Finally pulled the trigger on a new SV211

[Mikeski]

I finally decided on the SV211 and closed the deal on a nicely loaded new boat at my local dealer. It's a signature with all the air upgrades. With consideration of recommendations from this site and friends, I decided to get it with full ballast, tower, and a whole bunch of other accessories. I will pick it up in a couple weeks when the new trailer comes in and my boat cover is done.

[FatBoy]

RE: Finally pulled the trigger on a new SV211

Congratulations, you will love the boat. We want pictures of the boat when you get it in.

[JoeCos]

Congrats Mike !

Like you, I am also eagerly waiting for my Baby's arrival which is around end of March - cant wait much longer.

Saw your location from your Avatar - SF, Ca....curious, did you buy the SV from Central Valley Marine in Campbell ? Thats where I got my Team 226 and worked with Mike Thomas.

Maybe we hit the lake together sometime this summer.

Would love to see pics of your SV when it arrives.

[JoeCos]

[Grant_West]

Congrats Mike You will love your new 211. I went out in one in Cabo
Mexico, 2 weeks back. We took it out in the ocean. I was suprised at how well it went in the rough water, Im sure you will ike the wake,

[hsmunoz]

congrat's Mike!, good to here another local guy with an SV211. maybe we'll see each other out there , what are the details? color etc, mine is silver and Black, (well with white) but you get the idea.

[Mikeski]

Just a few more details and opinions...

The boat is all white with a single midnight stripe just below the rub rail. The interior is all white with midnight accent and black piping. The tower is brushed/anodized, seems this is the most durable finish and my best choice since it will be left up outside. It had a composite platform but that will be getting changed to teak so I don't stress out every time a ski or wakeboard fin heads towards it.

The boat is coming from Hammer's Ski and Marine in Petaluma, it was in stock, almost exactly as I would have ordered it. I have been good friends with Jim Hammer for a long time and I know he will take care of me if I have any issues.

Mike Suyderhoud took my wife and I out on the boat Saturday and gave me as much time as I wanted to run it through it's paces. I skied and boarded behind the boat (in a loaner drysuit), my muscles are just reaching maximum soreness as I type this. The skiing wake is just a tad smaller then the wake of my 1995 Ski 196, the boarding wake was a good size with factory ballast loaded up but an otherwise empty boat and boat crew of only 350lbs. I was surprised how wide the wakeboarding wake was, but it suits my ex-jumper kamikaze cut style very well. I had no trouble clearing both toeside and heelside riding at 80', 22mph. It will probably get another 400lbs in the ski locker, and another 300lbs in each rear corner at some point in the future.

The Excalibur 330 seemed to have plenty of power, it hit 46mph briefly so barefooting should not be an issue even if the speedo was not perfectly calibrated. The 211 goes a couple mph faster in wakeboard mode but was less settled in the water. I would imagine it would porpoise in wakeboard mode at full throttle if only the rear tanks were full. I was amazed how smoothly the boat rode through choppy water, it did as well as my buddies I/Os (IMO that is the only thing an I/O does well). My wife commented that it seemed easier to drive then our old boat. This is quite different from what she said after driving the VLX. I found the bow rise and handling of the 211 to be very similar to a direct drive.

While at the boat show I was talking to Shawn Murray and Mike Suyderhoud about riders and boats. They told me that there are six pro-riders sponsored by Nautique. Out of the six two use the SAN 210, two use the 226 and two use the 211. Murray uses a 226 and Watson uses a 211. They said they can choose whatever boat they want. I found this quite interesting, I would have just assumed that they all use a SAN.

Anybody have a large drysuit they want to sell?

Mike

[clubmyke]

mike,

have started to play around with extra ballast for the more experienced riders on the boat ( i am the only newbie- i found out it is actually easier, it really firms up, cleans up, and smooths the wake).

have had really, really good results with 360 lbs lead up front and 80 lbs in each locker with 2 semi filled fat sacs ( about 200 lbs each). the wake has that nautique pop and is incredible ( this is the feedback from other riders more experienced than myself). it is good in stock form, but with the extra ballast is a whole different level.

i will be trying it, without the extra 2 lead bags in each of the back lockers.]

time will tell about the 211 wake ( i think a lot of people will be surprised.. IT ROCKS !!!!)

[FatBoy]

Yea I was wondering why you had lead in the back with semi filled sacks.

[SGY]

Congrats Mikeski. What made you decide to go with a V-drive after owning a DD? Also, what was the final determining factors that compelled you to choose a CC over a BU?

[clubmyke]

we were using the factory hardtanks too.

we it tried completly filling them all the way but the boat took a super long time to plane. the hydrogate helps here... it brings the boat on plane quicker, then shift it over.. very cool imo..

from my experience so far (take it with a grain of salt), the 211 doesnt need that much extra weight.... we also got good results with 520 lbs of lead bags (pop products) in strategically placed spots and well as 920 lb of lead and bags....

the question is what is the magic number or the least amount over the factory ballast system ? i think it might be in the 750 range ( that would make the total ballast weight of 1500 lbs including the factory rear and center tanks,

cant wait to go out and try it with 360 lead in the nose and 400 extra in the rear lockers for a total of 1400-1500 lbs.

[Laptom]

How would you guys rate the 211 wake compared to the 210 with similiar amount of weight (say factory ballast or both with 1500lbs)?
I hear more and more people raving about the 211 and perhaps I can pull the trigger next year... We are very satisfied with standard ballast in a 210 (beginners/intermediate). Perhaps adding this year a bit more. How much do we have to load the 211 for that kind of wake?

Thanks Tommy

[Laptom]

Btw, congrats with your boat MikeSki!!!!

[clubmyke]

i couldnt tell you the difference (kinda new and havent rode behind the 210 enough). the 210 wake is world class.

the only weighted 210 i have rode in is jeffs(socalpunk-canyon lake) with 2000 lbs - the wake was awesome !!!!

just playing around with 4 -6 lead bags made a difference in the 211. the real question is just how good is the 211...

[Mikeski]

SGY,

I still ski everytime we go out and I was sick of moving everybody in front of the pylon, with the V-drive nobody has to move. Funny, the main reason I decided on the V-drive was based on skiing not boarding! The 211 really drives like an direct-drive, much more then the bu. It was a comment that my wife made that clinched the deal. She doesn't know or care where the motor is and has no prejudice for what to expect about handling. She said the 211 was easier to drive then my 1995 Ski, and much easier then the VLX. She used the word "sporty" to describe the handling. I was also very impressed with the way it handled. My ski fits in the ski locker, I even put my wakeboard under the passenger seat. The storage really works in this boat.

Malibu might want to reconsider the storage layout in their boats, I was very dissapointed with the layout. As big as their boats are they don't seem to hold more stuff.