clemsondave

Hey, I agree with MS! But it's not only Nautique. All of them are right up there. Actually, list prices are way more than that. I bet you could spec out a $90k+ Nautique and MC. I average a new ski every 3 years or so. So $2k isn't all that bad. Especially when it is as good as it is. I think I paid $1k for my '06 X5. I'd say my Nano twist is more than twice as good as that X5(which I loved). I'd complain if that $2k ski broke down every year, but it doesn't.

Skiing is an expensive sport. With the investment I have in time at the gym, skiing and tournaments. Then add the money spent on a boat, gas, insurance, ski gear, etc, etc. The price of the ski is not that big of an investment. Yes, I wish they were cheaper, but it doesn't make sense to me to invest all that time and money only to skimp on a ski just because of the price. Doesn't mean the most expensive is always the best, but it friggin works for me!

Rodb on here is a promo guy. His CP was at Eastern Regionals.

@ScarletArrow yes. Full integration from what I hear.

How cool is this? Look closely!

I thought this rumor was killed in the last thread. Today I spoke with the very top person at Nautique. He confirmed what he knew to be true with head CSR rep. I can assure you that if the number was even a tenth of what ya'll are saying, they would know. If one dealer replaced 5 motors, they would certainly know. All of this is 100% false and I wish things like this were monitored better. Like Jody said, maybe if you took all the motors PCM makes for various manufacturers, it might be a small percentage of that number. From a Nautique stand point, I'd bet it's less than a handful. I only know of one 200 and don't know the full story behind that one.

Can you feel where it is pre-releasing? Are you going out the front? Or, when you get on the tail? Edge change? That will determine where to put the 400. I use two 6" strips of 400 on the tail and two 4" strips along the sides. 400 probably won't do much on the front unless you are somehow getting way on the tail and the front is coming up. Clear was very inconsistent for me. I moved to SJ3540 and SJ3541 and have had no issues.

We make everyone slow the boat by at least .5mph. Run it as a fun round. Little harder than skiing at Okee under the lights. Put lots of glow sticks on them and the boat judge holds a spot light when they fall.

Hard to take pics at night.

We have done a few night tournaments. Here is what we came up with. These are the only pictures I still have. We put the flashlights in zip lock bags before putting them in the noodles. The device gets buckled under each buoy. Very quick, easy and BRIGHT! Yellow buoys are the brightest. Orange isn't bad. Green doesn't work well at all. I found these LED flashlights at HomeDepot. Haven't seen them since. They were $8 for 10 flashlights with batteries. They are not waterproof, but they still work well. I just take out the batteries when we are done so it can dry. The zip lock bags keep them pretty dry. Cut a floating noodle just shorter than the flashlight. Cut a hole in the noodle just smaller than the flashlight. Insert the flashlights into good zip lock bags (don't use cheap ones). Zip tie each noodle to a strap with clips.

When a sheet of fiberglass over the bow gets me through 39, I'll buy it. Otherwise, I'll buy what sells. Good to hear MC is going to step it up. Competition is always good.

Only met Dana one time, but everyone should appreciate his life and dedication to our sport.

FYI, the best sports cars in the world are pretty big. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Aston Martin, etc. are all very big/wide/low cars. Wider almost always means it tracks better. A 196 can do a flat spin better than a 200, but not sure why that is needed. I have no problem with driving either, but if I was going to be pulled by a rookie, I'd rather them drive a 200. If I was going to pull a world record, I'd much rather be in a 200. If you pulled someone behind both boats at long line, I'd be pretty shocked if they thought the wake was better on the 196. I pull my daughter at 17/LL. I bet the wake is half as big behind the 200s. Before getting off on this tangent, my point was that a 200 is not THAT much bigger than a 196. Sorry we got off topic.

I agree on fuel efficiency. However the 196 doesn't drive as well, has less space and has a larger wake. Don't see how that makes it a better design but I guess to each their own. Personally, I don't want to see the day when any 5-15 year old boat can be used in a tournament. Talk about people complaining...

Hey 196 fans.... Look at your monitor. Now take half of its width (assuming you have around a 15" monitor). That is the difference in length between a 196 and a 200. 6" Now take half of the height. That is the difference in the width between a 196 and a 200. 4" Is that what turns the ultimate ski boat into a boat that's too big?? It's not that much bigger. It's just designed better. Like if you compared a house built in the 60s vs today. Could be the same sq ft, but the modern home will appear bigger and have more usable space. I have two wishes for a ski boat. Small wake and one that sells well. If these boats don't sell, promo boats will go away. Then tournaments become really interesting....

I don't know how many but have heard that it is a Chevrolet issue with the blocks. Nothing to do with PCM, Nautique or the 200. I only know of one that was replaced. I'm sure there were a few more, but not 90. And the companies are standing behind the product. Interesting that someone posted something that wasn't even bad about Masterline and everyone jumped on him. Now some nonsense is posted about Nautique and nothing is done. This is how rumors get started.

The 5.7L going away has been a rumor for years. Never heard that from any credible source. The 5.7L is standard for 2013. I just went direct to the source about the other nonsense. PCM has not replaced 90 motors. There are no concerns with warranty. @horton, those posts are so ridiculous, please consider removing them.

Soap and one of your gloves.

No proof, but I would certainly think a G10 plate with dual lock is more flexible than aluminum plates screwed to the ski. The G10 is more flexible and the dual lock will give some as well. If there was a large gap between the two aluminum plates, it might change my opinion.

MM or Level 9 is a percentage, just like the other levels. The difference is that MM is a percentage of all 34mph skiers. No clue what that percentage is. I do know that I am in and out of it just about every week!

@jdarwin I have been a senior for a few years and have never heard of that. Great idea though. I know several Senior drivers that NEVER pull anyone shorter than -22 except at 2-3 tournaments a year. Doesn't mean they can't do it, but it sure doesn't provide a lot of confidence! At the tournaments where I am the Chief, I choose the drivers based on how good they are, not their rating.

@ral I was referring to using one plate with both feet mounted to it.

Friend of mine taught me this years ago. If you want to take a little out of your turn, reach higher with the handle after you release. These are the tips that I love. I hate tuning a ski - you are always chasing the perfect setup. I'd rather make minor adjustments in myself and have the ski be predictable. Of course, assuming the settings are in the ballpark.

Personally, I don't like two different release systems. What if they don't release at the same time? You will be flopping around with one leg in and a ski that will twist. I'd much rather have both feet/legs together. I'll take an ankle injury over a knee or leg fracture any day. In fact, I'd rather be drilled into the ski and not release than have separate release systems. None of them are 100% safe. A friend on mine broke his foot in a rear toe plate.

Don't forget to order the optional navigational lights! Sorry Rod (if you're on this site), I couldn't resist! It will help with resale ;-)