Is The Ski Nautique An Epic Fail

[swc5150]

Prostar = just add water

[yourdaguy]

I am new here, so I have been cruzing threads and this one raised several issues that are on my radar screen. I own a 1999 Prostar 190 with LT1, heater, shower, stereo, etc. It is still a great boat, but with 5.5 grandchildren, I am considering open bow. We free ski in the Green River (the place where waves go to die) since there are no courses around here. Actually there is one on a private lake and all the houses are one family.

 

My ProStar listed for ~$38,000 in 1999. I don't know what I paid since I traded my 1997 Maristar 210 but if you do the inflation calculator $38,000 in 1999 is $59,000 today. My boat had almost every option and was the most expensive ProStar my dealer sold that year. The list price to replace it with the engine upgrade etc. would be north of $115,000. The basic design of ski boats has not changed in 40 years. Fiberglass tub, V8 motor, direct drive. My boat has multi-port injection, a High-pressure fuel pump in the tank, and even reverse cooling. So the manufacturing cost of new boats should be relatively the same adjusted for inflation. Don't tell me the fancy dashboards cost more, I have a $200 watch that has gps and cell radio, touch screen, etc. I am not a fan of the new electronics, this is just more stuff to fail and since the parts are proprietary, the manufacturers can charge whatever they want. BMW's trend towards the highest 3 year depreciation due to having all the fancy electronics and when they start to fail, the parts are astronomical! Or after 10 years, generally unavailable at all. The price of boats is not based on the cost to make them. it is based on what people are willing to pay and the profit considerations of the manufacturers. Sorry for the rant!

 

It probably only costs a manufacturer 150% as much to make a $250,000 wake boat as a $115,000 ski boat. They both have a V8 engine, trans, direct or V-drive (costs are comparable especially if you have gear reduction in the direct drive), dashboard, etc. The bigger boat has a lot more fiberglass and upholstery and speakers and maybe a few hydraulic wake enhancers and ballast systems that are a relatively small part of the cost. Boats pretty much have a ~33% dealer margin so a $250,000 sells to the dealer for $168,000 and the $115,000 boat sells to the dealer for $76,000. If the net marginal manufacturing cost of the ski boat is $50,000 then the net marginal cost of making one more wake boat is $75.000. So as you can see the marginal profit to the manufacturer is much greater on a wake boat($40,000 vs $26,000). This is a marginal profit on each additional boat, they have to cover $millions in fixed costs so these profits are not at big as they seem. The manufacturers are running at capacity, and building a new factory would cost several hundred $million and only decrease overall margins. So every time they slot a ski boat into production, they are losing money compared to making a wake boat. There are competitive reasons to keep making ski boats ( brings people in, brand loyalty, etc. so they still slot them in). BUT from a corporate point of view (I have worked for a Fortune 50 company), here are the rationals: CC we are losing money every time we make a ski boat let's raise the price as high as we think we can so we make as few as possible; we would rather make the $350,000 Pinnacle models until we run out of engines. MC lets keep the price only slightly insane and use all our engineers that are paid for by the wake boats to make the best ski boat and we will gain market share. These strategies are also reflected in CC reducing promo boats and MC not reducing Promo boats. So this is the reason that to update my boat is almost double what the inflation rate would predict.

 

Skiing is a dying sport. The boarders are more profitable and the younger crowd mostly wants to board (either wake or surf). I was a RecquetBaller in the day too! The ones of us that are left are going to have to renew old boats and keep on trucking or spend the big bucks for a new boat.

 

In answer to the question the thread presents, not an epic fail, just good business for CC. CC is much larger than MC and can afford to lose market share in ski boats especially if they can get enough engines this year to make even more Paragons and make even bigger profits.

[skierjp]

On any boat you need to know how to set up the ZO and level the boat for skiing in the course.

[disland]

@yourdaguy, I agree, disagree, like and dislike all at the same time

 

[Timr71]

"@yourdaguy, I agree, disagree, like and dislike all at the same time"

 

This statement might win the internet today! Agree.

[DW]

@skierjp - true and obviously a ski boat operator needs to know how to properly operate the vessel. Although given Ed's commentary is it up to the operator to scrounge sources to find the instructions to operate the boat? I would think that is a dealer function at hand off or at least covered in an owners manual included with the boat.

[Than_Bogan]

I know for me personally, I think of Ski Nautique as the name of the company, not Correct Craft. But it really is Correct Craft, and they have to run a business.

 

The name "Correct Craft" came long before "Ski Nautique," and may still be around after it.

[Ed_Johnson]

@DW ... Thank you, that was my point. We had ZO dialed in right away, that wasn't the problem..The shock came when we lined up with the course for the first time and the amount of tilt the boat went to, it was extreme. Like an airplane in a 30 degree bank....I could put 2 Sumo Wrestlers as observers in my 200 and it would not have tilted anywhere close to that. Also, the centerline had an extremely hard bump that would bounce the ski. I suspect alignment on the Hydrogate, since it was in Slalom Mode... There is no way it could have been designed like that...If it was, others would have commented on that previously.

 

 

[skierjp]

@Ed_Johnson , I bet there was water in the ballast tanks.

[Justin]

Hydrogate will only affect for and aft, not side to side running attitude. Either a lot of water in the tanks or water in the bilge would make it list that bad. I can't think of any other adjustments or settings that would cause or fix that issue. So I can't see it being that complicated? Or drain plug....

[ajgear]

We skied my 2020 SN a fair bit this weekend. Line lengths from 15 to 35 off, from 30 to 34 mph. We've been mostly skiing a 2019 PS until I picked the SN up last Thursday. 5 skiers, and ZERO complaints about he SN vs the PS. While I do take into account that no one wants to insult their buddy's new boat, the next morning's text string left me with little doubt of their sincerity -- Me: "Ready to roll. Who's driving?" All Others: "LOL. When are you picking us up?" That's no slam on the PS, as we didn't complain about that one either. But there was a consensus of preference for the SN.

 

Using rear ballast to balance a ski boat is not the best idea for slalom. Having added weight in back to balance the driver messes with the the fore/aft balance as well as the port/stbd balance, and will definitely harden the wake and increase the roost. If someone previously messed with the ballast tanks and didn’t dump them, that would cause serious wake issues. It's best to add the weight just forward of the pylon (or under the observer seat) and move it left or right to get the balance. Two or three 50# Lead Wake bags works like a charm in any boat regardless of your allegiance ;) . That was a pro tip from a tournament driver that carried a few extra pounds, and often had lighter observers. Unfortunately, most dealers can tell you way more about how to set up a surf boat than a ski boat.

 

The HydroGate and MicroTuners are all set by the line length and speed in slalom mode, so no need to mess with any of that. The MicroTuners are either deployed or retracted, and that’s a function of line length and speed. There aren’t degrees of extension. Likewise, in slalom mode the HydroGate is all the way down without adjustment. You can mess with the HydroGate in Trick mode and you can add ballast manually in any mode. To say that those devices are "kluge for bad hull design" is just silly. Our shorter line-length guys (28 off and under) are amazed by the lack of troughs due to the MicroTuners. HydroGate and MicroTuners are simply ways to improve on something that hull design alone cannot, because the hull can't just change shapes based on speed and activity. Configurable hull devices have revolutionized every other boat sport over the years, so I don't understand the opposition to them when it comes to 3-event skiing.

 

In the end, people's experiences and preferences may vary, but technology is like a wave; you can stand still and let it pass (and maybe wait for the next one), you can get get on and ride it, or you can just stand on shore, watch it, and talk about how much better you think the last wave was. Riding it doesn't always end as well as it could. Not all new technologies end up being improvements. But there are those who, no matter how great the leap forward, will complain about how expensive and unnecessary the new tech is. And heck, if they want to keep their corded big-button phone on their land line because then they don’t have to worry about learning how to use all those newfangled electronics that might fail, wireless signals, and $800 phones (because a new phone in 1980 only cost $20), good for them. No judgement. Others will continue to try new tech fully understanding that it carries both benefits and risks. They’re probably reading this on their iPhone 11s right now while the others are waiting for their Compaq’s modem to hook up to AOL dial-up. To each their own. :p

[Mancy]

@Ajskier how is it better than a 200? Like Windows 8 was better than Windows 7?

[ajgear]

@mancy, as I said, not all new technology is better or, more to the point, better for everyone. But this is more like the iPhone 11 Pro is better than the iPhone 11. You may not find proportional value in the better camera, better water resistance, or better display for the $300 upcharge. Both are certainly perfectly functional, and if the 11 suits your needs, you certainly don’t have to pay for the upgrades. You may even find it frustrating to have to deal with the additional camera modes and whatnot. In fact, you may feel like your iPhone 8 is all the smart you need in a phone. If you’d miss your home button or earphone jack, by all means stay with what works for you. But to deny that those upgraded features are useful to those who are willing to pay for them and learn to use them is simply replacing fact with preference. There are demonstrable differences. Some will like them. Some won’t. The beauty is that both camps are free to vote with their wallets.

 

I did choose to vote with my dollars, and thus far, I’m extremely happy with that choice, as are those I’ve skied with or talked to about their experience with the boat. Most of the negativity I’ve seen, on the other hand, comes from people who haven’t skied or driven one, and is based on their perception of its price/value balance. If you have skied/driven one after learning how to use it, and you don’t like it, great. It’s not the boat for you, and there are lots of other choices out there. If you did like it but think it’s too expensive, again, great. Find a less expensive boat you like, or wait until used ones start popping up at more affordable prices. If, on the other hand, one hasn’t skied/driven one that’s set up properly, but still feels it necessary to enlighten the world with their critique, forgive me if I take that with a very large grain of salt.

[LeonL]

@UWSkier I'm not a fan of the new SN, but almost NO ski boat that is a "get it wet and ski it" situation. You also have to realize this was not a boat that was purchased (at least as I read it) it was supplied as a temporary loaner.

[Mancy]

@ajgear you still didn't answer the question. How is the new boat better than 200?

[DavidN]

I ski (and drive) back and forth between my 2018 SN 200 6.0 and a 2019 SN 6.2.

 

Given that I’m only a 22-32off 55k skier that some days gets a look at 35, I prefer the wakes of the 200 over the new SN at my line lengths.

The 22 off hump of the new SN is hilarious and a step backwards from the proven 200 hull.

Even the owner of the 2019 admits that he hates that line length.

He skis at 32mph where the bump is even bigger.

At 32off (and shorter) the wake evens out between the 200 and the new SN. Is it better - I don’t know, maybe if you go even shorter.

 

I don’t like the looks of the new SN, the amount of unnecessary angles and edges top to bottom and the wide, short, flat nose is (to me) plain ugly.

I hate that there is SeaDek everywhere, even in places where it absolutely makes no sense. The vinyl pad on the outside (!) of the hull at the windshield is just ridiculous and serves no purpose at all.

 

When it comes to functionality the boat does what it’s supposed to do fairly well. One issue we are running into is, that the rope catches on the sharp rear corners of the rubrail when you drop at the end of the course and turn the boat around for the next pass. This is never an issue on the 200 with its round-ish rear deck (a tribute to the good old bubble butt).

 

However - I love how that boat tracks! No complaints about my 200 when it comes to tracking, but the SN is just superior to the 200.

I love the touchscreen. Again, big improvement over the 200 and the old Lync System and the weird setup with the buttons on each side of the screen.

Also, the layout on the new touchscreen is so intuitive that I can hardly see someone needing a manual to operate and setup that boat.

 

All that said, I still prefer my 200 over the SN.

Is it an epic failure - Definitely not.

Would I buy one - Definitely no.

 

My 2 cents.

 

 

[ajgear]

@mancy, it's about 450 lbs lighter with less displacement. It has a newer hull design to flatten wake and redirect spray. It's 3" wider. The footwell doesn't have an electrical panel where your left foot goes. The heater tube doesn't have to go under the driver's leg to get to the passenger seat (and get tangled or stepped on when the driver gets in and out). The driver position sits just a tad lower so taller drivers don't have their hats blown off (not a benefit to everyone, I guess). There's a place to put skis other than on the floor, so you don't need a tower with ski racks if you have four skis and kid's stuff onboard (you can theoretically put a ski or maybe 2 under the observer seat, so long as you have nothing else in there - it's not roomy or convenient in the 200). It has MicroTuners that, much to the dismay of technophobes, work quite well. It has fuel fills on both sides of the boat so you don't have to step off the dock to put gas in it (and the cover has fuel ports, unlike the 200). Leaky gas cans also don't drip on the non-skid on the rear step. With the closed bow, there's a lot more room for extra life jackets, boat bumpers, towels, etc. (again, may be a detriment for those needing the seating area, but a benefit to me). The windshield is cut back to allow easier conversation/interaction with the skier without standing or reaching uncomfortably over the side window. It has 400 lbs of ballast to beef up the wake if (God forbid) my kids end up wanting to do a little wakeboarding or tubing. It has a heated observer seat to keep my wife and kids happy. It has docking lights for those late evenings coming back into the lift.

 

That's my short list, and most of the reasons I chose the ski over the 200. I could probably find a few other things I like better (like the larger glove box) if I really thought about it. Oh, and I happen to think it's dead sexy as well, but clearly, YMMV. Again though, these might not be the same preferences as others have, and I'm only comparing the new 200 to the Ski. The comparison between the new Ski and the previous 200CB would certainly be slightly different w/r/t storage and such. For a number of reasons, I didn't really consider the pre-2019 boats when I was looking.

 

[dave2ball]

@Ajskier you still have not answered the question of why the new Nautique is better then the 200 other then offering up creature comforts and a redirection of spray which was never an issue on a 200. The 200 has a center gas fill In the rear so your dull gas fill argument is not revenant. Other then the weight and micro tuners you can’t or have not given any performance differences between the 200 and the new Nautique.

[Boo]

I ski behind the SN and 200. Both new models. My top speed is 30mph, so slalom at 28 and 30mph 15 and 22 off. I find the SN has softer wakes at my slalom speeds so prefer it over the 200. I don’t use ballast and like both boats for tricks but slightly prefer the 200. Love Nautiques. Consider myself lucky to ski behind both boats.

[ajgear]

@DavidN, Can't dispute the 22 off thing. ;) BUT, I haven't had any complaints from guys that are at that length going from the 2019 PS to the 2020 Ski (perhaps because they're all at 34 mph), including the owner of the PS. The feedback I've gotten from them is that it's not a "hard" bubble, so as long as they're pulling through it, it's not kicking them. I have noticed in observing that if they back off before the wake, it's a more noticeable pop, as one would expect. Nothing is perfect, I guess. I love my Ford Raptor, and it will do unnatural things (in a good way) off-road when pressed. But I sure miss the Expedition's rear air suspension when I'm pulling my tractor.

 

As far as the SeaDeck is concerned, I can absolutely understand the look of it being a sticking point. But from a functional standpoint, I don't see anywhere that "makes no sense". Perhaps you're seeing something I'm not. I like having the entire gunwale covered, as it allows people to step in and out anywhere along the side from another boat, a dock, or the platform without slipping or grinding sand into the gelcoat. I hate feet on fiberglass, so maybe that's my own issue, but I also view it as a safety concern. Slips getting into/out of a boat scare the heck out of me. I've also found that the small step forward of the front speaker is quite nice for our shorter folks when entering/exiting from the side. I also like it on the motor hood both as a secure stepping point from the gunwale to the opposite side of the boat or vice versa when getting in and out, and for using it to work on skis.

 

The exterior upholstery? I get the criticism. I like the feel reaching over the side from the helm, but it certainly could have been made smaller. I've seen wear there on other boats from the bungee rope going from the pylon to a dock that's lower than the gunwale. I put a 2' shock tube over my bungee rope to prevent that. Luckily for me, our lake is actually a reservoir, and though it doesn't fluctuate too much, people's docks are generally higher to avoid the occasional rise in water level.

 

The looks are certainly subjective, as may already be clear, I personally love the angles and the snub nose. It's like a mid-engine supercar had a lovechild with a stealth fighter. It's aggressive, and certainly a departure from the classic look. I read an article in an auto mag a few years back talking about criticism of "modern" automotive design. One of the more controversial designers commented that, if everyone likes a new design, you did something wrong. His point was that if it's not causing some people to scratch their heads, it's not a big enough departure from past designs. He argued that, if it wasn't controversial, it would age much more quickly and wouldn't move the design language of the industry forward. As more people are exposed to the new design and warm to it, others in the industry start to incorporate elements into their cars, and eventually they all start to resemble a car that's been around for years. It certainly doesn't always play out that way, and this may not either, but I fully support pushing the aesthetic boundaries. Perhaps it will end poorly. Perhaps it's just ahead of its time, and others will emulate it more subtly until they resemble it. Perhaps it will crater and forever be known as the Pontiac Aztec of boats. Time will tell, I guess.

[ajgear]

@dave2ball, I guess I'm not understanding your definition of "better". Those "creature comforts" are a HUGE portion of the enjoyment of a boat. If every time you get the heater hose out, it gets tangled in your legs, it sucks to use the heater for passengers. If every time you swing your foot into the foot well, you stub your toe on the battery switch, it's annoying. If you don't have anyplace to put your skies and other stuff, and you're tripping on it every time you try to move around the boat, it's frustrating. And for me, having to step onto the swim deck to use the center gas fill is a gigantic pain in the arse. All of those thing absolutely make a difference. I would posit that there's not a huge difference between the wakes of most newer ski boats from the Big 3, and that the vast majority of those differences are purely subjective. Hence, my earlier comments regarding enjoying skiing behind any of them. I think most skiers would agree. Thus, the differentiating factors for MANY buyers are those very creature comforts.

 

So what data are you looking for? I haven't done a 3D camera scan of the wakes to measure the deviation in water level from side to side. I don't have any gyroscopic data to measure how much the skier and ski bounce when crossing the wake. I also don't have any 0 to 60 times or lap times around the Nurburgring for you to compare. I'd also posit that while you feel them insignificant, MicroTuners and 450 # of weight reduction are not small things. They change how the water reacts when leaving the bottom of the hull, and there should be no doubt in a rational person's mind that those things have an effect on wake. While those effects are demonstrable, it doesn't mean they're desirable to everyone. The reality of the matter is that when it comes to ski boats, almost all of the performance factors that people care about are subjective.

 

So I suppose if you don't include subjective measures and creature comforts in your definition of "better", then the cheapest fiber glass tub with a motor in it wins the contest so long as it creates a wake that you like. Wait, that wake is subjective too. I guess we're stuck. ;)

[dave2ball]

@Ajskier I know quite a bit about the boat. From the performance aspect, construction and the interior differences. I have been involved with Nautique for over 30 years. Just seems like your leaving @Mancy hanging.

[ajgear]

@dave2ball, by all means, feel free to extol the virtues of the 200 vs the SN. Given your vast experience with, and knowledge of, CC, surely you can fill in the blank spaces in my comparison and specify the nature of the cliffs from which I’ve left so many hanging. Should it be less explanation that you truly seek, and not more, I’ll mark that as an accomplishment. If it’s just more of my flowing prose you’re after, ask, and ye shall receive. ?

[dave2ball]

@AggieSkier I’m not digging you out of your hole.

[skierjp]

@ajgear I agree with you. I’ve owned 45 ski boats and by far the Ski Nautique is the best one yet. It’s sometimes the simple things like the gas filling location that don’t seem to matter until you actually own one. I had both, a new 200 and a new Ski Nautique at the same time. I’ll take the Ski Nautique.

Also, I’ll pick Seadek any day over carpet.

[ajgear]

@dave2ball, I make apologies neither for zealously defending my baby, nor my prolixity in doing so. ? Also, I really like externalizing all of the internal justifications I used to part with the wad of cash I had to drop to adopt her.

[RAWSki]

This is great reading keep it going. @ajgear I think you have a lot more externalizing of Justifications to do.

And who the heck installed the heater system in that 200 you referenced!!??

[ajgear]

@RAWSki, that’s how the new 200 heaters come from the factory. The nozzles come out on the right side of the foot well. Couldn’t figure that out for the life of me. I’m sure it’s a routing issue with the open bow, but man, would that bug me. And that electrical panel placement...

 

https://nautique.com/assets/img/models/2021/n200/gallery/2021_Nautique_200_I_Gallery_03.jpg

 

 

 

[DW]

'The Pontiac Aztec of boats' - ouch!

[ozski]

After racking up quite a few hours in the same Ski Nautique I've come away a little wiser but not much. First drive it was the best boat ever, a few months later I got back in the same boat only to wonder WTF happened to it. It was dialled out and some tweaking got it working well again. We spend time tuning our skis and its now apparent that you need to spend time doing the same on the new boats, its ok if you know how to get it working just like a good ski. My skiing average is higher behind the Ski than the 200 so if money was no object I'm taking the Ski, to me price is the issue and I still suspect that MC will take market share and I don't believe for a second that CC would be happy about that.

 

[ajgear]

@ozski, what tweaks did you do?

 

[ozski]

@ajgear Not much, rudder tab and weight distribution made all the difference. Boat had a lean and was riding on one side and not great to drive. Observer sitting in the middle helped a lot in this case.

[LeonL]

@ozski so you're saying that the boat had a passenger side lean with somewhat equal sized passenger and driver that required the passenger to ride in the middle. WHF?! Was it level with a driver only? No accidental ballast in the tank? That sounds like the same problem that @Ed_Johnson experienced. It must be a common problem. Is it that weight sensitive or is it just unbalanced from the factory?

[skierjp]

@DW I'm thinking more like a Cadillac Escalade.

[skierjp]

@LeonL ??? I'm 180. When I'm just the driver either the 200 or the Ski Nautique takes roughly 50 lbs as far to the passenger side as you can get it. Why would you think a passenger wouldn't have to move towards the center? Also, different speeds say 30 mph compared to 36 will more then likely require a ballast shift.

[TEL]

I have driven and skied behind this year, some in tournaments I ski 22-into 35off all the boats SN, new 200, 2020 and 2021 MC ski fine. Yes the bump at 22 is slightly more noticeable on both the SN and new 200 but I tend to come off my pull early and flat ski at CL at 22 off. SN no epic fail great boat and easiest to drive.

[LeonL]

@skierjp perhaps I inferred a worse lean from @ozski and @Ed_Johnson than was the actual case. I thought @Ed_Johnson said that the passenger had to move all the way over.

[skierjp]

All depends on how heavy the driver is and how light the passenger is ?

[6balls]

@ajgear I'm giving you extra credit for "prolixity".

 

Funny that we beat these things to a pulp. Nice boat the SN is, as is the MC and the 'Bu. It does seem that for years now boats need "set up"...and it is a bit funny that there is not a "set up" that comes with them telling owners how to load weight for best performance under various circumstances.

[ajgear]

@6balls, I couldn't agree more. A quick setup guide on a laminated sheet/ring of sheets to throw in the glove box similar to an airplane checklist, but obviously simpler/smaller. Another thing that has truly surprised me in three of my most recent boat purchase is that there are NO independent reviews and comparisons of new boats out there. There are boat "reviews" that seem more like advertisements than reviews, and many are simply regurgitated from the manufacturers websites. I was shocked that no one was out there getting demo boats from area dealers, putting them on a lake, riding behind them one after another, and then writing a comparison/review. Instead, you have to scour forums and sift through all the homerism to find even a brief, honest take on a boat. It seems like there's an opportunity there. If someone did that, the poor SOBs that are looking at buying a new 200 or SN and are trying to find some insight could be saved from my rantings. :)

[dave2ball]

@ajgear you are right about boat reviews. There are no independent sources out there. At one time water ski magazine had there annual boat buyers guide but it was never truly an unbiased view due to the fact all the boats Manufacturers advertised in the the magazine. So it was really a waist of ink

[Jody_Seal]

@dave2ball

The last 10 years or so the boat reviews in waterski mag was no more then a glamorous photo expose. They would not really examine the products and publish the findings. It was not in the best interest for magazine add sales to do so.

 

[Horton]

@ajgear You think that everyone who has commented on this thread has not skied behind or driven the boat? We all get it that you do love your boat but to suggest that all the negative comments are uninformed is ludicrous. This forum is your review.

 

Also last year - before Covid Nautuque did the Swerving weekends thing. This year MasterCraft is dragging 2021s all of the country for demos.

 

I have NEVER had to "set up" a boat. If I am alone in the boat I will add ballast but that is normal on any boat - every boat. I have had about 14 boats in the last 7 years. Pretty much dropped each of then one in the water and used it.

[A_B]

What happened to a slalom boat hull that was balanced without the need for adjusting gadgets hung on the transom or moving 50 pound sacks of ballast every time someone sneezed?

 

I get it that LH Rotation boats needed to offset the driver when an observer wasn't present. Most of my skiing has been without and observer so why I always liked a SN, among other reasons.

 

I am not sure that the endless pursuit of "nirvana" is congruent with the majority of slalom skiers.

 

Why not offer a solid boat, like a 196 hull, with continued refinement on things that matter, like better ways to hold up the glove box, seats, and engine boxes? Better ergonomics with a multiple adjusting seat? Better heater systems? Better safety devices, because few wear the lanyard engine stops? Better factory mirror systems to see from buoy to buoy? More economical power? Etc......

[mlange]

Depends on what people mean by "set up".

 

I've had Malibus that have pulled pro events that were "set up" by Dennis Kelly and the feel from the driver seat was sooo much better than similar boats that weren't set up. There is no doubt in my mind that doing things like adjusting a rudder tab, shaving it, etc... can make a big difference.

 

What I'm hearing above is that the boat needed to be set up to even be skiable. THAT obviously shouldn't be needed.

 

In the meantime I'll just stay fat and happy with my 200. For literally the first time in my life I see no reason whatsoever to move to a new boat from any of the big three.

[dave2ball]

@Jody_Seal I agree that was my point about the reviews. It was a huge joke.

[skierjp]

@mlange That boat didn’t need set up to be skiable. The trick tanks needed dumped.

[ajgear]

@Horton, I wasn't suggesting that the actual skier/driver accounts of the SN were fabricated or invalid. I know many have actually skied behind it and or driven it, I appreciate those critiques and the validity of their preferences. My point was that a lot of the negative comments were from the peanut gallery, not actual accounts of experience with the boat. And if you haven't driven or skied it, or at the very least been in it, it's a hollow critique. Hence, the comments later in that post. It was essentially a more verbose version of, "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it." Perhaps I'll go with that next time. ;)

 

Those peanut gallery comments reminded me of an experience I had about 20 years ago. I had a just gotten a new Corvette (car, not boat). I got out of it at a bar where some guys were smoking outside. One guy with a Dodge shirt on proceed to ask me how I felt about the Viper being quicker, faster, etc. I said it didn't really bother me, as they were very different cars, but I'd be glad line up my Vette with his Viper. He responded that he didn't have a Viper. I just gave him a polite smile and nod, and walked into the bar.

 

On the setup thing, it seems like maybe there are dealers that are so focused on wake boats that they don't know how to deliver a ski boat with the right setup and basic instructions. Could be wrong.

[JackQ]

Yikes, 858 posts on the SN. In the immortal words of Ronny King, “cant we all get along!” Just the title, epic failure is somewhat inflammatory.

 

If sales meets or exceed Correct Crafts’ market expectation it is a success, if not in may be a disappointment, regardless of anyone opinions of the boat. I have driven it, skied behind it numerous times, and have my own opinions of its pros and cons. But at end of the day, the best boat is the one pulling me, once I pull out for the gates I forget what the boat is.

[hammerski]

Having sold ski nautiques from 1990 to 2007. RH props on nautiques lift the boat on the drivers side. Designed that way so the observer slides toward the driver to balance. Having also sold centurion from 88-2007. LH props, sometimes you can’t slide far enough to the passenger side to balance. Kudo’s to mc for the ballast under the passenger seat to correct this. My ‘19 SN rides flat, my neighbors promo SN rides flat, I’ve ridden in 2 others, and skied behind 3 others that also ride flat. And that’s all I know about that(forest gump). ✌️