2022 ri230 vs 245 New Purchase

[Jumbo09 1]

What a great community on here. Been on here for over 6 months just reading post after post. Wealth of knowledge! Thank you all. 

So my story….sorry it’s a little long. 

The story you have all heard before….which boat?? Let me elaborate a little more than that.

Grew up around water and boating and it’s time for us to have our own boat. We have a 3 1/2 year old and I want for him to have all the fond memories I grew up with around the lake. My wife and I are athletic but are beginners on both wakeboarding and surfing since we only get to do it sporadically on a friends boat. So main use would be surf and wake and most importantly just family and friend time on the water. Also a very important decision was we would love a boat that could handle some chop in San Francisco Bay (since it’s where we live) on those rare warm and calmer days to just cruise around with some friends. 

Early in my search, I was certain Malibu was going to be our dream boat. Then I heard about the quality and reliability issue on different forums. Then I was certain Supra was it! Saw it at the dealer. Loved the fit/finish, cool tech and design. And then I accidentally came across centurion on YouTube specifically the boardco videos and it hit on that very important point of rough water ride and deep V, specifically since our plan is to sometime use it in San Fran Bay waters on calm days.
 

So started talking to a local NEW to centurion dealer who also has been mainly representing MC for many years. He just got a 2022 ri230 in this weekend and we’re planning to demo in a week. I haven’t seen it yet. So my questions for you awesome centurion owners…..

1. Will the size difference be significant between the 230 and 245 in all practical manners. Driving, wave size, passenger comfort?

2. we rented a MasterCraft nxt 22 last weekend for the day. Had an awesome time but my wife said that the bow is way too small for lounging and the boat we buy needs to have enough space to lounge. Will the 230 also feel small (which is why I’m now thinking 245)?

3. Trailering a 230 vs 245? Big difference. We plan on taking lots of trips and lake Tahoe is 3.5 hrs away and nearest lakes are about 1hr. Tow car is 2021 Yukon xl Denali with the 6.2L with tow capacity just north of 8000lbs

4. any other major differences between these boats that I should know about since seeing a 245 in person may not be possible 

5. I know it’s a crazy market but what do you think a fair % off sticker for ordering would be?

again thank you for all your input

 

 

 

[Troy. R 198]

1 hour ago, Jumbo09 said:

What a great community on here. Been on here for over 6 months just reading post after post. Wealth of knowledge! Thank you all. 

So my story….sorry it’s a little long. 

The story you have all heard before….which boat?? Let me elaborate a little more than that.

Grew up around water and boating and it’s time for us to have our own boat. We have a 3 1/2 year old and I want for him to have all the fond memories I grew up with around the lake. My wife and I are athletic but are beginners on both wakeboarding and surfing since we only get to do it sporadically on a friends boat. So main use would be surf and wake and most importantly just family and friend time on the water. Also a very important decision was we would love a boat that could handle some chop in San Francisco Bay (since it’s where we live) on those rare warm and calmer days to just cruise around with some friends. 

Early in my search, I was certain Malibu was going to be our dream boat. Then I heard about the quality and reliability issue on different forums. Then I was certain Supra was it! Saw it at the dealer. Loved the fit/finish, cool tech and design. And then I accidentally came across centurion on YouTube specifically the boardco videos and it hit on that very important point of rough water ride and deep V, specifically since our plan is to sometime use it in San Fran Bay waters on calm days.
 

So started talking to a local NEW to centurion dealer who also has been mainly representing MC for many years. He just got a 2022 ri230 in this weekend and we’re planning to demo in a week. I haven’t seen it yet. So my questions for you awesome centurion owners…..

1. Will the size difference be significant between the 230 and 245 in all practical manners. Driving, wave size, passenger comfort?

2. we rented a MasterCraft nxt 22 last weekend for the day. Had an awesome time but my wife said that the bow is way too small for lounging and the boat we buy needs to have enough space to lounge. Will the 230 also feel small (which is why I’m now thinking 245)?

3. Trailering a 230 vs 245? Big difference. We plan on taking lots of trips and lake Tahoe is 3.5 hrs away and nearest lakes are about 1hr. Tow car is 2021 Yukon xl Denali with the 6.2L with tow capacity just north of 8000lbs

4. any other major differences between these boats that I should know about since seeing a 245 in person may not be possible 

5. I know it’s a crazy market but what do you think a fair % off sticker for ordering would be?

again thank you for all your input

 

 

 

Hey Jumbo!

It's a big decision for sure.
1. The boats will handle comparably. The wave will be similar, but slightly longer pocket on the 245. Comfort is crew size dependent. For example, if you go out with 5 people, you wouldn't really notice a difference because there will be ample space in either boat. If you start getting into the 10+ crew size, you'll notice the extra room in the 245. We typically go out with 9 or so in out Supreme ZS232 (similar cabin space to the ri230) and it's not cramped.

2. In terms of bow size, the ri230 and ri245 will have the same bow. The difference will be in the main cabin. If you want more bow in the a Ceturion, you might want to look at the fi line. I believe there is a little more bow space in the fi line, but you give up some tech/bells and whistles compared to the ri line.

3. The ri230 is 7000lbs dry (no fuel/gear/etc.) on the trailer. The ri245 is 7300lbs. I think with gear and a full tank, you're going to be up in that 8k range either way (obviously +300 on the ri245). With either boat, you're going to want to get helper air springs on the back of that Denali if it doesn't already have them from the factors. 

4. Only real difference will be the cabin space and the wave length will be marginally longer on the ri245. I haven't ridden behind either boat, but when you add length and ballast to the same hull, the result is a little more wave length. Either boat will throw an INCREDIBLE wave right out of the box.

5. No idea. Talking to my local dealer they said there was going to be a mid-year price increase based on a certain spray date (I don't recall what that date was). The truth is, the dealers have the leverage in the current market. I can say, when I was in the market 18 months ago, the local dealer was offering 13% off of MSRP and not willing to negotiate much beyond that.

Best of luck! Keep us posted.

[vettetr 0]

I think your looking at the boat in Disco? I saw it last weekend and I think you'll really like it. IMO The RI 230 is leaps better than a NXT and a lot of other boats out there. You'll like the freeboard with a small child in the cabin. I too thought axis and Malibu was my dream boat and was turned off on there surf system even though it is proven to work. I ordered a RI230  myself and cant wait to get it. Good luck on your search. Really cant go wrong with all the top tier brands.

[Jumbo09 1]

4 hours ago, Troy. R said:

Hey Jumbo!

It's a big decision for sure.
1. The boats will handle comparably. The wave will be similar, but slightly longer pocket on the 245. Comfort is crew size dependent. For example, if you go out with 5 people, you wouldn't really notice a difference because there will be ample space in either boat. If you start getting into the 10+ crew size, you'll notice the extra room in the 245. We typically go out with 9 or so in out Supreme ZS232 (similar cabin space to the ri230) and it's not cramped.

2. In terms of bow size, the ri230 and ri245 will have the same bow. The difference will be in the main cabin. If you want more bow in the a Ceturion, you might want to look at the fi line. I believe there is a little more bow space in the fi line, but you give up some tech/bells and whistles compared to the ri line.

3. The ri230 is 7000lbs dry (no fuel/gear/etc.) on the trailer. The ri245 is 7300lbs. I think with gear and a full tank, you're going to be up in that 8k range either way (obviously +300 on the ri245). With either boat, you're going to want to get helper air springs on the back of that Denali if it doesn't already have them from the factors. 

4. Only real difference will be the cabin space and the wave length will be marginally longer on the ri245. I haven't ridden behind either boat, but when you add length and ballast to the same hull, the result is a little more wave length. Either boat will throw an INCREDIBLE wave right out of the box.

5. No idea. Talking to my local dealer they said there was going to be a mid-year price increase based on a certain spray date (I don't recall what that date was). The truth is, the dealers have the leverage in the current market. I can say, when I was in the market 18 months ago, the local dealer was offering 13% off of MSRP and not willing to negotiate much beyond that.

Best of luck! Keep us posted.

Hi Troy,

Thanks for the info. I didn’t realize bow space is same on both. Leaning back towards the 230 then. I guess I’ll really know when I sit in it next weekend. I’ll try to shoot some photos of it. 

[Jumbo09 1]

2 hours ago, vettetr said:

I think your looking at the boat in Disco? I saw it last weekend and I think you'll really like it. IMO The RI 230 is leaps better than a NXT and a lot of other boats out there. You'll like the freeboard with a small child in the cabin. I too thought axis and Malibu was my dream boat and was turned off on there surf system even though it is proven to work. I ordered a RI230  myself and cant wait to get it. Good luck on your search. Really cant go wrong with all the top tier brands.

Wow!!! What a small world. Yup it was in discovery bay! I would love to hear your experience ordering and which dealer you are working with. You can definitely private message me if you feel more comfortable.

What’s the spray date on your 230?

[Troy. R 198]

13 hours ago, Jumbo09 said:

Wow!!! What a small world. Yup it was in discovery bay! I would love to hear your experience ordering and which dealer you are working with. You can definitely private message me if you feel more comfortable.

What’s the spray date on your 230?

That's funny. I used to live in that general area. I moved to AZ from Oakdale, CA (The little town where HWY 108 and HWY 120 meet) about 4 years ago.
I never ended up pulling the trigger, but almost bought a boat from Mello Marine in Folsom. They were nice people and easy to deal with. Travis at Hillside Powersports in Lakeport used to be a big contributor on this site. He seemed like he would be a good guy to work with as well. If there are any newer dealers in the area, I am not aware of them. 

[Jumbo09 1]

31 minutes ago, Troy. R said:

That's funny. I used to live in that general area. I moved to AZ from Oakdale, CA (The little town where HWY 108 and HWY 120 meet) about 4 years ago.
I never ended up pulling the trigger, but almost bought a boat from Mello Marine in Folsom. They were nice people and easy to deal with. Travis at Hillside Powersports in Lakeport used to be a big contributor on this site. He seemed like he would be a good guy to work with as well. If there are any newer dealers in the area, I am not aware of them. 

That area on the way to Yosemite is very nice but so is AZ and probably longer boating season ?.

I’ve so far spoke with the Centurion dealer in Discovery Bay (they’re new to the brand) and they seem great and arranged a demo of a 230 next week.

Yesterday I left a message for mello marine to see if they have a 245 so I can climb in it and get a feel for the size difference. I’ll see what they say. 
 

I don’t like to play the best price haggle game and rather go with the best service and establish a good long term relationship, however I will be curious to see if there is a large difference in %off of msrp between the two. One dealer is 1:10 away and the other is 1:40 away. So not a crazy difference. 

[Troy. R 198]

1 hour ago, Jumbo09 said:

That area on the way to Yosemite is very nice but so is AZ and probably longer boating season ?.

I’ve so far spoke with the Centurion dealer in Discovery Bay (they’re new to the brand) and they seem great and arranged a demo of a 230 next week.

Yesterday I left a message for mello marine to see if they have a 245 so I can climb in it and get a feel for the size difference. I’ll see what they say. 
 

I don’t like to play the best price haggle game and rather go with the best service and establish a good long term relationship, however I will be curious to see if there is a large difference in %off of msrp between the two. One dealer is 1:10 away and the other is 1:40 away. So not a crazy difference. 

I totally get that. I was in a similar situation last year when in the market. We almost signed the deal to order a new ZS232 but decided to sleep on it. On the way home, I found the same boat, with more options, also new, siting on a lot in Orlando for about $20k less than the local dealer could do. There was a confluence of circumstances that allowed the Orlando dealer to sell the boat for less than any other dealer would be able to (dealer price) in order to build the brand in the area (they are the first Supreme dealer in the area) and to clear lot space for new boats that they had ordered.
We still considered going with the local dealer. They are very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, etc., and we wanted to give them our business, but in the end the difference in price was too much to overcome. Fortunately, the local dealer has been very cool about the situation when we have brought it in for service/warranty stuff. They treat me, I would image, the same as any other customer, which I was worried about after hearing warranty/service horror stories from others in my situation.

I read in another thread on this site that a guy in Tahoe bought a ri257 last year (maybe the prior year) and Mello sends a tech to him for service/warranty. I don't know if this is something they do on a regular basis or charge a premium for, but it does speak to their commitment to post-sale customer service.

[Troy 234]

Ive driven both the 245 and 230. Ive ordered a 230, and Im very happy with my choice. the 230 drives like a LOT smaller boat.  Don't get me wrong the 245 is a awesome boat! The 230 is more my style and size.  

 

[Jumbo09 1]

Just got back from demoing a beautiful ri230 red and black metal Flake.

It drove beautiful. It felt solid and was shocked how quiet it was. Surf wave was impressive as expected. It looks to be quality built and looks the part. If I had to nit pick, seat storage cushions didn’t have shocks to hold the seats up and not all the cushions are hinged. Some wires and brackets were exposed. A little disappointing for $200+k. But I can look past all that since it does so many other things well and for the awesome ride quality and waves it puts out. 

We decided we need the extra space, so it will be a ri245 for us. Now just trying to workout a price before we order.
 

 

[Troy. R 198]

On 10/23/2021 at 6:39 PM, Jumbo09 said:

Just got back from demoing a beautiful ri230 red and black metal Flake.

It drove beautiful. It felt solid and was shocked how quiet it was. Surf wave was impressive as expected. It looks to be quality built and looks the part. If I had to nit pick, seat storage cushions didn’t have shocks to hold the seats up and not all the cushions are hinged. Some wires and brackets were exposed. A little disappointing for $200+k. But I can look past all that since it does so many other things well and for the awesome ride quality and waves it puts out. 

We decided we need the extra space, so it will be a ri245 for us. Now just trying to workout a price before we order.
 

 

Awesome!
Congrats @Jumbo09

[Dreamer 96]

I took our Ri245 to the scales and with about 1/3 of a tank of gas, the total weight with no gear in the boat was 8042#’s. This included the tongue weight and it was on the extreme random axle trailer. 

[Jumbo09 1]

On 10/29/2021 at 5:03 PM, Dreamer said:

I took our Ri245 to the scales and with about 1/3 of a tank of gas, the total weight with no gear in the boat was 8042#’s. This included the tongue weight and it was on the extreme random axle trailer. 

Great info. Our Yukon Denali xl with the towing package is rated for 8300#. So getting pretty close with gear to max.  
 

So I’ve been doing research on several forums to get an idea if it’s better to upgrade to the triple axle trailer or stay with the tandem. I can’t get any real consensus. Here’s the pros and cons list I’ve got going so far for upgrading to the triple. Please correct me if I’m wrong or any other valuable input is appreciated.
 

pros:

better ride/tracking at highway speeds

if you get a flat, you can just pull that wheel off and keep going (at a reduced speed)

Better weight distribution and less tongue weight

better stopping power

looks cool ?

cons:

more expensive especially when it comes to replacing tires/brakes

Harder to back up or take turns -  is this one true?

Is it truly needed?

 

Also I’m definitely upgrading to electric breaks from the passive hydraulic. Any thoughts why not do this upgrade?

[Dreamer 96]

I have a tandem axle trailer and EOH brakes. I did have surge brakes with my last three boats without issues but this boat is heavy. I think the big issue for you is a third axle would add a couple hundred pounds to the overall weight.