looks like new Nautique launches Thursday

[lkb]

….

[LeonL]

PTO = power take off.  Shaft extending (usually from the rear) of a tractor that provides rotational power to attached implements, ie. rotary mower, bush hog, hay baler, numerous other pieces of equipment.

Also on some trucks, like dump trucks to power hydraulics for lifting dump bed.

More than most anyone wants to know about PTO.

[jjackkrash]

John Deere and Nautique/Correct Craft are both great American companies that make state-of-art equipment based on advanced engineering.   So, the comparison is astute in that sense.   

[Jody_Seal]

So i am lost now! PTO and the acutraments bolted on the back of the boat is a comparison? 

[vtmecheng]

1 hour ago, jjackkrash said:

John Deere and Nautique/Correct Craft are both great American companies that make state-of-art equipment based on advanced engineering.   So, the comparison is astute in that sense.   

Just so Nautique doesn’t follow John Deere on maintenance limitations.

[lkb]

From Anna Gay’s instagram

[DerrisB]

I'm sure ditching the 200 and coming out with a more "center of the demographic" boat that will perform well for longer line skiers while keeping the short line attributes for the pros was not easy, but commercially it makes sense given the current status of our beloved sport.  Super stoked to ski behind this thing though if I can find someone that can afford the thing and will let me ski behind it LOL.  Love the fact that the 6.2 is standard.  There is no substitute for training behind a nautique w/6.2.  I've trained behind the Prostar w/6.2 and it still isnt the same...dont know whether it's the hull or the ZO algorithm or what, but I can tell the difference, subtle as it may be.  Super interested to see how the wakes are different in the 28 off to 35 off range.  I just hope it's just as strong as the old nautique if not stronger 🦾

[Taynton]

On 5/22/2025 at 6:44 AM, thager said:

Bet it looks like a Glastron! 😂

Nailed it hahaha.

[Dacon62]

Cool refinements and overall lots of improvements. Lets hope the skiing community agrees that the slalom wake is improved, especially at the longer line lengths. One area that puzzles me is the ski storage. The area designated for it chews up a ton of walk around room even when it is not being utilized. I guess they didn't want to copy MC or Malibu and instead settled for probably the worst execution of this just to avoid that.

[LoopSki]

Is it me or does that wake look completely different from the normal “ ski boat “ wakes. I know Nautiques typically don’t have a pretty wake They’re just soft, but this one just looks super turbulent and narrow.  Assuming it’s amazing obviously , but it just looks weird.  Not sure if this was covered , for the masters  , did they use the ugly one or the less ugly one? 

[Broussard]

@LoopSki The 2025 Masters was pulled by the 2025 Ski Nautique, not the new 2026 model.

Edited May 27 by Broussard

[RAWSki]

13 hours ago, Dacon62 said:

The area designated for it chews up a ton of walk around room even when it is not being utilized. I guess they didn't want to copy MC or Malibu and instead settled for probably the worst execution of this just to avoid that.

I don’t mind this compromise.  It’s not true storage but it is safe placement for skis off the “floor” during sets.  They knew the lockers were polarizing and wanted to come up with a solution that trimmed the boat  in size and weight.  Without skis on board  in a club-school environment super easy to step in and out.  

Have not skied it yet but early reports are that the tweaks to the hull, weight reduction and hydro gate adjustments are an improvement. 

little things are cool like the electronic battery switch under the throttle and the cable hatch beside pylon.   Not sure about the location or angle of the single starboard fuel fill.  

[BlueSki]

I saw it in person this past weekend. I never really liked the 19-25 version’s looks, but I got used to them. This one is much sleeker and looks good.

[Interjon]

I was lucky enough to demo the boat.  Skied at 22 off.  Wakes were better than anything I have skied, and not even close.  Everything else about the pull felt exactly as you would expect. 

I had planned to keep my 200. Now, I find myself checking out the "design your own" page.  

[Blofeld]

@Horton you seem awfully quiet about the new boat 😉

[Horton]

@Blofeld if the bigger prop does what I think it will do, my attitude towards these boats will drastically improve.

[6balls]

The wake is interesting in appearance, in that it doesn't collapse together creating the bump at the (roughly) 22 off mark.  It has almost an outboard appearance to it with the V-shape, but fills in outside the curl perhaps minimizing the impact.  

When I began in slalom my old man had a barefoot outboard.  It was EXCELLENT at longer lines/slower speeds.  Really as I progressed up to 28 off 36 mph I would say the outboard was a better wake (tracking/handling being another issue).  Once to 32 off or shorter, the outboard was small and narrow, but stiff(and the driving became a serious handful despite tracking fins).  The inboard was better in every way at -28 and shorter.  

Very interesting wake on this new Nautique.  

  

[skinut]

1 hour ago, Horton said:

@Blofeld if the bigger prop does what I think it will do, my attitude towards these boats will drastically improve.

What is it that a bigger prop would do?

[LoopSki]

25 minutes ago, skinut said:

What is it that a bigger prop would do?

Definitely not make it prettier! Lol

[jpwhit]

I’m confused about the bigger prop. On the wake boats where they went to bigger props 4-5 years ago, they are running a 2:1 transmission ratio.  I was expecting a different transmission ratio on this boat. But according to the specs, it’s still 1.23:1. 
 

The power slot boats back in the 80’s that ran a larger prop used a 1.5:1 transmission. 
 

A larger prop has more holding power, so the skier isn’t able to pull down the boat speed as easily. 
 

I guess they could haves used a slightly larger diameter but with less pitch. But with the same transmission ratio it can’t be a dramatic change like on the wake boats. 
 

I also noticed they are using the new Seastar actuators by Dometic. I assume in an attempt to fix the reliability issues with the micro tuners and trick gate. Maybe 3rd try is the charm. Dometic has made hydraulic boat steering systems forever, so at least they have experience in the marine environment. 
 

[BGrow76]

What size prop did the 19-25' 6.2 use and what size does the 2026 6.2 use?

[skiinxs]

Approved Towboats

Acme lists the cup at .105 which is down from the .150 on the current Acme 668, but both diameter and pitch are up.  

7 minutes ago, BGrow76 said:

What size prop did the 19-25' 6.2 use and what size does the 2026 6.2 use?

 

[Broussard]

@skinut The larger prop will provide more grip and less slip. This will allow the boat to run lower RPMs at speed, put the boat in its power band at skiing speed, and allow for more swing.

Quote

The power slot boats back in the 80’s that ran a larger prop used a 1.5:1 transmission. 

@jpwhit Yes, MasterCraft introduced the PowerSlot transmission for 1980 with a 1.52:1 gear ratio. Keep in mind that this was typically mated to a carbourated Ford 351. As more powerful engines became available in the late 90s/early 2000s, they reduced the ratio used to something in the range of 1.22-1.26:1.

@BGrow76 Below are the specs for the current 4 blade props recommended by manufacturers along with their powertrain configuration. Malibu still uses a 1:1 transmission for the TXi, so what prop they are running is irrelevant to this discussion IMO.

 

Edited May 28 by Broussard

[slow]

1 hour ago, Broussard said:

@skinut The larger prop will provide more grip and less slip. This will allow the boat to run lower RPMs at speed, put the boat in its power band at skiing speed, and allow for more swing.

@jpwhit Yes, MasterCraft introduced the PowerSlot transmission for 1980 with a 1.52:1 gear ratio. Keep in mind that this was typically mated to a carbourated Ford 351. As more powerful engines became available in the late 90s/early 2000s, they reduced the ratio used to something in the range of 1.22-1.26:1.

@BGrow76 Below are the specs for the current 4 blade props recommended by manufacturers along with their powertrain configuration. Malibu still uses a 1:1 transmission for the TXi, so what prop they are running is irrelevant to this discussion IMO.

 

wow. that’s quite a change

[buechsr]

12 minutes ago, slow said:

wow. that’s quite a change

I agree.  A 10% bigger prop and more pitch seems like quite a swing.  If that works without significant hole shot penalty, I bet we see some experiments by those with 19-25s (me included 😃).   I realize it might not be ideal for the background ZO tuning, and there are weight differences, but it would be an interesting comparison if they’re getting good results on the new hull with that much metal.  Guess I need to check hull clearance.   
 

 

[jjackkrash]

I always thought there was room for a taller prop than the 668 with the 6.2L on the 2019 to 2025 SN.  If you drop the hammer it will spin the prop (telling me you could go taller without issue) and it seems like it will artificially hit the rev limiter before the boat runs out of steam (same thought).  I generally think you want a boat to top out naturally 100 or 200 rpms before the rev limiter kicks in, but IDK I guess they had their reasons for prop sizing.  (I don't have a clue how prop size impacts the ZO algorithm.) 

[UWSkier]

4 hours ago, buechsr said:

I agree.  A 10% bigger prop and more pitch seems like quite a swing.  If that works without significant hole shot penalty, I bet we see some experiments by those with 19-25s (me included 😃).   I realize it might not be ideal for the background ZO tuning, and there are weight differences, but it would be an interesting comparison if they’re getting good results on the new hull with that much metal.  Guess I need to check hull clearance.   
 

 

freight train with that much prop I bet.

[Cooleo15]

Just took my first set on the boat yesterday and here is my take on it as a pro slalom skier:

The wakes are DRASTICALLY better. Especially at short line. And that is coming from a guy who really for the most part doesn't care how the wakes feel (there are many more factors that are more important to how a boat performs at short line). There is basically no trough at all at short line. This makes controlling load off the second wake after a heavy turn MUCH easier. This is big for me as that is probably the number one reason why I lose runnable 41s is controlling load off the second wake.

 

The Zero Off pull feels COMPLETLEY different. I think there is a good chance you will have to change your letter on this boat from the previous model Nautique because it feels so different. I began the set on A2 and started bumping my letter up as the set went on. Felt like the higher the letter, the more space you had before the bouy. This feeling was the opposite on the previous model Nautique. But the higher letters also had the boat running away from you more at the finish of the turn. C felt like it was getting away from me too much by the time I was 70% of the way through the turn.

This new boat is very strong into the first wake, so for me I felt a lower number was better for me. I ended up on B1 by the end of the set and felt pretty solid. I will continue to play with letters, but I suspect I will end up on either B1 or C1 at the end of the day.

 

Overall on all the letters I felt like I maintained speed throughout the course much better. With the current boat, I would turn, feel a drop in RPM, then the boat pick me up as I approached the first wake. With this new boat, It feels like there is almost no drop in speed. This is a very odd feeling at first, but I suspect once I get used to it, it will be a big improvement at short line. I also think it will be a big improvement for skiers who hit hard at the bouys because they wont lose as much speed as they did on the previous boat.

 

Obviously this is a one set opinion, so it could change, but I think this will be a major improvement across the board in slalom.

[Horton]

@UWSkier the opposite 

[jpwhit]

7 hours ago, UWSkier said:

freight train with that much prop I bet.

It feels like a freight train when ZO has to try and catch up. If it holds speed, then it's better for the skier. 

[UWSkier]

10 minutes ago, jpwhit said:

It feels like a freight train when ZO has to try and catch up. If it holds speed, then it's better for the skier. 

Freight train meaning you can't slow it down as much due to less prop slip. I guess I could see how that actually feels better. 

[Horton]

the current boat has excess horsepower and a small prop. The result is when the skier loads the boat the prop slips & the boat slows down momentarily resulting in the ZO providing additional revs, the boat then slightly overspeeds until it catches up and then he momentarily underspeed at edge change.

if you ski behind this boat everyday this can actually feel really good but if you practice behind any other boat since 2008  and then you go ski behind the current boat, it feels like a freight train on crack cocaine. it takes me three or four rides to adjust to the current boat and then it's fine. 

with a bigger prop, I'm hoping that the new boat will have a flatter acceleration/deceleration curve and skiers practicing behind other/ older boats will not find it foreign.

 

[buechsr]

Sounds like freight train is going to require its entry into the ski term dictionary.

[jjackkrash]

18 hours ago, Broussard said:

@skinut The larger prop will provide more grip and less slip. This will allow the boat to run lower RPMs at speed, put the boat in its power band at skiing speed, and allow for more swing.

@jpwhit Yes, MasterCraft introduced the PowerSlot transmission for 1980 with a 1.52:1 gear ratio. Keep in mind that this was typically mated to a carbourated Ford 351. As more powerful engines became available in the late 90s/early 2000s, they reduced the ratio used to something in the range of 1.22-1.26:1.

@BGrow76 Below are the specs for the current 4 blade props recommended by manufacturers along with their powertrain configuration. Malibu still uses a 1:1 transmission for the TXi, so what prop they are running is irrelevant to this discussion IMO.

 

Do you know the Acme prop number for the new boat?  

[buechsr]

17 minutes ago, jjackkrash said:

Do you know the Acme proper number for the new boat?  

Appears to be the 4654? assuming still using 1" shaft.  Notably it's almost 50% less cup than the 668 which acme calls standard for the 19-25.

https://acmemarine.com/products/acme-4654-14-00-x-16-00-wake-ski-4-blade-propeller

 

 

 

[Broussard]

@jjackkrash Acme 4654

[jjackkrash]

I'm tempted to give it a whirl on my boat.  

[6balls]

In theory bigger prop would be harder to spin, no?  Thus slower hole shot and perhaps slower acceleration but lower skiing rpm?  

[ETskier]

I skied the boat today. My prayers have been answered, they got the lower speed longer line wakes right, almost to my old 196.  Low and soft at 32mph 15 into 32 off.  Now in M8, it was much easier for me to keep the ski down and get my timing. A W7 skier in our group agreed with 30mph 15 into 32. I ski C1 and didnt change it. Happy as a clam. I might be able start at 22 off and see 35 off again after all.  For those who care, the boat is better looking live in and on the water. As for the bigger prop, it's got great giddyup. I think it's operating in a better torque range for the motor. Zero Off feels smoother and less variant. 

[buechsr]

3 hours ago, jjackkrash said:

I'm tempted to give it a whirl on my boat.  

could also try a 13.5 x 16 with a lot less cup (same cup as current stock prop).

 

2 hours ago, 6balls said:

In theory bigger prop would be harder to spin, no?  Thus slower hole shot and perhaps slower acceleration but lower skiing rpm?  

Absolutely harder to spin.  However, Given these performance reports, it stands to reason that maybe the old boat was underpropped and was giving up too much slippage whereas that 6.2 could have handled more.  So, while it is harder to spin, it may well be sufficiently more efficient that acceleration is not adversely affected.  Once at speed pitch also has an effect on RPM, but 3% change is somewhat negligible.  

I'm kind of excited to try this new prop out like @jjackkrash.  Interesting to see the effects on wake, too.  

[jjackkrash]

The 6.2L has a pile of grunt through the midrange.  I seriously doubt anyone will complain about the hole shot with a taller prop.  

[DW]

Kudo's to CC for continued R&D resulting in an improvement on a product that wasn't really that mature.  Pretty darn cool for such a niche sport to get that level of attention, I don't have any idea although I bet the payoff timeline is not a short one.  Glad there are 2 manufacturers willing to go at it for 'us'.

And a shout out to BOS for informing the slalom centric 'masses' on new product launches.

[chaloux]

5 hours ago, ETskier said:

I skied the boat today. My prayers have been answered, they got the lower speed longer line wakes right, almost to my old 196.

Phew. Had me worried there. 

[03RLXi]

6 hours ago, ETskier said:

My prayers have been answered, they got the lower speed longer line wakes right, almost to my old 196.  

@ETskier I'm not wanting to be too hard on the new boat and it's improvements for great skiers however based on your trial, are lower speed longer line skiers still better off owning a 20 year old hull? 

[ETskier]

@03LXIYou have great 20 year old boat. It skis great plus you have the open bow for cruising and family fun. I miss my 2006 196 ZO boat, because it made me so confident in my skiing. Sold it in 2022 because I'm 5 minutes from my club now,  Travers Sunset Lakes.   A new or almost new boat is now way above my pay scale in retirement anyway.  If I win the lottery, who knows?  I always dreamed having a Ski Nautique as the dingy for my yacht. It's  all what you are comfortable with. The 2016 - 2018  SN200 OB  and OB ProStars are going to be the next major "older" hulls to covet. 

[03RLXi]

@ETskier like you I've got zero ambition to buy a new boat, even if it was affordable. The depreciation would be ridiculous whereas 20yr old boats are an asset as they're appreciating (maybe not in USA but they are here in NZ). 

My question was more for all those typical non-tournament skiers who currently ski behind a wide variety of boat styles and often ask online, "What is the best tournament-style boat for me?" or "Which boat has the best wakes?" Generally, we reply that the latest MC, Bu, or SN will be the 'best'.

However, your response—based on trialling the latest and seemingly greatest model —has made me think that these boats might not actually suit most of those people the 'best'. The best option for lower speeds and longer line lengths could quite possibly be a 20-year-old or older lighter hull.

Personally, I really enjoy skiing behind an outboard with minimal wakes, allowing for free-skiing runs with 30+ turns in each direction. My Malibu works me way too hard to achieve that.

Anyway, just a thought for discussion.

[EricKelley]

On prop technology, one thing that hasn't been discussed is that an increase in diameter can have a big effect on transom lift as can rake.  The bigger the diameter and higher rake will lift more which effects the running attitude of the boat.  It could affect the attitude of the boat as much as the hydrogate does.  I don't think ACME and OJ work much with changing rake and they probably should.

I have played with a lot of props on my 150mph cat and it is dramatic what differences in prop blade shape, thickness, material make on performance.  There is no perfect prop, all things are tradeoffs, prop has to be selected to enhance the performance of each boat.  

It could be that the change in could be as much about tweaking wake and tracking than the feel of the slalom pull.

Quote

 

 

[kylegansel]

@03RLXi All great points.  I'm kind of in that mindset right now.  I've been wanting to upgrade for the past few years and I'm thinking about pulling the trigger in 2026.  I currently have a 2005 Response LX and the wakes are great.  I was thinking heavily about a SN 200 because I still need a family boat but I wasn't super impressed skiing it last year.  Had too many people in the boat I think.  We're on a small public lake with a course.  We do tons of skiing but the kids still need to kneeboard, wakeboard, tube, etc.  The new boats look great but that new SN has no room for much of anything outside of 3 event skiing.  I can't justify in my head spending way into 6 figures and not having an open bow....  These boats are so expensive (I can afford one) but for that price I should be satisfied with my purchase but it has to cover all bases for me.

I'm only skiing 28 and 32 off but I also need decent wakes for beginners or folks like my dad skiing 22 off.  Many people complain about the wakes of the current era boats (not including the new SN).  I know the early 2000 era boats don't track the best but my LX and my dad's '06 LXI have some of the best wakes around for a least the line lenghts we're skiing.  We have another friend who has a 98 LX and I swear it still the best wake out there.  Practically no bump at 22 off....

I am going to go out and drive and ski a 2025 MC Prostar hopefully in June. The reviews say that the current hull skis pretty decent at all line lengths.  There is way more room in that boat too.  I do my own maintenance and the new SN doesn't have much liveable space next to the clam shell.  I also saw some reviews that you have to get the 6.2L if you expect to take anyone barefooting.  Top end on the 6.0L with no footer is only 42mph.  Regardless that boat is way more open and the removable bow cover is such a great concept to me.

Lastly, I'm a passionate enthusiast.  My dad and I ski a ton together.  He's 72 and I'm 43 and every weekend morning we're on the phone talking about when we're going to tear it up.  With that being said, I'm not a pro but I'm always pushing and recruiting people to ski with us; trying to get more people into the sport.  This new SN has all the bells and whistles in the world.  I'm sure it's the ultimate machine but the great majority of folks we're trying to get into the sport can't afford that, don't need all that high end stuff, but need a solid towing boat with for a decent price.  I'm sick of hearing well join or club, or get a used boat.  The used market for older boats (the 2020 and up are still expensive) isn't that good as so many people are hanging onto their inboard boats with the industry barely making any each year.  Most people aren't near clubs.  I'm in SW MI and there are tons of lakes but not too many private ski lakes.  We're not all living in Florida with perfect conditions 99% of the time either.  

My point is, the market needs a no frills entry level ski boat.  A direct drive is a perfect family boat to get into towed water sports.  Try teaching a 5 year hold how to ski or kneeboard behind a massive wake boat.  It's not fun.  I don't have the funds to start something like that but one of these manufacturers could really re-ignite the market if they offered something similar to the older TXi's, 197's, or 206's again.  IMO, the lack there of is killing the sport.  

[jpwhit]

18 hours ago, jjackkrash said:

I'm tempted to give it a whirl on my boat.  

Make sure you have the clearance for the larger diameter. If the prop doesn't have enough room between it and the hull, the pressure will damage the gel coat. I'm assuming on the new boat, they've adjusted the prop clearance to allow for the larger prop. 

[RAWSki]

3 hours ago, EricKelley said:

The bigger the diameter and higher rake will lift more which effects the running attitude of the boat.  It could affect the attitude of the boat as much as the hydrogate does.  I don't think ACME and OJ work much with changing rake

Great point, and in fact we were told the hull changes and prop change resulted in ‘lessening’ the deployment of the Hydrogate in Slalom mode which improved the wakes at many lines lengths and speeds.