SAN 230 Impressions / Advice Sought

Guys,

After much deliberation and several test rides of 2008/2009 SAN 230's, we pulled the trigger on a 2009.

We are currently playing around with configurations to get the wake the way we want it before we plumb any permanent ballast into her.

Wake observations:
The wake on the 230 is definitely unique. It took me some getting used to but the wake can look like it has white wash on the top. The boat does put out a little white wash lip closer in but it seems that cuts mostly on the inside of the wake and not the face of the wake that you ride up - mostly. It can be deceiving and it took me a little while to get over the mental block that I was going hit some wash that would throw me off. Some others have confirmed that same impression but thought I would throw it out there to see if other 230 owners agree that this is normal for this boat.

The wake definitely has a nice transition but is no doubt steeper at the end and upward popier than the XStar. The wake is also much more narrow. I am not saying this is better or worse than any other wake, it just suits my style better. I like taking stuff more upward and having a narrow wake still allows me to ride at a good length.

With stock ballast, I was realatively impressed. Not bad for only 800lbs or so. I was expecting worse.

We then tried a 400lb back in the locker and a 400lb bag in the walkthrough and two 300-350's in the rear lockers. Wow, this was a great configuration. The wake is definitely sensitive a little side to side but was always clean and quite large when cutting in and hitting it. We rode at 23mph at 75-80ft, no problem.

Next we tried a only 400lbs in the walkthrough and two 400lb sacs on the rear seat and in front of the rear seat. This did not have as good of an affect as it seemed hard to clean this up at 23mph. We moved the one bag farther forward and it was much better.

Conclusion: It definitely sounds like this boat likes to be nose heavy. We are planning on putting in the integrated bow sac, a tube sac in the locker and two 750s in the rear. We don't plan to ever come close to filling those rears for wakeboarding based on our experiences so far... however, for wakesurfing, maybe.

Wakesufing:
We only tried once and either got lucky or still have great things ahead of us. My buddy who is all about surfing that owns a VLX was amazed at the wave and curl that we got. He described the wave as steep and fast which allowed him to recover easily. He also thought the pocket was very long. This was only with only one rear stock tank full, a 400lb bag on top of that and one spread across the rear seat. I couldn't believe the amount of lean we could get with just that config. We can't wait to get a little more weight into the corner.

As far as everything else:
The boat drives remarkably. With the ZR6, it has plenty of power and when loaded with weight, it still takes turns like a dream. We love the layout and all of the storage. The new tower is growing on me and the Z5 cargo rack is awesome (however it is a little low - we are seeing if we can move the mounts a bit to get a little more headroom). Overall, we love the boat - just need to dial in that wakeboard wake a little more.

Question:
What prop are you 230/236 owners using and what weight configuration. I swear that I read somewhere that someone changed a prop and it reduced that cutting into the wake effect that I described earlier.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to share my impressions and get some feedback from owners and people that have experience with the 230/236.

Well that is officially the best first post I've ever seen. I haven't had a chance to get behind the 230 yet and your post makes me want to even more. I'm interested to hear what others say about cleaning up the wake. I had the same problem when we demoed a 220. Played mind games with me for sure. Let us know what you end up doing with the ballast and prop. Plus you got any pics? We really like seeing other peoples boats. I'm sure its a beauty.

I am in the process of getting a new 230 myself. I think that I will wait until 2010'. I also did see that they will be coming out with a digital screen. The new tower is also growing on me. At first I did not like it. Now that I see the boat more and more, the more I like it. I do like the Z5 rack. I have one on my current boat. It is the best thing ever. In regards to the wake, cant really give my opinion on that just yet. We tested the boat in Arizona and the water wasn't the greatest. The overall boat is awesome. Plenty of room and lots of power with the bigger motor. I will have to wait until the end of the season to sell my current boat and get into the Super Air Nautique 230. I have ridden behind several boats. Malibu, Centurion, Supra 24SSV, and my Moomba LSV. All good boats, I just wanted something bigger. Also, with the hard tanks, it will be alot easier to adjust the wake. With the bags that the Moomba and the Supra have, it is a little harder to correct. The Malibu and Centurion have an awesome wake, both for surfing and wakeboarding.

I can only speak from owning a 211 and would love to own a 230/236. But I advise weighting fairly heavy towards the stern and then shifting the sport throttle until the boat quits porpoising.

Weighting will vary from crew to crew. Aft tanks full to the max. But, consider leaving the belly tank only partly to half full, less with a hefty crew – and ask them kindly to sit towards the back.

On my lighter boat than yours, when it’s dialed right, it knifes straight through the water without rolling, no matter who’s charging. If weighted otherwise, a rider who’s cutting in hard rolls the boat on his cut side and then when his board releases from the wake, the boat heels over the other way. It’s an old nauty problem. Nevertheless, with enough experiment, I have found with my boat (and yours should excel over mine) that it can be weighted towards the aft such that even the hardest charger doesn’t roll it on his (or her) cut.

When dialed right, it makes a wondrous drive. Driver is cool, wakes are clean, rider is cool.

dave,

you pretty much have nailed it on the head. The cut out in the transom when the hydrogate is up causes a little line of wash on the inside of the wake. You can see it from teh boat, but usually not while riding.

tbe wake is unique, and the most fun out there. I've never gotten so much boot before.

I run 750's in the rear and 1G in the nose/ski locker, plus the belly sack. really not that much, its the same weight I put in my 205v

Its a lot like 205v wake, just bigger

We run stock+ 750's in the rear 1000 up front and a tube sac in the locker.

The wake is money at 80 feet 23.5

For surf, its the best boat imo.

Stock surf side full + 750 and about half full in the bow sac.
Biggest surf wake I have ever been behind.

SLAM IT I LOVE MY BOAT WITH THE MOST WEIGHT POSSIBLE!! I i had the chane to ride a 230 with twin 750's filled in the back and a thousand in the fron awesome!

Haven't had a chance to take any really good pictures yet but here is one.

Sick boat Dave, looks really nice, congrats!!

I rode a totally slammed 230 once, and you could go all out behind it and still feel in control. It was just a great all around wake. Big transition, great lip, and my body didnt hate me after the set. If I could afford one, I would, even just for the great landing transition. Stock wake I didnt care for though, too mellow

I rode on one last night with just the stock ballast. Man that wake has some bump! You guys are crazy wanting a bigger wake than stock! I guess I just have to ride one slammed to know for sure. But the stock wake scared me at first. Of course I'm used to inboard/outboards.

Your full set-up is only 2,300lbs if my math serves me correctly. This boat BEGS for more! New Nautiques love nose weight... so I'd start with at least 1K up front and work your way back. You can easily put 3,500-4K in that boat.

Congrats on your purchase... IMO the best wakeboat in the industry right now.

I just received two 750s for the rear lockers and a 750lb integrated bow sac. I already have a ~400lb sac for the ski locker and about 300lbs in lead. That comes out to almost 3K above stock which should be more than plenty. I doubt I will run that much all the time but it is nice to have the ability and the big rear sacs should be good for surfing. I plan to plumb all of in (except for maybe the locker sac) into the existing factory system via the overflows.

Right now I am just putting some more hours on her and want to get that first oil change out of the way.

So, I am now up to 20 hours so I tried a configuration last night with some mixed results.

I filled up my integrated bow sac for about 650lbs on the conservative side. 250lbs of lead in the nose and a 400lb sac in the locker. That is about 1300 above stock in the nose.

I then filled up my two rear 750s about 3/4 so that is another 1200 above stock in the rear.

This brought the total to 2500 + 800 stock for a total of 3300lbs.

Here are my observances which seem to be different when I was riding on a guys 2008 that we weighted.

I still see a decent amount of wash right where the water wraps around the boat and meets up with each other (the beginning part of where the wake starts fanning out). Don't have pics yet but you can see what I am talking about at a lesser degree here on the wake detail page: http://www.wakeboardingmag.com/VTD/2009/Nautique/index.html?manufacture=1&boat=6. That did continue, just a little more pronounced, for the length of the wake. So from the boat with no rider, the wake looks washy on top on both sides. (We could move to one side to clean up that one side). This was at 23.5 and 24.

When riding, it was a bit temperamental. At 75' it seemed when cutting in, it would be clean when I hit it. Looking at it from outside, it was huge and had that little bit of whitewashy lip. Maybe I am just not used to a lip and that is what I am calling wash? At 80' and 23.5, it wasn't clean... even at 24 it was curling over a bit. Based on others posts, this should be an ideal config. Next time out (after I plumb this in as filling all this manually was a pain in the you know what) I will take a couple pictures to share and maybe I can get some feedback.

At 75' it was fine most of the time... it was absolutely huge with so much kick that I wanted to move to 80' but moving to 80' wasn't right in my book. Too much of a slap and loss of momentum when hitting the wake.

I am also going to check my hydrogate to make sure it is going all the way up. What should it look like when the lever is pulled all the way back to vert? I am just trying to figure out why my experience is slightly different.

All I know, when I rode a guys 2008, it didn't seem to have this little bit of wash effect and seemed less temperamental. I don't think hulls changed between 2008 and 2009 so I doubt that could be my problem.

If any of you with 230 experience come to the ATL area... free pulls to help me get this dialed. I have no doubt with some experimenting and help fom new friends, I will get this. The wake is incredible when it is clean.. big and plenty of boot.

I love the shape when it is right. It is almost as big as an XStar with PWT but definitely steeper and poppier. Not better or worse, just a different shape. I guess due to this, it can be a little more temperamental. Maybe that is the trade off to be made.

WIth all that said, the boat drives like a dream with this weight... it is almost as if tnere is no weight in it... amazing.

Any more thoughts / suggestions appreciated.