WaterSki Magazine

The Air Nautique 226 Team doesn’t mess around. Everything about it screams “big wakeboard style.” And it should. As the largest wakeboard boat in the Correct Craft lineup, it makes sense that it would go all-out in every way — from storage and seating to ballast.

In fact, the 22 1/2-foot 226 boasts comfortable seating for 12 of your closest wakeboarding friends, as well as 65 cubic feet of storage, so there will be plenty of room for all your gear. And with 900 pounds of ballast, you can bet the wakes will be just as big as everything else on this wakeboard boat.

As the official tow boat for Correct Craft’s world-class wakeboard events, the Air Nautique 226 has already proven that its wakes are pro-worthy. But we still couldn’t resist putting it to the test. After topping off the quick-filling factory ballast system, our riders were launching off fairly large swells. As usual, the wakes had excellent shape, with a firm peak that really boots you. The landing zones are pretty big and mellow, and you know how big-air moves welcome a well-padded landing. With a passenger capacity of 12, the wake is only going to get better with more weight.

The Air Nautique 226 delivered impressive handling performance that stood out for our test team. With a rider in tow, this boat doesn’t budge, and it mows over the chop with the authority you’d expect from a powerful wakeboarding machine. With the optional PCM ZR6 375-horsepower engine, it shot out of the hole to 36 mph at just over seven seconds, and held its own through double-ups. Even when with the 900-pound, three-tank ballast system fully loaded, the 226 maintained its power and only suffered a slight decrease in agility. As a side note, the boat is not only extremely solid, it’s also really quiet at cruising speeds, evidenced by its low decibel readings.

The Air Nautique 226 is the biggest boat in the Correct Craft line, and it packs a lot of comfort into all that space. At almost 23 feet long and more than 96 inches wide, the 226 has plenty of room to move around, sit comfortably and store gear. We loved relaxing in the perfectly reclined observer’s seat, and more than once turned up the volume on the Polk/MOMO speakers. There’s also an impressive storage compartment under the observer’s seat, which provides plenty of room for extra boards and gear. From the stainless-steel cup holders to the sturdy glove box, this boat is solid, so you can be sure all that comfort and style are built to last.

The transom of the Air Nautique 226 provides riders with convenient features for ultimate function and efficiency. We love the step down to the ultra-wide platform, and the seat pad, which provides a comfortable place to strap up. There are even thoughtfully placed grab rails that make slipping into your board without scratching the transom easier than ever.

Base price: $70,962

Length: 22 ft 6.5 in.

Beam: 96.5 in.

Seating capacity: 12

Fuel capacity: 50 gal.

Test Prop: Acme 13.25 x 16 4-blade

Test Engine: PCM ZR6 6.0L, 375 hp

Top Speed: 45.2 mph 5,450 rpm

Accel. To 30 mph: 5.5 sec. 129.8 ft.

Accel. To 36 mph: 7.1 sec. 205.7 ft.

Noise Levels (db): Neutral 56 D 58 R, 36 mph 86 D 86 R