2024 Boat Show impressions

[PrestigeLakeWide]

3 hours ago, Slayer said:

@dshack is right.  That's one of my biggest complaints about bags.  The other thing I don't like about bags is that they can move around in the boat and when they do, they can be forced into a position where getting them full isn't possible.  I like hard tanks for those reasons.  While we know hard tanks have their issues, I think they're a better solution for primary ballast and bags are decent for supplemental ballast.  I have a friend with a MC XT22 who's had his center tank replaced 3 times in the last 3 years. 

 do they still have to send it back to the plant and split the hull for that?

[Slayer]

3 minutes ago, PrestigeLakeWide said:

 do they still have to send it back to the plant and split the hull for that?

They do split the hull.  On his, it was done at the dealer and didn't' need to go back to the factory.  It's happened 4 times on his boat because his fuel tank also split.  Needless to say, he's selling the boat.

 

Edited March 20 by Slayer

[Cole2001]

Very common practice on MC. They’re meant to come apart more so than other brands and if done correctly you will never know. Some of the rear tanks can be taken out by pulling the engine but still not ideal.

[Slayer]

17 hours ago, Cole2001 said:

Very common practice on MC. They’re meant to come apart more so than other brands and if done correctly you will never know. Some of the rear tanks can be taken out by pulling the engine but still not ideal.

Yeah, you can't tell they've split the hull as many times as they have.  Seems absolutely crazy that they've had to do it so many times. 

[DAI]

On 3/20/2024 at 7:22 AM, Slayer said:

@dshack is right.  That's one of my biggest complaints about bags.  The other thing I don't like about bags is that they can move around in the boat and when they do, they can be forced into a position where getting them full isn't possible.  I like hard tanks for those reasons.  While we know hard tanks have their issues, I think they're a better solution for primary ballast and bags are decent for supplemental ballast.  I have a friend with a MC XT22 who's had his center tank replaced 3 times in the last 3 years. 

Just an FYI - But Nautique is all bags for ballast also (at least in 2021).

[Tjards]

21 hours ago, DAI said:

Just an FYI - But Nautique is all bags for ballast also (at least in 2021).

They still are and even on their Paragons

[CaptainMorgan]

While on a work trip I had some unexpected free time and had opportunity to stop by a centurion dealership for the first time.  Climbed on an Ri265, Fi23 and Supreme S240.

Would have loved to water test as that's a big component of their alleged appeal, but here are some observations based on showroom climbing coming from an Axis owner perspective:

-storage underneath the seats is really shallow. I always have some 3-4 person tubes tucked in there which would be really hard. There is some room in the rear lockers but only weird half trays; seems like thatd be perfect use case for hyperryd locker nets.

-they have a new battery switch config inside the OB glove box...I dont like it personally as my glove box is full of stuff and this means digging thru clutter to push buttons. Rotary battery switch still fine by me.

-Fi23 had the dual screens and overall helm was very slick. Captains chair very comfortable.  Size very comparable to 23mxz I think. Definitely less freeboard than the Ri series.

-Ri265 is monstrous. Really deep freeboard. Flip up loungers on transom were comfortable and ratchet mechanism is slick.

- I like the gas strut assisted opening for transom lockers. The Fi23 had little storage bins on the rear gunwales but seem too small to be functional - do I really need a separate storage bin for 1 set of shoes?

- all towers were solid, nicely finished and bimini large.

-skylon racks! I had never seen these in person, they are awesome (especially for foils)

-S240 fit/finish was good. cabin felt smaller than my A24, I think because they have such a large sun pad and a big sitting area on transom. The sun pad is also slanted towards stern, so it's like laying on a slight slope.  The radio controls are by the throttle, so if anyone other than driver wants to touch radio they would have to lunge across driver. No screen for radio either. Seats were hinged but seem to interfere with gunwales when opening so had to hold them open (no gas struts like Centurions).

- Rough prices mentioned in discussions for moderately optioned 2024s = 135k for S240, 180k for Fi23 and at least 210k for an Ri230.  Huge variation possible based on region, options and all that.

- Personally I liked the Ri more than the Fi, but that's a price stratosphere I'm unwilling to enter. 

-the S240 is interesting, tho showroom and setup wise I probably like the axis layout and storage more (familiarity likely skewing my opinion).  If I was looking to upgrade and there were a dealer within 3 hrs of me (neither the case right now), I'd probably do a water test to see if wave and deepV performance lives up to billing and was enough of a differentiator.

Ok, that was way more words than intended. It's what happens when stuck in airports alone on work trips. 

C'mon summer!

[dalt1]

1 hour ago, CaptainMorgan said:

-storage underneath the seats is really shallow. I always have some 3-4 person tubes tucked in there which would be really hard. There is some room in the rear lockers but only weird half trays; seems like thatd be perfect use case for hyperryd locker nets.

Storage and fit and finish is what let Supra win out for me over Centurion.