All New Nautique GS20

[Tyler]

Looks like Nautique unveiled their new Super Air Nautique GS20 today. Maybe a Sport Nautique replacement, being an apparent crossover ski/wake boat. They claim it is the ultimate versatility boat. Based off what we know so far, what do you guys think?

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSS9s-EuRgs"

[pgmoore]

Is it a replacement for the Sport Nautique? That's what I was trying to figure out. Not clear on the answer so far.

 

It was my understanding that the Sport Nautique shared the same hull as the 200. The brochure for the GS20 seems to indicate that it shares characteristics with the 200's hull, although it doesn't explicitly say it's the same.

 

Seems like the Sport Nautique was a ski boat that you could do other activities behind. This seems more like a wake boat that you can ski behind. Appears to be a shift in focus.

[Tyler]

@pgmoore Yeah, I am really not sure if it is a direct replacement or not. As you said, the Sport is based off a 200 while this looks like its based off a G series.

 

I never did see many Sport Nautique's out in the wild, other than the one on my lake. Maybe sales weren't up to snuff with the Sport prompting a shift in focus like you suggested?

 

This is all pure speculation of course.

[Wish]

Ya never see a clear shot of a slalom wake crossing. Does the ski get displaced significantly? Cool boat.

[slow]

One of the Video's has Nate skiing behind it look fairly decent for a V drive. Anything that helps get skiing back on public lakes im for

[oldjeep]

1 tracking fin, deleted the center pylon and it weighs 4500lbs. Looks like they beat the 2016 vtx changes and not in a good way.

 

By crossover I think they mean wakeboard/surf/tube

[unksskis]

It's a 20ft surf boat, much needed for most lake's with restrictions. Associating it to do all 3 just helps sell it to the Dad for his twice a year slalom ride, as he surfs mostly now too.

[oldjeep]

@unksskis - dad don't surf , tried it a few times around 2002 when it was a new thing - maybe when I'm 90 and can't ski any more, The VTX was for the seating ;)

[wskier]

Question for @oldjeep looking at VTX for family boat currently own 1999 196 snob need more room teenagers who surf & wake board. Dads the only skier in family. Boats too crowded with kids friends in boat. How does it ski at 36 mph at 28-38 off mostly free skiing. I'm 54 but like 36 better than 34. Just got back from Shasta lake,CA need more room this looks like my best option. What's the best years and what should I look for not looking for a new boat.

[oldjeep]

I only ski it at 15 off 32-34 mph. Best years if you want it to surf are 2013-2015 since those have surf gate. 2012 and older would need to be listed to surf or have aftermarket surf gate type devices added.

Center pylon is a nice option but makes half the seating useless when in use.

They come in wake hull or diamond hull, you would want the diamond.

Snap out carpet is a good option to look for as well.

[DmaxJC_ski]

@pgmoore was at wizard lake Friday on the way to shalom, they say it is the replacement for the sport 200, and is far and away better then the 16 vtx, also said they can't give the vtx away as a crossover anymore. Ron was in the boat when Nate skied and was into shortline with very good results.

[bishop8950]

Saw the G20 today. It looks great and feedback from slalom skiers was good. None of us slalom freaks are going trade in our tournament machines but it is very skiable.

[oldjeep]

Wizard lake got their Malibu dealership taken away, doubt they have much good to say about any Malibu. Although Malibu did seem to mess up the vtx formula with the 2016, hard to believe that the much heavier nautique is better.

 

Fwiw, supposedly Nate skied a 39 off behind a 2016 vtx

[Dacon62]

4500 lbs in 20' has got to produce a fairly nasty longer line slalom wake I would think. My '08 VTX was 3500 lbs and while the slalom wake wasn't bad it was no match for a DD. This GS20 is another 1,000 lbs heavier. Hey but I haven't skied behind one...

[DmaxJC_ski]

@oldjeep I'm a vtx owner myself, they were just saying that the 16 was changed and not as good as the older vtx. I've always heard good things with the sport 200, but the new gs 20 is supposed to be that much better. I would have a hard time to part with my Malibu.

[sodbuster88]

Dacon62 hitting the nail on the head. I had a sport 200 and it skied well at short line, but 22' and longer the wake gets taller despite the same shape as the ski 200. That 4500# has to displace the water somewhere and so guessing the same will be the case behind the GS20 probably worse.

[bishop8950]

Most of the skiers that slalomed behind the G20 were at 15 off and 30ish mph and they seemed fine. I have no idea how given 4,500lbs. I left right before a skier they starts at 28' was going to give it a whirl.

[ozski]

So Nate skis a V-drive and then turns up with his foot in a moon boot. I'm no detective and its pure speculation but... :smile:

[ALPJr]

Rough numbers... 4500# - 2000# = the best, mid 90's 3 event boats which were trailerable by a small, truck, SUV and minivan. You'll need a beast of a vehicle to tow these.

[Fast351]

@ALPJr Nah, any half ton pickup or full size SUV will do.

 

This thing sounds a lot like my 211 Nautique (which was their best selling boat at the time, also marketed as crossover) refreshed with modern lines and equipment.

 

It'll probably do really well in sales assuming they don't price it at stupid level where only those with a hundred grand laying around can afford it.

 

 

[oldjeep]

@Fast351 price is around 90K+ (same range as a 2016 VTX). Pretty crazy how fast the price on the 20ft "crossovers" are going up, glad I got mine a few years ago.

[andjules]

Nah, any half ton pickup or full size SUV will do.

Actually, 4500lbs + trailer (and some gear) will be well north of 5000lbs, which is the limit...
oops, I stand corrected. High for most mid-sized SUVs, but fine for a true full-size.

[Fast351]

That's too bad. I paid $56K out the door in 07 for my 211 TE with a trailer. The only option it didn't have was tower speakers. It was still a ton of money but with my trade-in it was affordable. The good news is that it's still worth $40-$45K depending on the time of the year. I would like a new "surf gate" style system to avoid having to list the boat to get a good wake, but it's not really worth an extra $40K.

 

I honestly can't see how people spend that much money on a boat. But hey, the people at Correct Craft and other companies are smart, they must have figured out the secret formula :smile:

[Porkfight]

Probably pulls tubes like a dream.

[escmanaze]

@andjules that is incorrect. Many compact SUVs are at 5,000 pounds (such as the pathetic forerunner) but all the full size SUVs and real half ton trucks are north of that. The suburban is currently listed at 8,000. Shoot, even my little Frontier is listed at 6,100 pounds. I certainly wouldn't call it a good time to tow around 5,500 pounds with my frontier, but at least I would be technically compliant.

[oldjeep]

Even a Chevy Colorado will pull 7K

[escmanaze]

It is a bummer if this replaces the sport 200. They seem to be pretty drastically different, and I have a hard time seeing one as a direct replacement for the other.

 

I think I've missed the conversation on the VTX. Can somebody detail for me what was done to the 2016 model that is bad for skiers?

 

Thanks

 

[oldjeep]

@escmanaze

http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/15071/2016-vtx-ski-ability

 

They basically made it heavier with more freeboard. I think the new interior patterns are hideous but Nautique people will like it ;)

[vtjc]

Remember the development costs for a 200V are much lower, they just rework an existing hull and interior design to accept a V drive. This looks like a whole new boat. 200V is a ski boat you can do other sports with. GS20 a wake/surf boat you can ski behind.

[B_S]

I spent a fair amount of time in it yesterday, and I've gotta say it's an impressive boat. I didn't sit in the one while anyone slalomed, but watched from shore as somebody went out. Not sure what length he was at, but looked to be somewhere around 32 off or so, and looked to be 34mph. I was pretty surprised at how little bounce I saw through the wakes. Didn't seem to phase him at all, really. Of course, when they were taking the little kids through at slow speeds, the wake was pretty big. It's definitely geared towards the family that does a bit of everything, has a ton of room, very well laid out, and can make a very big wake for a 20' boat. Personally, I hope they sell a bunch so they can afford to keep making and improving upon the 200!

[escmanaze]

@oldjeep Thanks much for that link, that is really helpful.

[rodltg2]

I was really hoping for a ski boat first out if this one. Even though I can't afford it anyway. The TXI is probably the most versatile boat , putting slalom first

[Lieutenant Dan]

Jeesh...do they really have to use "First-Ever". That is so overused and it turns me off on any product right away. Nautique should fire their marketing person just for laziness.

[TWB]

I tried the 22, 28, and 32 off wakes. 32 is very skiable. I didn't have the 15 off section on my rope or I would have tried that too.

[Tyler]

How is the wake in a Sport Nautique 200 compared to say a TSC 1 or 2? Always been interested in the Sport but wasn't sure if I would like the wake.

[rodltg2]

@Tyler you will not like it coming off a tsc. Have not skiid only drove one. But the wake looks pretty big compared

[swc5150]

@Tyler

The 200V is nice. -15 and -22 were noticeably bigger for my wife at 30mph. I was happy at -28 to -32 at 34mph. If you had to have a V drive, and are serious about skiing, I think it is/was the best option. IMHO, it aesthetically still resembles a ski boat too, versus the wake barge, deck boat look of the GS20.

[skinut]

@TWB and...how were 22 and 28?

[TWB]

@skinut like you would expect from a large crossover. I thought I was going to get hurt.

[bbirlew]

Anyone have any insight comparing either of these v drive wakes to a '94 nautique through the line lengths?

 

I'd love some more space and better boarding wake but not at the expense of my slalom.

Thx.

[jimski]

We have had x over boats in the past and IMO there's no other way around it I like 3 event so the 200 works for me my son likes to wake board so the 210 works for him

It doesn't work very well the other way around

[swc5150]

 

[swc5150]

The pic is -28 @31mph...courtesy of a PN member.

[swc5150]

And here's -15...

 

[oldjeep]

Looks bad, but I guess looks are not everything - why does the boat seem to be leaning to the drivers side so far? The wake tends to indicate the boat being way out of balance.

[swc5150]

@oldjeep The leaning question was brought up on PN as well, with no good answer that I saw. Wake looks are not deceiving. Slower speed, longer line wakes are bad...at least for a boat said be a ski boat.

[oldjeep]

My VTX is pretty sensitive to weight distribution, looks like they had an extra person on the drivers side or an extra beefy driver. The splash in the wake doesn't bother me much, mine looks not quite as bad as that 32MPH @15 off but there is nothing there when you hit it. On those pictures it looks like the turn across from what is the right side in the picture would get exciting since the whole wake is tipped and that is the high/defined side.

 

For comparison this is 30mph @15 off with 6 people in the boat ;)

 

[swc5150]

With 6 peeps and a V drive, your wake looks great.

[LeonL]

Do you guys actually slalom seriously behind these boats? Any level of shoreline?

[oldjeep]

@LeonL - yes, that is primarily what I do behind my VTX, typically not in the course. Most of my course time is behind an LXI. Before that I skied primarily behind a 19 ft runabout in open water. We ski/wakeboard in any water with 4-6 people along and spend the entire day on the water doing watersports, anchoring, cruising. Our local Malibu dealer sells a ton of VTX - at least they did before they were changed this year and most of the ones I see have a ski rack on them in addition to a wake rack. I only ski at 15 off - typically at 32, but supposedly Nate ran 39 off behind a VTX so I guess it can be done.

 

My tongue in cheek .02 -some slalom skiers are wussies who are incapable of skiing anything but flat water behind the tiniest wake :) If you can ski during lunch time on lake Minnetonka you can ski anything :smiley: