Nautique cuts their model line up

Check out the Nautique website, It looks like they cut their model line up almost in half. No more 220. As a wakeboarder, I think this is a good move. I never really liked the interior of the 220 and I think most people would go with the 210 or go big with the 230

They will also have the new Ski Nautique 200 in the 2010 lineup, replacing the 196, so really all they cut out was the Super Air 220, so I wouldn't say they cut the lineup in half.

I dont know much about their ski models, but that home page was full of boats (now only show 6). Where is the 206 & 236?

196 and 206 are being replaced by the new 200 in open bow and closed bow options.
Still have the 216 dd
We have the 211, 216v,226 in crossover
We have the 210 and 230 in Super Air.

No more 220 or 236 as of now, but I bet we will see a new 2011 236 released in 2010, but I am not positive about that.

Technically, a 230 and 236 are the same. Same goes for the 220 and 226.

The new 226 is very different from the 220.
I think we will see a new 236, like the new 226 and 216v in 2011.

All the companies would be smart to refine their lineup in this economy. I have never understood MC's lineup and I will likely never understand it.

When do we expect to see the new 2010 line up?

Jeff, can you also give any insights on the FCT 3 tower? It's really grown on me, and we're thinking to maybe upgrade to a 230 next year. I figured this type of tower would fold down very flat, but I'm hearing that it's actually higher when folded down than the other tower options. True?

Tommy, go to wakeboardingmag.com and check out the virtual buyers guide for the 230. There is a video that shows the editor folding the tower down. Its definitely higher when folded the others but I dont see it being a problem as far as clearance goes. Looks like it should fit under and garage/bridge/lift/whatever you are wanting it to steer clear of. I'm with you also on the look. I thought it was terrible at first but now its really growing on me. Still a fan of the FCT-2 over the 3 though.

Some guys on planet nautique were discussing this tower, and one of them measured the tower down at 8'6" high.

Tommy we will have a new tower for 2010 FCT 4 and it folds completely flat.

I love the fct 3, very easy to fold down, but yes it sticks up a little higher then the Titan, that was the lowest folding tower in the lineup for 09, but the new fct 4 will fold ever lower from what I understand and its a traditional 4 mount tower..

Jeff will it be the same designed than the FC-3 tower ?

It is a different design.

It is more like the traditional FCT Towers, with new lines and it folds really flat, like the Titan.

Cool, looking forward to seeing the FCT 4 (as well as the new digital display). I did look at the wakeboarding mag video review, and the FCT 3 looked like a really nice tower in terms of folding down (especially since i now have 2 wetsounds 485's which are practically impossible to fold down by yourself on my '02 210). Hopefully the FCT 4 will also fold easily.

Any idea when we'll see it (or the '10 230 at all)?

Oh, and sorry...I realized I've fully hijacked this thread!

(Message edited by tommyg on August 10, 2009)

I cant wait for someone to make an automatic folding tower!!!!

I have pics, but I need to make sure that it is ok to post them, I need to call Nautique and see.

The FCT 4 will be available on 2010 model
Nautiques.

Auto Folding Tower could be really cool, if it is solid in its design and if something goes wrong you can override it to be able to fold the tower down manually if need be.

www.thehydratower.com/index.htm

I couldn't open the link at work, but I think this is it.

That auto Tower doesn't fold down low enough to even make a difference in most cases.

Cool Jeff see with them if you can show us it could be really nice

Jeff, see if you can also get buy-off to show us the new dash!

you didnt see the new dash ....... ?

Here it is, i think its not a real secret it was on google image and on planet nautique

FCT 4, this tower design folds really low.

I hope they still offer the other towers because that FCT4 looks goofy. I have always liked the FCT3, but it does not fold low enough. If you need a low folding tower, the FCT2 (I think it is a titan) is the way to go.

Finally correct craft has their main tower support bracket in line with the windshield. Their towers and windshields always seemed to visually fight each other.

I don't like the notchy lower corner on that tower. Its not a nice transition.

IMO it looks much better on the 210 and 230, with the longer windshield, instead of the short windshield on the 216v, but this is all I had to post for now.

This is just 1 more option when it comes to towers, you still have the fct 1 fct 2 fct 3 as well.

That might actually fit in a traditional garage and fold down easy. Nice job on that.

Anyone know the height with the boat on the trailer, tower up and down? I never fold my tower down and it is just a fit.

thanks for posting Jeff and Wake Addict. Gotta say, I'm not a huge fan of the new tower, would most likely try to figure a way to make the FCT 3 work for me.

Dash looks cool, still interested to see how well those work in the direct sunlight...

from what i heard from my dealer Tommy, the sunlight was is first scary thing about the new dash and it tell me that when he was at the meeting it was a nice sunny hot day and he never had any issue about sunlight in the screen....
but again this came from my dealer i know he is legit but he also sell them

fct1 for the win.

man am I glad I have an 07:
- fct1
- analog guages
- perfect pass (not star gazer)
- no gay crests..etc

hummm DJ honestly to each their own, honestly the Fct-3 is my prefered, i love the digital dash of course, you have to change the boat before warranty ends, zero off or star gazer seeems to be top notch and the crest in chrome look sick to me.....

like i said to each their own thats why you can make them with every tower and every crest, dash is still an option.

So make yourself happy and order a STOCK 2010

as far as nautique towers fighting the windshield, it actually used to serve a purpose. there was a time when water sport boats weren't runabouts...the legacy 210 had a windshield that didnt wrap around past the driver and the bottom hoop of the tower was open so that the driver could easily lean outside of the boat and coach a downed rider from a fully seated position. now we need booster seats and still have to squirm to see over the side of windshield when talking to a downed rider because every boat has wrap around windshields...form over function i guess...

the same goes for the fct3 tower. makes ingress/egress more difficult from the dock because it leaves less room on the gunnell to step. it allows the rope to get caught on the boards much easier. it takes up armrest room on the gunnels. i understand why they made it...targeting the malibu types...form over function i guess.

as for zero off vs pp, name me one place that pp doesnt work? i came name you several places where stargazer doesnt.

Does any one have a picture of 210 with a FCT 4 ?

the best thing about the FCT3 is the line of sight. you dont have any obstructed views looking fwd. its my favorite of the 4 towers.

Not bad -looks like Nautique had there thinking caps on once again to make a low profile folding tower.
...I always think its funny when a new tower comes out...at first there are few people that ever like the change/new product, (ie. the FCT-3, people 'ished bricks over that tower) -then it grows on everyone, and the people that liked them the least end up owning one. ok, I'm done ranting
Wait, one more thing...call me a homo, but I love the way the "gay crests" look, ok that sounded weird.

I wonder why they have the 2 port side tower speakers facing forward.Maybe you can rotate those now too.Like how you can rotate the cans on the FCT3,tho they do look too close together for that to be possible.

(Message edited by wakebrdjay on August 20, 2009)

Better pic of the new FCT 4 painted blk on a 230.

wakebrdjay, I think the speakers and rear cover are just not installed in the cans.

I think it's great that Nautique gives it's buyers and owners so many different choices for a tower. I'm sure the other companies, like MC, will follow suit in the next couple of years.

Looks GREAT on the 230, imo!
Looks a little different than it does on the 216...The point isn't so sharp on the back and the top looks a little different.

+1 for Nautique giving so many tower options -MC will probably follow suit.

I love Titan towers but your right the FCT2 is a little hard to look at because it does fight the windsheild line. Looks like maybe they figured that out on newer versions.

That fct4 on the 230 looks exactly like the tower from a Moomba LSV

I dig it, especially on the 230. Coming from a 08 vlx with the illusion, i like the FCT3. Next boat will be a 210 with the 3. No blind spots with a two post tower.

xxlair---

i have a 230 with the fct1...my main complaint is that the fct1 tower looks too much like a moomba lsv. i really didnt need to hear you say that, hahaha...