When I was a kid in the 80s there was ONE nautique on our lake, and there were 10s of three event skiers-most of us young. We slalomed, tricked, and jumped behind anything that would pull us; mostly outboards and I/Os. Then we’d attend tournaments for a reality check behind a real boat. My point is that although cheaper boats would be great, I don’t think it’s a legitimate roadblock to skiing. Where there is a will there is a way.