July 17, 2007

The 2006-2007 Wakeboard Report Wake Boat Beauty Awards

The other night, my editor wife asked me what has been my favorite article on The Wakeboard Report. It was easy to answer; I told her that the The 2005-2006 Wakeboard Report Wake Boat Beauty Awards article was my favorite so far. It was fun to write, and I strongly believe that each boat that got a 'nod' was important and deserving last year.

For the 2006-2007 model year, we saw a few iterations on boats that were already out and many new models. The aftermarket & mod community has also continued to pump out excellent products, and in general it as been a very exciting year from the standpoint of someone who covers and observes the wakeboarding industry. So looking back on a busy 2007 model year, I think we're ready for this year's version. The 2008 models are surely being prepped for public viewing, so let's get it on!

Best Huge Wake Boat
The Malibu 247, in its LSV v-drive and RX direct drive variants, stands out as one of my top three favorite boats currently in production. Of course this is not the first time we've written about the 247, but it is the first time we've written about it after actually being in one. The boat is just a phenomenal feat of engineering and I commend what Malibu has done with the 247. We recently spoke to a representative at East Coat Flightcraft (New England's largest Malibu dealership) and to paraphrase, he reported having trouble moving 247's. He stated that people don't have a lot of interest in these larger wake boats, or at least not yet. I find that very surprising as there are no fewer than 10 pontoon boats that cruise around on my lake which push 30 feet in length. Perhaps as time goes on, the 247 and other large boats in the same category will take off. In the mean time I assert (and always have) that our boats will never get smaller.

Best Wrap or Custom Graphic: This Supra Launch
We don't know much about this Supra Launch, aside from the fact that it appears to be inspired by the design one would find on my favorite warplane - the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt. This year, the boat show season showcased countless, and frankly tasteless vinyl wraps that didn't hit the mark for me. Schools, camps and even random promotional efforts have also wrapped their boats in similarly garish vinyl concoctions. My assertion on this site is that boats that cost upwards of $60,000 should make every conceivable effort to stand the test of time. Classic lines, classic and timeless design aesthetics will be our priority when we replace the Super Air Nautique someday. Unfortunately it seems that can sometimes only be achieved only through either ordering a boat without graphics or emblems, or designing a custom wrap. In any case - whether this is a full wrap or simply a custom decal that someone made, we love it. It gets the nod for best custom wrap on a wake boat this year.

Snubbed Last Year But Shouldn't Have Been: Correct Craft Super Air Nautique 220
Correct Craft's Super Air Nautique 220 had already been announced and released when the 2005-2006 WBRWBBA's had it's debut. And at that time, I had set my Correct Craft cheerleader pom-poms down and sulked because I was not immediately that impressed with the boat. But opinions can change, and mine changed last summer as more people got their hands on this boat and began to report their experiences with weighting it properly and their experiences with the modular seating system. As more and more positive reports surfaced, I sought out an interview with the lead designer of the boat, and managed to get it. This conversation was the final tipping point for me. It tipped me toward liking the boat and caused me to believe in Correct Craft's vision for the 220.

Most Valuable Used Boat: 1994-2006 Super Air Nautique/Super Sport Nautique
Should we have gone with "Passing of a Legend" or "Most Curiously Discontinued" or "What?!" instead of the award category with which we went? We still can't decide, but the concept is the same with each title. If you had told us one year ago that today there would not be a Super Sport/210 hull in Correct Craft's lineup we would have called you a liar and would then suggest we have a fist fight. But it is true. My inside source who claimed that the old Super Air Nautique hull would be available in 2007, and that the boat could be ordered as a Super Sport was absolutely dead wrong. I remain stunned. And with Correct Craft occupying an appreciable percentage of the overall positive comments in this article, I feel I can admit that they've really got me scratching my head here. I'll stop there as I could write 3000 words on this issue. That would make this article look very strange.

Most Creative Departure: MasterCraft CSX 220
The fact that the MasterCraft CSX 220 wins this category should be a surprise to nobody. MasterCraft has carved out such a niche market for themselves with this boat and it is not likely to be challenged from typical tournament inboard boat manufacturers. Of course we said that when the X-Star was first unveiled with its "picklefork" design and now Tige and MB Sports both have boats that employ this design feature - so the copycat effect may play a role at some point down the road. But top to bottom, the MasterCraft CSX 220 is the most innovative wake boat currently in production. Considering the severe departure it has taken from what we consider to be a normal wake boat, show me a boat that steps outside the boundary as much as the CSX 220 and I will proceed to regale you with counterpoint after counterpoint until you give up. And wait will you see the 24 foot version of this boat!

Winner Overall: Correct Craft Crossover 236
Not unlike my initial reaction to the Super Air Nautique 220, I found the initial unveiling of the Correct Craft 236 Crossover to be marginally underwhelming. I was disappointed that that the boat followed the lineage of the 211 and 220 models rather than the classic 210, but I have completed reversed my feelings about this boat, enough to presume it may be my family's next boat. I've gone into deep detail about the Correct Craft 236 crossover in an effort to familiarize people with the layout of the boat and what it means for Correct Craft's lineup. I've questioned the fact that they've marketed what Shaun Murray, Shawn Watson and other top Correct Craft sponsored athletes choose as their boat as a "Crossover" model, but that seems to soon be changing. Look to the Correct Craft 236 Crossover for inspiration toward what can be done when a designer sets upon a new, innovative path while keeping classic aesthetics in mind. I can't say enough good things about this boat and the reports keep coming in that lead me to make the assertion that it is Correct Craft's "wake athlete" boat. This assertion is even further proven by the fact that that the company will soon release the Super Air Nautique 230; we'll likely be taking deliver of ours early 2011 but it will be a 2009 model year boat. I don't tend to buy new (at least not at this point) but I do believe that the 230 or 236 will be the next Wakeboard Report flagship (unless a promo opportunity presents itself sooner).

This year's Wakeboard Report Wake Boat Beauty Awards encompasses a wide variety of boats, and as much diversity as we could manage. We hope you enjoyed this second installment of the WBRWBBA's as much as we enjoyed writing it. See you on the water!

Posted by erik