Please want your input on these boat options
 

So I made the mistake of buying a seadoo to realize how horrible it is as a boat (maintenance, value, and well.. steering). The wake aint bad when its loaded.. but its a b*tch to drive while towing.

So I'm looking for something better. Figured buying a real wakeboard boat would be a good idea. But I have a budget AND I'm not a pro. Altho some of my friends are much better than me so a boat that can appease both pro and non is desired.

Right now that budget is about $20k.. although I am thinking about trying to finance a little more.

I have been looking at several wakesetter direct drives in Florida (I live in Orlando). I talked to a malibu guru that told me the 04-05 hulls were the "good ones" He also said 02-04 VLX were great inexpensive boats - but I can't seem to find any of those for under $35kish. I kind of get the feeling that most V drives are going to be higher than I originally wanted to spend.

I live in the land of nautiques and mastercrafts - and I am dreaming about a 210 team edition sitting at the local dealer ($38) perhaps a 25% off offer would be excepted? (it also has no trailer) (here is a link http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...tion-102040611)

So the lineup so far

1. Some older wakesetters (here is a 2004 i am going to go look at http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...tter-102031394)

2. Possssibly find a nautique that will work? I'm not sure which models are good for wake. I have also heard from some friends that the air nautiques "break ankles" and I'm not exactly a pro boarder.

3. There are some moombas around - but they seem like the have the shallowest freeboard (here is one here i think i may go look at http://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/3753307885.html)

4. There is a Regal session at a local dealer.. its a V drive and its cheap.. but I hate the tower on it - and the lines are kinda wack on it. but it is cheap...

Any other suggestions? I have read a ton of great information around here.. just nothing right up my alley that is at least current. I should mention that the V drives and big seating arrangements are preferred... as we need to fit as many cheerleaders on the boat as possible.

The direct drive wakesetter is the same hull as a sunsetter LX from 95(I think). The sunsetter LXi is the diamond hull "ski hull". Boats you might want to consider that will be able to be found in florida and will be in your price range(I am going with 25k or under):

Mastercraft
205 direct drive(any year but 1995 on were a little better)
209/X9 direct drive(any year)
205V(any year)/xstar(99-2002)

Malibu-keep in mind that a lot of the models had an option for both the diamond hull(ski hull) and the wake hull.
Sunsetter LX direct drive(95-whenever they quite making them)
Wakesetter direct drive(I think they only made these in the wake hull)
I-Ride direct drive(2005-2008) same hull as sunsetter LX as long as it had the "wake hull" I believe the diamond hull was an option.
Sunsetter VLX(I would say any year. Pre 2001 had the wake hull. 2001 had the diamond hull but it was still a good boat)
Wakesetter VLX(any year)
The direct drive XTi's were ok as well I think. Not sure exact years or if they have the wake hull, ski hull or could of had either.
I think they made something called a sun kicker or something like that in the early 2000's that was basically a wakesetter direct drive.

Nautique
Super Sport vdrive-any year
Super Air Nautique 210 aka SAN 210(any year, hull change in 2007 but way more than your price range and still a great hull)-Same hull as Super Sport.
Air nautique Direct drive(1998-2003 or so)-Same/similar hull to Super sport and SAN 210.
Pro Air Nautique direct drive(any year)-I believe these had the same interior as the regular air nautique but slightly different hull. Air nautique is the more sought after hull.
I think the 1995 or so to 2003 or so sport nautique's had the same hull as the Air nautique direct drive mentioned above.

Supra
22SSV-Any year
Launch direct drive-Any year

Moomba
Outback V/Mobius LSV/outback LSV-pretty much any of these in your price range will be the same hull and a good option.
Mobius V-2000-2003

I would tend to lean towards any vdrive before a direct drive but that is more for storage and seating layout than wake potential. It will be tough to find a vdrive that isn't hammered and/or used in salt for under 20k. If you can up your price range to 25k you should be able to find pretty much all of those options I mentioned and have a few boats to choose from.

The most common boat recommended for wakeboard purposes seem to be the SAN 210/Super sport, the 205V/xstar and the sunsetter/wakesetter VLX with the wake hull. Again, you open up to 25k you should be able to find some of those. You up your budget to 25-30k you should be able to find quite a few good options.

Hope that helps

Boats don't break ankles, people break ankles

I agree with the SAN 210 and 205v/Xstar recommendations. I've ridden behind both and the wakeboard wake can't be beat for sub $25k. If wake surfing is a factor for you, then the SAN does that considerably better.

I've vouch for the 210 wake is like hitting a curb...

Thank you for the input.. i really still don't see many boats in the 25k category on boatrader - are there better sites? I see zero correct crafts other than the one I was thinking about offering a lowball on (38k is there asking price)


If you had the option of a 2004 malibu wakesetter (no other designation other than that) or an older SAN.. keep in mind cost of mait and condition of boat.. would you rather have the newer bu or the older san?

Check www.onlyinboards.com

Personally I would take whichever was in better shape and the better deal. I have a big soft spot for the SANs with the pcm gt40 engine. I don't think you can beat that engine for towsports

If they were in similar condition SAN.

A couple options

http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=37963

http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=34251

http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=30037 This would be my choice if you can spend around 25k. Looks like it still has some digital gauges and doesn't have PP but looks like it is near mint with low hours.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/bod/3796345595.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/3780304590.html

tower is setup weird but not a bad boat
http://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/3768908821.html

atlanta CL
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/boa/3789123115.html can't see much but a vlx with the wake hull.

High end price wise but a great option.
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bod/3734664518.html

I had the non-walktrhough version of this boat. I liked it.
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/3784222539.html

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/3761854807.html

For the Malibu's:
The SV23 hull for V-drives was used from 1996 through 2008. The wake hull was on the 96-00 Sunsetter VLX, 99-04 Wakesetter VLX and 05-08 V-ride. The diamond hull was in the 01 Sunsetter VLX, 02-04 Sunscape 21 LSV. Don't let the uneducated fool you - the diamond hull produces a great wake as well; people hear good ski wake and think it must not be able to make a good wakeboard wake

Wow thanks.. What are the pros and cons between the malibu and the 2001 san? Is PP that big of a deal? Are these boats better than this wakesetter I was going to look at (http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...tter-102031394)

I'm a little leary of buying such an older boat and thats why I was looking at 2004+ ish- but I'm also aware that mechanically these are in much better shape than some of the I/Os or Jets I'm familiar with.

if you can find an x9 for 20 you are doing well. This boat drives like a freaking ferrari. The wake is wide but decent. You aren't going to get a pro level wake out of it but its good. It also skis well and is a decent barefoot boat. Its a very good crossover boat in its truest form but isn't going to be the best at anything. Its very roomy though and fairly easy to work on. It loves lots and lots of weight but the nose is prone to gobble alil water. If you are on a choppy lake this is not the boat you want.

The 205 is a good boat but alil smaller. The 205v is a sick ride with a sick wake. One of my fav mc's ever. Again its gonna be tough to find one.


Yes but its easily addable. I went from PP to stargazer last year and its even better. You don't want a wakeboat without pp unless you like yelling alot.

You can buy a 2008 that is ragged out, you can buy an 88 that is pristine, etc. Its not about the year but how it was cared for. Get a boat inspected before you buy. A DD is going to be easier to work on if you aren't used to working on boats.

http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=30037

This is the best deal Ive seen on here.

The Session was only made for about two years. It was a bit heavy buy Regal make good boats so it would be worth test driving if the price is right. Just remember that because its not known you'll have a hard time getting people to look at it when you sell it, but they are having that problem now so a bigger discount might still apply to it than they already have. The mechanicals are the same as any other boat.

I was thinking he might be able to get an early 2000's X9/PS209 for 25k or under.

I just went and looked at a 2006 air nautique (http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...tion-102040611) this one.. and i wasnt really impressed. It seemed like it was pretty small and wouldn't be a fun time to take out 4 dudes and 4 women... Am I asking to much or is the SAN a bigger boat?

That is a SAN 210. The older ones actually have wider gunnels so they are technically smaller inside although they have a full wrap around up until 2002 or 2003. If you think that is small than take the 205V/Xstar off your list. the Malibu VLX's are bigger but not by a ton. Direct drives utilize the space differently but the problem is the seating is separated and since there is far less storage in most direct drives you end up putting sacks on the floor and taking up your floor space.

Now that is possible if you can find em. Theres just not that many going around and used prices are up right now b/c of the season. I just had one sell in my area for 35ish but it was an incredibly clean boat. Honestly I would have sold you mine last year for around that but I just sunk 5k into mine.

People will talk crap about dd's (except grant) but they are great boats, easy to work on, and can still have a great wake.

i think for the money that 2001 moomba w/ auto ballast is a good deal to stay under budget.

the one that was the weird tower setup the outback V, im almost positive they are lying about the year, its a 04-05 cause in 06+ they ran the carpet all the way up the walk thru.

that 1st centurion looks really clean too, but havent had much experience.

in my opinon the problem i have w/ SAN's is yeah the wake is nice, but if you want to use the boat for hanging out and not wakeboarding i feel the inside is so much smaller than any other wake boat out there.

I went and looked at a couple SANs.. I agree they are a little small. There is a really nice 2005 226 that is more like 40$k.. and Im seriously thinking about that one.

No one here has commented on the wakesetter that I linked.. is it because its DD?

I am thinking about looking at this boat.. http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...-LSV-102039620
how much bigger are these? from the pic it looks like the perfect size for a larger load.

I really like the idea of a new(er) boat even if its 10% not as good (SAN vs mooma or malibu)... decisions decisions

If you are putting 8 people in the boat then my opinion is stir clear of a DD. I have a DD now and am about to move in a VDrive. Me personally, I love the SAN wake and that is all I am looking at.

Good luck on hunting for a deal, I have been looking for that great deal as well :-)