wake out of the 210.

I like the 220 for it's size and room but courious about the market decline since it is not in production anymore.

What is a fair price range for a 2006 220?

[uwhusky]

If you search around on this forum you'll find threads where people say the 220 puts out the best surf wake out there, of any boat. You'll also find people who say the 210's wake is great as well. I recently bought a brand new (although it's a 2007 model year) 220 SANTE for $49k. I don't have enough experience with it yet to tell you the wake is good or bad or difficult to weight properly.

I went with the 220 for value over the 210 and also because I wanted the ability to legally put 14 people in the boat where the 210 can only hold 12.

Both boats are great boats and I'm sure I would've been happy with a 210 but I have no regrets about buying my 220. I just need to get out there and use it now. I have no worries that I'll have a great surf and wakeboarding wake.

[ramzety]

220

I have found what i think may be a good deal on a 06 SANTE 220 with additional ballast already plumbed, and a fairly decent sound system under 200hrs in the 45k - 48k range. Since this will be my frist Nautique i just want to ensure i am getting a fair deal since i am sure i will be looking at a upgrade in the future as the kids grow and move more into boarding. I think i will primarly be surfing until that time as i can not afford injury due to boarding.

[champbell]

I own a 2007 220. I can confirm that dialing in the wake for wakeboarding is at times frustrating. You have to get use to the idea that the wake will clean-up to the side where the rider is pulling out (you just hope it stays clean when the rider approaches the wake for the jump). This was a huge change from my 1997 Air Nautique. In my older boat, the wake stayed consistant regardless of what side the rider was pulling. The only way I've found to compensate is the following:
-Increase speed to ~24.5 mph - Again, this was a big change from my older boat where I could keep a clean wake at ~22mph.
-Put more weight to the front of the boat - For some reason, the hull does better with weight to the front. Do not assume that more weight to the rear will help. FYI - I have a plumbed sac of ~400lb in the front.
-Keep your passengers aware of how to help you clean-up the wake. If they understand this concept, it makes your job much easier. Since I have kids, it is tough to keep the wake consistent whenever people are moving/shifting. Keep this in mind and ask yourself what type of passengers will be riding.

As for surf wake, it really is amazing. With stock ballast, I have no problem surfing on either side. I do have 750 lb sacs on each side which has really dialed-up the size of the wake. The weight sensitivity issue above becomes an asset for surfing. Adding weight or shifting passengers makes it really easy to get this boat to generate a solid surf wake.

Interior-wise, I find the layout extremely convenient. You will find many postings on the forum which tell you they dislike the "hump" in front of the engine. For me, this hasn't been an issue at all. Maybe it isn't an issue because I really don't know anything different. When I moved from the 1997 Air Nautique (inboard) to the 220 v-drive, it was always an improvement in layout. The 220 has a lot of storage space and place for everything (i.e. trash, cooler, life jackets, ropes, etc.). For me, the 220 layout is perfect.

I can't comment on the 210, but hopefully the above points will help factor into your decision. In the end, it depends on how you want to use the boat and your priorities. Best of luck and enjoy!

[indymuskie]

We also own a 2007 220 SANTE. We love the layout and interior space. We often have friends with us and 8 passengers never feels crowded. The wake getting clean and staying clean has been our only issue. We would buy this boat all over again. We did compare to a 211 when we purchased and love the 220 for the room. Hope this helps!

[uwhusky]

Champbell - I went out wakeboarding for the first time in my 220 and noticed the wake on the starboard side was rather dirty but the wake on the port side was pretty good.

I did not fill up any ballast, not even factory. I had my wake controls all the way back and had various people sitting here and there (honestly, I don't recall where they were as I was the one wakeboarding). Do you recommending filling up the front ballast only, front and back or some combination plus adding some fatsacs? I have two, 400 lb sacs I could use.

[Zeda]

I own a 2006 220 and have not had many issues with the wake. You do have to have people sitting in the right places in the boat, but there are lots of boats out there that have the same requirement so it's not that big of deal...just the nature of the beast. I typically ride with stock ballast full and an additional 300 to 450 pounds in the bow. I ride at about 23.5 mph at 75-feet and absolutely love the wake. It's big, solid, and stays clean when your crew has a clue. The surf wake is simply amazing. Period. You can't go wrong either way 220 or 210.