Wakeboard Boat Review
We know it’s a reality for a lot of riders that the waterskiers in the family hold the purse strings. And those skiers may not be ready to buy a core wakeboard boat. No problem. Have them test-drive this Crossover Nautique 216 from Correct Craft. It’s got that direct-drive handling and slalom-friendly dimensions to get the deal done — as long as that deal includes upgrading to the Team Edition for wakeboard tower, factory ballast system and stereo, of course.
Hull: Correct Craft promotes the Crossover Nautique 216 as a top-flight waterski boat. It shares a lot of the design with those slalom machines, most obviously that the width is only 7-foot-7 and dry weight is below 3,000 pounds, helping to keep wakes on the softer side. More ballast helps pump them up.
Ballast: Speaking of ballast, the Team Edition includes the optional factory ballast system that maxes out at 308 pounds with two tanks in the rear. That’s among the lower capacities we’ve found for ballast systems, but beginning wakeboarders don’t need much.
Tower: The iconic design of the Flight Control Tower tops this Correct Craft when you get the Team Edition. It strikes a good balance of being beefy enough for a solid tow point without overly top-weighting this size boat. Our test team also loved the swivel wakeboard racks that were so easy to use with the quick-release pin.
Highlight feature: The rear bench has contour, comfort and cup holders, three things we don’t always find when sitting behind the engine box on a direct-drive. The legroom is actually pretty good, too, giving the Crossover Nautique 216 a roomier feel than you might expect.
The wake: There’s a good shape to these wakes, which are fairly rampy for a Nautique. The factory ballast system can satisfy beginner and some intermediate wakeboarders, though we’d expect the wake to maintain its shape and increase its size with the addition of more ballast.
What We Dig
-Handy cooler up front
-Whole observer’s seat flips up for storage
-Zero-Off cruise control upgrade
-New crest hull graphic
-Gull-wing rear trunk locks
Specs
Length w/o platform: 21’7”
Beam: 7’7”
People: 10
Dry weight: 2,990 lb.
Ballast*: 300 lb. total
Tower*: Flight Control Tower
Racks*: Swivel wakeboard racks
Main lounge: 66 sq. ft.
Stereo*: Clarion deck, Polk/MOMO speakers, amp, subwoofer, remote, satellite-radio ready
Fuel: 29 gal.
Trailer*: Single/tandem axle
*Optional
Engine
Standard: PCM Pro Sport 5.0L, 275 hp
Test prop: Acme 12.5×15.5 four-blade
Cruise: Nautique Cruise; Zero-Off optional
