Have ski, will buy gas: test ride a 206 or 216 in Southeast Virginia?

[tgi100]

I have been a long-time fan of Ski Nautique and hope to pick up our first one this summer!! I am just starting to get into the slalom course (30 mph around 15 to 22 off) and hope to advance. We also have 2 young kiddos and need a boat with as much room as possible without too much compromise. On some days, we may even want to go to the dark side and try some surfing, but that is definitely secondary to a quality slalom wake.

The short list of boats that we are considering include: 206, 216, and perhaps a Malibu Response LXI, or Mastercraft 197 or 214. Our budget is keeping us to the circa 2003 thru 2009 era. (below $35K). Definitely prefer the performance of a DD.

After reading many threads here that have been very helpful, it seems like the best answer is to test the boats we are considering for purchase. However.... since I am looking at older used boats, how do I compare these boats without driving all over half the country?

My idea is: if you are in the Southeast Virginia area, and own one of these boats, I would like to fill your tank for a pull or two sometime after the weather warms up a bit.

Any interest? Any suggestions for other boats to add to the short list?

[Nautiquehunter]

Marine Max Buford GA has a used 206 for sale.

[tgi100]

Marine Max Buford GA has a used 206 for sale.

Thanks, can you please send a link? I can't seem to find the 206 in their inventory.

[Quinner]

You will find that the Nautiques are pretty weight sensitive, with my 206 there is a noticeable difference in the slalom wake with 2 observers vs 1. Same will hold true with any added accy's like tower, speakers, etc.

You should post your request on CCFan also, there is one very active member there, Steve K, who has a 206 and is in Virginia. If you ever get to the Chicagoland area I would be happy to give you a pull, may be a while however as the ice just went out on my lake and I don't have anything in yet

[tgi100]

Quinner, Thank you for the info, I'll try CCfan as well. I have also found your previous posts about the 206 to be very informative when I was originally searching around and appreciate your detail and objectiveness. If we find ourselves in the Chicago area I'll definitely drop you a line! Thank you for the offer and let's hope spring comes soon.

Regarding weight sensitivity, I speculate that the 216 will be less weight sensitive because of the extra surface area. Do you have a feel for how the wake will compare to the 206 if both boats have a tower and 4 people on board? Do you know if something like a Response LXI will be more or less weight sensitive?

[Quinner]

The 216 will be a step back on the slalom wake and even handling, you don't gain enough space to make it worth it IMO. LXI has a really good slalom wake, some may say better than the 206, what I noticed most between the 2 is the tracking of the LXI is not as good as the 206 and I feel quality over all on the Nautique is much better. The next best thing to the 206 IMO is the Sport/Air of the 1999 thru 2002 era, 98' is the same boat just not a walk thru open bow that year.

[shep216]

Have been an owner of an 04 216 from new and highly recommend, handles/performs very well. Has a slightly larger wake bump than the 206 for slalom BUT the extra room especially at the rear and in the bow makes it feel far roomier than the 206 to me so worth the compromise...


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[tgi100]

Thank you Quinner and Shep216. I'll definitely keep an eye out for an Air/Sport and keep that in the consideration too.

[MrJake]

Have been an owner of an 04 216 from new and highly recommend, handles/performs very well. Has a slightly larger wake bump than the 206 for slalom BUT the extra room especially at the rear and in the bow makes it feel far roomier than the 206 to me so worth the compromise...


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Hey Shep:
how would you compare your old 2001 wake to the 04 216?

Say 32- 34 MPH @15 off.

My wife and I mainly recreationally slalom. I’ll attempt the course every once in a while but definitely not going pro any time soon. Keep getting older.

Im looking at graduating from my old ‘79 Ski Nautique (Had it for 21 years now) to a 04 Air 216.

I’ve gotten used to my ‘79 wake and I can only imagine anything newer would be a vast improvement.

We also pull the kids wakeboarding, tubing, and a little bit if surfing.

We keep our boat on my parents dock in Bellingham WA and enjoy boats rides in the evening and with the ‘79, 3-4 folks is about max.

So....... we would like the extra room and still be able to slalom every once in a while.

Thanks

Doug

[Skidave]

Too funny. I had a 79 and then went to a 206 (2003). I only ski once or twice a year, so I can't compare other than the 79 wake is a bit bumpy compared to the 206.

I loved my 79 and hated to see it go, but love my 206 too. We have owned the 206 since new.

Good luck.

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[MrJake]

Too funny. I had a 79 and then went to a 206 (2003). I only ski once or twice a year, so I can't compare other than the 79 wake is a bit bumpy compared to the 206.

I loved my 79 and hated to see it go, but love my 206 too. We have owned the 206 since new.

Good luck.

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Diddo on the “hate to see it go”. My two kids have literally grown up on our ‘79 Ski. My daughter is begging me just to give the ‘79 to her.

We bought it from White Lake Marina back in ‘98 as the second owners. It’s a solid blue hull, with the big “Ski Nautique” rustolium letters on the side. Still all original but with a new motor in 2006.

But....life goes on.

[Skidave]

Mine was solid brown, with white letters. I had posted photos here long ago.

My issue was storage for 2 boats.

Going back, I would have kept it and worked around the storage issue.

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