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seabuddy takes some of these important message points as true.

…This may be the most important message you will read before buying a new boat: Count on the strength and stamina of Chaparral Boats. In today’s fast changing economic times, the name on the hullside is as important as the boat itself. The fact is you’re not just buying a boat, you’re buying a company. There’s power in the name Chaparral. Long lasting power. Innovative power. Our story started 44 years ago. A trophy case full of awards for Product Excellence and a globe full of satisfied customers prove our worth. And we’re not going anywhere but fast forward with a passion that grows year after year. Respected the world over, the same core management team has steered the ship since day one. Like you, they are onboard because boating isn’t just a business, it’s a way of life. Our balance sheet is strong, our dedication to new product development unwaivering. You simply can’t buy more confidence in a boat company than Chaparral. Chaparral for 2010…Strength And Stamina Now and For the Future….

“Respected the world over, the same core management team has steered the ship since day one. Like you, they are onboard because boating isn’t just a business, it’s a way of life. Our balance sheet is strong, our dedication to new product development unwaivering”

True words. 

Ask if your boat builder can say these same words.

special water ski offset helm and controls

If you are a boater, find and inspect this ski boat. It changes the game for water skiers. All other ski boats are now outdated and a distant second or lower place in the pecking order for WaterSki, Salom Ski, Trick Ski, and other water sports.

The Nautique 200 open bow / bow rider is all new. Ski Nautique looked at everything and made all the changes that no one else would.

Look at the new water ski bottom shape, look at the new water ski hull chine locations, the new water ski saddlebag ski gear and ski storage, the new water ski underseat storage, the double wide water ski observer’s seat, the new water ski engine hatch, the new pylon release, the waterski rearview, the waterski swim platform,  the water ski Dash and its location, the  water ski in/out rear seat, the easy walk over water and platform waterski access, water ski gear storage box, the water ski bow rider comfort…There is more, but see this boat for yourself.

Its won awards at the boat shows, on land in the magazine editor’s minds, on the water via setting at least three new records, and recognized by boat owner’s that it’s the new top bow rider boat in a WaterSki Boat.

She stays "glued-in" for the best water ski performance

LOA 20’ 0” boat

LOA 21’ 10” boat and swim platform together

Beam 7’ 11”

Weight 2,800 lbs

under seat storage bow and step

As they say…The Next Chapter In Ski Boat History.
And Only Nautique Could Write It…Introducing the all-new Ski Nautique 200 – Open Bow. It’s identical in weight, balance and wake to the new 200 – Closed Bow. Their common hull has greater lift, riding higher on the water, creating impeccable handling and the softest wake in ski boat history. You ride through it instead of over it, making the 200 the ideal ski boat for slalom skiers at all speeds and rope lengths.

The Ski Nautique 200 – Open Bow features comfortable bow seating and a tournament seat that can be stowed underneath the observer’s seat for easy bow access. The all-new dash is positioned to create a superior field of vision, and the 200 – Team Edition features the revolutionary Nautique LINC System. Twin saddlebag compartments hold up to 6 sets of water skis and gear. The new Ski Nautique 200 – Open Bow is the next chapter in ski boat history. And only Nautique could write it…

water ski saddle storage on both cockpit sides

Over-head boat photo of the Mastercraft boats CSX 220

Photo of X-25 Mastercraft cockpit that uses the same Mastercraft hull

Is it going from a Direct Drive inboard (engine in the center of the boat) to a V-Drive inboard ( the engine at the back end of the boat)?

Will the rear mounted V-Drive inboard system improve the fuel economy and top speed over the direct drive set-up (42 – 43 mph with a 400 Hp engine in a 22’ boat)?

Has Hydra-Sports center console boats now ended the entire CSX center console model line at Mastercraft by 2013?

For 2010, Mastercraft reused their CSX 220 hull for their new X-25 water sports boat.

This hull is known for its good tracking, high wake, and inspiring a sense of handling confidence in its driver.

The Mastercraft X-25 now outsells the CSX 220.

Will the Mastercraft CSX 220 deck and cockpit layout go away entirely for 2011 or 2012?

How will new 2011 models of the Hydra-Sports boat line also owned by the same parent investment companies, effect marketing, sales, and the dealers for Mastercraft boats and their salt water model line-up?

Are there big discounts coming soon to the Mastercraft dealerships, as Century Boats is offering to their dealers now?

All of this is just the opinions and open questions of 30 year veteran of the marine trades, Chris Brown, seabuddy, and not yet known.

Starting with a new desire for a Cobalt bow rider boat perfection, Cobalt invented and uses a five piece mold for the hull. Cobalt then adds more hand craftsmanship at each step of creating a masterpiece of a bow rider.

The A25 Cobalt bow rider boat boarding movements were studied and are addressed with molded in treads in both of the aft gunwales.

The ride and stability are improved with some hull running surface innovations from the engineers at Cobalt for their A25 Cobalt.

A up and down hydraulic elevator choice sets a new high bar for water access from the A25 Cobalt.

Cobalt addressed and improved both cockpits in the Cobalt A25 with features that are not common to other boats. Seating is adjustable such that different crowds (up to 15 people and their personal gear in the  Cobalt A25) all with a “ballroom dance floor” sized main cockpit.

The A 25 Cobalt helm station shows new thinking coupled with old world craftsmanship. Gauges and touch screen choices allow you to keep tabs on the boat, engine, and the water around one. A lighted glove box with a USB port is standard.

In the bow, the A25 Cobalt uses a flexible seat and cockpit layout that works for lounging or sitting (either side or forward facing).

Do not miss the “wet locker” storage for water sports gear, the fender storage port and starboard, retractable line systems, air compressor, and cruise control.

Three sizes of engines, two brands, and inboard outboard stern drive I/O powers are offered. The A25 Cobalt bow rider boat is a 25’ 6” boat with a 8’ 6” beam that features an extra wide cockpit through-out its length. She weights in at 5,125 lbs and is rated for a 2,065 lb load capacity.

See one of two examples coming for this model year here…

http://www.lakevikingmarine.com/

This is about as good as they come for room and ride in a bow rider deck boat. LOA is 26’ 4” and her beam is 8’ 6” with a dry weight of 5,400. Use a big V-8 from Volvo Penta with a Dup Prop stern drive I/O (inboard outboard).

Volvo Penta uses Chevy engines as its starting point for its gas engines that Volvo then adapts for the marine usage and then couples those engines to the two props on one engine shaft drive that they invented and call Duo Prop. Volvo Penta uses the Chevy 5.0, 5.7, and 8.1 engine displacement V-8 to make marine engine power packages from 270 Hp up to 420 Hp.

Go back a few years and Sea Ray could not keep up with the demand for Sea Ray Sun Deck bow rider boats. Then it happened, they updated their model line-up and lost the leadership in the deck boat business. Now, this boat, the 230 Sun Deck by Sea Ray, is charged to get that business back to Sea Ray.

What does she offer that the others did or did not? Let seabuddy cover that.

More words and photos are on the second page of this write-up.

Now, this 230 is a tight boat fitting boat. A tight head, tight cockpit, etc. everything is here, but its tight when the family gets onboard with their “stuff”. A tight main cockpit. It is OK on the showroom floor but tight on the water with everyone onboard. You know, food, soft drinks, towels, purses, jackets – that kind of stuff.

The 230 Sea Ray Sun deck has a tight head, but its there. It is also plain, but its there. Try it to see how it fits and feels to the biggest person that is expected to use it. That may be Mom in your family boating gang as Dad often does not use the boat’s head. By all means, make sure your boat has the dockside pump out head option and the two color optional gelcoat.

An anchor locker, longer bow seats, enclosed head, a cockpit table to lay out food for all upon, a number of places to sit, and a big swim platform in an inch over 24’ of family boat, is a lot. But, its all there. If its too tight for your family, there is the 260 sitting right next to it most of the times, so all of you, climb out of the 230 and into the 260 and see what the same items feel like in the boat that was designed to replace the old 240. Your Wife will be amazed.

Seabuddy has included a Sea Ray photo that clearly shows the best feature of the new 230 sun deck Sea Ray over the main objection seabuddy had with the old 240. It’s the  seat back height of the bow seating that makes those kids riding in the bow rider cockpit, feel like they are sitting deep down in the boat, rather than seating so high that they AND Mom felt that they could easily fall out of the boat when the Sun Deck bounces over a wake. The 230 is very safe feeling bow rider cockpit, as is the 260 bow rider cockpit is and the old 240 was not.

This 230 Sun Deck Sea Ray comes with three different size engine torques. Why torque? Because, this is not a top speed hull. Sea Ray changed the hull, so it rides more level by making more the hull length stick into the water underway. All three engines give WOT speeds in the mid – 40 mph range. Do not buy a bigger engine for more speed. Its not there in this hull. Buy a bigger engine to get going (the differences between the 5.0, 5.7, and 377 engines shows up in this hull is by in getting a light, medium, and fully loaded boat going and up on plane)  Base your engine choice about like this; two – three people and half full gas tank and little stuff in people gear and  boat supplies like an anchor, extra dock lines, back-up cans of engine and / or drive oil, etc – go with a 5.0,… medium load; four – five folks and more stuff; …and the 377 size displacement engine is for seven family members on board, a full gas tank, with jackets, towels, food, etc for everyone. Remember, this is a 4,850 lb boat dry, and you can safely add up to 1,800 lbs in gas, batteries, boat gear, and combined weight of your crew. The 6,500 lb type loaded boat can use the torque of the 377, in seabuddy’s opinon.

Monterey has a 318 SSX bow rider that has an LOA of 31’ 10” that can come with twin Volvo stern drives and Volvo’s JOYSTICK control for an easy, 10 minute, learning curve to master all boat control. You control your boat via the drives, four props, and two throttles from one simple joystick to overwhelm wind, drift, waves, current all at once with the Volvo – Penta computer on board. Point the joystick in the direction you want your Monterey bow rider to move and how fast and Volvo’s joystick puts the boat there for you. Hey, you’re the captain of the ship in all conditions in 10 minutes.

This 9’ 6” boat features a huge head to starboard and a enclosed in a cabin bed to port, plus a very large bow rider cockpit. Talk about having your cake and eating it too! She is a day boat with a over night sleeping and bathing cabins. That is how Monterey uses the full 31’ 10” to give you more boating for your dollar.