Ski Nautique NWZ (1994)

[vic]

Has any body have ski time behind this type of boat. I am skiing at 15 off and 26 MPH.

Hopefully I will get better and get to 22 off and 30mph.

I believe the boat produces a good wake at 34 mph.

I can get an affordable one in Canada not many choices up here.

Mastercraft of that age are not available unless I go to US which means double the advertised price for me.

[ski6jones]

I had an Open Bow that year, just sold it. It was a great boat for me. Took me from 15 to 32 off @34. All fiberglass. Mine was carbureted. I think TBI came out 95 and beyond. Not sure how the wakes are at very slow speeds.

[aupatking]

@Simpson has just resurrected a 93 I found flooded halfway off its trailer. He put a PCM GT40 out of a 97 (I think) in it and that thing is a horse! Nice wake 22-32 @34. Haven’t gone deeper or slower. If it’s a reasonable price, it’s a great boat. It’s not a TSC wake, but it’s still very good.

[BraceMaker]

Good boats, friend has a 91 and they do ski very well.

 

Just make sure it runs well and see if anyone has done you the favor of conversion from the protec ignition system

[BlueSki]

Used to have a 95, great boat. The guy that bought it still sends me pics every year, she still looks like new. I skied that boat as well as the 97-99 hulls that are so highly regarded. The newer wakes are fantastic, but I doubt that you will be disappointed.

[escmanaze]

I'm on a 97 SN with the TSC1 hull. I typically run the course at 15 off and 28-34 mph. The first time I skied a NWZ hull, i was very suprised at how hard it was. I was just out free-skiing, so I shortened the rope considerably - I think to 28 or 32 off and it was a good bit better. To be fair, my boat usually only has 1-3 people in it and that NWZ that day had probably 5 or 6 people in it, so it certainly wasn't a perfect comparison. I would like to try it again some day with fewer people in it to see what it is like back to back with mine.

 

My advice would certainly be that it may be a great boat, but ski it before you buy it to just make sure.

[TEL]

My neighbor has 91 CB he is selling great boat on Ski-it-Again in great shape very clean. Nice wakes I skied 15-32 off easy with out ZO or PP. I know he will make a great deal to move it.

[BlueSki]

@escmanaze is correct, but I had forgotten, the wakes on the NWZ are firmer than the bubble butts.

[vic]

Bracemaker comment on the ignition system is great but I can upgrade ignition and or carb to ford spec EFI system and build custom computer to run it.

[BraceMaker]

@BlueSki - comparing the NWZ to the 94 prostar 190 I've always felt like the NWZ lay a crisp low wake, the Prostar lays a single rounder wake.

 

They're both pretty great to ski however I have a tough tough time driving the NWZ - not to offend the SN crowd but the backwards prop rotation plus the shifters on the SN have a lot of travel and the boat just loves taking waves over the bow.

 

 

[Deanoski]

I have a 1990 sn with z box great wakes -15-38

 

Take the back seat out and add 40-60 lbs in the bow Put a 4 blade prop on her

 

You can’t go wrong

 

 

 

[vic]

I now have new problem found 1995 supra ts6w comp. for sale at 48500 and have to compare that to the 1994 ski Nautique $9500 if both boats are similar shape WHICH WOULD BE BETTER

[vic]

SORRY ABOUT THIS THE sUPRA PRICE WAS 8500

[aupatking]

I can’t say for the Supra but the SN has no wood in the hull (stringers nor floor). If the Supra has wood, I’d go SN. Wood is not necessarily bad, but at the ages your looking, I’d steer away.

[ALPJr]

94 SN is simply a great ski boat.

[vic]

Neither boat has wood the nautique has pro boss 5.8 liter carb. 285 hp and Supra has fuel injected 5.8l (pro boss??)

[Deanoski]

s n

[foxriverat]

I had a 96 supra ts6m 22 off at 30 32 mph had a very large hump. Tried everything to tame it. Ended up selling it and getting 2000 Response LX

[Gar]

94 Nautiques with the throttle body Holley system were prone to have vapor lock issues at least the one I owned did especially on hot days.

[Tkl127]

What is your budget for your next ski boat?

[Orlando76]

26 is a bit slow, any boat will have a wall at the speed. Are you skiing course? If so I’d speed it up to 28-30 and free ski for a bit.

 

A lot of NWZ haters out there. I have a 1993 NWZ that I’m selling. I love the boat and it’s my preferred boat to ski behind, -22@32. 93+ were composite. TBI showed up in 94. In 2019, any boat 02 and older I would choose carb any day over efi. The TBI and the Protec Ignition is a quick and easy swap in the morning, nothing to shy away from. At 9500$ Canuck money is take the SN.

[eleeski]

I had one of those Nautiques for a while. Great boat! Got it with 1000 hours of salt water time (SDSU boat). We skied it hard and it lived in the water. Held up nicely. Went back to UCSD and more salt time.

 

College kids are mostly slaloming at your speed. No one ever complained about the wakes. You and your ski buddies will love the boat.

 

Eventually the engine died on the boat. Hours, salt and abuse killed it. They sold the boat to someone who dropped a new engine in it. Easy fix. Carburetors were cheap, available and relatively reliable. New engines are magic and an old carbureted engine will never be as good as a brand new version but you will have no problem with the engine. Especially with your mechanical skills. Probably not worth the ZO new engine conversion unless you find a deal on the replacement engine (like my old American Skier).

 

I don't have any time behind a Supra. They had a good reputation in the day but were too expensive to get much market penetration.

 

Enjoy your new boat!

 

Eric

[vic]

I am going to look at the Ski nautique asap with serious consideration to buy.

Thanks to all for the info it was very help full. I will let everyone know how things turn out.

[foxriverat]

@vic ski behind boat at speed and line length you use, Too many people don`t and then complain when it`t too late. Expensive and frustrating mistake.

[vic]

checked out the 1994 ski nautique. Owner changed ignition to distributor and it is carbureted. Ran will steering bit stiff. Skied it at 28 and 30 great for me. Working out some issues with registration. May or may not workout.

[vic]

On the 6th of August going to Vancouver Canada check out 1996 MB Sport Boss LS200 with PCM GT40 EFI engine. Looks not to bad and is a good price.

[Deanoski]

Mb Has a big bump at -22 if I remember right

[vic]

Bought a 1998 ski centurion falcon has small wake at 28 MPH and no Wake at 34 MPH . Have had several great skis behind it already. Like to thank all for their input and advise. I helped me get a good boat.

[aupatking]

@vic if you don’t post a picture of it, it didn’t happen! I want to see your boat. Centurion always built beautiful boats

[vic]

this is my Boat Now

This is a pic from spring

 

 

[Cent]

Enjoy. Falcons had a nice wake.

[vic]

had some issues with 5.7 mercruiser engine after rebuilding carb, new HEI system found out it just needed new plugs last owner did not put correct type in. It sure runs great now.

so now back to skiing

[GaryWilkinson]

@Orlando76 saw your comment “The TBI and the Protec Ignition is a quick and easy swap in the morning, nothing to shy away from”

 

Although I’m confused. Do you recommend staying with carb and distributor? Or swapping to EFI and electronic ignition?

 

I have a 95 Nautique that’s carb and distributor. If swapped, would I get any performance improvements ?

 

Thanks

[Orlando76]

@GaryWilkinson Starting in 1992 (I believe, possibly 91) PCM used an engine management and electronic ignition system referred to as the ProTec. Even when new it was known to fail. Parts for it are mostly NLA. To swap the Pro Tec over to a conventional distributor is really easy and not a major expense. Some will make a big deal out of it. Then in 1994 PCM coupled the ProTec with a TBI fuel system. Those injectors can still be cross referenced but when the ignition system fails you pretty much have to swap to a carb and standard distributor. There are no performance gains going either direction. IMHO the reliability with a carb and points style distributor is far greater than anything electronic. There’s been at least one PCM engine that I’m aware of that swapped to a DUI distributor but was able to keep the TBI. I hadn’t fully read how he did it. If you’re already running a carb and your spark plug wires run to the distributor in the front of engine and not to a box in the back then you are golden.

[BraceMaker]

@GaryWilkinson - have to decide what your performance improvement goal would be.

 

If someone has say a 94 Protec ignition fuelie ski nautique and they want to install a new cam into it and then retune the fuel injection system - well they better have access to some good smart people to work on that fuel injection system. If they have your boat with a carb and a distributor and want to do that basic engine work and then retune the carb - there are thousands of people and tons of information to work on that stuff yourself.

 

EFI vs. Carb I usually point out that many of the "driveability complaints" people seem to have seem to come from the ignition system than the carb.

[mfjaegersr]

A friend with a ‘95 SN went to carb when the ProTec failed (not sure if the TBI was bad or not?), then after a few years of not liking the cold-bloodedness’ of the carb, a couple years ago he installed some aftermarket TBI system that is simply a POS....forced long idle (2min) at start - every time, even when warm; isn’t playing nicely with PP, hard to maintain 34MPH in open water; has to request adjustments from the MFG and they send him a ‘90s-era EEPROM (chip) to install (to change idle settings, mixture, etc.) Can’t remember the name of it...but you don’t want it!!

[GaryWilkinson]

@BraceMaker @Orlando76

Well guys you’ve totally convinced me that my old Holley carb needs a carb kit, not a conversion to EFI and my distributor cap and rotor need a new version of same.

 

Kinda nice and a relief that I’m not really missing out on anything, in fact having the ability to tune up and fix it myself is a good thing!

 

Thanks for the valued input guys. Really helped me out.

 

Now if I could only get rid of the slop in my steering rack and pinion...

[mfjaegersr]

@GaryWilkinson If your helm is like mine (‘98), there are bushings in there you can replace that will reduce some wheel play/slop, in the case it’s not just in the rack/pinion as you suspect. Easy fix, have pics.

[GaryWilkinson]

@mfjaegersr Wow! You rock

 

What’s the best way to get your pics and description of how to proceed?

I can pm you my cell number?

[Orlando76]

@GaryWilkinson The slop is easy to fix. New cable and helm from a 97?-10? Ski Nautique will fix that for about $375. There was a short window in early and mid 90’s CC used a bastard cable. Don’t forget loctite on the thru bolts. Might as well replace shift and throttle cables while you’re in there. It’ll just put a bigger smile on your face when you drive it the first time. Honestly don’t bother rebuilding the carb. But a brand new MARINE Holley 4160 from Jegs or Summit and you will be so much happier.

@mfjaegersr any of those aftermarket EFI kits are junk from what I’ve gathered. But I’m 1 of 5 guys in the country who are carb fans. I feel like I can’t shout this enough, unless it’s below freezing, a properly tuned Holley carb on a properly tuned engine will always start cold with 2 full pumps of throttle then open throttle 1/4-1/3 open and give the key half a bump. Only reason I’d opt for EFI is if I jumped elevation a lot. The guys out west will catch a break from me if they chose EFI.

Sorry @vic for partial thread jack.

[GaryWilkinson]

@Orlando76 considering the carb swap but I’ve heard good results from a $100 carb kit that changes all the soft parts and presto kidabra she’s like new again.

 

If not a fix for a rough idle? Well, I’ll go for the new carb then.

 

Going to try @mfjaegersr fix for the helm sloppiness first then like the carb, if that doesn’t work, I’ll take it all down.

 

Thanks so much for the 411 boys. Info is power. Lol ?

[vic]

Holley carbs can be fixed with a good Kit from Holley just follow instructions and it will work great again. be sure to do a good job of cleaning parts and blowing them out before reassembly. If the carb was on the boat originally it will not require any changes. Send Holley the numbers on the upper front throat and they will supple the correct kit.