vtjc

I agree the TCS3 ZO 196 prices had stabilized in the $25k-28k range. I bought one in that range two years ago that I enjoy. I had watched 196 prices for a while, purchasing a TSC or TSC2 boat with the idea of doing an engine swap or conversion no longer seemed economical. I did see a few swapped or converted boats during my search I was always worried about maintenance and resale for me down the road. Since you already own the boat and have a motor its likely different for you. The COVID-19 era is different. There are a few 07-09 196s with ZO for sale for $26,500 around the country, some for several months. These two boats recently sold near me. 08 196 $10k https://www.ebay.com/itm/254544326459 08 206 $15k https://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-Ski-Nautique-206-with-trailer/254545565456 They had been used as summer camp boats, the hour meters were broken and estimated at 2k. They didn’t have speed control. The camp owner wouldn’t allow them to be water tested or taken to a dealer to read ECU for hours prior to sale. The 08 196 went for $10k and the 08 206 for $15k as a pair. I wish I had bought the 196 but would have needed to water test, to reduce the risk before the purchase. Not an indication of a normal boat transaction but perhaps an indication of the weird market we are in. Good luck with your decision.

I love my O’Neil Hybrid drysuit, I wore it yesterday. However they have stopped making them. When necessary will replace it with a Neo Fluid suit. I had a baggy barefoot drysuit previously, that was hard to ski in.

Tumac cover is great for use on a trailer or lift, but wouldn't work for use on a mooring. Bimini under the cover in the 1st pic

I wanted to do something similar with my Garmin watch/heart rate monitor. I couldn’t get it work well with my gloves. So, for a few passes I wore check HR monitor strap and had the watch on my vest. Last summer my Garmin said 64 calories for three passes. Avg HR 135 Max 160.

Alpine ski season ended early Sunday. I will get the boat out as soon as the ice is gone and then I will probably ski more.

Sorry to hear about the damage to you Nautique. I had a 88 Protstar get damaged in a partial barn collapse years ago. I will send you a list of recent 196 prices.

I agree the Supra’s were ahead of their time, looked great and held up well. While they wouldn’t win any fit and finish awards the Infinity’s foreshadowed some of the treads we are seeing of larger and wider boats. Aside from the ’22 off wake they are fun to ski behind. @LOTW I also had a 98 Boomerang it was a hoot.

@dnewton Has the transmission in your boat been changed from 1.22:1 ratio to the 1.26:1 in the 2015+ 5.7L boats? @Andre your correct I enjoyed my 88 MC Prostar and my 99 MC SportStar. Currently have a 08 196 my first Nautique which is great. I consider the late model 196's to be the pinnacle of the '19 ski boats before the wider '20 boats came along. I suspect eventually a 14+ Prostar will be my next boat.

Motor(5.7L or 6.2L?) and location(IN)?

I enjoy my 08 CC 196. I searched for the boat for a while, their prices have been stable for a while. I have a spreadsheet tracking listings. I will PM it to you.

Very unfortunate. Car theft is also prevalent in Montreal. My neighbor had a 4Runner stolen while its was parked at the airport, I know of several others. I suspect some of these boats are on bigger boats headed to other countries.

Peak Fall Foliage Mid Winter

I am considering a Rinse Kit https://rinsekit.com/ as a way to have warm water in the boat. Will allow to that appendages after spring skiing in cold water, can move it to friends boats without showers as well.

I have a 08 196 I plan to install a heater in it this spring. I was pleasantly surprised to find wiring under the dash in my Limited for the heater. After adding a heater and hot/cold shower to my 99 MasterCraft SportStar I know the installs can be a pain. For my heater install, I plan to add a small electric pump to circulate hot water through the heater core, when the engine is off or idling. I probably won’t be adventurous enough to install a vent in front of the dash for a defroster. I have used seat heaters in ski boats as well, they don’t replace the hot air heaters for your feet.

Sounds like a worthy search. I enjoy my 196. While the GM 305 & 350’s are aging they have been made and installed in new boats more recently than the Ford’s so likely will have parts available longer.

Great shots from Waterbury. We had a beautiful last ski on nearby Lake Iroquois Saturday, October 19th. Boat is tucked away for the winter. Looking forward to the alpine ski season.

I liked the MasterCraft 'feeling the pull' campaign from early 2000's. from: https://teamtalk.mastercraft.com//showthread.php?t=71111

I switched to the G10 Sequence plate from the aluminum Sequence plate one shortly after I switched from worn out Strada boots to new Carbitex Vapor Boots last year. I didn’t notice a significant change in performance, the micro adjust is nice.

I need to replace my Sunbrella canopy for my RGC lift after 15+ years of service. Do people recommend fabric or vinyl canopies?

I used to own a 88 MC ProStar, 98 Moomba Boomerang and 99 MC SportStar which was the same hull as the 95-97 Prostar. I thought they all had great wakes at faster speeds. The tracking wasn’t great(particularly with just a driver in the SportStar), but wakes were great. While I love my current 08 CC 196, I wouldn’t swap a 96 Prostar just for the sub 28 mph wake.

I owned a '98 Boomerang for three seasons. It had a 310hp 5.7L carb motor marinized by Indmar. It was a rocket ship and provided a lot of fun for skiing and footing. However, it didn't have a lot of space or creature comforts. My father described it as a v8 with sunglasses or just enough hull to keep the motor dry. I recall the wake being similar to a Malibu Sportster small but firm.

My ‘08 196 does this as well.

@Deke Yeah Dotsero appears to be about 40 mins each way. I am currently skiing the best I have in years and dread 15+ days off the water. But I may have to make do with some mountain biking on the trip. Unfortunately, this is an extensive surgery, requiring 6 weeks of immobilization... I will be a better nurse with some activities.

I will be in Vail 8/20-30 accompany my wife for a knee surgery. Would be great to get some pulls in. Seems Skoda is closed. Any contacts at Rocky Mountain Water Ski Club in Dotsero? I am not looking for a free ride. . . more than happy to pay. Please let me know so I can pack my ski. I leave Tuesday.

I have bought three boats out of state and sold one. The first and last, I traveled to the location and inspected the boat myself. The middle one my brother did, and there was some undisclosed damaged. Before buying my current boat, I also drove(12 hrs) to a dealer to look at a boat, and it was blatantly misrepresented (1,400 hrs vs 1,000, scraps through gelcoat and a soft spot in floor…). It seems like you have done an excellent job talking with seller and others. I would recommend traveling to inspect the boat yourself or hiring an independent dealer to do an inspection or survey. I don’t know the price range your shopping, but a thorough inspection should only be a small portion of the purchase price. This would also help you in a dispute with the shipper if the boat was damaged in transit. RE: #4 Make sure you insure the boat at the time of purchase.