Mastercraft X30 v. Air Nautique 226

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  • mgaspence
    • May 2005
    • 81



    Mastercraft X30 v. Air Nautique 226

    So, I own a SAN 210. It has exceeded my expectations as a wakeboard boat and for slalom skiing. You can make the wake do anything you want by shifting ballast and it turns like it's glued to the water. I went to the Lake George Boatshow today hoping to see the new SAN 220. Tom Roach said he should have one mid-October for a ride.

    I spent alot of time looking at the new '06 Mastercraft X30. I must say it has a radical hull, very sharp retro style vents and gauges and nice layout.
    Graphics are superb and the tower is A1 with wicked swivel board racks. I was saying, maybe my next ride is going to be a Mastercraft.

    As I said, I went to the show hoping to climb around a new SAN 220, but the best I could do was lounging in the Air Nautique 226. It was the closest sizewise to the X30. Well, I have my bias toward CC, and really after spending an hour or so looking over both boats carefully, the CC Air 226 has the edge in terms of fit, finish, quality material feel, and general layout. It could use some tricks in the Mastercraft like the swivel racks.

    The Mastercraft has style, no doubt. The LED toggle switches are way cool. But still, it seems to be 1/2 step behind in overall feel for quality in workmanship. The CC just seems to be soooo tight and precise in workmanship and the quality of all materials.

    My point is when the SAN 220 hits the floors and the water I think it's all over. With its bigger, deeper hull and the wakegate, it will have all the quality of CC with the size of the X30, and the versatility of providing easy shape to wakes via the wakegate as well as decent slalom skiing capability. I was told the ticket is around $70K with the Team Edition loaded with the 6 liter Vortec PCM. I'm starting to save.

    I'll post an update after I ride with Tom Roach from Adirondack Marine in October. My son (19 yrs) will wakeboard. I'll do the slalom work and let you all know. We are going to ride the X30 too, so it will be interesting to compare performance on the water and wake performance at various speeds. Stay tuned.
  • NautiqueJeff
    A d m i n i s t r a t o r
    • Mar 2002
    • 16521
    • Lake Norman

    • Mooresville, NC

    • 2025 SAN G23 PNE 1985 Sea Nautique 1980 Twin-Engine Fish Nautique

    #2
    RE: Mastercraft X30 v. Air Nautique 226

    I had the opportunity to spend about a week in an X-Star over this summer, and I really did like the boat. I didn't think I would. The MasterCraft board racks are outstanding. The CC swivel board racks are great too. I'm glad they decided to offer that option. MasterCraft does make a quality product, but I'll stick with CC. You just can't beat a Nautique.
    I own and operate Silver Cove Marine, which is an inboard boat restoration, service, and sales facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. We specializes in Nautiques and Correct Crafts, and also provide general service for Nautiques fifteen years old and older.

    If we can be of service to you, please contact us anytime!




    Current Boats —> 2025 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2001 Ski Nautique -- 2000 Nautique Super Sport PYTHON -- 2000 Nautique Super Sport -- 1999 Ski Nautique PYTHON-- 1985 Sea Nautique 2700 (Twin-Engine, 1 of 13) -- 1981 Fish Nautique (Twin-Engine, 1 of 4) -- 1980 Fish Nautique (Twin-Engine, 1 of 4)
    Former Boats —> 2024 Super Air Nautique G23 PARAGON -- 2023 Super Air Nautique G23 --
    2022 Super Air Nautique G23 PARAGON -- 2021 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2021 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2020 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2019 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2018 Super Air Nautique G23-- 2018 SAN 210 TE -- 2017 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2016 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2015 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2014 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2014 Super Air Nautique 230 Team Edition2013 Super Air Nautique G232012 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition2011 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition2010 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition2008 Super Air Nautique 230 Team Edition2007 Air Nautique 236 Team Edition -- 2007 Air Nautique SV-211 -- 2005 SV-211 -- 2003 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition -- 2003 Air Nautique 226 -- 2003 Sport Nautique 216 -- 2003 Ski Nautique 196 -- 2003 Ski Nautique 196-- 2002 Ski Nautique-- 2001 Sport Nautique -- 2001 Ski Nautique -- 2000 Sport Nautique --1999 Ski Nautique Open Bow -- 1999 Air Tique 176 -- 1998 Ski Nautique -- 1998 Ski Nautique -- 1998 Ski Nautique -- 1997 Ski Nautique -- 1997 Ski Nautique -- 1996 Ski Nautique Open Bow -- 1994 Ski Nautique -- 1993 Barefoot Nautique -- 1983 Fish Nautique (TWIN ENGINE, 1 of 4) -- 1981 Fish Nautique (SINGLE ENGINE)

    Need something for your boat? Please check out our site sponsors! Not only do they offer the best products available, they also support this site.
    Silver Cove Marine - NautiqueParts.com - Phoenix Trailers - SkiSafe - PCM Marine Engines - C&S Marine - OJ Propellers

    Comment

    • gotwake
      • Jul 2003
      • 304

      • Mundelein, Il


      #3
      RE: Mastercraft X30 v. Air Nautique 226

      X30 is a great boat and I think it feels a lot bigger (due to the beam) than a 220 or 226. While I agree in some areas with your comment on fit and finish, I think CC could learn a lot from this boat. MC towers are the best out there - period (and TALL). Racks are excellant and not an after thought. Love the built in area for a true cooler and the walkway across the swimdeck (yes there's a pad). Storage is excellant, and love the drivers seat. I too have really looked at the X-30, great boat.
      The person who said \"Money can\'t buy happiness\" never rode behind an \"OLD\" 210.

      Comment

      • mgaspence
        • May 2005
        • 81



        #4
        racks

        I agree about the racks/tower. The MC X30 swivels are just perfectly tooled and functional as ****. They have spring loaded steel clamps with neoprene pads. Just simple and accessible. It's no doubt a first rate boat. I'm looking forward to a ride on the water to really compare all around wake versatility and overall handling. The SAN 220 tower could be better. I know they have a swivel rack option, but the pics make the tower look a bit funky. It seems a better job could have been done to make the tower look better integrated into the overall SAN 220 design. But, I still think the overall interior flexibility with seating and materials may give the SAN 220 the edge.

        Comment

        • Andy1972
          • Oct 2004
          • 128



          #5
          I'm glad CC came out with the 220. It seems like alot of people really like it. However, I don't think they have filled the void left by the X30. I simply want a larger 210. The layout is fine for my social crowd in the 210, just needs a few more feet. The 226 interior isn't any larger I think than my 210. Lift ring to lift ring they are almost the same. The additional 1'6" gets you 2 extra peeps with no where for all of them to sit. I hoping they will offer an 2nd, alternative interior layout with the 220, otherwise I'm worried I'll outgrow the 210. Just my opinion.

          Comment

          • Mikeski
            1,000 Post Club Member
            • Jul 2003
            • 2908

            • San Francisco, CA

            • Current 2005 SV 211, due for upgrade! GS22 or GS24 perhaps? Previous

            #6
            mgaspence,

            Since I have been in the 220 I would say you should wait until you give that a chance. It has more style and detailing than any other CC offerring that I have ever seen before. It's a great size too. After spending a summer in my 211 with the wakegate I cannot imagine having a boat without that feature. It is so quick to solve so many small issues and makes the boat so versatile it's no wonder it's in almost every hull in CCs 06 lineup (except the 216 strangely?). The X-30 is a great boat but I think the 220 is more advanced and more versatile.

            Comment

            • efox
              • Jul 2003
              • 237

              • Lawrenceburg,In


              #7
              Jeff, I think you spent time in the same X-star as I, and likely you also rode in Shaun's boat. The wake felt superior to me in the 226 and I really liked the walkthrough better than I thought I would. There really wasn't enough storage on the 226 though for 6 riders and boards, plus 2 dogs...

              The Xstar wake was very nice, but the boat excelled in comfort for the passengers and storage. Storage was better mostly because of the hard top bimini option. The performance of the X though was not very good when fully weighted. Long time to get on plane and bow dip when slowing with passengers in the bow.

              Big boats like this are nice, I wish I lived closer to big water!
              Eric Fox

              Comment

              • bkhallpass
                1,000 Post Club Member
                • Apr 2005
                • 1407

                • Discovery Bay, CA

                • 2001 Super Air Nautique (Current) 1998 Ski Nautique (former) 1982 Ski Nautique (Current)

                #8
                I'll give you that the X30 has a functional layout, and a lot of bling.
                But how is it that anyone is calling it a great boat????

                I have not driven the 06 X30, but I have driven two made in the last
                couple of years. Both drove terribly. Poor acceleration, big bow rise, and the turning radius of an aircraft carrier. To m, it is not a great boat
                when it drives like a pig.

                Personally, I don't care for the layout of the X30 driver's area which feels like an I/O, but that's just me.

                BKH
                2001 Super Air

                Comment

                • NautiqueJeff
                  A d m i n i s t r a t o r
                  • Mar 2002
                  • 16521
                  • Lake Norman

                  • Mooresville, NC

                  • 2025 SAN G23 PNE 1985 Sea Nautique 1980 Twin-Engine Fish Nautique

                  #9
                  Yeah, Shaun managed to submarine the X-Star on one particular stop. The entire boat filled with water up to the top of the seat cushions! It took quite a long time to pump that out. Other things I noticed about the X-Star that needed to be improved included the fact that if you have a board on the hard top, it can and will go through the glass of the tower lights, and the vinyl seemed to be easily stained. One rider left a Parks board (black bottom) on the engine cover during a stop, and when it was picked up, there was a perfect dark black imprint of the board on the vinyl! I don't know if that is a problem with the board or the vinyl, but Travis wasn't too happy that day. On another day, we piled fifteen people and three dogs in the boat and filled all the sacks. They were filming Shaun for the Hyperlite video that day, and with all the weight in the boat, it took FOREVER to plane. It was extremely weighted though. The X-Star took a beating that week...

                  Oddly enough, I never have ridden behind Shaun's 226. I've been around it a few times, including pulling it from Orlando to Georgia for the Masters. He's got (or at least he did have) about 1,000 pounds of lead in there, and the wake at the Masters looked outstanding. It was very clean and had a perfect shape. The 226 is a great boat, and I have been in a few of them owned by other people. We've never had storage issues, but then again, we didn't have six to ten people, 2 dogs, 8 wakeboards, etc. like they typically do at the camp.
                  I own and operate Silver Cove Marine, which is an inboard boat restoration, service, and sales facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. We specializes in Nautiques and Correct Crafts, and also provide general service for Nautiques fifteen years old and older.

                  If we can be of service to you, please contact us anytime!




                  Current Boats —> 2025 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2001 Ski Nautique -- 2000 Nautique Super Sport PYTHON -- 2000 Nautique Super Sport -- 1999 Ski Nautique PYTHON-- 1985 Sea Nautique 2700 (Twin-Engine, 1 of 13) -- 1981 Fish Nautique (Twin-Engine, 1 of 4) -- 1980 Fish Nautique (Twin-Engine, 1 of 4)
                  Former Boats —> 2024 Super Air Nautique G23 PARAGON -- 2023 Super Air Nautique G23 --
                  2022 Super Air Nautique G23 PARAGON -- 2021 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2021 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2020 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2019 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2018 Super Air Nautique G23-- 2018 SAN 210 TE -- 2017 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2016 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2015 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2014 Super Air Nautique G23 -- 2014 Super Air Nautique 230 Team Edition2013 Super Air Nautique G232012 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition2011 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition2010 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition2008 Super Air Nautique 230 Team Edition2007 Air Nautique 236 Team Edition -- 2007 Air Nautique SV-211 -- 2005 SV-211 -- 2003 Super Air Nautique 210 Team Edition -- 2003 Air Nautique 226 -- 2003 Sport Nautique 216 -- 2003 Ski Nautique 196 -- 2003 Ski Nautique 196-- 2002 Ski Nautique-- 2001 Sport Nautique -- 2001 Ski Nautique -- 2000 Sport Nautique --1999 Ski Nautique Open Bow -- 1999 Air Tique 176 -- 1998 Ski Nautique -- 1998 Ski Nautique -- 1998 Ski Nautique -- 1997 Ski Nautique -- 1997 Ski Nautique -- 1996 Ski Nautique Open Bow -- 1994 Ski Nautique -- 1993 Barefoot Nautique -- 1983 Fish Nautique (TWIN ENGINE, 1 of 4) -- 1981 Fish Nautique (SINGLE ENGINE)

                  Need something for your boat? Please check out our site sponsors! Not only do they offer the best products available, they also support this site.
                  Silver Cove Marine - NautiqueParts.com - Phoenix Trailers - SkiSafe - PCM Marine Engines - C&S Marine - OJ Propellers

                  Comment

                  • efox
                    • Jul 2003
                    • 237

                    • Lawrenceburg,In


                    #10
                    I also thought Gerry's boat was quite nice...but it's really slow to plane off....must have been the 5000# he had in the boat that day. One other thing I was not a fan of in the X with the hard top, was the boards drip right down onto you.

                    Rode behind an LSV two weeks ago, the interior room was unbelievable. I had my own zipcode, but the wake was a lot wider than your typical Nautique. I like the swivel seat. There are a lot of good ideas out there, but it's tough for a manufacturer to get that all in one boat. Can't please everyone you know.

                    Eric
                    Eric Fox

                    Comment

                    • chathamsolutions
                      • Feb 2025
                      • 20



                      #11
                      Originally posted by efox
                      ...
                      Rode behind an LSV two weeks ago, the interior room was unbelievable. I had my own zipcode, but the wake was a lot wider than your typical Nautique. I like the swivel seat. There are a lot of good ideas out there, but it's tough for a manufacturer to get that all in one boat. Can't please everyone you know.

                      Eric
                      How many people are you planning on having in your boat? If it's consistently 8+ then I'd consider the X-30 or the LSV. Storage, and interior layout of the 226 are on the smaller side. I think it really comes down to that, how many people? If it's 8 or less than I think the SAN will treat you well.

                      We almost always have 2 full families on our boat. I took 12 adults in our LSV for an all day 'business get away' 2 weeks ago. We spent the whole day on the boat, close to 6 hours without anyone getting off. Everyone had plenty of room, no one was on top of each other. Most on the boat were having their first inboard experience. They all were very comfortable.

                      If you're going to have a lot of people on your boat, then you need to look at these livingroom styled boats. I love my LSV and wouldnt' trade it for the world. Plus Malibu has just come out with their new 247, a 24' boat. It makes an INCREDIBLE surfing wake.

                      Oh ya, I agree with the above. The X-30 has had terrible reviews on handling. For a 23' boat, I think mine handles incredibly well.

                      My $.02
                      2004 Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
                      CLICK HERE to view my boat

                      Comment

                      • PaulMcIntosh
                        • Aug 2005
                        • 11

                        • Parksville, B.C, Canada


                        #12
                        Go with the CC. Mastercraft looks nice and all but if you have any problems at all, MC is brutal to deal with. I had a 2001 MC new and 1.5 years into owning it the Gel Coat blistered, What a nightmare dealing with MC even though it had a 2 year Gel Coat warranty. They would not deal with me until I got ignorant. I work on boats full time and they tried every trick in the book to get out of fixing it. I now own a 2005 CC. I've had nothing go wrong but you can tell the workmanship is there and the CC company cares about after market service.
                        (You couldn't give me a MC, but they do look nice from a distance)

                        Comment

                        • mgaspence
                          • May 2005
                          • 81



                          #13
                          220 has veratility

                          What I've heard from those that have seen and/or rode the new 220 is that it is very well thought out with many options in terms of seating arrangement. Alot of flexibility.

                          About the stain from a board on the swim deck. That happened to me on SAN this summer. A new hyperlite on the swimdeck for 20 minutes in the sun left a one foot square blue stain that nothing touched. The marina (not dealer) said it happens when heat pulls the color from the vinyl backing through to vinyl cover. It faded over the summer and is gone now. But, be careful leaving boards on swim deck in the sun. Newer boards especially.

                          I think the 220 will rule the as premier world wakeboard boat. Alot of thinking went into it. Maybe a bit of tweaking on the tower, but if it handles like my SAN 210, nothing can beat it.

                          Comment

                          • surroundsound64
                            1,000 Post Club Member
                            • Jul 2005
                            • 2147

                            • Longview, TX

                            • 2018 230 1981 Ski Nautique

                            #14
                            Originally posted by PaulMcIntosh
                            Go with the CC. Mastercraft looks nice and all but if you have any problems at all, MC is brutal to deal with. I had a 2001 MC new and 1.5 years into owning it the Gel Coat blistered, What a nightmare dealing with MC even though it had a 2 year Gel Coat warranty. They would not deal with me until I got ignorant. I work on boats full time and they tried every trick in the book to get out of fixing it. I now own a 2005 CC. I've had nothing go wrong but you can tell the workmanship is there and the CC company cares about after market service.
                            (You couldn't give me a MC, but they do look nice from a distance)
                            As far as quality goes, how many 20yr old MCs do you see on the water as opposed to 20yr old CCs?

                            The average life span of a MC is somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 yrs.
                            2018 SAN 230
                            1981 Ski Nautique
                            Sold - 2011 Sport 200V
                            Sold - 2000 SAN

                            Comment

                            • redelf75
                              Senior Member of PLANETNAUTIQUE
                              • Sep 2003
                              • 767

                              • NYC


                              #15
                              I think both companies have their horror and glory stories. My friend's '01 MC had extensive vinyl damage and MC replaced all the skins for free years after the warranty expired. THe thought was that they tore because he used the boat so much in the cold months and ice formed on the vinyl at night while still wet. And I have srews falling out of my '04 CC, so I think it works both ways.

                              Comment

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