S238 buying advice

[pedel 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm brand new to the forum, because I'm considering switching from my current 2012 Malibu 21 VLX to a super low hour S238.  I'd love some quick feedback.  I am planning on using it mostly for surfing with a little cruising around thrown in.  I'd love to surf before I buy, but it's out of town so it would be tough to pull off.  The surf reviews sound great, but I'd love to know if all of you actual owners feel the same way.  We have 4 regular surfers and 1 goofy in the family, so we do switch it up.  Also, anything special I should be aware of in these boats either to make sure it has, or to watch out for?

Thanks in advance!

[MFaso 56]

I just bought a 2017 for this season. There are a bunch of people here who have 16s and 17s. I'm super happy with mine. I was a new surfer and it took me a bit to pick it up. I'd say stock ballast is surfable but it did take a bit of weight to make a real nice wave. Does the boat have upgraded ballast or is it stock? What year is it?

Good luck!

[seattlehd 9]

I love my 2017 and would buy it again. Very few problems and nothing major enough to warrant a trip to the dealer before winter. Except for maintenance of course. Like MFaso said, the surf wave really benefits from extra weight. I've upgraded the PnP bags to 1100's and run 200 pounds of lead behind each bag also. Very surfable once you get the tabs dialed in for your water.

[rrd525 40]

We have a 2016, and love it.
We run 850's with 100lbs lead in each locker and 100 lbs of lead under each side seats at the furthest rear point.
We will be adding some more lead once the dealer gets some in stock.  The extra weight really benefits when the water conditions aren't perfect with a light crew.  Goofy wave is OK. Regular wave is always great. 
For goofy, we drain off some of the Port PNP bag to create a little more list.

[pedel 0]

I'm looking at a '16, and it has the surf system and the PnP.  It's under 50 hours and it sounds like it is in new condition with the first major service completed.

In my current boat I have 1250 hard tank ballast, and I run 800 PnPs in the lockers and usually an 800 on the floor.  If I do the PnP's and a bit of lead I shouldn't need any seat or floor ballast for a great surf wave?  (my current boat has left rotating prop so I have the opposite problem...always perfect goofy wave and less so regular).

[seattlehd 9]

4 minutes ago, pedel said:

I'm looking at a '16, and it has the surf system and the PnP.  It's under 50 hours and it sounds like it is in new condition with the first major service completed.

In my current boat I have 1250 hard tank ballast, and I run 800 PnPs in the lockers and usually an 800 on the floor.  If I do the PnP's and a bit of lead I shouldn't need any seat or floor ballast for a great surf wave?  (my current boat has left rotating prop so I have the opposite problem...always perfect goofy wave and less so regular).

I've never felt I needed anything on the seats or floor after adding 800ish in additional PnP in the rear (my upgraded 1100 bags don't fill all the way) and 400 in lead.  There is still room for more PnP under the side seats or more lead if you want also.  It took us 20 hours of fiddling but I've got ours dialed in pretty well and we enjoy it a lot.

[pedel 0]

Thanks for the feedback Seattlehd...I'm here in Seattle as well.  The boat I'm looking at is out of town....have you had good dealer experience in the seattle area for warranty work?  (I have a great mobile mechanic for the rest of the stuff)

 

[seattlehd 9]

19 minutes ago, pedel said:

Thanks for the feedback Seattlehd...I'm here in Seattle as well.  The boat I'm looking at is out of town....have you had good dealer experience in the seattle area for warranty work?  (I have a great mobile mechanic for the rest of the stuff)

 

PM sent..

[xj1514 13]

How much is the boat? 

[pedel 0]

$64k...does that sound like a good deal?

Edited July 15, 2017 by pedel

[xj1514 13]

Sounds like a good deal to me. 20k under a new one. 

[NW Vettes 11]

21 hours ago, pedel said:

$64k...does that sound like a good deal?

For $10k more you can get the 2017 loaded with basic trailer and upgraded 409 motor. I'm out of Spokane and buy from Extreme Boat sports in BC.

i know 10k is a lot but 2017 with computer and other upgrades is worth it

[Cwazy1 89]

3 hours ago, NW Vettes said:

For $10k more you can get the 2017 loaded with basic trailer and upgraded 409 motor. I'm out of Spokane and buy from Extreme Boat sports in BC.

i know 10k is a lot but 2017 with computer and other upgrades is worth it

I agree with NW. The timers as well as the gauges for the '17 is worth the added cost and convenience it brings. 

[MFaso 56]

I haven't experienced the "switches" over the screen but I love the screen. You'll also get the new tower as well as some other options that went to "standard" instead of an "option" in the 2017s.

Also, the resale value on a newer boat is worth the 10k alone.

Lastly, my best times surfing so far have been with only a driver and no one else in the boat. I bought a sumo for the seat for that exact reason but I don't use it. I have the wakemakers upgrade and 500lbs of lead. Nothing on the seats or floors...

[NW Boat Sports 232]

Get a hold of Brian Benson at Lynwood. He is chill and he has two 2017 S238's left. One is a demo. 

Edited July 16, 2017 by NW Boat Sports

[pedel 0]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Maybe I'll swing by Lynwood to check them out. 

[Cwazy1 89]

2 hours ago, pedel said:

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Maybe I'll swing by Lynwood to check them out. 

Brian is my local dealer and I can 100% say him and the team at motoplex is top notch. He really cares for his customers. Which is why I chose to custom order from him versus getting a '16 from the NW region. 

What I would do is to reach out to Brian and tell him you're in the market for a '17 238, tell him that you want to demo one that has upgraded ballast. I know he has a few in stock, but I'm not sure what the ballast setup is like. If he doesn't have any with upgraded ballast, Greg Young of NW riders (located in Kirkland carrilon point) is a partner of motoplex and is always happy to demo his. Hes got upgraded ballast bags as well as 400 of lead in his boat. His setup is the same as what they used to pull the NW wakesurf open this weekend. I still think it could use a bit more weight, but thats just IMO.