SN 200 vs SN 196

[skinut]

I am considering purchasing a 200 OB. My current boat is a 08 196. I just have some questions for those of you who have experience with moving from a 196 to a 200.

 

-Is there much of a difference in handling. I hear they track well but may not be as responsive at slower speeds.

-Does the 200 have the same hole shot as the 196? What about at higher elevations? My main lake is 2100 feet long at 4500 ft elevation. A few weeks out of the summer I set up a course with short setups on a lake at 6500ft elevation.

-Do you recommend the 6.0 liter at higher elevations?

-How does ZO react behind the larger engine? Is it a harder pull or no real difference?

-Do you lose a lot of storage with an OB or do the saddle bags make up for the loss?

-If you had the choice all over again would you still purchase a 200 vs a 196, assuming they still made the 196?

 

[Old MS Accout]

How much for your 08? how many hours?

 

[Not_The_Pug]

If at elevation, go with the 6.0 from what I have read. I have skied better behind the 6 then the 5.7 this year.

 

Depending on where you are at, there is a promo on the west coast with a 6.0 that will be available. But it is a CB.

[skinut]

My 08 has 210 hours and I think $34k is about what I would look to get out of it. It is an LE with the 5.7. I am in the NW.

 

[clemsondave]

I think CC recommends the 6L if over 5k ft so you're close. Many think ZO feels better with the 6L because the RPM variance is smaller. It can hold the speed without having to ramp up as much.

 

Hole shot is VERY close from the 196 to the 200. It really is not that much bigger and it has a more efficient hull.

 

Even with the OB, you have storage under the bow. I could fit 2-3 skis under there. Combine that with 1-2 for each saddle bag PLUS you have more walk around space. That's why people think this boat is so big. Reality is that it is only 4" wider and 6" longer. It is just layed out much more efficiently.

 

200 tracks much better.

 

Do you have a promo person in your area? They would be a great resource to see what motor to get.

[Marco]

Definately go with the 6.0. We are at 5650' and the 5.7 didn't work on our 2000' lake with islands. Had to swap motors to the 6.0. The hole shot on the 6L 200 is better than the 196 we ski behind, but the 196 is propped slightly bigger, so that might be the difference. Driving the 200 will spoil you. It tracks like a freight train, and is not nearly as sensative to side to side weight balance as the 196. I don't have any issues with the slower speeds either.

[skiep]

OB e- me the sell price on your boat. year hours etc: Keith skiep@townbeacon.com

[Roger]

-Is there much of a difference in handling. I hear they track well but may not be as responsive at slower speeds.

I don't think there is a big difference and I drive both hulls regularly.

 

-Does the 200 have the same hole shot as the 196? What about at higher elevations? My main lake is 2100 feet long at 4500 ft elevation. A few weeks out of the summer I set up a course with short setups on a lake at 6500ft elevation.

The hole shot is similar at sea level. At higher elevations, the 5.7 boat suffers. At 6500fl, I doubt you could run 36mph.

 

-Do you recommend the 6.0 liter at higher elevations?

Yes.

 

-How does ZO react behind the larger engine? Is it a harder pull or no real difference?

To me, if feels smoother and I generally ski a bit better.

 

-Do you lose a lot of storage with an OB or do the saddle bags make up for the loss?

You lose some of course.

 

-If you had the choice all over again would you still purchase a 200 vs a 196, assuming they still made the 196?

After seeing several of my friends buy 200s and all complain about the increased fuel usage and because I ski the same behind both hulls, I bought a 2009. 2 of the top 3 skiers at Okeeheelee own 196s and ski the same scores in tournaments as practice (on average).

 

I really like driving the 200, it tracks better than any other boat I've driven; but the 196 is still a stellar boat that tracks great, uses less fuel, skis great, stores easier, and costs less. If I had your boat with that few hours, I'd keep it.

[Old MS Accout]

OB,

Ours only has 350 on it but I always have people asking us how much so it is good to know where good 196s are located for sale.

The problem with selling is that you need to get a new boat and that is a loose loose. We loose the small boat we love and we have to dump another 15K to upgrade to a barge/yaght.

If we can find an 09 196, that would be best case.

[ral]

Went from a 08 196 to a 11 200 CB

 

-Is there much of a difference in handling. I hear they track well but may not be as responsive at slower speeds.

Tracks better than the 196 and has a very similar handling and responsiveness at slower speeds

 

-Does the 200 have the same hole shot as the 196? What about at higher elevations? My main lake is 2100 feet long at 4500 ft elevation. A few weeks out of the summer I set up a course with short setups on a lake at 6500ft elevation.

Hole shot is similar, but after 25 MPH it lags compared to the 196. For sure a 6.0 for higher elevations.

 

-Do you recommend the 6.0 liter at higher elevations?

Yep

 

-How does ZO react behind the larger engine? Is it a harder pull or no real difference?

It skis and drives better the course. No doubts.

 

-Do you lose a lot of storage with an OB or do the saddle bags make up for the loss?

No idea, I have a CB

 

-If you had the choice all over again would you still purchase a 200 vs a 196, assuming they still made the 196?

Thing is, tournaments will be pulled by 200's. The 200 tracks better and has better driving ergonomics, but gasps more fuel and takes longer to get to 34 and 36 mph. Besides this, I spend more time behind the boat than driving it. For a ski lake, IMHO the 196 was a better value for money. But they do not make it anymore. So, it is not an option for us.

 

We sold our 08 196 with a mere 2500 hours...

[teammalibu]

MS

Sounds like you are getting a little loose loose.

Looking forward to gettin up der to ski wit ya eh.

[Mrs_MS]

Maybe spell check would help him LOSE his "loose loose"!!!!! sigh...

[Razorskier1]

Nah -- he really is loose loose!

[Old MS Accout]

Noose noose.

Team M,

This heat is starting to get to me.

[sjholbert]

We have club boats at Laku Landing in Colorado. We have a 2010 200 and a 2009 196. While no one would have a negative thing to say about the 196, if they are both available, it's the 200 that is chosen almost all the time. Everyone loves to drive it and ski behind it. We are at about 5000 ft and our 200 has the 6 liter. I would definately recommend that. And NO the pull is not harder. In fact, the 200 is the softest boat I have ever skied behind. I use B2 on most boats, but use C3 on the 200. I skied behind a 2011 200 at a tournament and it felt the same.

By the way, our 2009 196 is available for sale. $36k. It's on ski-it-again.

[skiinxs]

-Is there much of a difference in handling. I hear they track well but may not be as responsive at slower speeds.

 

The 196 handles great, the 200 handles better. Tracks fantastic. Best driving boats I have ever been in.

 

-Does the 200 have the same hole shot as the 196? What about at higher elevations? My main lake is 2100 feet long at 4500 ft elevation. A few weeks out of the summer I set up a course with short setups on a lake at 6500ft elevation.

 

I have had 8 196's two of which had 5.7's and the rest were 6-liters. My 09 196 was a 5.7 and my 10 200 was a 5.7 liter. I believe the 200 was slightly stronger out of the hole with the 12.5X15 prop, considerably stronger with the 12.5X14.25. I have never been to higher elevations, but I believe from what I have heard that you would be happier with a 6-liter there,

 

-Do you recommend the 6.0 liter at higher elevations?

Yes

 

-How does ZO react behind the larger engine? Is it a harder pull or no real difference?

 

To me (and several good skiers who have commented to me) my 11 6-liter feels softer than MB this year and MUCH softer than MC. My 11 6.0 feels slightly softer to me than my 10 5.7 did, but there were a few months in between skiing them and the difference was very small. I would not make an engine choice based on this factor.

 

-Do you lose a lot of storage with an OB or do the saddle bags make up for the loss?

It depends on how you use the storage. My preference is to not put slalom skis on top of each other, so I will only put one in each side, even though two will fit. That still gives you an empty floor with three skiers. If you don't mind jumping up from the observers seat, you could put another under there, even with the open bow.

 

-If you had the choice all over again would you still purchase a 200 vs a 196, assuming they still made the 196?

 

Absolutely! When I took the last ski ride behind my '09 196, while I was waiting for the rope to tighten up on my last pass, I remember thinking to myself, out of all of my inboards this was the best (it was my 28th inboard). I was also thinking "how could they possibly make a better driving and skiing boat" They DID! I also remember thinking, what could they possibly do to make it worth the big price increase, well, given a choice between a brand new 196 at $10,000 less than a brand new 200, I would pick the 200 again, but that certainly does level the playing field.

 

Of course this is all my opinion, and there are many opinions out there on this subject. By the way, my 11 6-liter promo is for sale, listed in the ski-it-again link above. If you go to nationals this year, I am sure you will see it pulling jump. (shameless plug!)

Dave