'06 210 Ltd. review

[Rhode]

On the chance that there are people out there who did not make it to the recent round of boat shows or did but only got to see the new 220 because it has been the big splash this year and the object of most people's interest, the following is a quick review of the 2006 210 Ltd. which I have had since early September.

Tower - Brand new FCT design this year; I don't like it better or worse than the '00-'05 FCT...I just like it because it is new and different, maybe that makes me shallow; functionally, it is every bit as sturdy as the previous design. It seemed to me that the tubing is a little smaller than the tubing used on the new 220 FCT, which is of the same design with the exception that the 210 FCT has extra reinforcement tubing in the upper front corners. Also, the 210 does not have the special overhead handles like the 220.

Racks - Some people might be very disapointed with the Flight Clips. Enough said (see other thread). Anyone in their right mind, regardless of if/when CC starts welding the FCT correctly or provides spacers with Flight Clips, will want to buy the Titan-made Spinner Racks. They are of the highest quality and work extremely well. I was struck by the fact that the Spinners cost only 10% more than the Flight Clips. They are well worth it. The only drawback I can see with the Spinners versus the Clips are that the latter holds boards in a much more vertical position, which makes it easier to pull alongside other boats and gas docks and into slips with tall pilings or lift poles.

Windshield - Brand new 3-piece design that swoops back like BU and MC. While it may turn off the truly nostalgic Nautique fact, I like the sporty look and from a functional perspective it keeps out a lot of air flow, which is key for people like me who ride a lot early and late in their respective seasons. It may not be new for '06, but the walk through window hinge seems beefier and has a more solid feel.

Ballast Pumps - New type for this year w/ no manual vents like '05 and in some of the earlier years. The new pumps are a bit loud, but seem much faster than any from '00-'05. Other than the noise they make, the most noticable difference is that water is pumped out the bottom of the boat and not out the sides of the boat. While it is not as obvious when a pump has emptied a tank because there is not water that you can see or hear exiting the boat, you easily get used to the sound of the motors changing when the water is out. It is likely the case that you can no longer gravity fill you ballast tanks.

Transmission - New Walter V-Drive. Now spins the prop like a BU and MC such that boat pulls to the starboard. This seemed strange to me at first, but I have gotten used to it and like the boat pulling toward the driver's side where I can better see when coming alongside another boat or dock (and fend off if need be).

Electrical breakers - I am out of my league here to comment in a technical way, but note that there is a breaker box in the port-side engine locker. The only thing I know for sure is that the ballast pump breakers are located there. There is still a breaker panel under the dash. I will guess here that some of the high voltage stuff is in the back. The only potential problem is that most locker sacks will cover the panel.

Engine wall - I don't know what to call this, but they are now using a nylon panel to separate the engine compartment from the locker/ballast tank area. It is one piece and easu to remove for engine maintenance/work and keep clean. This may not be new for this year, but it certainly is since '03.

Carpet - Intended or not, my boat came with carpet on horizontal seat platform along the passenger/port side of the boat, but it is gel coat across the back bench. It looks a bit odd; maybe somebody just forgot to glue on a piece of carpet.

Navigation Light - Not new this year, but this is possibly my favorite part of my new boat because it is mounted on top of the tower and is very convenient.

Airmalibu Logo - New and triple tribal. I don't like it, but not so much because tribal I'm told that tribal is passe or that it seems too heavily influenced by BU. I don't like it because it is a hella big, non-blinging sticker. I would have been more stoked to see them continue with some of the raised, gell lettering and reflective silver or gold sticker material that have been used in the past on the main logo. The day I took delivery of my boat and realized I forgot to separately order a bow filler cushion, I noticed on the CC order form that there is still a line item to select either a large or small decal. The smaller one, if available, might work better for some.

Cup holders - Standard stainless steel, no upcharge; this generosity by CC humbles me; SAN/210 cup holders have come a long way since my '00 had these brittle plastic, flip out jobs screwed to the seat platforms.

Perfect Pass - New bigger LED display and indicators. Probably has a ton of new features from my last one that I never learned how to use.

Towerbiminis.com - Cat's Meow!

Others, please fill in the blanks and let me know what I got wrong and have not mentioned.

[AbunDiga909]

RE:

Rhode, great review! I have not yet been in an '06 210 but sounds very similar to the 220, you got pretty much everything I noticed on the 220. The fuse panal and ballst control pump thing is in the same spot...

I am a little confused though, does the 210 come with the removable snap-in-out carpet like the 211/220? I didn't know you could get a small or large decal on the side of the boat, but they're the same right? I'd like to see 2 pics of the boats w/ the small and larger one side by side. And lastly, why did CC make ONLY the 210 pull to the right in reverse? Why not change all of them if they think it's better... The 220 pulled to the left...

[82tique]

RE:

Rhode-
Dude, that was longer than my senior thesis!

The 210 sounds rad (minus tribal bling)....can't wait to upgrade....eventually.

[DanielC]

RE:

The big change with the V-drive transmissionin the '06 is that to remove the prop shaft, the prop shaft nut is on the front of the V-drive transmission. No more reaching under and behind the V-drive into a very cramped space to remove eight bolts, with nylocks to be able to access the nut for the prop shaft. That being said, I hope you never have a reason to pull your prop shaft.

[Rhode]

AbunDiga 909 - I'm fairly sure that removable carpet is not available on the 210. That said, I'm not sure I'm a big fan of removable carpet in the first instance. Seems like I would have to spend even more time to keep my boat absolutely spotless. Perhaps, others on this board would lose sleep thinking thining about all the crumbs and other such debris that would work their way under the carpet. I would rather have the carpet permanently affixed and continue to make people walk the plank who are foolish enough to try and eat Pop Tarts and the like.

I'm not betting the ranch on the availability of a smaller decal, but did see a line item for one on an CC-provided order form. It could be the case that there is no small one availble on the 210 model and I'm sure there is somone on this board who can settle this matter.

It's my understanding that CC put the new Walter V-Drive only on the 210 for 2006, but that it may be coming for other models in future years. To clarify, it is this new V-Drive that makes the boat pull to the right/starboard in reverse. Funny story: Before my boat arrived, my dealer tried to pitch this new V-Drive to me in terms of it being superior because it is lighter than the old PCM one. He kept repeating this pitch to me over the next month when I called to inquire about my late boat, evertime reminding him that weight is not the same issue for me as it is in the skiing world in which he lives.

82tique - Sorry for being so verbose. All the stuff that has been improved on the 210 since '00 is deserving of a separate thread.

DanielC - I wonder if the situation you describe is what my dealer's top mechanic spent six hours wrestling with when water testing my boat so as to try and fix a big leak caused by a bolt that had not been tighened during construction. I still have a big leak, but am not sure it is the same one, and will not get it taken care of until winterizing my boat here shortly. I think its a new leak and coming from the rudder mounting assembly. I've mostly drawn this conclusion from a red greese pen note written on the bottom of my bilge that reads, "NOT TIGHT," and has a arrow pointing directly at the rudder assembly that looks like some three year old smeared a tub of silicone caulc all over and around the permiter (wiping to their fingers on the top of the bigle pump).

[imported_pjdave]

On receiveing our 06 210 we were too disapointed on the lack of carpet along the bottom edge of the rear seat, yes it does look like it had been forgotten in the factory. We were also disapointed on the missing centre peice cushion being an option now. We order our boats so early that we never have a chance to see the options list, and every year there is something that was standard turned into an option. My opinion also stands on the side decals that they are missing the "bling" of previous years they need some chrome drip moulded accents.

On the tower yes the new shape tkes some getting used too,but the only problem ive had is that if you have the factory speakers cans mounted on the rear brace it is really easy to head butt them when stepping down from the rear sunpad. I have noticed that the boat seems to have less roll with the new tow point being 2 foot backwards.

[speck]

the new tranny is lighter (who cares), and easier to service, and is made by pcm, not walters, in the 06 210. yes the 210 is the only boat to get this tranny. the tranny is not completely new, it has been used in other brands of boats, so at least we are not the guinny pigs.
tower new, windshield new, new electrical, new pumps and yes the carpet is missing, no snapout is not availible in the 210
as for the rack/spinners, how much of an upgrade are the spinners? i have ordered a 210 team and never inquired, assuming that they would be a fortune

one other thing, what did someone mention about the bow ballast, like it is an option? i know about the belly tank, but someone wrote something about a bow plumbing options (not the filler cushion)

does anybody use the jump seat?

[imported_pjdave]

does anybody use the jump seat?

We run two jump seats in our boat, one in the walkthrough, and one behind the drivers seat.

[Rhode]

My recollection is that CC's full retail price sheet had the Flight Clips listed at $720 and the Spinners at $800. Again, I will say that the Spinners seem to me to be the better value by a longshot. By comparison, the Flight Clips do not seem worth half the cost of the Spinners. The Spinners work excellently and look absolutely great!!! Wheras the Flight Cllips have ugly don't-bang-your-head-here stickers, the Spinners have Nautique logos etched deeply on both the plate on which the board forks are attached and on the spinner mechanism casing. Speck, you will be bumm'n if you don't change your order. Also, I am fairly sure there isn't bow ballast option like on the '05 VLX. It would be a great option, for sure. Funny, I got Walters V-drive paperwork with my boat.

[speck]

interesting on the walters paperwork. i saw the pcm logo on the v-drive on the demo boat and the dealer and i discussed it. the prop does turn the other way, like a bu. take a close look on your actual boat and let me know about the drive unit. just interesting, thats all. as far as the spinners, the team edition comes with the flight clips (i notice you have the limited), so i left it at that. i will inquire on monday about the spinners. i had the same spinners on my last boat, a 23 xti malibu. they are titan of course. i found that by the time that you pulled the pit pin, swung them around, undid the elastic, got the board out, redid the elastic, swung it back, fiddled with the pin again then hopped to the back of the boat, you were sick of the spinners. puttin the board back in, with the board wet and dripping i would have even less patience, and would not spin it, just flick off the elastic and shove it in the rack. from this standpoint, i am looking forward to the simple flight clips, albeit with the shimming to keep them away from tower (see other post)
i am interested in any other comments you have on the 06 210, as i can only wait till next summer thinking about mine.

[speck]

i also notice rhode, on the 220 vs 210 thread that you had a 05 vlx for a short time. i am coming from a 23 xti wakesetter (i think i mentioned that before). i switched because i rode behind a friends 210 a would not go back. i could not get that steep wake from my boat. i liked the boat enough, just not the wake (which i suppose is why we are here). i know that the xti is a disadvantage in itself (inboard), but i am surprised to hear that you were so bummed out at the vlx. was it the wake or the boat or both?

[Rhode]

At the risk of bloviating here about the high quality of CC boats, I will say that the overall fit and finish of the BU VLX turned me off vis-a-vis the 210. Had the BU's wake been something to brag about, I would have kept that VLX a season or two. Btw, I like the pre-'05 VLX wake well as these boats displace more water and the wedge seemed to do something.

The more familiar I became with the BU the more I got turned off my some of the cheapo plastic trim, extruded aluminum, and painted-on chrome bling. Off the top of my head and, again leaving the wake aside, I couldn't stand the touch and feel of the glove box with its chincy plastic lid. I've seen more quality on disposable stuff from the grocery store. I also thought the location of the stereo was idiotic, just as it was on the '00 and '01 SANs (and may later until it was moved into the glove/cell phone/keys/wallet/sunglasses box). The stereo is best located in the glove box where it will stay dry and people can't climb all over it. Getting back to chincy plastic, the '05 VLX's cup holder consoles on both the sides of the seating area were a high tribute cheapness and made of the same orange juice container plastic.

Sorry to ramble... Let's see here: the pumps on the BU were incredbily slow; my new 210 could fill and empty its tanks twice before that BU's belly ballast would fill once. Oh, I should forget the five-foot long, two-piece stern light that was an absolute P.O.S. Totally unusable! The only available racks for the BU had forks that were too wide for any board other than one with its HL boots in the farthest out position to fit correctly...the HL claws were ride on the tips of the forks.

What did I like about the '05 VLX: (1) swivel captain chair; (2) fourth bow ballast tank; (3) nylon engine wall; (4) pull-out passenger seat back rest access to storage compartment...unlike the SAN/210 where you gotta pull up the whole seat; (5) high quality, sturdy AND standard Corion-topped table...I saw the plastic-topped one offered by CC on an '05 210 that was was less sturdy than toddler highchair tray; (6) powerful Monsoon engine; (7) standard low-pitched prop...SANTE buyers won't experience this, but CC f'ing refuses to send out a Ltd.'s with the Acme 644 and now 645 prop with the tranny change; and (8) more standard color/stripe options for exterior and interior than CC.

Speck, only you know what will work best for you regarding board racks. So far, I have only used the spinning mechanism to get in an out of my lift and not hit the guide poles. All other times, my friends and I just use them like regular racks. I like them also because they are lower than Flight Clips and are easier for me put boards in and take them out. Lastly, I won't like to you, the Spinners are $1000% more blinging that the Flight Clips but only 10% more in cost. I'm sure you dealer could swap them out with a small upcharge. If you do this, your SANTE will be delivered with a full oval Nautique sticker on the billets instead of a shortened one that fits between the Flight Clips. Lastly, where's the evidence CC is either now welding the billet on the outside of the tubing or making spacers for the Flight Clips AND -- repeat AND -- bevelling the inside hole of the Clips and not the inside of the billet such that teh Clips can be assemble so that boards will not get ripped up by protruding bolts and lock nuts as now designed.

Will check out my tranny when I out and ride shortly.

[awake4air]

I wish I had seen this months back when I got my 06' 210 Limited. I ordered a limited with all the options except the stereo of the team because I knew I wasn't going to use it. My boat always seemed to be sluggish out of the hole with a lot of weight in the boat. A friend of mine told me to check out the prop to see if I could get it repitched. After closer investigation, I realized I had a different prop than the Team. The prop that is standard on the Limited is the Acme 381 13.5 X 17.5. The prop that is standard on the Team is the Acme 645 13.25 X 16. I ordered the 645 on Monday and the UPS man just dropped it at my door. Hopefully it will help the hole shot and bow rise. Hopefully this tid bit of information helps someone else.

[Rhode]

awake4air, I'm sure by now your enjoying more umph in the hole shot. Don't despair, though, there's no way your dealer could have successfully ordered a Limited with the less steep and more appropriately pitched Team prop for wakeboarding. CC gets a tax credit from the State of Florida and the Feds for having a mildly retarded, blind person from their church installing props on all new boats; that person simply reads the raised-letter stickers on the sides of the boats with their hands and then dips into one box of props or the other. To get a different outcome, it would take teaching braile to CC's useless middle man distributors that all boat orders go through from dealer to factory and visa versa when the boat has been constructed incorrectly and improperly.

[Zwengit]

Guinea pigs . . . yes

Rhode & Speck:

Correction --

I called Walters and they told me the new tranny is NOT a Walters vdrive but a PCM which is brand new to the market (and the world) . This v-drive has NO track record so beware. Can you say GUINEA PIG ???

Sure it's easier to get to the coupling bolts but just think what's gonna happen if one of those coupling bolts comes loose at 4,500 rpm . . .

Oh, and take a look at that V-Drive and tell me how you check the oil level 'cause there's no dipstick. They expect you to get down on your belly, take out a plug and try to see if its full.

No thanks!