Feedback on '02 MC 197

[jp]

Looking for some feedback on 2002 MC 197. Family has outgrown MC skier 19. Looking at used 2002 197 w under 300 hrs. Will keep and use boat on public lake. Boat will be used for early AM slalom sets by me, sometimes in the public slalom course. Then young kids skiing, tubing, and I would guess at some point introducing the kids to wake boarding. Not willing to move to v drive, but need to make jump to open bow, wider boat. How does this boat perform in regards to wake, semi rough water, etc. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks - Jim

[east tx skier]

Is it a tournament team or a regular 197. If a TT boats, it is the same hull as the current 197. If not, it will have the foiled rudder and no hook in the hull. It will have a higher top speed, but not the handling or quite the wake of the current hull. A hook and a rudder upgrade can be done to an 02 of you want to go that way. Overall, good boat, but the changed it after one production cycle.

[Chuck_Dickey]

Skip it, it has a big bump at the wake. Look for a 2003 or newer, they added lift to the trailing edge of the hull which makes a huge difference.

 

If you buy the '02, you can have it done by a good fiberglass repair shop. MasterCraft can give you the spec's. You'll also benefit from changing the rudder to a 2006 or newer version, it creates lift too.

 

Good luck

[Chuck_Dickey]

@east tx skier

 

Great minds think alike!

[rodltg2]

I'd skip as well. I got a loaner 02 197 when my problem child 04 197 was in the shop once again. Boat was terrible even on open water.