Nautique 206

[Spuddy]

Anyone with/or had a 206 with a bimini top that's attached to a tower? Is it simple to collapse? Would one mounted under the tower be easier if I have to take up and down each day for storage in a boat lift?

 

Also on another note (and I've already scanned some posts from the past) any feedback about wake at 34 mph, 22-32 off compared to a 1997 196 would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you,

[The_MS]

Awesome pull and wakes. Not sure about the tower effect on the wakes. I know the LXIs with the towers felt bigger. Stay away from the 03s

[Spuddy]

@The_MS thanks, I'm looking at an '08 so good in that respect.

[The_MS]

The first year 206 had issues with flex while bunked or on a trailer.

[Obrienslalom]

I have a 2006 206, and had an OEM Flight Control Design tower put on through new dimension towers. Not positive this will match exactly what you are looking at.

 

My bimini collapses into two canvas rolls, each by releasing 2 pins and then clipping the polls to the main rack. There are 4 more pins to remove the bimini completely. I only collapse it if I need to collapse the entire rack forward. Otherwise, I typically just roll up the canvase and put the boot on it.

 

In your lift, do you need to collapse the rack at all? I typically don't, I just position the rack between the beams in our roof.

 

I can't compare the wake to the 196, but 22 is fairly bumpy on the 2006 206. I'm a 15 off skier, but was told to occasionally ski 22 off to get the feeling of the swing better. I skipped to 28 off, because the bump at 22 was a tad silly.

 

I do really love the boat though. For me the extra space and seating is essential. I don't know what I'll do if I ever need to replace it. Nothing else seems to fit the bill.

[Spuddy]

@Obrienslalom Thanks for the feedback, yes I would need to fold the tower and bimini each time I put it in the lift for clearance so just looking at the best option.

 

[Fam-man]

@Spuddy One of our ski crew had a 2008 SN206 with a tower and bimini that he sold early last spring and I have a 98 SN196. At 32mph I found 15 off and 22 off to be a bigger bump on the SN206 but not a major disruption and I typically skied similar balls. At 28 off I found the SN206 to have a harder wake and others said similar for 32 & 35 off. At 34mph we found the wakes to be more similar between the two boats with the SN206 still being slightly larger and harder however I was spending less time at 34mph.

I don't have any info on collapsing the bimini and tower

[Spuddy]

@Fam-man thanks for the input, any feedback is appreciated. I've skied behind I think it was an 2006 206 so I know what they are like the real reason to get it is for more space in the boat and we're on a public lake so the 197 mastercraft seems like it can be a bit of a hassle in choppy water.

[igkya]

@Spuddy I had an 2004 206 with tower and bimini. Folding the tower is easy enuff, but it really depends how you attach the bimini to the tower, and what portion of the tower you need to fold. Every setup will be a bit different. I only skied at 34 mph and 28-off or shorter and while not as good as a 196, it's very close.

[Spuddy]

@igkya thanks for the info, I’d have to fold them both down each day to get into my boat lift, I’ll have to explore the options to see what would work

[slow]

I ski behind a 206 with a tower and 196 with out a tower. There is no comparison in the wakes. I think part of it is that you can’t get all the water out of the bladders

[Spuddy]

Thanks @slow I was told this 206 does not have any ballast tanks

[slow]

Probably good to go then

[6balls]

@slow that’s cuz the 196 is the bomb