November 20, 2006

Correct Craft Mothballs the Super Sport Hull for 2007

Correct Craft has taken what many consider to be one of the best wakeboarding hulls ever made, and set it next to the 80's era Ski Nautique hull. In back, somewhere in their bin full of storied, yet peculiarly discontinued hulls.

I will be referring to the Super Sport/210/Super Air Nautique hull as the SS/210 Classic during this article, and the one that was announced recently as the New SS/210.

I find the fact that they set the 12 year old Super Sport hull aside more interesting than the news of the redesigned 2007 Super Air Nautique 210 and that is not a reaction of which I am proud. Many people knew the change was coming and photos of the new boat had been circling the Web for almost a month prior to the formal announcement of its release. So what's a hardcore wakeboarder to do, assuming they want to stay in the Correct Craft world? Well for now, buy a 220 -- but we'll get to that later.

Criticisms of the SS/210 Classic
My personal riding style has developed around wakes that carry a rider straight up and back down onto the second wake. I also ride boards with steep rocker that facilitate this style. So while the wake made by the SS/210 Classic and its Great-Grandfather the 82-98 Ski Nautique 2001, is ideal for me and is phenomenal for many, it is not perfect for everyone and many beginners find it incredibly intimidating. In any case, it is not without its problems.

Some report that the wake is too vertical, and that it can feel like hitting a wall instead of a ramp.

It has been said that other hulls take weight better, and that the wakes of other boats scale better when more weight is added, whereas the SS/210 Classic has a solid upper limit above which additional weight only makes the wake retain its shape at longer line lengths but does not improve the experience otherwise.

The wake shines at 22-25mph while running average or above average ballast (1000lbs, for purposes of this discussion), but at speeds below 20, the wake has a tendency to be somewhat washy or curled.

There is a 4-6 foot wide and perhaps 3-6 inch deep trough immediately outside of the wake. Some like it, some find that it causes the rider to impact harder if they take a trick past the second wake and happen to land in it.

It needs about 500-1000lbs of ballast to produce a world class wake (which is still very much on the light side, considering what most wakeboarding-branded boats need to create one).

The boat is extremely sensitive to uneven lateral weight placement. A difference of 80lbs too much on either side is enough to cause a lot of trouble for a rider who favors one side over the other. The boat is also sensitive, although to a lesser extent, of its foreword and aft placed ballast placement. In addition to 300lbs on either side of the engine, I run 600 lbs in the belly tank and about 200 in the bow, and I could probably double what is in the bow and add 100lbs to the belly if there was room. Long gone are the days when all we needed to do was throw a 600lb ballast sack behind the engine and call it a day.

Some believe that the 210 Classic is not big enough and does not have enough storage space and lockers. Now, while I have trouble agreeing with that completely, I do believe that Correct Craft still has a gaping hole where the extended, elongated version of the SS/210 Classic; the non-crossover wakeboard platform built for hardcore wakeboarders, should be.

Now, about that new Super Air Nautique 210
Early photos are not showing a wake that simply keeps all the good parts of the SS/210 Classic's wake, but removes the trough and some of the vertical characteristics. The photos we've seen indicate that the wake is mellow, at best. But the boat is beautiful, and Correct Craft is doing a good job of creating a family lineage that is felt across their entire product line.

The interior of the New SS/210 is a careful balance between the forward-thinking 220 and the standard wraparound configuration. It is also available in both the conventional layout and the new modular layout.

The 220 was initally met with a cool reception and saw a somewhat shaky release, but a year later it can only be descibed as a hit. Among other issues, people are getting used to the fact that big boats require big ballast, and the 220 appears to be here to stay. The New 210 will likely see the same positive long term reaction.

What really suprised me was the fact that the SS/210 Classic wasn't available in 2007 even if an individual ordered a 2007 Super Sport Nautique in an Air package. The Super Sport just isn't being offered this year at all. That is quite a committment from Correct Craft and we won't know if this was a good move until about 6 months from now. Until then I expect the New 210 to be a success just like every other Correct Craft boat has been. I am just suprised at this development, and I hope it works out for them. I know it will work out for those interested in selling their 1995-2006 Super Sport/Super Air Nautiques this year - as their resale value just went into low-Earth orbit.

Conclusion
In many people's eyes, keeping the SS/210 Classic in their lineup afforded Correct Craft a right to dabble in areas of development that strayed from their top-class tournament inboard heritage. They were able to then innovate and iterate on hulls without the risk of being criticized by overly enthusiastic fans of the status-quo. After all, this heritage has afforded them a reputation for being responsible for several of the best and most aggressive ski and wakeboard platforms in existence.

Simply put, the Super Air Nautique 220 is the new Belle of the Ball from a wakeboarder's standpoint. If I were in the market, it would be the Correct Craft offering in which I would be most interested. The completely redesigned Super Air Nautique 210 falls into place neatly alongside the 226 and 211, and despite its name, will suit customers in need of a very high-end pleasure boat. The company is clearly forging ahead on their crossover front, and is profiting as a result. While it is still kind of a nuanced message, it is clear that Correct Craft is treating crossover and family oriented boats as their primary market right now, whether a boat wears Super Air Nautique badging or not.

Posted by erik