What Mastercraft is for me?

[Wakerider16]

If you were looking for more of a serious performance wakeboat with a pro wakeboard wake and a dam fine v drive ski wake I would push you towards the 205v. The only huge downside to the 205v is space. It gets very tight quick, but if you want top performance for wakeboarding, Ferrari like handling, and don't mind sacrificing space the 205v/ 99-2003 XStar is the ticket

I love my 205V but I do agree with the statement that space gets tight quickly. For my next boat I will be either looking at an x-star or x-30 (not sure if I want to go towards surfing or wakeboarding quite yet). When we did day trips to the lake and loaded it up with gear, tubes, people, ect ect, it was a tight fit. Now that I took my rear lockers and added ballast it would be even tighter now. Need to add some storage on the tower for boards and ski's. Tubes I bought an electric pump which I used while we stopped and swam / drank before tubing and then deflated the tube before boarding or anything like that again.

I would just suggest to try and find one with a tower already installed as racks are your best friend if you go out with a crew of people.

[ibrokeit]

I am gonna break from the 205v mold and say a more well rounded all around boat would be the Maristar 210/X10 While you probably will be hard pressed to find an X10 in that range an identical version without all the wakeboard stuff is the Maristar 210. It handles rough water a bit better, gives you a ton more room, and is more family/multisport friendly. It sounds like you are going to be spending a day on the water. With coolers, people,tubes, and gear the Maristar 210 would be way more comfortable inside. You will sacrifice wakeboarding wake when compared to the 205v. It won't be of the same pro caliber. If you're just a recreational rider who enjoys being on the water though the Maristar 210 will still have a much better wake than any I/O.


If you were looking for more of a serious performance wakeboat with a pro wakeboard wake and a dam fine v drive ski wake I would push you towards the 205v. The only huge downside to the 205v is space. It gets very tight quick, but if you want top performance for wakeboarding, Ferrari like handling, and don't mind sacrificing space the 205v/ 99-2003 XStar is the ticket




As far as the seating 99's had a rear bench and an observers seat. No link between the (2) for the wrap around feel. The 99's also had a bit smaller sundeck and a longer cockpit. In 2000 they all went to went around seating. Some days I wish I had the 99 seating to open up my interior a bit, but you lose a ton of storage because that rear bench in 99 has storage on each side of it and not under the entire rear bench.

That is absolutely right (in red). I don't have a lakehouse so everything for the day will be loaded in the boat, even the dog on occasion. The 210/X10 is on the table, but they are much fewer and far between than the 205v/early Xstar.

[ibrokeit]

BTW, thank yall again for being so helpful. I have learned more from this thread thus far than the week I have been researching prior.

[Wakerider16]

That is absolutely right (in red). I don't have a lakehouse so everything for the day will be loaded in the boat, even the dog on occasion. The 210/X10 is on the table, but they are much fewer and far between than the 205v/early Xstar.

If you live on the lake it actually may be easier for you to go back to the house to swap gear if you keep it down by the dock...

Just playing the flip side as it is what I have been doing since I moved.

[ibrokeit]

If you live on the lake it actually may be easier for you to go back to the house to swap gear if you keep it down by the dock...

Just playing the flip side as it is what I have been doing since I moved.

I got ya. I am 45 minutes from the lake using a public dock/launch. So everything for the trip will be on the boat with me.

[jafo9]

all the above advice is solid. the only thing i haven't seen mentioned is the change in interior and tower for 01+. the sun pad gets the 3 way split and the tower changes as well. the interior is a bit more "modern". other then that, they are all the same hull as their pre-01 monikers, 205, 205v, 210, 230. the things that make a wakeboard edition are tower, ballast, perfect pass, and graphics. of those, i'd look for a tower and PP to be pre-installed. those are by far the most expensive options that you'd have to pony up for down the road. ballast is a work in progress for a lot of folks and can be done piece meal easier down the road. the 98+ maristar hulls (210/230) will give a lot more space than the 205v hull. the big trade off is function. as mentioned before the 205v hull is still sought after today.

look at it this way. no MC'er looks at my hull and says, "man, that is one of the greatest hulls/wakes ever", whereas the 205v, X2, X1 owners will hear that all the time. when i was in your buying shoes, we chose family friendly over performance.

good luck. i'm in your neck of the woods. feel free to pm me with any questions you might have.

[ibrokeit]

all the above advice is solid. the only thing i haven't seen mentioned is the change in interior and tower for 01+. the sun pad gets the 3 way split and the tower changes as well. the interior is a bit more "modern". other then that, they are all the same hull as their pre-01 monikers, 205, 205v, 210, 230. the things that make a wakeboard edition are tower, ballast, perfect pass, and graphics. of those, i'd look for a tower and PP to be pre-installed. those are by far the most expensive options that you'd have to pony up for down the road. ballast is a work in progress for a lot of folks and can be done piece meal easier down the road. the 98+ maristar hulls (210/230) will give a lot more space than the 205v hull. the big trade off is function. as mentioned before the 205v hull is still sought after today.

look at it this way. no MC'er looks at my hull and says, "man, that is one of the greatest hulls/wakes ever", whereas the 205v, X2, X1 owners will hear that all the time. when i was in your buying shoes, we chose family friendly over performance.

good luck. i'm in your neck of the woods. feel free to pm me with any questions you might have.

Thanks bud. I might have missed it, but what boat did you end up with? And where ya from?

[LaRue]

Agree with Swatguy. We love our Maristar. Often I will contemplate how it would be to have a nicer ski wake, sports car like handling, or a higher quality wakeboard wake but at the end of the day, we can ski...surf...board and keep challenging ourself. In addition we enjoy a nice ride and comfortable seating and a ridiculous amount of storage. We added a tower, fat sacs, and PP and we have not regretted it once. Even the wife agrees. She feels very comfortable driving and likes the overall feel of the Maristar 210.

[jsturvey]

What Mastercraft is for me?

Agree with Swatguy. We love our Maristar. Often I will contemplate how it would be to have a nicer ski wake, sports car like handling, or a higher quality wakeboard wake but at the end of the day, we can ski...surf...board and keep challenging ourself. In addition we enjoy a nice ride and comfortable seating and a ridiculous amount of storage. We added a tower, fat sacs, and PP and we have not regretted it once. Even the wife agrees. She feels very comfortable driving and likes the overall feel of the Maristar 210.

We love our MariStar too. It is a great all-around do everything boat that fits the family easily. We've had ours for almost 4 years now. Like the OP, our previous boat was an 18' I/O, and the difference in wake and performance just stepping up from that boat to a Mastercraft, to me, was amazing. Our MariStar also handles rough water much better than our previous boat as well. No matter what you get, you won't be disappointed. Good luck with your search.


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[jafo9]

Thanks bud. I might have missed it, but what boat did you end up with? And where ya from?

ended up with the 230 hull (02 X30). we're in the 'ham and boat on smith.

[ibrokeit]

ended up with the 230 hull (02 X30). we're in the 'ham and boat on smith.

I was on Smith with a friend in their Maristar for Memorial Day weekend, which is what got my gears turning for a boat again.

[Wakerider16]

I got ya. I am 45 minutes from the lake using a public dock/launch. So everything for the trip will be on the boat with me.

Sorry I read it as do have a lakehouse... That was terrible

[dvsone79]

First off, WDE. Second, +1 for 205v. I have a '99 without the wrap around seating. I just put a big cooler on the port side where the wrap around seating would have been. People can sit on it if they want. It's rare that we have more than 4 or 5 out so it's not an issue for me.

I live in North AL and ride the TN river mostly and Smith Lake whenever I can.

[Pickwick]

Sentence Emphasis

When I first read the title of this thread I thought it was going to be an introspective on how Mastercraft has impacted this guy's life.

[ibrokeit]

When I first read the title of this thread I thought it was going to be an introspective on how Mastercraft has impacted this guy's life.

"How Mastercraft changed my life"