Marcus Brown talks to BallOfSpray about the 2014 MasterCraft ProStar

[Horton]

[webbdawg99]

"Water ski for god's sake. There's no time for yoga!"

 

I appreciate how much thought has gone into every aspect of the boat.....not just the wake. Can't wait to see it at Nationals.

[E_T]

@horton cuddles with @marcusbrown ... Only in Canada

[Andre]

Best infos and view yet!!!

Good work John!

[KcSwerver]

Great video! Hit all of the major interest points! Thanks

[jipster43]

That Bimini design sure makes that windshield more desirable.

[Murrski]

@Horton - I gotta think with that Bimini design that Mastercraft won't offer a wrap around windshield? Personally, I like the new design and all of its features. Thanks for doing the video and @MarcusBrown - nice job putting that civil eng, ski experience & passion to work! Way to represent the Chico Nation!

[Andre]

When i saw the bimini mounting- removal and the middle part of the observer seat slip into the floor i went :WOW!

Nice thinking!

Quick question,can you put the hard cover when seats are in or they must be remove first...

[webbdawg99]

@Andre I'm about 99% sure that the hard cover will go on while seats are in. If not, that is a huge design flaw. And considering how much attention to detail has gone into this boat....I doubt they missed that one.

[Horton]

@Andre I will bet you a case of Kilo Kai that the cover will fit with the seats in.

 

[Andre]

Thanks!

Sorry John,i only bet on easy and drunk womens!

[jipster43]

The pickle fork has grown on me too.

[Higleyskier]

Can you decline the analog gauges and save some $$

[Horton]

@Higleyskier maybe but in the big picture the gauges are cheap. Do you just hate analog gauges?

[Wish]

Wow. Talk about just hearing everybody's desire in a boat and putting it all together in one package. Really did not think I'd like the looks. And kinda didnt at first glance. Man was I wrong. I think this is a BIG push to the competition for improvements. All those little (and big) improvements to design REALLY add up. Love product competition. Consumers benefit so much from this. The only thing I would have loved to see is a couple skis mounted in the racks, how that works and a walk by to see the room left. And what does the back seating look like?. I noticed no trunk but perhaps 2 little trunks and some streps going up and over to the platform?. I think SeaDeck along the side walls is brilliant. Creates more space and will not suffer from abuse. I am now seeing my combing pads on my 97SN start to deteriorate. I will be utilizing SeaDeck along that area of my boat when the time comes to change that out. Thanks for the video @Horton and @MarcusBrown. As said above, the best view of this by far.

[thager]

Awesome! Now how about a left side armrest for the drivers steering arm to rest on?

[Horton]

@thager left arm should rest on the wheel....

[MISkier]

I am liking a lot of what I am seeing. I would like to see the boat with the wraparound windshield option (if it exists) and what that might mean for the bimini, which is an excellent design. The only thing that remains an issue for me is the pickle fork nose. It doesn't look too dramatic and I am warming up to it. I think I'd need to see it in person.

 

I am totally digging the wake photos/video/feedback. Ski racks = awesome. Bow cover = awesome. Fold flat center seat = double awesome. The dash redesign and gauge location is great as well.

 

I think they have really put a lot of thought into it and it shows. I can't wait to ski it. I am not in the market for a boat right now, but I know people who are. It is definitely challenging the other boats and may retake the lead. It's no secret that I didn't like the 197 from a skiability perspective, but this new boat seems like redemption and then some. I wish MC lots of success with it.

[thager]

@ Horton Sure hope you drive with your hands. I fly airplanes. I hand fly a lot better with an armrest for elbow support than without. It cuts down on over reacting to input.

[Horton]

@thager yes I mean left hand should rest on the wheel.

 

 

[thager]

@OB Thx! Just putting it out there. For what a boat costs someone might figure it out. Maybe a sliding vertical tube with spring button clips or something.

[disland]

Does this mean they are going to stop putting those monster towers on the promo boats?

[MattP]

@disland I think the promo owner puts the towers on.. Not the factory

[Wish]

I do like SN seat designs over the yrs. Your arm does just sit there resting leaving wheel input up to small hand and wrist movements. All day touny drivers may get a sore shoulder. Tilting seat is a cool concept though.

[Horton]

If I get a promo boat it will be totally stripped. Then when it gets sold then new owner can order what ever they want. The boat is designed to be very modular.

[John Brooks]

How is this boat out of the hole? I noticed the Master Crafts the last couple years with not much torque for my big but.

[Horton]

@John Brooks

I can't give a good answer because the boats I was in at Calgary were 6.2 liter and we were at 3500 ft (?)

 

My guess is the new boat will be strong out of the hole. It is a lighter and lower drag hull. I guess it also depends on what prop is on the boat.

[ForrestGump]

@MattP The MC mini tower has been an orderable option and factory installed for years on both promo and non promo 197's.

[MattP]

@shaneh right. I guess I ment to say the promo owners have the choice they are not forced to take it.

[disland]

OK I re-phrase. I wonder if the promo owners will want to get a tower now?

[Greg Banish]

Everything looks great so far. The modular front end is really cool. I'm hoping for functional rear seating (and a tower) so that it stays useful as a family boat too. Even better would be a rear facing jump seat behind the driver like the PS214 I currently have. That's the best seat in the house when we have a group in the boat. On the plus side, the beam is exactly the same as the current PS214 (96"), so interior room should actually be pretty good. Did I mention I'd like to see seating behind the driver?

 

As a 30-32mph and 15-22off skier, I'm loving the reports on the wake. I can't wait to ski it for myself in a few weeks at my local dealer demo. I think making the wake more friendly to beginners will make it easier to convince other to come enjoy the course with me.

 

I wonder if that guy ever got his jet ski started...

[ForrestGump]

@disland I guarantee that you will still see about a 50/50 split on towers with the new prostars. In some areas of the country, you almost have to do that for resale.

[Broussard]

@ShaneH True, but because of the way the 197 sat low in the water, if weighted correctly it would be decent for beginner wake boarding. The new design sits higher and will not be a good boat for wake boarding. I think we will see fewer towers put on these bad boys.

[SkiJay]

@John_Brooks As Horton said, the boats at the shootout had the 6.2 engines and Predator is indeed at 3,500 feet, but both of Predator's 2013 club MasterCrafts have the big engines too, and the 2014 got up to speed dramatically quicker.