Skiing behind a 1995 - 2000 Ski Nautique 196

[maxepr]

I have been skiing behind a friend's 2002 Ski Nautique 196 and love it. Thinking about buying a little older 196 - something in the range of 1985 through 1988. Is the wake and other ski characteristics very different in the older boat?

[keithh2oskier]

Yes, drastically different on the 80s and early 90s.

 

I forget when the NWZ hull started but it was around 90/91 and has the slant back.

 

In 97 they came out with the TSC1 hull. Thats the famous bubble back. In 02, they came out with the TSC2 hull. Then in around 06 they came out with the TSC3 hull. Then in 2010 they came out with the 200

 

Basically anything after 97 is a really awesome ski boat. The NWZ is an okay wake but not the same class as your buddies 02.

 

I have a 2002 196 and i am biased but its obviously the best of the TSC generation.

[Siouxcitysmitty]

I had a '93 and it was good...perhaps not great. The NWZ hull went from 91-96. '93 was the first year that it came with all fiberglass stringers. I'd stay away from anything earlier than 93. and the hull before the NWZ had a beast of a wake in my opinion.

[NZswerver]

NWZ was from 1990 thru till 1996 I have a 96 and ski a 200 club boat and have skiied the “legendary” bubble back TSC1 hull. The NWZ is a good hull that seems to not get a lot of love from slalomers online. but with the back seat and bases out and 1/4 of a tank of gas it skis really well,a bit firmer than TSC. I am only a 52k 18.25 skiier but my brother and another ski buddy are far better than me and they tend to agree. Below 49k/30mph the wake tends to get a bit harder but the 52 55 58km wakes are good. And if your into tricking the trick wake is mint! Well it’s definitely not a ZO 200 we love ours for mid week sets

[BraceMaker]

The 90 plus no wake zone are great ski boats, 90/91/maybe 92? Had wood stringers so are risk to be rotted. And the. The 93-96 are composite boats. I think the ideal would be a carbureted 93 if you just want a tractor. They did some weird things with fuel injection and distributors in the early 90s so watch for that.

[BraceMaker]

The older "2001" hulls have this big V at the rear of the hull and pitch bigger wakes.

[Orlando76]

The NWZ is a really good boat. I prefer the NWZ over the bubble butt, but the tsc2+ being quite better. The 90-93 NWZ has to be the sexiest boat ever built. The 80’s era 2001 would be a smaller boat and frankly isn’t what you want for slalom. NWZ started in 1990-1996. 1990-1992 being wood stringers BUT Correct Craft had their fiberglass and resin technology figured really well by then, miles above the competition. Fun fact, in 1992 the wood stringers were warranted for life to the original owner, that’s confidence in your product. I have a perfect 93 I’m selling.

[Orlando76]

And the ignition and TBI(94-95 or 96) mentioned above is nothing to shy away from. If you’re capable to read a cereal box and turn a screwdriver without stabbing yourself in a lung, it’s an easy fun afternoon project to convert and make it bullet proof.

[escmanaze]

85 through 88 I would look the way of Mastercraft. Smaller softer wakes and no wood. Kind a seems like a no-brainer to me. And this is from a guy who owns a Nautique, so it's not like I'm some kind of hater or something.

[Deanoski]

1990 and newer is a great boat if dialed In

[CBR51]

I would look for a 97-99. You won’t be disappointed

[aupatking]

We ski a 93 with no back seats and the fuel injected GT40 out of a 01 boat, all the time. It’s a horse with that engine and the wake is good. Always less than half a tank of fuel, and it is fine. Solid bump at 22 off, but really not bad at all. I have owned TSC 1 hull boats; a 97, 98, and 01 “Bubble Back” and the wake is fantastic. I also have an 02 TSC 2 I converted to a Zero Off boat. The 02 is my favorite. My buddy has an 07 TSC 3 hull and it is the easiest to drive but the 6.0 in it is a pretty unforgiving pull. We are probably going to update the Zero Off in it to single Puck Zero Off, to see if it’s any easier, but it is a great boat too.

If you go older, the 87-up Prostar is a great slalom hull with no wood.

[LOTW]

I have a minty '95, first year of fuel injection, the thing is great! Installed Stargazer and away we go. I always look at other boats and seems that they are coming down in price but again, my '95 is just fine for us. Keep up on your yearly maintenance and have fun.

[6balls]

I love my 2000 SN bubble butt. Digital dash with push button start, no pokey fuses sticking out of the dash. Crappy speedo's but don't care. Tune-able rudder with EFI GT-40.

Very immune to crew/gas/back seat in/out in terms of wake.

As you are likely cost conscious, I'd go back to trying to find a nice '97 if staying with Nautique.

As @escmanaze notes if you go to the late 80's go MC Prostar---but if you do that you should just go '91-'94 Prostar.

In fact...this is probably the boat for you.

[cmcoutur]

I'd agree with @6balls comment on the '87-'90 a '91-'94 hull. The newer hulls being a bit roomier and better on spray/wake. Largely the same driveline offerings, EFI wasn't standard till '94 I believe?

 

The hulls can be found in similar price ranges too - A friend bought their '93 in the fall for about the same price as my '88 last year (~$7K).

 

https://teamtalk.mastercraft.com//showthread.php?t=29236

 

 

[BraceMaker]

EFI only past 94 in MC but lt1s had fuelie before that

[CBR51]

1993 prostar 190 had 25th anniversary option with fuel injected LT-1 engine not too sure how many of those there are around? Great wake at long line to 28 off. 32 off and beyond not so good for side spray

As mentioned earlier if you can get a TSC-1 Nautique for close to the same price I would go with that. Especially 97-99 so you can take back seat right out. They moved the gas tank in 2000 so you can’t

Tuneable rudder started in 99. That is kinda nice to have too

[6balls]

@CBR51 I have a 2000 bubble butt and can take the entire back seat out--maybe it was a '01 revision or something where some models came out each of two ways in 2000?.

 

While agree on the side spray issue of the '91-'94, I skied a '87 for 10 years into 38 which was far worse, especially in a headwind but we made due--'91 was a big improvement.

 

You are also correct the '97 onward Nautique spray is never an issue--great boats really.

[Andre]

Pre 97:Get a Mastercraft.

97:Either will be good.

Post 97:Get a Nautique.

[Jmoski]

My ski buddy has an 86 MC stars & stripes he is passively/reluctantly selling (he bought a 2018 MC last year). Gelcoat is in great shape, engine runs like a champ, has Stargazer GPS speed control. DM me if interested....

[slow]

If Nautique 97 or later

[CBR51]

6balls. Yes I guess if your seat comes out maybe some early 2000’s they hadn’t moved gas tank yet and made trunk in back yet. But I know most I have seen are. Something to check when buying. Also I agree on older Mastercrafts. It just seems that the price isn’t all that much different to get a Bubble Butt. I have had 5 of them and now have a 04

[6balls]

@CBR51 Yeah I love the 196. If I went newer I'd go TSC3. I don't see enough value in going newer. Though I do love me the '09 I think it was, MC 197 promo in black with red metal flake on the side. I'd rather ski the Nautique...but ooh was that MC a looker.

[CBR51]

Oh yes. The 197 definitely looked better. Agreed

[MDB1056]

@Jmoski - the 86 MC wasn’t a Stars and Stripes. That was the unique transition year hull and curved / rainbow graphics, but some were the grey and white. Stars & Stripes last was 85

[Jmoski]

@MDB1056 - thanks, yep his boat has the shades of gray rainbow stripes on it.

[BraceMaker]

Doesn't the 86 have the running surface of the 87 model?

[lakeside7455]

I had a 96 SN CB with EFI and perfect pass and it skied great. I have a 2014 SN OB now with zero off and I skied better on the 96 perfect pass. I'm thinking the zero off is always dead on, so the slow passes that within tolerance 17.05 etc, on perfect pass I was making are now gone, it's always 16.95 now, and zero off seems to hurt skiers over 200 lbs, I'm 205, more than light skiers. I take more of a hit with zero off and it is less forgiving and harder to ever catch up, than I did with Perfect pass. Learning to try to ski slow and easy and controlled, no slam turns to catch up, and let the ski do work, but not easy.