Nautique GS22 or Mastercraft XT22

[Chuckfzs]

Hello, I currently have a 2014 Nautique 230 that I’m share with a buddy. I like it fine but I’m buying my own boat and need help. I will only use stock ballast. I love the GS22 in the showroom but haven’t driven one yet. Online opinions of th GS22 haven’t been favorable for the surf wave which is what I will be doing over 50% of the time. The rest of the time would be pulling tubes and maybe kneeboarding for the little kids now until they upgrade to wake boarding when they get older I assume. I fell in love with the GS22 at the showroom and I saw an XT22 in a showroom and didn’t personally like it nearly as much but it had the cheap looking carpet that didn’t compare to the Nautique seadek. I just want to know what to truly expect with a stock set up on GS22 with typically no more than 4 kids under the age of 12 and 4 adults including me the driver at most. We are just now learning to surf and enjoy the 230 now but we don’t toss the rope yet and I don’t want to have trouble if there isn’t enough push to handle my 190 pounds. I have only owned one boat in my life and that’s been for only 3 months so I’m fairly new to this all and don’t have much to compare to. Thanks in advance!

[Evening Shade]

Sounds like you are looking at the wrong boats. Based on your use you don’t need to be looking at crossover boats. You should be looking at a 230, G21, or G23. These boats will produce a better, more surfable wave than any GS and they will tow your tube just fine. I think you will be disappointed in the GS surf wave coming from a 230.

[KevDog]

I have a 2018 GS24, which I traded in a 2010 Mastercraft for. Family of 4 with 1 slalom skier and 3 surfers. We also tube, kneeboard, etc. For us, the GS24 has been fantastic. Everyone can surf and toss the line no problem. I have surfed the G also, and I do think the surf wave is bigger and slightly better. But for the skill level we are likely to achieve I think the GS is more than enough. I did buy 500lbs of lead ballast bags and put in rear lockers - not sure it changed much. I hated that mastercraft took up those rear lockers with sacks. And the nautique Electroncis are lightyears better than mastercraft


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[Wayward]

And the nautique Electroncis are lightyears better than mastercraft

Just FYI....... The electronics are literally identical. The touch screens, ECUs, and PDMs (The solid state control modules for the lights, surf system, ballast, accessories, etc), are IDENTICAL.

You can take a touchscreen out of a Nautique,do a quick software update, and install in a MC. The PDMs are plug and play. Just remove it from one, and plug it in the other, and it will work.

To the OP- The XT22 is going to surf better out of the box, but they have now added a plug and play ballast upgrade for the GS series, which probably will bring it right up to par. I’d just demo both of them, and chose the one you like the best. Also, evaluate how you feel about the dealer experience. That’s probably the most important thing.

also- MC offers a choice of carpet, deckadence, or SeaDek, for flooring options. So, if you were ordering one, you aren’t stuck with the carpet that you don’t like.

[Chuckfzs]

From what I have seen from others, the GS driving experience is awesome. I don't need a huge massive boat or anything....will rarely have more than a total of 6 people. My buddy has the G23 and the surf wave is awesome, but strangely enough, my wife and I struggle behind it when surfing and I don't really want to spend the extra money. Please keep in mind that we are newbies here and I rarely ever surf since I have to drive and this is our first season of having a boat. Maybe it's a taller wave or has more push which is tougher on us as beginners. Also, it seems like a barge when cruising which could be good or bad depending on what you want. I think I will love driving the GS22. Wayward mentioned the added plug and play ballast upgrade option. How does that work? Does it automatically fill the extra bags when I hit "wakesurf" or is there something else I would have to do to fill that up? I hope to drive a few boats soon. I'm just trying to get the facts first. Thanks for all the help and advice. I know this is a nautique board and I really want to get the GS22 for some reason.....just love the look.

[KevDog]

By “electronics” I am referring to the helm controls and how they function. Nautique’s are dramatically better. Just look at a photo of the XT helm and the GS for comparison . Much larger screen on Nautique, no dials, no manual switches, helm control knob to cycle through the menus, keyless start....


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[Wayward]

By “electronics” I am referring to the helm controls and how they function. Nautique’s are dramatically better. Just look at a photo of the XT helm and the GS for comparison . Much larger screen on Nautique, no dials, no manual switches, helm control knob to cycle through the menus, keyless start....


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I guess I still don’t get it........ that bigger screen is the exact same screen. It’s not bigger, smaller, or different. Same manufacturer, same part number, same everything. MC has 2 of them..... that is the only difference. (Unless you are only looking at the small screen package on the MC). 99% of them are optioned with the dual screen.

as for the manual switches, that is a major bonus in my opinion. Nothing says you have to use them. Everything is available in the TS. The switches are just a redundant option, so you can just tap any of those options quickly, without having to change any menus or look for it on the screen.

i don’t really care for the keyless start, but I can see how others like it. My key never leaves the boat, unless I stop at a restaurant or something. So, just hitting the start button is easier for me.

[Chuckfzs]

So apparently the 2019 GS22 has a “pro ballast upgrade” option from the factory that adds 700 lbs of ballast in the rear. Would you guys think this would help my issue since I usually surf in a fairly empty boat? For some stupid reason, I really love the GS22 and don’t want to pay the $ for the G23. Thoughts?

[idahosan]

So apparently the 2019 GS22 has a “pro ballast upgrade” option from the factory that adds 700 lbs of ballast in the rear. Would you guys think this would help my issue since I usually surf in a fairly empty boat? For some stupid reason, I really love the GS22 and don’t want to pay the $ for the G23. Thoughts?

Yes the 700lbs will make a difference. I hope to find out how much of a difference next week. Dealer says it helps a lot with wave length and push. We normally surf with 3 people in the boat, so extra ballast is usually a must for us. We are looking at ordering a gs22 as well and I really dig it.

[Chuckfzs]

Awesome. Let me know what you think. Maybe this will fix my only concern with this boat.

[NMaC1979]

Yes the 700lbs will make a difference. I hope to find out how much of a difference next week. Dealer says it helps a lot with wave length and push. We normally surf with 3 people in the boat, so extra ballast is usually a must for us. We are looking at ordering a gs22 as well and I really dig it.

Be careful of sales pitch. I have never seen any brand of wakeboat add 700#’s to the rear and have the surf wave gain length. Height maybe and push, but weight added to the FRONT of wakeboats along with increased speed is usually needed to add length.

[idahosan]

Be careful of sales pitch. I have never seen any brand of wakeboat add 700#’s to the rear and have the surf wave gain length. Height maybe and push, but weight added to the FRONT of wakeboats along with increased speed is usually needed to add length.

Ya, I should have said that differently. You’re absolutely right that adding weight to the rear won’t change length all alone. I believe the first time I surfed the gs22 we had rear ballast full and belly was 50%. I could surf it but pocket was short and I had to work for it a little more than I’d like. To be fair I wasn’t on my board and haven’t been able to do a ton of surfing this summer. Adding 700lbs to the lockers should allow us to fill belly full and run a little faster. At least that’s my hope. I don’t need a massive surf wave anymore, just one with good push and ability to change shape a little more than my current boat. I appreciate that most sales people are in it to sell a boat. Mine is more of a friend that I happen to buy boats from.