New or Old SAN 210

[BorderCruiser]

I will probably get some ribbing for this as it has been discussed I am sure, but I searched and cannot come up with anything.

You guys that are long time multiple 210 owners, what is you honest opinion of the new hull design since '07 compared to the classic pre '07? I have read the old is steeper and the new has no/less trough but is more rampy...etc.

Those of you who have owned both what do you really think? Do you miss the wakes of your old model? Have you learned to love your new wake more than the old? I am sure the new larger interior is appreciated with true wraparound seating, but how many more people fit comfortably over the older arrangement? I will usually only have 3-5 ppl in the boat but occasionally the family will all be in and have 8-10 looking for a boat ride.

I know the 230 will fit all the people I could ever want and has "perfect" wakes but it is well out of my $ range at least until they get a little older.

Just looking for some honest owner input, thank you in advance for your opinions and responses.

[Erik]

don't smash me

Might get smashed for this. But here goes.

The new 210 was generally received by the pros as a considerable step backward for those familiar with a well-weighted 1995-2006/mid 2007 210. The new/current hull design, please make no mistake, is based on the 211, 226 heritage. Take that as you wish. The 236 is based on that heritage as well but it just turned out better, and will last longer because of how well it responds to the Shaun Murray 230 weight Recipe **patent pending (takeaway is that it loves lots of belly weight). The fact that it is so loved by pros who weight the living **** out of their boats, no matter what manufacturer it is, is telling. It sets the trend.

Take the original 220 hull design for example. People complained about the side-to-side weight sensitivity and a few other quirks but it is an important boat and paved the way for the 236 and then the 230. But for awhile there, all the top team riders got 220's. Murray among them.

A few years after the 220's release, dealers winked when I asked if they expect it to last. And poof - it was dropped then redesigned.

I do not expect the current 210 hull to last (just my opinion). It's given second treatment and used in the juniors and wakeskate divisions. It's no longer their flagship boat - the 230 is. That may simply be an artifact of its size.

In the next three years, I expect a redesigned 210 that corrects a few missteps, and then something even larger than the 230.

[xrichard]

I've had both hulls and there are some pretty big differences. Obviously, at the end of the day, it depends on what you want. At one point, I thought the "old" hull put out the best wake...period. I still like it and think it's the best thing going for "hard core" riding and still provides me the most air with the least effort, but I now prefer the new hull mainly because it's easier on my knees (bigger landing transition), easier to ride (bigger take off transition) and the boat is significantly roomier--all while providing a wake that is steeper and provides more pop than most of the competition.

I don't know how to rate the comfort factor, but with a bigger interior space and flip up / flip around seating + more storage, it is definitely much more comfortable with more than 3 or 4 in the boat. For family days, it's more comfortable all the time.

Compared to the 230, I like that it's a bit more compact because it'll fit in my garage. I've never ridden the 230, so I can't compare the wakes.

The old 210 has the advantage of a steep wake--with the added bonus of not requiring a huge amount of weight. If you want the most pop, like steep wakes, and don't care if the transitions are short, then the old hull is your boat. I think a steep wake makes inverts bigger and easier. I was never good at spins, so I'm not sure which is best in that regard. As a friend and owner of an old 210 pointed out, the old hull accentuates everything you do right...and everything you do wrong. Before I messed up my knees, the old hull was my perfect wake.

In sum: if you're generally "on" your game and doing inverts, I think the old hull is better. If you want a more relaxed pace without moving to a completely rampy wake--and value interior space--then the new hull is (mostly) better.

[DanielC]

I think this boils down to you. You need to board behind the boats in question, and make a choice. I also think that whatever boat you choose, you will adapt to it.

[Shooter]

I have an old hull 210 and love it. Although the stadium seating is nice, my 210 is just fine for 4 maybe 5 riders. I dont see why you would want to ride with more than that unless its a beer drinking party day. Its also hard to pass up the price difference. You can get a newer cherry old hull during the winter for 30K-35K. Youre going to spend two to three times that for a nice 2008-2011.

As far as wakes, I think its personal preference.

[gride]

i think the biggest choice is if you want the size of the new ones. it makes a big difference in comfort/convenience. both wakes are still really nice. i still prefer the older ones and actually think they handle rollers and chop better, but i like actually being in the new ones alot more.

[wakeany1]

All of this being said is anyone looking for a minty 2003 210???? Please let me know.
wakeany1@yahoo.com....Dustin

[BorderCruiser]

I appreciate all the replies. I kinda figured as much but have no experience behind either model boat, only time crawling around inside newer 210's at the dealership.
I rode behind a '99 Malibu Sunsetter with sacs for a long time, but recently moved to Del Rio with awesome lake Amistad and so far only have a '06 Moomba Mobius DD and a '03 Supra DD to ride behind. Sad to say but the '99 Bu had better shaped and firmer/peakier wakes. If anyone on here is located near Amistad with a SAN I would love to bum a ride. I like the idea of a firm steep wake, at least over the softer Moomba and Supra wakes I have been riding. Thanks again for the help and opinions

[lffish133]

I rode behind the old 210 for 7 years and now the new 210 hull for about 3. I will second that the wake behind the new boat is so much easier on your body. My knee was real messed up because the landings are so hard behind the old 210 hull. My knee has gotten much better as I have been riding behind the new hull, there is a much larger sweet transition on the wake for a soft landing. Also the wake is much less temperamental. The old hull definitely bucks you harder, but if you are not right on, you will get bucked off, whereas the new hull will let you get away with more, without throwing you way off. As far as interior of the boat goes, the new 210 is way better hands down, much better thought out. Also it handles better while pulling a rider with a lot of weight, but it does not handle as well while idling around in the dock area. The new 210 has a much better surf wake, not as steep, bigger and you can ride both sides much better than the old hull. At then end of the day, I would demo both if you can and see what you like better, they are both awesome boats.

[Erik]

Whelp.

Well, it boils down to this: want a big wake? Old 210.
Want a mellow wake, 210 or anything else.

I really take issue with the bit from lffish133 about ***My knee has gotten much better as I have been riding behind the new hull, there is a much larger sweet transition on the wake for a soft landing. Also the wake is much less temperamental. The old hull definitely bucks you harder, but if you are not right on, you will get bucked off, whereas the new hull will let you get away with more, without throwing you way off***

Lffish133, you'll get bucked off a jet ski wake if your approach is wrong. And your knee is getting better because you're not dealing with hard landings. It's part of what happens when riding behind a boat with a smaller wake.

The interior has been laid out better on the newest-of-the-new 210's, where true wraparound is an option.
Surf wake - I personally could care less as I see it as a wally activity. I bury my hands in my face in grief at someone basing their purchase decision around the surf wake of a 210, or a 230. As for "bucked" - what's your riding level? Are you doing inverts lffish133, or any spins beyond 180's? If not I'd ask you to clarify bucked.

Know what doesn't "buck me" and is "mellow"? A Malibu VTX. Because the wake sucks. But thank goodness there's no bucking and a lot of mellow or God knows what I would do. Probably wakeskate actually. Maybe not even ride because we're literally talking half the size here. Thank God the new 210's wake is not "half the size" of the original but a good 50% of its original zest is gone. Does that count?

Bottom line:
For the interior, the seats, etc: the new 210 has the edge
For all other items, wake, handling, all the way to to resale value, the original has the edge.

[JWAT]

Wow, I can't believe that a lot of people are saying the old 210 wake is better. I had an old style 210 for 5 years and now own a 2008 210. I would take the new 210 wake over the old one any day. Granted, the old wake was big and steep, so you didn't have to have the best fundamentals and could still get good pop, but the new wake just has so much more mass behind it. Plus, it is still steeper than almost any other wakes out there and my new one can get bigger than my old wake. On top of that, the interior is 100x better than the old 210's with so much more room.

I loved my old 210 and I was really scared to switch to the new one because I was afraid I wouldn't like the wake, but as long as I had a choice, I would never go back to the old 210. This is coming from someone who weights their boat with 2k+ ballast, so take that into consideration. If you are just running stock ballast, the older boat would probably pop you better because it didn't require as much weight and was steeper to give you a little more pop with a smaller wake.

[highrock]

I have a 08 210 and have a friend who has a 2001 210. We trade rides pretty often during the summer. I prefer my wake, and he prefers his. I put a little more weight in my boat than he does, I normally have about 2500-3000lbs in my boat for wakeboarding. My friend normally fills up the rear hard tanks, and fills a sac in the ski locker, not sure on total lbs, but I would guess around 1000. We have rode his boat with a lot more weight in it though and it was really fun. I have a harder time on his wake because of the steepness. I normally do not ride as well behind it either. Cameron does seem to ride better behind his boat.

To give some insight on our riding, I ride at 80 feet 24 MPH. Cameron about 75 ft 23.5-24. Neither one of us are really good by any means, but I would say better than your average riders.

I personally think it is what you get used to and you would be happy either way. I always wanted the older style 210 since I started wakeboarding about 10 years ago, and just happened to get lucky enough to get into a 08. I love my boat, I love the wake and I really enjoy the extra room it has if you have a few more people. New or old hull its going to be a great boat.

As for Erik on here, to have a 2001 boat with only 180 hours, how are you going to try to call someone out about riding? Ive got well more than those amount of hours on my boat in 2 years and about 90 percent of them with someone riding.

[Erik]

Pump your brakes.

As for Erik on here, to have a 2001 boat with only 180 hours, how are you going to try to call someone out about riding? Ive got well more than those amount of hours on my boat in 2 years and about 90 percent of them with someone riding.

Pump your brakes. It's a New England boat I bought with 35 hrs on it, purchased 4 years ago.
Before that I had 2 matching SN2001's, sold one for the 210. I had the 86's since 1986. So let's drop math that part you did.

[lffish133]

lol @ Erik. Dude I appreciate your passion. I don't believe that I ever mentioned in my previous post that my wake was smaller with the new hull and that I am now not riding at the same level because I ride the new 210. In fact my wake is bigger than it used to be and I am going bigger as well, the wake is just easier on my body.

What I mean by being bucked weird on the old 210 was, that the old wake is so steep and has so much pop over such a short transition, that if your body position is not perfect you will not be able to handle what it gives you, and you will end up flailing around in the air, I have seen it happen to plenty of riders behind that boat, myself included.

Thanks for inferring that I must suck at wakeboarding because I prefer the new hull, that was awesome. Just like all those guys who shred behind X-Stars and Wakesetters or any other boat must suck because they like a wake that is not old school 210.

[MattieK27]

lol @ Erik. Dude I appreciate your passion. I don't believe that I ever mentioned in my previous post that my wake was smaller with the new hull and that I am now not riding at the same level because I ride the new 210. In fact my wake is bigger than it used to be and I am going bigger as well, the wake is just easier on my body.

What I mean by being bucked weird on the old 210 was, that the old wake is so steep and has so much pop over such a short transition, that if your body position is not perfect you will not be able to handle what it gives you, and you will end up flailing around in the air, I have seen it happen to plenty of riders behind that boat, myself included.

Thanks for inferring that I must suck at wakeboarding because I prefer the new hull, that was awesome. Just like all those guys who shred behind X-Stars and Wakesetters or any other boat must suck because they like a wake that is not old school 210.

To be honest, I stopped reading after he called out anyone comparing surf wakes. Some of us enjoy surfing as a lesser impact activity to do when tired, or when the lake is full of choppy water. Its also a nice change of pace for newer riders who struggle with wakeboarding. Wally activity? Whatever.

130 hours in four years. Hmmm...