Looking at 2008 Utopia

[sandpas]

Hello,

First of all I need to say that I love this forum. It seems there are a ton of people willing to give advise and help out. And I'm hoping someone can help me out. We are looking at a 2008 Utopia 205 with the 430 hp engines. The boat is brand new and the guy is asking 27,500. It seems like a good deal, but we are concerned with a few things. We currently own a 135 hp I/O boat. Will my wife rip my arms off when she takes me wakeboarding? Or can you deliver the power smoothly. Another issue is docking. I know it will take time to get used to it and it is different, but when the boat is at idle how much does it move? And I've noticed that many people suck things up, how damaging is that? Do you need to replace the impeller ever? We also love how our boat sounds and are concerned that the Utopia will sound like a giant jet ski. How does the Utopia handle waves? We would be boating on Lake Erie. Thank you for any responses and advice you can give.

 

[Sikiguya]

I have a 2007 Utopia 205 SE with the 310 hp engines. I will try to get to all your concerns and some you may not have brought up.

1. I would recommend that you look at the 310 hp instead of the 430. You won't have the additional cost of having to rebuild the supercharger every 100 hours.

2. $27,500 sounds high for a 2 year old boat. Look around some more.

3. Don't waterski or wakeboard but you should be able to moderate your take off on it. Yes, you can deliver power smoothly but you will have to get used to it. The power band does come on quick but you can control it.

4. You can have your dealer adjust the idle. My boat used to move quite a bit in neutral. Since it was adjusted, it move forward a bit. I plan on having them adjust it some more.

5. I have not had too much trouble with sucking things up. For anything beside weeds in a lake, you will have to be just be aware of it. Don't run over stuff.

6. The Utopia will be louder than your current boat. Especially when cruising around. But you will be amazed at how it handles. There is no comparison. Take one for a spin.

7. Check for the gelcoat. They are thin on these boat. 'We' think that it is Seadoo trying to keep the boat lighter. Anyone know of a good class action attorney???

8. Read the warranty!..if it is an extended one, it is basically a powertrain warranty.

Despite the pros and cons of the Seadoo Utopia, my family and I have really enjoyed the boat.

 

[Craigmri]

I agree with everything Sikiguy stated.

The Utopia with twin Rotax is one of the most maneuverable boats. You will have a learning curve but once you learn its low speed capabilities you will be shocked at how well you can control it around the docks.

Keep it simple and get the 310hp package. Its performance is awesome and less maintenance. Certainly a more bulletproof package.

Gelcoat does have a tendency to crack. I had many issues with three different Seadoos.

Be prepared. You will suck things up. Its inevitable. It feels like when an automatic cars transmission slips...you rev the engine and you dont move very fast. You know you got something in the pump.

$27,500? Waaaaay too much money.

Good luck!

Craig

 

[sandpas]

Thank you so much.
You've given us a lot to think about. The boat we are looking at is a never titled or used leftover in the dealer inventory. What do you think a fair price would be?
Why do the superchargers need to be rebuilt? I looked in the owners manual and they don't mention it as a maintenance item. Do they break that often?
Can you suck up the tow rope when it is behind the boat just by turning the engines on or do you need to drive over it.
And one more thing... When I drive I like to look above the windshield. The windshield looked tall when I sat in the Utopia and there is no flip up bolster. When you drive your boats how do you sit?
Once again thank you for your input.

 

[Bent]

The supercharged 4-stroke rotax's have spring type washers that convey torque to the superchargers - they are designed to slip and thus need to be replaced when worn out.

 

[sandpas]

Do you know if the 09 utopia supercharged engines have the ceramic or the titanium washers? If they are titanium do they need to be replaced as often as the ceramic ones?

 

[Sikiguya]

They don't suck up the rope just idling. However, I am cautious with the rope and have the spotter keep it in check.

Regarding the seat position. Yes, a flip up bolster is a must have that Seadoo omitted. I usually put my knee on the Type IV throwable in the seat and drive that way.

 

[RFoster130]

If you search here, there are a few owners who have added a bolster or redone their existing seat.

 

[Squidoo]

I'd like to add that I have trouble getting skiers up. As you move the throttle forward, the reverser gates move up away from the neutral position, and the boat gets up to about 4-1/2 mph before the engine speed starts increasing. Right before the transition from reverser gate operation to throttle operation, the boat stops accelerating, and then pulls hard when the throttle starts opening. You can't feel it at the helm, I did not learn why only a couple of people could get up until I tried skiing myself. I haven't been able to find a fix searching this forum, or making minor adjustments. There must be something to do, I just don't know what.
My other complaint is that it is not good in waves. Anything more than one-footers really takes the fun out of it. I go in Lake Michigan a lot, and in 2-4 ft waves, I can maintain about 15 mph without slamming the passengers down. I think you'll need about a 40-footer for Lakes Erie or Michigan.

It sure is fun when it is calm. Everybody likes to feel the acceleration at least once in awhile, and kids really squeal when I get going about 35 mph, cut the wheel all of the way, and gas it up. It is capable of turning hard enough to make your eyes spin. :willy_nilly: