211 and 220 Demo Observations

[aoblak]

I had an opportunity on Friday to go to Silver Spray Sports (Local Dealership) and demo the 211 and 220 team boats. I had my wife and kids along with me for the demo rides and also so my wife could see how she liked the new Nautiques. Here is a little bit of history on my family we have owned 5 Malibu’s and currently own a 2003 Wakesetter VLX and when we had an opportunity to demo the 2005 Nautiques my wife really liked the 211 over the 210 for alot of reasons. Well the first boat that we looked and drove was the 220. My wife and I were extremely impressed with all the innovations and storage in the new 220, this boat is huge and extremely useful. The boat I drove had the upgraded motor but the boat drove and handled like a dream, I first drove the boat with no weight and then I filled the tanks, the pumps were extremely quiet and seemed to fill fast. The wake on the boat weighted down and in wakeboard mode looked huge and well defined (I forgot to have my wife take pictures of the wake). All in all I was extremely impressed with the boat. So know it was time to drop the 211 into the water, the first thing that I noticed in the boat was how load the boat seamed compared to the 220 that I just finished driving (my wife even made mention on this topic). I started to fill the tanks and wow are the new pumps in the 211 NOISEY, you could barley talk to the passenger over the noise coming from the ballast pumps. Once everything was filled I put the boat in wakeboard mode and starting to drive. The 211 seamed to be extremely weight sensitive, meaning that on the drivers side of the boat there was two adult men and on the other side was my wife and two small children and boat really didn't handle the greatest with the weight unbalanced. I was impressed with both boats, although I think that my wife likes the new 220, I'm just not sure she will like the price tag when she gets the quote. Nautique makes a great handling boat with great detail. Sorry for the long post.

Allen

[jefe]

Thanks for the review Allen! I know you have been going back and forth for a few years regarding a new boat, which tells me you take it seriously, or that your just satisfied with your VLX until something noticeably better comes along for you to change. I have a few questions...

Was the 220 the same as yellow/black one or was it a different one? If so, what were the colors? What did you think of the tower, and do you think it will fit, folded down, on a normal 7' garage door?
Thanks again!

[aoblak]

The boat was going to be Midwest Correct's boat it was all white with a orange bottom, I only took three pictures of the boat and they were form the outside. I will post pictures when I can have my wife email them to me. My wife has always really liked the Nautiques and I owned Malibu's before we got together so I have always been brand loyal. I actually folded down the tower to see how hard it would be, I have to fold the tower to put the boat in my garage but I have an 8' door. The tower was alittle bit weiert to fold but I'm used to a Titan but when it's folded down it is the same height and the back part of the tower and the windshield. I didn't get to see the boat on a trailer but I think that you would be close to making it through a 7' opening (I think it would clear). I can tell you on thing it would take two people to fold the tower.

[Mikeski]

aoblak,

You might be able to get a Titan tower on a 220, just maybe, check with your dealer.

The 211 is weight sensitive, agreed. Noisy pumps, you nailed it, the main reason I do not like impeller pumps. I am very happy that my 05 211 does not have those noisy pumps, now I just need to change out the valves.

[jefe]

Allen-
Thanks for the information. I look forward to you posting the pics!

[gotpwr]

What kind of ballast pumps does the 220 use? Aerators?

[aoblak]

The 220 is using the same pump as the other Nautiques, the ballast pums are mounted on the divider wall of the engine compartment to the interior for the rear tanks. Here are two pictures that I took if I can figure out to post the pictures.

[efox]

I like it!!! Very classy looking boat, and I love the colored underbelly. I can't wait to see it up close at the boat show in four months.

Eric

[AbunDiga909]

Does anyone know if you can get the top line colored, the one you can color on the 211 and 226?

[NautiqueJeff]

No, that is not an option at this time.

[bbc3]

nice review....when is someone going to remember a pic of the wake, oh well, I'll get to ride behind one before too long. Hey, what's going on with the orange on the swim platform. Is it a different platform design (maybe entirely covered the the "N" grip....I hope)? Or, is there no chrome striping around the edge? Looking at the pics of the "yellow and black" one, it seems to have the chrome stripping. Just curious...

[SilverSpraySports]

The platform on the boat was a special deal for Greg Meloon. This is his personal boat. The production boats will have a chrome strip around the outside edge. As far as choosing colors, you can color the hull like the boat pictured above and you can choose the side color. On the inside, you have one stripe and the piping where you can choose colors. The 220 is a very impressive boat. During our Open House on Saturday, this boat never sat at the dock for longer than 5 minutes. It was out all day long.

-Doug

[cmb]

That is a nice looking boat. Someone needs to load it up and take some pictures of the wake for us. It seems it will be a ew weeks before Atlanta sees one.

[fwMiata]

hmm, i have never ever heard the ballast pumps on a 05 211 make any noise at all.
did they change them?

[Mikeski]

yes, the 05s have flo-rite valves and aerator pumps, empty out the sides. the 06s have impeller pumps and no valves, empty through the bottom.