2004 Super Air Natique 210- the right boat?

[ljwilke]

I am thinking about buying a 2004 Super Air Natique 210 great condition, 375 hours. I am 61 years old, my family has been skiing, wakeboarding behind a 1994 Bayliner for the last 20 years. So we have a really low bar. But.....we want a boat that I can still ski behind and the wake is good, and my adult children and wakeboard and surf. We are just recreational level at everything. I don't want to mess with moving lead ballast bags, and installing fat sacks or really doing much of anything to boat. I just want it to work and be able to have fun. Will this boat work for us? I live in California and they are asking $35,000 which I think is a fair price. The boat is immaculate. Thanks for your advice.

[NautiqueJeff]

The boat should do pretty much everything you're looking to do. Just know, this boat is built as a wakeboard boat, so the ski wake will be bigger than your Bayliner, but certainly not unmanageable. There was a rear pylon that was an option on that boat that year. It would be good if this boat had that option because skiing with the rope from the tower can be weird. Wakeboarding wake will be great. Surfing can be done, but will require an external gate. Those are inexpensive and easy to use.

Generally speaking, $35,000 seems a bit high for a 2004 210, but times are strange right now, and you're in California, where boats are generally more expensive, so maybe the price is in line.

Which engine is in the boat?

Excalibur 330 HP would have been standard
ZR6 375 HP would have been optional and a nice upgrade because it also includes closed-cooling.

There is a known issue with the gateway box that controls the gauges in that year Nautique. Read up about it here. It is pretty common to have the gateway fail, and the retrofit kit is about $1,000 plus installation, and it is backordered right now.

Repair for Dead Gauges on 2003-2006 Nautiques Caused by Bad Faria Gateway

Also, the 2004 year 210 has an oddball, one-year-only tower with rounded bottom bars that is generally considered less desirable than the towers on other year 210 boats. You may be able to use that as a bargaining point.

At the price you mentioned, I would certainly hope this is a Team Edition boat, or at least a Limited. If it is a Signature Edition with analog gauges and key start, that price is way too high.

Post up some pictures and let's see what you're looking at.

[ljwilke]

Wow, thank you so much. That is super helpful. It has analog gauges, so I think it is not the team edition. I live in Northern California where prices are even higher than Southern California. But the price is probably too high. Also, I really do not want a bigger wake than my bayliner, I was hoping for a smaller one! Hummm...any suggestions? I am thinking I may have to up my budget? I know this is a Nautique site, but what about Malibus? They seem to get good ratings as a crossover boat?

[NautiqueJeff]

Most V-drive boats (where the engine is in the back of the boat) are going to be set up to produce a larger wake.

Direct-drive boats, like the Ski Nautique or the direct-drive version of the Sport Nautique will produce smaller wakes, but they have the engine in the middle of the boat, so the seating is broken up.

Both Nautique and Malibu make boats designed to make bigger wakes (for wakeboarding and surfing), as well as boats designed to make smaller wakes (for skiing). Certain models can do both fairly well. You might look for a Nautique SV-211, or a Sport Nautique 200. Those two models are smaller V-drive boats (meaning the engine is in the back), but are configured to provide smaller wakes for skiing as well as having ballast systems that can make the wake bigger for wakeboarding and surfing when full. Those two models are considered Nautique's crossover boats.

[NautiqueJeff]

To determine whether the boat you looked at is a Signature Edition or not, check out the images below.

Below is a Signature Edition dash, with analog gauges and rocker switches, and key-start.
The dash below is less desirable.



Below is a Limited Edition or Team Edition dash, with digital gauges, keypad, and keyless start.
The dash below is more desirable.

[ljwilke]

Any particular year I should be watching for? My budget started at $30,000 but is going up! I would be willing to spend $45,000.

[ljwilke]

Also it is the signature edition, I looked at the dash. Thanks that really helps. I think I will pass on this one and keep looking.

[NautiqueJeff]

In that price range, you could get a very nice 211, or a pretty nice Sport Nautique 200. The Sport Nautique 200 took the place of the SV-211, so any Sport Nautique 200 will be newer than a 211.

I would worry less about the year and more about the condition of the boat. Low hours is generally better, but the overall condition is more important in my opinion. I have had boats that had over 2,000 hours that were still running strong.

If you have any specific ones you're looking at, post them here and we'll take a look!

[NautiqueJeff]

Also it is the signature edition, I looked at the dash. Thanks that really helps. I think I will pass on this one and keep looking.

Sounds like a good choice. That price is really high for a Signature Edition boat.

[ljwilke]

Thank you so much, this forum is so helpful. I will start the search....not many for sale in NorCal right now. And I don't own a wetsuit to ski behind it right now, but I want to get a jump before summer. I will post pictures of what I find. Thanks!

[XBIGPUN66]

We had a 2004 210 team edition. You can make that boat have a scary huge rock hard wake. IMHO or is still the standard by which all wakeboard wakes are measured.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[NautiqueJeff]

He doesn't want a big wake though. See his other posts above.

[bturner]

If you want to slalom, as Jeff mentioned look for a newer Sport 200. Mine slaloms and trick skis very good. Wakeboarding is excellent for the beginner to intermediate. I found for surfing I needed to plumb in sacs and run a shaper but that was an easy upgrade that Wake Makers can set you up with that. Once the bags are plumbed in you will not require manual filling of bags.

[ljwilke]

What is Wake Makers? And then once the bags are plumbed in I would just fill them with water with a switch on the boat? Is it possible to surf at all if I don't do that? Or does it just make the surf better? I know nothing about wakesurfing except I know the shape of the wave matters. Not sure if my kids know a good wave from a bad one.

[SilentSeven]

ljwilke How are far are you willing to travel for the right boat? I'm in the Seattle area and keep an eye on local listings..happy to post things that pop up and look interesting.

What's your budget range?

Just to keep the discussion going...here are two direct drive boats for sale now in the PNW. Both 206s. Good ski boat, you'll have to put some weight in the trunk to make a suitable wakeboard boat. Won't have the seating of the Sport200 as that's a v-drive. Much cheaper. Neither of these will surf without completely unnatural acts..none of which are recommended.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...247854759.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...246613954.html

Both of these boats are signature models and have been for sale for a bit so there's some room in the price. The one in the Portland area looks to be the better boat if you ask me.

Keep an eye on these guys...dealer in BC on the US boarder. Have a continious turnover of quality used boats and will help you import to the US.

https://extremeboatsports.com/produc...e-owned-boats/

This mastercraft 196 is a similar boat the the Nautique 206 above and this looks like a quality example.

https://extremeboatsports.com/produc...ab-description

USD price is $24k. I don't expect this one to last for long...