New to the board and jet boats

[Shane Ratliff]

I am considering buying a left over 2017 AR210. We just got a lake house on a 1100 acre lake that is pretty shallow. Max depth is 8ft and avg is 4.5ft. I am 6'5" 260lbs and didn't fit in AR195 very well. My concern is with the new TR1 motors and if the boat will have enough power to pull me out of the water. I used to ski and knee board years ago. I have 3 boys that will spend a couple wks a summer tubing, skiing and hopefully we can learn to wakeboard. I really don't care much about top speed but I do want power out of the hole and longevity. I have looked for something used for the last month or two and haven't seen any AR210 for sale and the 2010-2014 SX's are 25-30k which isn't that much of a difference compared to new. I am amazed at how well these boats hold there value which makes jumping to new a easier idea. I have never been on one of the older boats but I am a little concerned about how load everyone says they compared to the 2017.

What are your opinions of the 2017 vs older models?

 

[mrmeaniemeateaterman]

Welcome aboard. I have a 2014 Ar210 with the MR1 motors. I am very happy with it. Bought it new and other than a few minor things it has been a great boat. It's not really great at anything, but is good for a lot of stuff. Most importantly for me was the $'s to fun ratio. I'm having just as much fun as the $$$$$ boats at half the cost. I mostly drag my kids (now 11 & 8) and their friends around in the tube or on wakeboard or kneeboard. Boat has no problems with that. I do have the Perfect Pass system installed and consider it a must if you want to do board sports. But if you want to wakeboard as big as you are (no offense), you might have issues or will need to have a driver that knows what they are doing. I'm not saying it can't be done, but the driver will definitely need to know what they are doing.
Let me give you a real world analysis: I recently took a bunch of guys from work out on my boat. There was 4 of us total. Three of us are all about 5'10 ish, less than 200lbs. Boat pulls me/them up without much struggle. One of the other guys that went was 6'3" 250lb and boat had to really work to get him out of water. It did it, but I had to really gun it and hold it to pull him up. Boat & tower made definite "grunt" noises getting it done, but it did do it. Once he was up on board then everything is fine, it's just that initial pull from butt in the water to butt in the air that is the problem. So you need to be realistic on how much you are really going to be wakeboarding. If YOU are wakeboarding every outing & multiple runs, then you will likely be happier with a bigger boat/engine. If you are doing it once a year for just a few runs then the AR210 will be fine for pulling kids around. I will tell you wakeboarding if fun until you catch that edge and come up dizzy after you smacked the water like a whip. I don't bounce like I used to and when I do wakeboard I hurt for days after and not in a good fitness way either.

Good luck with your decision, it's never easy. If you have other AR210 questions let me know.

 

[Shane Ratliff]

Unfortunately Momma is never going to ok 50-60k for a new 212. It amazes me how few of them are around here used and I wonder how load the older ones really are compared to the 2017. I am not sure if it is still to early for most people start selling off before winter or they just didn't sell many of them to start with. I thought about a used 240 but not sure I want that big of a boat for a inland lake. There will also come a time when my sons want drive the boat with their friends and I don't think I want them running 50+MPH. Lol

 

[Shane Ratliff]

Is it harder to get a wake boarder up compared to a skier?

 

[djetok]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2015-212ss-for-sale-36k-nc.14732/

I do not know the boat or the owner . I have been keeping my eye on it. I kind of want to upgrade but I'm not ready yet.

I didn't see the 50+ in your post . this boat is faster than a ar240

 

[djetok]

Is it harder to get a wake boarder up compared to a skier?

it depends a lot on the skill of the person . In my experience yes.

 

[H2OBoy]

I have a 2017 AR210 and I was pulling a friend on a wakeboard this weekend that is 6', 200lbs. I pulled him up easily and could not even feel him back there. I also whipped him back and forth around the lake on a tube and could barely tell he was there. I honestly believe the TR-1 engines get a bad rap. I feel they have quite a bit of torque on the low end and the top speed is more than enough for me. I don't believe you can go wrong with the AR210.

 

[Shane Ratliff]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2015-212ss-for-sale-36k-nc.14732/

I do not know the boat or the owner . I have been keeping my eye on it. I kind of want to upgrade but I'm not ready yet.

I didn't see the 50+ in your post . this boat is faster than a ar240

I think the 212's top out in the low 50's if I am not mistaken. That is a nice boat but a long drive and to be honest a little nervous about a boat that was in salt water.

 

[Shane Ratliff]

I have a 2017 AR210 and I was pulling a friend on a wakeboard this weekend that is 6', 200lbs. I pulled him up easily and could not even feel him back there. I also whipped him back and forth around the lake on a tube and could barely tell he was there. I honestly believe the TR-1 engines get a bad rap. I feel they have quite a bit of torque on the low end and the top speed is more than enough for me. I don't believe you can go wrong with the AR210.

I have never pulled up a wake boarder and have no idea how to even do it myself. To be honest I don't think I would do it that often as it would mostly be me driving the boat not to mention I will be 47 next month and it does take a lot longer to heal then it used to. My boys and I also ride dirt bikes and the healing taking longer then it used to has proven itself several times in the last couple of years. Maybe I should just see if I can find good deal on a left over AR210

 

[djetok]

I have never pulled up a wake boarder and have no idea how to even do it myself. To be honest I don't think I would do it that often as it would mostly be me driving the boat not to mention I will be 47 next month and it does take a lot longer to heal then it used to. My boys and I also ride dirt bikes and the healing taking longer then it used to has proven itself several times in the last couple of years. Maybe I should just see if I can find good deal on a left over AR210

you can definitely pull either with a 210 I do with my mr-1s I will be adding ride steady so wife feels more confident

 

[Julian]

Is it harder to get a wake boarder up compared to a skier?

As a skier, I can tell you getting up on skiis is MUCH harder than a wakeboard. Getting up on ONE ski is MASSIVELY harder than getting up on a wakeboard! This is because of the surface area of the skis vs the wakeboard. So you need way less torque for a wakeboarder than a slalom skier.

 

[Shane Ratliff]

It has been 6-7yrs since I last skied but was able to get up on first try. I used to drop one ski but never learned how to get up on one. Be interesting to see if I can still get up and ski. I spend 3 days a week in the gym a ride dirt bikes a decent amount so hopefully the body will still work with me. My oldest son is 15 and very athletic so I am sure he would get it with some practice. The other two are 10 and 5 so they have a while before wake boarding.

 

[shane hric]

Unfortunately Momma is never going to ok 50-60k for a new 212. It amazes me how few of them are around here used and I wonder how load the older ones really are compared to the 2017. I am not sure if it is still to early for most people start selling off before winter or they just didn't sell many of them to start with. I thought about a used 240 but not sure I want that big of a boat for a inland lake. There will also come a time when my sons want drive the boat with their friends and I don't think I want them running 50+MPH. Lol

Shane, not sure where your looking to buy your boat from, but I bought my brand new 2015 242 LS in October from Freeway Motorsports in Michigan and I paid $10,000 less with boat show discount, Yamaha's 5 year Yes warranty rebate. So I would shop for your boat there. I had a great experience (minus the 2.5-3 hr drive).

 

[RiverRat]

Welcome aboard @Shane Ratliff , if you could go used, I can certainly vouch for @RampRage 's SX210 with an aftermarket tower and lots of other upgrades

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2011-sx210-25-000.14945/

 

[eticket]

I am 220 lbs and my 2015 212x pops me right out of the water on a wakeboard. I plow for quite a while on a single ski and so does everyone else that I have pulled. So my experience I'd the wakeboard is much easier to get up on.

 

[Shane Ratliff]

Welcome aboard @Shane Ratliff , if you could go used, I can certainly vouch for @RampRage 's SX210 with an aftermarket tower and lots of other upgrades

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2011-sx210-25-000.14945/

Thanks for the heads up. How many hrs are people actually getting out of the motors on these?

 

[RiverRat]

I think @Impelled recently went over 800 on his MR1's.

 

[SCP1]

For what you are looking for I think a 17 AR210 sounds like your boat. The 17's have some major improvements vs the older ones. I also wouldn't be concerned about the power (the hole shot is pretty good).

 

[2kwik4u]

IMO any twin engine boat will serve fine to pull up a wakeboarder. My little AR190 pulls my 6'2" tall 245lb body up with no problem. I honestly can't imagine a twin not outperforming my single.

I've ridden everything you can think of behind a boat. Including once a picnic table (upside down) and a Lazy Susan (on a bet from the office). A surf board is the easiest, then a wakeboard, then a wakeskate, then two skis and finally one ski, in terms of effort of boat needed to get the rider out of a deep water start. It is 100% related to the surface area of the board.

If you enjoy wakeboarding but want a lighter workout and less risk of catching an edge and ringing your bell, try a wakeskate. Hyperlite makes an entry level skate that is $99. It's just as much (arguably more IMO) fun than either the surfboard or the wakeboard, it's easier on your body when crashing, and with no binding's or ballast needed it's SUPER easy to toss the board out and go for a few runs. It also stores in the floor storage with no board racks needed. In terms of wake sports I really to think that the skate is the value leader!

*edit*....I ride the Stylus 45" and enjoy the heck out of it!

http://www.hyperlite.com/wakeskates.php

 

[SCP1]

IMO any twin engine boat will serve fine to pull up a wakeboarder. My little AR190 pulls my 6'2" tall 245lb body up with no problem. I honestly can't imagine a twin not outperforming my single.

I've ridden everything you can think of behind a boat. Including once a picnic table (upside down) and a Lazy Susan (on a bet from the office). A surf board is the easiest, then a wakeboard, then a wakeskate, then two skis and finally one ski, in terms of effort of boat needed to get the rider out of a deep water start. It is 100% related to the surface area of the board.

If you enjoy wakeboarding but want a lighter workout and less risk of catching an edge and ringing your bell, try a wakeskate. Hyperlite makes an entry level skate that is $99. It's just as much (arguably more IMO) fun than either the surfboard or the wakeboard, it's easier on your body when crashing, and with no binding's or ballast needed it's SUPER easy to toss the board out and go for a few runs. It also stores in the floor storage with no board racks needed. In terms of wake sports I really to think that the skate is the value leader!

*edit*....I ride the Stylus 45" and enjoy the heck out of it!

http://www.hyperlite.com/wakeskates.php

Do you have any video of riding? Now I'm interested.