Any experience with barefooting boom on a 200?

[HollieMac]

Not sure where to look here for opinions on the 200.
Are they all that? I always see a few for sale, but rarely see newer ski nautiques for sale.
They get grabbed fast.
So I am wondering if people like their 200's or not?
I barefoot, shortline off the boom mostly,
and slalom ski. Looking at a 2018 200 and have never been in one,
or even seen one up close. Crazy to spend 60 grand on something I am clueless about,
but I don't live in an area where I'll ever have a chance to try one Unless I buy one. Your opinions welcome.

[bturner]

In my location any who owns a recent model Ski Nautique is almost always a tournament skier. Typically tournament skiers want to practice behind the the boat that they'll be skiing behind in a tournament, which these days is the current top shelve Ski Nautique. They don't make thousands of these boats every year so the market for these boats can be very tight.Once the move was made to the new hull that pretty much made the old hull obsolete to the true competitive skiers. The 200 was a great boat when it came out and that didn't change because of a new model, it's still a great boat just the older model.

If you plan to use the boat as a training tool for competitive skiing I think the logic would follow to practice behind you will be skiing behind in the tournament which would be the new hull. If you're stated goal is to use it for recreational ski and some non competitive course runs I'd be hard pressed to tell you that this boat wouldn't be a great choice. I personally have not been is a 200 Nautique however I do own a 200 Sport which is a vDrive version of the 200 Nautique and shares the same running surface and many of the interior parts and components. I have pulled several INT slalom and trick skiers and have gotten good feedback from them and most are surprised by just how well the boat performs being a vDrive. I can only assume the inboard would be quite better. It after all is a Ski Nautique.

All this said I do get the hesitation on dropping all that cash on a boat you haven't skied. I did this on my current boat and held my breath. Luckily it worked out for us.....

[SilentSeven]

Are you talking about a 200 or 200 Sport? Quite different boats as bturner points out.

For serious slalom skiing inputs on both models, try ballofspray.com - bunch of hardcore course skier's there and I'm sure you'll get a lot of quality input.

[HollieMac]

Thank you for your good advice. Yes a 200, not a sport. Not course skier, just love it more the easier it is to cross the wake flying.
not sure if you mean the 200 is an old model now? It's hard to keep up!

[Smindustries]

not sure if you mean the 200 is an old model now? It's hard to keep up!

The 200 is considered by Nautique to be a 'Multi-sport' boat. They make a dedicated Ski Nautique as a standalone ski model:

https://nautique.com/models/ski-nautique/overview

[Michael Crouse]

Just personal experience here so take it for what it is.
The new Ski Nautique is great for the dedicated 3 event skier (34 or 36 mph). If you ski 32 mph or less I find the same on the 200 Ski Nautique much more friendly. It can also be found with the open bow that’s nice for the full day on the lake. I don’t do a lot of barefooting but I’ve been told you would want the 6.2 for footing.
Just a little more perspective for you.
Mike

[James]

HollieMac just using the term “200” can mean several models of Nautique boats and can be confusing. The “Ski Nautique 200” was made from 2010 - 2018. That hull was the 3 event tournament specific design of that era and was available in both a close bow and open bow version. All of the boats produced from 2010 - 2018 had the, then new, distinctive “saddle bag” ski storage lockers. The “Ski Nautique 200” replaced the still much loved “Ski Nautique/Ski Nautique196” which ran from 1997 - 2009 (with several hull modifications along the way, early years available as open or closed bow, later models only available as closed bow due to the introduction of the “Ski Nautique 206” (open bow only) and preceded the current “Ski Nautique” which was introduced in 2019 as a totally new hull, 3 event tournament specific (which also has “saddle bags” by the way) and is only available as a closed bow. The “Nautique 200” was introduced later in 2019 model year (still being a 2019 model) as somewhat of a continuation of the “Ski Nautique 200”. To the best of my knowledge the hull running surface remained basically the same but with a redesigned interior the most significant being the elimination of the “saddle bags” which made for much more interior space. The “Nautique 200” is only available as an open bow, weighs several hundred more pounds than the “Ski Nautique 200” and is made at the Bryant boat factory in TN. Even though it is considered a “multi sport” boat and no longer is considered a 3 event boat (Nautique doesn’t to step on the toes of the current “Ski Nautique”) is still an outstanding slalom skiing machine at a much cheaper price than the “Ski Nautique”. The “Sport Nautique 200” was a Vdrive model utilizing the “Ski Nautique 200” hull and was produced from 2011 - 2016 and being a Vdrive was of course was an open bow.

[HollieMac]

Thank you, God Bless you! I needed this, and so appreciate your time explaining it to me. I have been tempted by the 2016 200 in Leesville SC. But I didn't think I would like the lockers taking up so much of the space. Didn't know I would not find one without them. Darn. I like to lay on the back of my Malibu after a long run. I can't stop until I'm totally exhausted! It doesn't look like the back seat of the 200 is even wide enough to lay down on. Hope you have a great season

[James]

If you are leaning toward a Nautique, unless you are skiing the course regularly, a 2019 or newer “Nautique 200” would likely meet your requirements with the exception of the rear sundeck. My only gripe with the “Nautique 200” is that it is being made in TN at the Bryant factory (Correct Craft owns Bryant) and not in Orlando. I heard Nautique was possibly going to move production back to Orlando but that is a question you may what to post to the administrator of this site, NautiqueJeff. All of the big three (including the Response) have gotten away from the padded rear sundecks. If you must have padded rear sundeck and want a Nautique direct drive you would have to go all the way back to 2009 for a used “Ski Nautique 196” or a “Ski Nautique 206”. The “Ski Nautique 216” which is also a direct drive was made through 2010 and had the padded rear sundeck as well but was a iteration of the “Sport Nautique” which is a 21’ boat and therefore the wakes are not as good for slalom. As you have experienced the used ski boat market is on fire and prices are very high. Nautiques are expensive boats to start with and historically have held their value well and that is even more evident in the current used market which is debatably being driven by the pandemic. If you haven’t already, check out The Ski It Again and Only Inboards sites for used boats. The desirable boats sell extremely quickly. I recommend you ski and barefoot behind any model you are considering before purchasing so you experience first hand what you are getting into. Lastly... this is a Nautique site and Nautique owners are usually passionate about their boat. I like many here have owned many direct drives. In the last 30 thirty years I have purchased one new Malibu and sold it after one season and purchased one new MasterCraft and sold it after a few seasons. I am not bashing Malibu or MasterCraft as they are a fine product. They are just not on the same level as Nautique (IMO).