2023 M220 First Day on Water Observations

[surfersrule]

First day on the water in our new M220 and have a few observations and a wake question.

1.  It’s big.  I came from a Sanger V215, so the M220 felt like a really big boat even though overall length just about 1 foot different.  The freeboard is so much higher.  It also feels roomy inside.  

2.   I’ve read a thread or 2 about the stereo system.  We ordered with 4 Rev 10’s.  Amplitude - I couldn’t turn it up more than 50 percent.  Sound quality was very good, but I am no audiophile.  Bass inside the boat was thumping.  Not sure what a rider will hear.

3.  The LT4 is a monster.  We were on Folsom Lake which is under 500 ft. altitude.  10-15 kts of wind.  White capping wind chop.  For sure more power than you need for that boat at anywhere close to that altitude, but the power sure did feel good.  Fully ballasted with 4 peeps, jumped onto plane as you would expect.  Prop is the 17 x 15.5.  I have a 18 x 15.5  on the way.

4. Stern Turn works well, but struggles against 10-15 kts on the beam with all of the sail area.  

5.  Cooler situation is not ideal and results in inefficient use of space.  I am going to work figuring that out.

6.  Tows great.

7.  Bimini has great coverage.

8.  Overall quality control seems good so far.  Fingers crossed.  Some gel coat issues, but they already took pictures and will take care of at end of season.  

9.  I think the vinyl is great.  Will see how it wears.

10. Goofy wake was really nice in the basic surf right set up.  Regular wake, needs some tweaking for sure.  I had 3 skinny peeps on port side, ballast full on all.  Moved wedge from 1 to 4.  Needs more weight to offset prop rotation and/or reduce starboard ballast.  In general, not happy right now with port wake, but confident I can tweak it and turn it into a phenominal wake.  Would love input from you folks on best way to do this.  I don’t like the idea of lead, but I’ll do what I need to do.  We are empty nesters so there will be plenty of times when we will not have many folks out with us.  My wife and I are both regular footers.

11. Derek, at the local dealer there is really great.

 

[NorCalSurfer]

Congrats! I live 2 minutes from the GB launch. Happy to meet up sometime in the 5 mph area. I’m heading to Englebright this weekend, first time to that lake. 
 

Don’t be scared of lead, I have 250 lbs in my little 21LX. 

[surfersrule]

8 minutes ago, NorCalSurfer said:

Congrats! I live 2 minutes from the GB launch. Happy to meet up sometime in the 5 mph area. I’m heading to Englebright this weekend, first time to that lake. 
 

Don’t be scared of lead, I have 250 lbs in my little 21LX. 

Thanks.  We launched from GB today.  I keep my boat at Pleasure Cove on Lake Berryessa so I never get to Folsom just went there today to go for ride with dealer, but if you are ever at Lake Berryessa or want to come down for a day let me know.  I’ll be away for the next 3 week and then on the water a lot after that.  I know what you are saying about the lead. 

[NorCalSurfer]

15 minutes ago, surfersrule said:

Thanks.  We launched from GB today.  I keep my boat at Pleasure Cove on Lake Berryessa so I never get to Folsom just went there today to go for ride with dealer, but if you are ever at Lake Berryessa or want to come down for a day let me know.  I’ll be away for the next 3 week and then on the water a lot after that.  I know what you are saying about the lead. 

I’ve never been to Lake Berryessa. I imagine it’s beautiful. 

[BLSousa]

Congrats on the new M220! We also have ours at Pleasure Cove. I really liked the port wave when i only ran 50-75% in the tear tanks and slowed down to 10.8-11mph. We are just beginning the process of tweaking the wave as well.  I don’t have any pics of our port wave. This is a pic running 50% ballast with my son who is 6-2 in the pic
 

What colors are your new ride?

[teamerickson]

Regarding the stereo. We've had a 2017 23LSV (first year of wetsounds Intergration) and now a 2019 A22 with stock stereos. I've noticed the auto volume settings can really get the system pumping! With the engine off, the system would get loud and sound great. But it really seemed like on the water, with engine running while riding and auto volume engaged, it would be WAY louder and blast! 

[surfersrule]

12 hours ago, BLSousa said:

Congrats on the new M220! We also have ours at Pleasure Cove. I really liked the port wave when i only ran 50-75% in the tear tanks and slowed down to 10.8-11mph. We are just beginning the process of tweaking the wave as well.  I don’t have any pics of our port wave. This is a pic running 50% ballast with my son who is 6-2 in the pic
 

What colors are your new ride?

That is a great looking wake.  Hope to meet you out there sometime.  Ours is black zephyr flake, gunmetal flake, and light graphite.  Do you keep your boat at the lake for tow?  We are on a hydro hoist on the lake.  Will take it there I’m about 3 weeks when we get back in town.  Looking forward to a great summer on the lake.  Let’s stay in touch.

[NewMalibu]

Do you have the PnP bags? we have them, and we run everything 100% full, wedge at 3 or 4 and 11.2mph. I dont have pics, but that seems to work well for both regular & goofy, and it good for transitioning.

The other nice thing about the M220 is that the rear lockers are so deep, that we can run full PnP bags, and still put 5+ Lifejackets + Towels on each side. 

[BarliBear]

On 5/30/2023 at 8:57 PM, surfersrule said:

First day on the water in our new M220 and have a few observations and a wake question.

1.  It’s big.  I came from a Sanger V215, so the M220 felt like a really big boat even though overall length just about 1 foot different.  The freeboard is so much higher.  It also feels roomy inside.  

2.   I’ve read a thread or 2 about the stereo system.  We ordered with 4 Rev 10’s.  Amplitude - I couldn’t turn it up more than 50 percent.  Sound quality was very good, but I am no audiophile.  Bass inside the boat was thumping.  Not sure what a rider will hear.

3.  The LT4 is a monster.  We were on Folsom Lake which is under 500 ft. altitude.  10-15 kts of wind.  White capping wind chop.  For sure more power than you need for that boat at anywhere close to that altitude, but the power sure did feel good.  Fully ballasted with 4 peeps, jumped onto plane as you would expect.  Prop is the 17 x 15.5.  I have a 18 x 15.5  on the way.

4. Stern Turn works well, but struggles against 10-15 kts on the beam with all of the sail area.  

5.  Cooler situation is not ideal and results in inefficient use of space.  I am going to work figuring that out.

6.  Tows great.

7.  Bimini has great coverage.

8.  Overall quality control seems good so far.  Fingers crossed.  Some gel coat issues, but they already took pictures and will take care of at end of season.  

9.  I think the vinyl is great.  Will see how it wears.

10. Goofy wake was really nice in the basic surf right set up.  Regular wake, needs some tweaking for sure.  I had 3 skinny peeps on port side, ballast full on all.  Moved wedge from 1 to 4.  Needs more weight to offset prop rotation and/or reduce starboard ballast.  In general, not happy right now with port wake, but confident I can tweak it and turn it into a phenominal wake.  Would love input from you folks on best way to do this.  I don’t like the idea of lead, but I’ll do what I need to do.  We are empty nesters so there will be plenty of times when we will not have many folks out with us.  My wife and I are both regular footers.

11. Derek, at the local dealer there is really great.

 

What don’t you like about the cooler tray? That was the one item I was wishing the LSV series would have on it as well.

 

Derek at Larson’s is the man 

[surfersrule]

On 6/1/2023 at 4:11 PM, NewMalibu said:

Do you have the PnP bags? we have them, and we run everything 100% full, wedge at 3 or 4 and 11.2mph. I dont have pics, but that seems to work well for both regular & goofy, and it good for transitioning.

The other nice thing about the M220 is that the rear lockers are so deep, that we can run full PnP bags, and still put 5+ Lifejackets + Towels on each side. 

thanks.  We do have the PnP.  That is basically the setting we had it on the first day.  I was pleasantly surprised also with the mount of space on top of the PnP bags.

[surfersrule]

17 hours ago, BarliBear said:

What don’t you like about the cooler tray? That was the one item I was wishing the LSV series would have on it as well.

 

Derek at Larson’s is the man 

The M220 doesn’t have a cooler tray.  I think you are thinking of the M240.  The 220 has a soft cooler under the starboard side passenger seat.  It’s just not an efficient use of space.  I would actually prefer a built in cooler that empties into the bilge as the ice melts.   And, agree on Derek.  He was great from start to finish.