I'll say it, "Nautique wakes suck at some speeds/lengths" - anyone disagree ?

[RichardDoane]

should this be a poll ? pretty easy to do BTW

[mlange]

You talking specifically the newer SN? Every boat is going to have it's good/bad lengths and speeds, but it does sound like the newer SN bad a nastier side to it than most others.

[ReallyGottaSki]

I wasn't impressed with it from what i saw viewing U17 at Pickos, it was launching the girls. The thrust cone not the wakes, but the difference is academic, one still has to ski across it.

My 40 yo budget rig could have kept them planted and on the water better at those lengths.

 

[sunperch]

.

[MarkTimm]

That thing has gotten in my head so bad that I don't even want to ski when it is used at tournaments. The good / bad news there is only one in my area so it doesn't happen often.

[jhughes]

22/34 is a really goofy wake on the new Nautique. It's not only big but the ski going over it is an odd feeling. Didn't notice anything at 28 or 32 off, skied once behind it in a tournament this year. If the looks weren't bad enough the wake is further guarantee that I don't want one of these.

 

That said I don't care for the TXI wakes either. Our 21 has a ridiculous curb at 28/34, takes some getting used to. I don't know if those just came out if the mold wrong this year or what, but sheesh, brutal.

[ReallyGottaSki]

Heh, half reminded me of class c tournaments decades ago, they would tow the Jr girls and Jr boys with the 2001sn promo at 22-24 mph, brutal. Not cool. Downright child abuse.

Those with pull lobbied so the M1 M2 got the MC or supreme promos,

[Bruce_Butterfield]

My wife absolutely hates the wake on our SN200 at 32/22. She skied behind a 2019 Nautique this weekend and commented that the wake was sooo much better than our 200.

 

90% of the wake issues are half mental. The other half is body position/stack.

[jayski]

The Ski is fine, just different, it will catch you off guard though, the TXI is nasty hard, much worse in my opinion, however there are some TXI '21's out there that are not as bad

[ScottScott]

I end up skiing behind a 200 the most, even though we own a '17 prostar. It really makes me appreciate the wake behind the prostar. That 1st 22 behind our boat is soooo nice.

[Horton]

nothing wrong with a 6L 200

[GaryJanzig]

All of the boats are getting to be too big and too heavy. The Ski Nautique wake is bigger at 22 off 34 MPH than my '94 Ski Nautique, beyond that it is okay. It kicked my butt at the Midwest Regionals where I fell on my opener. I was not expecting the bump. I was better prepared at Nationals. The Pro Star is the best for slalom hands down. I like the Ski Nautique, and the Malibu for tricks. I like the 2010-2018 Ski Nautique 200's the best for both slalom and tricks. The Carbon Pro was a great boat too. I would go back to that design and try to make them lighter and quicker, and maximize floor/cockpit space. Keep 3 event boats 20 feet or less and under 3000 lbs.

[Mastercrafter]

I'll throw out my opinion that's barely worth $.02.

 

Most of you are way further along than me, I'm just now starting to make consistent -15/34 passes and a few buoys @ -22 here and there. Novice at best but gaining ground at a decent pace, I think.

 

Beginning of this year most of my passes were at 26, 28, or 30 mph. I'm convinced our club's 2020 TXi was trying to kill me. I hated the -15 wakes at slower speeds, and after a bunch of bad OTF's and ugly wake crossings setting me up poorly for turns, it became a big mental issue for me. The wake and roostertail seemed very hard, steep, and tall. I much preferred skiing behind my 2015 Prostar, and I also liked the late model Ski Nautique and 200; I have about 4 sets each behind both Nautiques. My favorite -15 wake is probably the Ski Nautique-- it just felt like I was cutting through foam, from what I remember. With that, I would have assumed it's great all the way up the line, but it sounds like there are other opinions from those who have been there.

 

Now that I've bumped up the speed on the TXi, along with continuing to improve my skillset, it doesn't bother me as much, but at -15 or -22, I still feel a difference and still prefer being behind the Prostar, if I'm being honest. Guys in our club are running into -35 and -38, behind the TXi, so as I told myself all along, its obviously not the boat holding me back. More of just a "comfort thing" and ease of learning at longer/slower speeds.

 

When it comes down to it, I'm just happy to be skiiing, no matter the boat.

 

Someday I'll be able to comment on the wakes at shorter line lengths, but not now.

[RazorRoss3]

The MC is where it’s at although I end up practicing behind a 2008 Nautique for 99% of my sets

[Jody_Seal]

Go back and watch women's 7 slalom from the nationals.. I 2as wondering if nautiques were giving out frequent flyer miles at their booth. Watched a couple other events also where the boat was utilized early passes were lofty!

 

I would have to agree that that as a whole longer lined and slower speeds the boat is a step backwards from the 200. They did not designed it for the masses 32 off and shorter. I think consistency is poor on the model. Some really do ski and drive better then others. Still butt ugly too!

[aupatking]

I’ve missed more openers behind the new Nautique than any other boat. By a wide margin. The wake is huge. Ridiculous huge. I don’t even like going to tournaments pulled by that boat. It’s a waste of money. I can get a better ride in behind a 1991 than a 2021? That’s a joke, just not a funny one

[Mastercrafter]

@aupatking curious, what is your usual opener?

 

Like I said above, I have fond memories of some passes behind a new Ski Nautique, but that was earlier this year when I was a much different skier than I am now.

[The_MS]

The 200 rocks

[JackQ]

My personal opinion: the 200 was a better skiing and driving boat.

 

The new boat does not have a defined curl at the wakes(where I start my pull outs) just turbulence, distracting at a minimum. The wakes are more disruptive for lighter/smaller/ skier and/or don’t hold edge/ stack behind the boat. Additionally the hookup off the buoy at 38 and shorter seems to have a small delay and abruptness. Either I have adapted or a change with the 20/21 boats feel much better where I don’t really care what boat is pulling me.

[aupatking]

I love the 200. I love the Prostar. I’m not averse to the TXI. 22 off at 34 is my opener and I only do it to make certain I’m in rhythm for later passes. It’s just my “can’t miss” pass behind anything other than the new SN. I guess if I’m getting a damn near zero score I should just risk it and start shorter

[lakeaustinskier]

I'll bet that at least 2-3 times a year I get an inquiry about whether I want to sell my 6L 200. I believe that in the quest to chase shorter line lengths the manufacturers have gone too far trying to widen the boat and flatten the wake. I'm a CC fan, however, when I drive the Ski Nautiques I swear that sometimes the engine noise reminds of a piece of agricultural equipment.

[Mrs_MS]

@The_MS

Except 22 off ?

[Mastercrafter]

@Jody_Seal people were saying the same thing about the 21 Prostar watching Brett Ellis ski at.. was it.. King of Darkness? Something along the lines of “poor kid hitting those wakes and bouncing” So, Nautique is out, Mastercraft is out… what do we do with the kids?

[ETskier]

Here's the thing about 22 off at 30, 32 and 34 mph. The microtuners are not deployed. Try setting at any of the shorter settings say 32 off. I find it to be much better.

[ETskier]

Here's another thing Nautique is ignoring. Some boats are better or worse than others, both driving and wakes (rooster tail). The hydrogate can be fine tuned to achieve better handling and better wakes for slalom. But, it is a super secret adjustment, and nobody will admit knowing this. If you get one that's right, it's much better to drive and ski behind.

[ForrestGump]

It’s like we’re stepping back in time a dozen years to that horrific Mastercraft that was a great trick boat and a shitty slalom boat. How the tide has turned.

[6balls]

So all of these newer boats, and slightly older boats for that matter--for slalom are tuned for high end slalom. What happens at lower speeds longer lines is an after-thought unless for some reason both can be had--particularly if any of them want to throw a trick wake as opposed to worrying about a slow speed/long line slalom wake.

 

Those of us skiing 28 off openers and shorter probably don't care much. For those skiing longer/slower there is a big difference.

 

Ski partners have told me the 196 was just fine at longer lines/slower speeds, as is the 2014 and newer Prostar, and the Carbon Pro. I don't hear great things about the others.

 

What's the word out there for boats that treat longer line/slower speed ok, but produce world class shortline wakes? Is this the classic conundrum you get one or the other but not both...and manufacturers of tournament boats are going to favor the shortline wakes?

 

If all we needed was tiny wakes for longer line/slower speed slalom you would pull it with an outboard barefoot boat.

[RAWSki]

Part of the reason why it's so hard to get kids at low speeds excited about course skiing when they are practically surfing side to side.

The "classic 200" is great. The new 200 definitely has an "old school bump" at 34-'22.

I have not noticed it as much on the ugly-yet-pricey Ski Nautique. I train behind a CP. This year I skied all three boats in tournaments and after 22' I don't notice much difference which I think is a good thing.

[jimski]

I don’t think their building boats for the average skier.

-32 and shorter

[6balls]

@jimski agree. So you get what you get longer/slower the boats are tuned for shortline slalom and maybe tweaked just a bit to help at longer/slower...but not if it harms shorter/faster.

This makes it hard for beginners.

I was into 35 off at 36 mph behind barefoot outboards before regularly skiing inboards and getting into tourneys--so I've never dealt with an obstructive wake of any kind.

Bummer the big wakes for skiers trying to deal with body position but then hit a VW Beetle in the middle of the wakes and we all say hey...just hold your position thru there. I want NO part of that hump and glad my opener and beyond are past anything resembling that crap.

I have 2 nephews just now starting to run 15's at max speed and will go to 22--geez I don't envy fighting that spot while they still are working on good body position. Yeah yeah we all fought the 22 hump (ok I didn't note above), but it would be nice if that wasn't a right of passage to 28's.

[APB]

Spray of the hull sucks. ESP on a tight turn around lake.

[LK_skier]

I love the 200 wake... then again I like all the top 3 (the latest Mal is clearly the worst at long line though). I taught my kids behind an old aussie ski boat that had a huge wash and it was hard - then when they got to ski behind a 200 or MC at a comp they skied great... I never want to hear them complain about the wake of a boat - I hear some kids complaining and think if they didn't hear mum and dad complaining they wouldn't be doing it.... haven't skied a new SN

[Broussard]

@6balls Manufacturers are building 3 Event boats. While slalom is the primary consideration when designing a hull, the boat also has to be able to trick and jump.

 

If you were designing the ideal boat for slalom, trick, and jump you would end up with three different hulls. Trick wake and slow speed slalom wake are two opposing principals of hull design.

[liquid d]

Well, if you can't go back and ski behind a 97 Bubblebutt Nautique, then i offer a suggestion on how to handle the curb behind the boat on your bad wake/line length (especially if it's an early pass).

1. get wide to start

2. get a little more done before the wake, and allow your ankles, and knees to come up into your body more than you normally do, while being sure to keep the ski on edge through both wakes and the troughs on both sides. Keeping the ski on edge will ensure that you don't " quit and restart" out the other side of the wakes.

 

You're not letting up as you go through the wakes; think of it as "de-weighting" the ski a bit as you go through it. The ankles, to me, are the key.

[ral]

After looking at my 12-year old daughter ski the course @ 43-46 k with her 66” ski without complaining about the wake size, I shoved my wake-whining attitude…

 

 

[DW]

The upside to this type of post, we can probably correctly assume someone at the key mfg's do read them. Customer feedback can then be put back in the development cycle and the next iteration of our favorite boat will be an improvement. Hence the love for many of the newer offerings.

Unfortunately we are as much our own worst enemy as today's customer want a lot of creature comforts which end up as unwanted ballast from a wake perspective.

[The_MS]

I get to ski behind an 07 196 with ZO frequently and it is awesome pull and wakes

[david_quail]

I've skied a bunch of sets behind a 200, 196, New Ski Nautique, Prostar, and LXI this year. Open at 32mph, 22 off. Then 34mph, 22, and progress to 35off. Ran that a few times and end up in 38. I have zero complaints about any of these boats and don't think for a second about the wake on any of them. At any line length or speed. Unless I'm skiing like garbage and then the wake sucks in all of them :# The biggest difference I find is driving. Where there's a clear winner.

[ToddL]

IMHO, the boats have been amazing the past 10 years. We have been pretty spoiled.

 

When something changes there are always upsides and downsides to any change. Not all changes can be only upsides.

 

At 34/-22, I feel a wider prop wash that is stout. If you are not expecting a "-22 bump", you could be caught off guard. It is still skiable, but it is definitely different than prior models. That bump diminishes with each subsequent rope shortening.

 

Regardless of personal opinions, if a LOC hosting a tournament has multiple boat models to choose from, I recommend that division scheduling and boat scheduling be considered to optimize the experience for your smaller, lighter and your novice skiers. (I realize that leading up to Nationals, skiers will want to become familiar with their division's boat draw model.)

 

I wish @Horton wasn't injured. He should do another video like this using the new Nautique.

 

 

 

[Horton]

@ToddL I'm not injured but it's a 4-hour drive for me to get a ride behind in the new Nautique. I'm actually driving to Sacramento today just to get an extra practice ride in before the California Pro-Am because I only ski behind the new Nautique once or twice a year.

 

I do find the wakes surprising at 28 off but I don't notice them after that. The wakes are fine at 32 and shorter. I do find the pull of the boat to be different than the Malibu or the ProStar and that's why I'm driving up an extra day early.

[Dirt]

The Nautique wake is great for trick. I had not slalomed behind one for a while and was surprised by the 28 off 34 mph wake. I almost went out the front into 2 ball and I tripped over the whitewater turbulence on the pull out for the gates

[Zman]

What @Dirt said. Not bad, but the newer Nautique can surprise you a bit on the way to 2 ball at 22 and 28.

[Wish]

a $100,000 boat should not "surprise" anyone at any line length. My 1997 196 hands down has a better wake. SN basically decided to go backwards on hull design?....and looks?. Makes absolutely no sense to me.

[LeonL]

I know this is about the new SN, however someone mentioned the 2021 TXI. I had the "opportunity??" to ski 4 rounds behind a 2021 TXI and found the experience less than favorable. So did most people at the tournament.

[Zman]

@Wish No disagreement. But, the level of whining about "the boat" I hear on starting docks is sad. Now that I have felt "the surprise" it's not really an issue.

To your point, no way I would shell out 100,000 for that wake when better wakes exist at less cost. In current boats, and older boats too.

[lpskier]

For Pete’s sake, am I the only one on this forum that remembers skiing 36 long line, 15 and 22 behind a ‘75 era Nautique? The wake of the worst contemporary ski boat out there is vastly better, and tournaments back then were huge.

 

@Horton Try going down a letter on ZO ( C to B; B to A) when skiing behind the 6.2 Nautique.

[thager]

@lpskier Nope, you are not the only one! I still remember tourney newbies getting launched through the gates going to 1 ball!

[Cooper_Trelawney]

I did the bulk of my competitive skiing in the 80s and 90s and we had to ski behind everything. Ski Nautique 2001 had a large wake, Ski Supreme had a large bump and a ton of spray. We had to ski behind whatever the draw was or the local tournament had brought. That included Ski Challengers (can you say chime lock) and Ski Rays and all sorts of other things.

 

The wakes on these relics could be tough. The spray could be bad. The tracking could be iffy. BUT we skied. We did what we could and posted scores. I was lucky to run -28 @ 36 mph in those days but I had guys in my division who were running -38 behind those boats.

 

I can't believe all these years and may tens of thousands of dollars later that boat wakes haven't improved for all brands dramatically. The new Nautique is an enigma to me. I've been in a couple. They don't feel particularly luxurious. I'm baffled by the need for trim tabs and hydro gates. It seems like with today's technology and engineering the hull should be better and not need those "extras" to make it work. But what do I know? I'm just an old-ish guy who mostly follows the sport that I once loved competing in.

[Drago]

⬆️...aaand "we" complain about diminishing promo boats. Soon y'all won't have to worry about any new tournament boats' wake, prop wash, hole shot, trick table, zo setting, or tracking

[lefty]

newbie here, kinda set on upgrading current boat to a 200, can anyone comment on if there is any distinct difference between the original 2010 Ski Nautique 200 wakes and the newer 2019-present Nautique 200? Small to no chance I will be able to demo either in a controlled environment