Saw a 1991 Nautique with ZO for sale

[markn]

No affiliation. Was checking out "Correctcraftfan" boats for sale and saw a 1991 Nautique converted to excaliber 343 hp and Zero-off in South Carolina. Ad claims the engine has 175 hours. Price listed is $15K obo. That older hull is still not bad for slalom, a bit of a trough at 35 off and shorter. Could be a cheap way into a ZO boat. Anyway, just thought I would pass this on to fellow ballers.

[jhughes]

They still had wood in that boat so whoever is interested should definitely take a close look at the floor and stringers. Definitely a cool boat, one of my all-time favorites. I've owned two of that hull in the past.

[Broussard]

Geeze, CC was still using wood in '91? What year did they switch?

[liquid d]

Or you could step up and buy my 2007 SN 196 limited with zero off for $21,900.....and it's sweeeeet!

 

[Orlando76]

^^^^ hard to sale when it’s not on CL anymore. I figured it sold, still available? @liquid d

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Or better yet there is an awesome ‘97 ZO conversion still available

 

https://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/20376/for-sale-the-ultimate-bare-bones-slalom-tug

 

[liquid d]

https://post.craigslist.org/k/gp0xzS2r6BG3wn5nMK6qwQ?s=preview

 

You're not looking hard enough....still there...lower price too...

[bigskieridaho]

@liquid d I know someone looking but that link isn’t there anymore

[eleeski]

@Bruce_Butterfield A couple hundred pounds of ballast in the back of that boat and it's an awesome trick boat. The hard part about transitioning to a modern tournament boat is the rough table of the new boats. Still might be better off training with a good table ( even if it's out of date).

 

These old boats do have a lot of the best of both worlds. I haven't switched to the ZO 79 American Skier - yet.

 

Eric

[liquid d]

https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/d/2007-ski-nautique-196-limited/6683582038.html

 

Here it is...try this one. $21,900

[BRY]

The 91 MC 190 had glass stringers. I believe MC went to all glass stringers around 83-84. When I bought my 91, my first "real" ski boat, it was touted as "all fiberglass". I didn't see any wood in that boat, seat bases roto-molded plastic, dash fiberglass, ect.

[BraceMaker]

@BRY MC went early, they marketed the lack of wood as a sales point.

 

Other manufacturers at the time criticized the handling/feel of the composite stringer boats. Then when SN released their 1993 hull they marketed the hell out of their integrated composite stringers. Basically a "you did it first we did it better" approach.

 

I think looking back from today, when so many boats from the 70's 80's 90's are rotten in the stringers, and it takes so much work to fix that you do run into people who don't want to buy boats that have wood. Regardless of what the merits were.

[BRY]

@BraceMaker Sure you don't mean "MC went early, they marketed the lack of wood fiberglass as a sales point"?

 

My post was responding to @jhughes stating they had wood floors and stringers. Nope, all fiberglass.

[BraceMaker]

You are correct, MC marketed lack of WOOD.

 

Nautique was wood until 1993 - so @jhughes is correct the boat in this thread has wood stringers. If you were at the marina looking at a 1991 and said the salesman, Mastercraft doesn't have wood, that salesman would say - and they ride like crap too.

 

And there is some truth to it, ride a wood stringer SN through its own wakes and its pretty quiet. Try that with a 1985 Prostar.

 

 

[Orlando76]

The epoxy used in 91 and 92 SN was so good stringers issues although do happen it is miles beyond the 80’s and 70’s construction. And I do believe but not 100% certain that the 1992 SN had lifetime stringer warranty to the original owner.

 

A lot of wood haters out there but the perks of it are superior and easier to work with than any composite. When the time comes for my 76 its trees and epoxy going back in.

[shansen345]

Sorry, ZO or not, I think that is a lot of money for an overall "non-desirable" hull that has a wood floor and structure. Saying this at the risk of a couple dislikes, but still...

[shansen345]

@BraceMaker the ride also has a lot to do with hull shape (I'd even say mostly). For example, a 1997 Nautique vs a 1997 PS190.. MCs flatten out very early to what is ultimately like a 5 or 6 degree transom deadrise where as the Nautiques carry the modified-V "spine" all the way back and I believe don't flatten out as early. Both of those boats were all-composite/glass and the Nautique rides noticeably better. I say this with as little bias as possible, because I have had countless hours of wheel time and ski time with both hulls and love them equally, despite the difference in ride.

[Dacon62]

ZO in a boat that was still using wood construction. Seems like a strange combo. Sanger switched to XL marine plywood (in ‘94 I think) that was treated so it would not rot.

Can see that making some sense. But ultimately unless you gotta have some cool retro boat why would you do this?

And it’s not just the drivetrain that will need attention. There’s wiring, steering, upholstery, carpet, switches, throttle, trailer, etc, etc that money will need to be thrown at.

For not much more money you get better wakes, EFI and factory ZO.

 

[Orlando76]

Man, a lot of haters here. I don’t see much wrong with it.

[Deanoski]

we have club boat a 1990 Sn with Z box has 760 original hours not a rip in the interior or a gel coat blem stringers and floor are solid only in the water when we ski then we pull it out.

 

it skis and drives sweet. a little trough at -35- 38 but everyone loves the way it drives and skis.

I get the same buoy count as when I ski the sn 200

 

it's not worth selling only worth 7-8k so we will skiing to it death.