considering 1998 2200i

[jakeharris]

I am considering purchasing a 1998 2200i. I mainly ski. Will the 2200i have a good ski wake? What are the pros and cons of the 1998 2200i?

[NICKYPOO]

I love my '00 22i. Basically the same exact boat as the one your looking at. I do everything (except tube) behind it. It does NOT have world class slalom wakes. However, I use mine to pull me through the coarse all the time. What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger. When you do get behind a slalom specific boat, you will feel like a god, and ski like one too. What the 22i does best is be an all around boat. With some ballast you can get awesome boarding wake, an awesome surf wake and still be able to run it through a slalom coarse. You will also be able to get through the biggest chop comfortably. These boats shine in the rough water.

The only draw back to them is the "Droop Snoot". The bow is low and if you are not carefull you can take some water over the front (read: you will take some water over the front). It's not a big deal, just a minor annoyance. With a little practice you will learn how to avoid it. The only time i ever take one over the bow anymore is when I have the sacs full and 8-10 people aboard.

Bottom line, if you are a hardcore slalom guy and are looking to run shortline passes on your private coarse, the 22i might not be for you. If you are an all around boater like the other 99.9% of us, the 22i kicks ***. I love mine and absolutely no desire to get a new boat.

[jakeharris]

Thanks Nickypoo,
I currently own a Supra TS6M, so i am used to a competition wake, but I am no shortliner. How is the wake for boarding without the ballast? Do you have the telescopic pylon? This one does, and I am wondering if it is strong enough. Has the Merc engine been reliable for you? I am a bit hessitant about that. I also heard that the bow dive is more of a problem on the 21i. That that true?

[NICKYPOO]

Ah yes, the TS6M. Good boat. Slalom machine. First off, my Merc 350mag has been bullet proof. Just turned 360hrs and not one single problem ever. Honestly, not one.

I have no experience with an extended pylon. they always seemed kind of jenky to me. On the up side, you've got a fresh hull to put a tower on. A good strong tower is worth every penny.

The Droop Snoot isn't a big deal if you know how to drive an inboard.

The boarding wake with no ballast is one the best ever with no ballast. When we first got 22i, I had a good friend with a 210 Nautweek with the factory ballast system. Without any ballast in our 22i, the wakes were almost as big as his fully ballasted Tweek. They are deceptively large. With such a wide table they look kind of small. Once you ride them however, you soon realize they are bigger than you think. The boat is wonderfully responsive to ballast. Here's a pic with around 800lbs and six people, TAPS @ 1 (slalom), 25 mph.

[ghollow]

I own a 98 2200i. I have the merc 350 mag mpi. I have never had a major problem with it. A few minor things but I was able to take care of them w/o taking it into the shop. Mine has 560 hours on it. I do not have ballast. We generally just shift people around in the boat to help adjust the wake. Of course the TAPS system helps alot also. We do slalom with ours. The wake is not bad but it will be larger than what you are used to. It is not as big as the wake behind my brothers Crownline. The advantage is that you can crank the wake up for wakeboarding using the TAPS.The droop snout is not a problem once you get used to it.
Out of curiosity, what is the price on the boat?

[jakeharris]

The asking price is 22K.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by jakeharris
The asking price is 22K.

How many hours?

[jakeharris]

It has about 350 hrs.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by jakeharris
It has about 350 hrs.

That's a pretty good deal if it is in good condition. I would recommend taking it to a Tige dealer or reputable mechanic for a complete checkup before you buy it.

[NICKYPOO]

If it's in good shape, that's a good price. It's not deal of the century, but it's definately fair. If you can't get it to a dealer, at least make sure you can run it out real well and make sure everything works and it hasn't been pieced back together with surplus marine parts or anything like that and you should have a good boat. A very good boat.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by NICKYPOO
A very good boat.

Hey, it's a Tige!

[ghollow]

jakeharris, did you ever buy that 1998? If not, I may be interested in selling mine for a lot less.

[jakeharris]

ghallow,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I did not purchase the 1998. I do believe the guy sold it though. I ended up buying an Epic 22. It poped up in the local paper at a good price.

You guys have a great site here and great boats.

Thanks