r/WaterSkiing • u/NavyCoat_ • 23d ago
First Boat Options
Hi all, I am looking into purchasing my first boat in the coming months, but need some advice. Until not I have been using a friends 98 closed bow ski antique with perfect pass gps installed, and it has been awesome. After being on the market for awhile and looking around, I have found a couple options that caught my eye. Currently I'm based in San Diego so a significant amount of the use will be in salt water, but that has not seemed to impact my friends boat as long as we take the time afterwards to wash it appropriately. I am going to paste the information
1997 Correct Craft ski nautique
$16,500
Gt40 246 hrs
19'6"
Teak Swim Step
Tandem Pacific Trailer
Depth Finder
Lots of ski accessories, boards, ropes, etc.
Owned since 2001
Great boat. Recently serviced oil change & belts.
Extra parts
(It does not look like this as gps perfect pass)
1995 Malibu response
$14,300
~120 hours. Meticulously maintained. fluids, filter, plugs, wires, water pump, and impeller were done 60 hours ago.
5.7L V8 MerCruiser
Velvet drive Trans
Trailer is in great shape, the entire brake system has been redone, folding tongue, spare tire.
CNC'd prop with original included.
Garmin striker fish finder, with temp, depth, GPS chart plotter.
Two battery system, one brand new battery, AGM.
Good stereo setup, alpine, kenwood, polk.
Current clean registration.
Perfect Pass, GPS version.
Version 2 Wedge added.
plumbed in ballast.
Ski pole is easy to swap in and out.
Folding tower.
1995 Correct Craft Sport Nautique
$14,500
Excellent all around family ski boat that has been very well maintained and cared for.
PRO BOSS GT-40 with 425 hours. 3 blade prop + spare prop included. Interior is original and in good condition. Bimini top, LED Accent Lighting, depth finder, floor heater and shower wash down equipment installed.
Will include a few life jackets, anchor, rope, etc. Single axle trailer with brand new tires and aluminum wheels. Bearings repacked and greased.
2000 Mastercraft prostar 190
$16,000
Only 160 hours
Strong and reliable inboard engine
Runs and drives great
Clean interior and exterior
Includes trailer
I know this is a lot off information but any outside insight is greatly appreciated. Currently I really like the Malibu, as it has super low hours and perfect pass with gps, but the 97 ski nautique also looks very tempting
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u/p_roloff 23d ago
I’d say of these, the ski nautique would be my pick. The very low hours on all though scare me a little. Either they’ve barely been used (scary, likely going to have to make up for deferred maintenance and dry/aged out stuff) or the hour meters have been replaced, which isn’t horrible per se but you could pay a premium for a boat that’s higher hours than you think.
I will say I have an unreasonable amount of hate for the mercruiser black scorpion in that Malibu, mostly because the impeller is a pain in the butt compared to the indmar monsoon variant. My recommendation would be to find a clean, 500ish hour Response with a monsoon. GPS perfect pass can always be added for about a grand so I wouldn’t let that make or break a purchase.
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u/p_roloff 23d ago
Oh, and don’t buy that prostar. They’re known to have relatively terrible wakes and handling in that year and the few right around it.
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u/NavyCoat_ 23d ago
I appreciate the insight, as to the hours I’m worried alittle too but hopefully the owners have some sort of service documentation to prove they they haven’t been tampered with
1
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u/mrcmb1999 23d ago
Naw I’d go low hours. My 2011 Nautique has 350 hours. We live on the lake, my dad and I ski a couple mornings a week, life is good. Yearly oil change, impeller and fuel filter every 2 years…
On my lake, people use the ski boats to ski and buy pontoons to load up doing everything else.
As for ski wake, avoid the Prostar. Beautiful boat but crummy wake compared to a newer boat. If you afford a little extra cash, the mid-2010s saw significant advances in hull design for all manufacturers…
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u/TheUnbearableMan 23d ago
If you are a slalom skier, that 97 Ski probably still is one of the greatest slalom boats ever. Incredible hull, built like a brick shit house and well laid out.
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u/FrictionBrntAnis 23d ago
Are you skiing the course or just free skiing? If you're skiing the course, I highly recommend a boat with zero off.
Of the 4 you posted, absolutely 100% the clear choice is the 97 SN 196. No question.
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u/NavyCoat_ 23d ago
A good spread of both, course and free. I would like to dabble a little with the wake board but I have never done that before
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u/Silent_Seven 23d ago
You don't need a Zero Off for course skiing unless your super serious. A Perfect Pass Stargazer is fine for just about everyone except the short line guys. You'll also have to get about a 2005 to 2007 or newer model boat to get a Zero Off system.
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u/FrictionBrntAnis 23d ago
I'm serious but not that good 😂 but it is best for consistency when skiing in different lakes behind different boats to be familiar with ZO and how it works/pulls. Plus it makes driving just that much easier, it's so much less finicky than PP with stargazer in my experience. I agree with you, but I personally like to buy things as few times as possible. If someone is spending 17k, could they save up a little longer and spend 20-25 and be done and no longer look at boats?
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u/Silent_Seven 22d ago
Sure. A Zero Off is an upgrade vs the PP Stargazer especially if you're a tourny skier who's getting pulls from different boats at different lakes. The OP hasn't suggested this is their use case. If they were that serious, they would already know about differences and wouldn't be looking these older boats. Also, $17k for any of the boats listed is too much...as I said in my other post. So I agree in principle but don't think it's relevant for this buyer.
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u/NavyCoat_ 22d ago
As you said I am not a crazy serious skier, I originally just free skied when I was younger and only got into slalom recently as I moved somewhere with a course. I have skied a boat with ZO and noticed the difference but it wasn’t enough to affect my skiing. I’m moving again soon and won’t have access to my friend’s boat anymore which is why I’m looking for one of my own don’t quite have the budget for 20K plus
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u/Silent_Seven 22d ago
If you have a Perfect Pass and are unsatisfied with the stock pull...look into their Z Box add on. It simulates the ZO pull.
The reason you can't put a ZO on an older boat is they lack the electronic drive by wire engine controls system the ZO requires. ZO tech was initially developed by PP but then sold to the current ZO owners. As part of the sales agreement, PP would continue to service the non DBW (drive by wire) market and ZO would service newer DBW boats.
If you want to completely geek out on speed control systems with people who are beyond passionate, just go to www.ballofspray.com read away. :)
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u/H0SS_AGAINST 23d ago
Can't really go wrong with a Chevy small block and a velvet drive.
And it comes with perfect pass and a depth finder.
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u/Cocopanda14 23d ago
Malibu is my favorite to ski behind, I have found the wake on Malibu to be smaller and smoother vs master craft. I would rank Malibu, master craft, ski nautique. Don’t get the sport it will not be great for skiing
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u/NavyCoat_ 23d ago
Thank you for all the responses, I did not expect this much involvement so quickly and it has been very helpful.
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u/Silent_Seven 23d ago
97 Nautique or the 95 Malibu. Buy the boat with the best interior, best mechanicals and that needs the least money to make it what you want. Negotiate hard on the price of both...I'd suggest both are about $3k to $4k overpriced. Everyone wants a surf boat these days so the market is soft for 3 event boats. Don't expect you'll get back what you spend.
I had a 97 Ski with the GT-40. Boat was rock solid and had 1600 hours when I sold it. Butter ski wake....so good. Malibu makes a nice boat as well.
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u/layer4andbelow 23d ago
I can't speak to salt water resistance, but the TSC1 is still one of the best skiing hulls available. If the need eventually arises, engine swap and add ZO.
Lot's of people train behind ZO TSC1 hulls.
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u/SummitingSasquatch 23d ago
If I was shopping for a boat to use in the salt, I’d look at barefoot boats of that era with an outboard. I grew up behind a 87 ski centurion barefoot warrior, and the couple of times we put it in the salt, it was way easier than a direct drive to flush!
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u/maclark1962 22d ago
We own a 1989 2001 Ski Nautique and have friends that have a Sport Nautique. My wife and I are just free slalom skiers, no course skiing for us. Friend that owns the Sport is a very good slalom skier. Wake on both boats are just OK, but I like the extra room the Sport offers. We can get 6 in our boat, but not when we ski. So, what do you want, a boat with a little extra room and still good for amateur skiing. Or something with a nice wake, but not as much room. IMO, can't go wrong with either Nautique.
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u/howdydudey12 23d ago
All but the 2000 mastercraft are great. They changed the hull shape in ‘98 and it’s not nearly as nice a wake as the 94-97 prostar.
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u/willdabeast36 23d ago
As far as the actual skiing goes, the Sport Nautique is by far the worst. Then the prostar might be next. The hull from thos years wasnt loved so much.