00 Correct Craft Ski Nautique196 on eBay/Craigslist Beware!

[vtjc]

http://asheville.craigslist.org/boa/2265154448.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-19-5-FOOT-SKI-NAUTIQUE-COMPETITION-SKI-BOAT-/260764540097

I stopped and saw this boat a month ago. I talked with Rick the owner on the phone, but he was out of town so I was shown it by his friend/employee. I believe this boat was flood damaged in Texas last summer, similar to this boat. http://mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=38192 Based upon the registration, dealer sticker on the transom and the silt remaining in the bow, battery box, glove box and on the engine. The engine oil was also milky suggesting water contamination, despite Rick’s statement that that it had been winterized.

Here is a list of other issues I saw; unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me. They abandoned the touch pad ignition and wired(poorly with scotch locks) in a new key. The boat started and ran, but no electronics or gauges appeared to function. The PerfectPass was not working, so no other way to verify the hours. Rick said it showed 410 hrs the first time the hooked up a battery but gauges don’t work now. No sign of Stargazer components. The hull was poorly painted in several of the white areas. The tracking fins where missing from the bottom of the hull, but Rick said he had ordered some replacements, the screws to install them where in a cup holder, so I think they were removed not ripped off the hull. The dash has a split down the center. Various Small vinyl cuts on the seats. Missing a correct cover and Bimini(mounts where on the hull). Trailer is in poor condition and doesn’t properly fit the boat. The friend stated Rick has had the trailer for several years before the boat came along. In the early Craig’slist as the trailer was yellow.

In my opinion this boat could make a good project, similar to the 96 ProStar shown in the MasterCraft thread, if you’re willing to re due the poor paint work and sort out the electronic issues. Hopefully the motor is good, but sitting with water in the oil for that long will have taken its toll. I would be hesitant to spend more than a couple of grand on its since clean 00 196 can be had for $15k…

 

Regards, Jamie