02 AIR the "Bling Bling"

[Grant_West]

Hey everyone, Sorry I haven't posted in a while ive been busy working on my system and changeing some things If you havent already seen the Bling Bling. Here ya go more photo's here www.svtsupercharged.com/gallery

[Hollywood]

Thanks, now I know what heaven must be like.

[gotwake]

Do you have any more details on the alternator you installed? You have the GT40 correct? Anyway, looking to install an alt. over the winter. Sweet ride, I love the detailed work that you put into it.

[NautiqueJeff]

Do you have any more details on the alternator you installed? You have the GT40 correct? Anyway, looking to install an alt. over the winter. Sweet ride, I love the detailed work that you put into it.

Not sure what he used, but you might want to check out THIS THREAD (http://planetnautique.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=148&sid=b6d55052772d77f9d9d3e52e3a8e5027#148).

[Grant_West]

hey if you go to www.svtsupercharged.com/gallery you can see photos of the Alternator Install 165 amps $400 Batteryshack.com

[Grant_West]

more

[DRAGON88]

Grant, you have the sickest air I've ever seen, quite possibly the sickest Nautique ive ever seen!

[Hollywood]

Indeed, the amount of time and effort put into that craft is amazing, uhh... i mean SIC
:rolleyes:

[Grant_West]

windblock

[SuperAirDave]

That looks clean, who formed the plexiglass for you??? And are the graphics etched on, or stickers.

[Grant_West]

Hey Super Dave if you go to the website in my profile there is a Page called windblock it explaines everything

Astro graphics made the stickers. although you can have the plastic etched, the stickers were just a faster way to go

[SuperAirDave]

Thanks for the info, once again... looks great, love your boat!!!!

[OnlyNatique]

Just one question...Why put all that money into a regular Air? Should have went with the Super Air with all the money into it

[wake_fun]

Some people like direct drives........................

[Grant_West]

I have a "regular air" because I like to ski as well as wakeboard, and so does my wife our needs take priorty over everyone else's. Even though most of the people we go out with wakeboard , But we make the payments so who cares. I have found that this is the best boat for all around. Ya know DD. If I had to do it over again I would get another Air. I always figured You can always make a boat that has a small wake larger but you can never make a boat the has a huge wake smaller. The 211 would also make a 2nd choice.

I feel lucky to have the year and model I have, In 03 they changed the dash gauges, I dont like them as much as I like the digital. and in 03 you loose the ski locker, Why have a DD boat if you dont ski, and where are you going to put your ski's I certianly dont want to put them on the tower! They belong in the locker, Wakeboard's belong on a tower not ski's

If I only wakeboarded then a SANTE would be parked in my garage, When we bought our boat in 02 (this is our first boat) everyone was saying youll be back for a SAN in a few years. The sales man at the local dealer said " I dont even think they will be making ski's in a few years, Everyone is tradeing in there DD for a V-drive wakeboard boat, I think I have more room in my AIR then in my friends SAN. so it works great for me,

[AbunDiga909]

When you think about it, there is probably more seating in a DD oppose to a V-Drive, comfortably, not sitting next to each other like your on a bus or a subway.

In a DD, you have (comfortably) 1 in the drivers seat, 2 in the bow, 1 passanger, and 2-3 in the back. Thats a total of 6-7 people in a DD, comfortably and realistically.

In a V-Drive, you have (confortabely) 1 in the dirvers seat, 2 in the bow, & ~3 on the "seating arena." That is a total of about 6 comfortabely. But the problem is, if you add any more people to the boat, they will all be sitting straight up, as in back to the wall and not being able to recline. Oppose to a DD where you cann but one on the engine cover, one more in the back bench with feet on engine cover, and even another in behind the drivers seat in a jump seat. In the end, even though the seating arrangment in a DD splits people up more, i think it will be more comfortable when the boat is nearly full.

[SuperAirDave]

I don't know about you guys, but my "Super Air" didn't come with any of the upgrades whitechocolate has done to his boat. Great boat!!! Keep up the great work!!!

[OnlyNatique]

Alright, Sounds good to me...By the way the boat looks really sweet!

[Onthewater]

The sales man at the local dealer said " I dont even think they will be making ski's in a few years, Everyone is tradeing in there DD for a V-drive wakeboard boat

that is bull, unless everybody spontaneously switchs to wakeboarding and nothing else.....ya right :roll:

Grant, your post is dead on. In my eyes as well a DD with a tower is the best of both worlds.

[OnlyNatique]

haha A DD has less room than a v drive once you get everything in it. Plus all the stoarage. Some people acually prefer a v-drive for sking. Just depends, but I see a waste of money into that boat even though it does look sweet.

[AbunDiga909]

haha A DD has less room than a v drive once you get everything in it. Plus all the stoarage. Some people acually prefer a v-drive for sking. Just depends, but I see a waste of money into that boat even though it does look sweet.


ooo...harsh... I still think there is more sitting room in a DD, but I must agree that the storage in DDs compared to V's suck....

I wouldn't say that money is wasted...maybe "overdone"...but it all depends on where the person draws the line. whitechocolates is higher than mine, I would think that out of all people, he would be the one who would get a ZR6. If you put that much money into lighting, sound, graphics, etc... I think the ZR6 fits into that catagory pretty well...

[OnlyNatique]

Dont get me wrong Great looking boat..I mean I think you are right it is a little overdone..

[AbunDiga909]

I see...

[Grant_West]

A V-drive super has way more storage than any DD correct! That's one thing that I wish the boat had. If you add the wrap around seating to your V-drive like "Wake junky" yes you have more seating but it gets realy cramped, Everyone is playing footsie's. We bring a cooler out with us and fill it full of drinks and lunch ect I love it . It sits behind the drivers side. If you were to bring a cooler with you on the V drive it would be all over, But Im sure I could live with it. Im not saying V drive's are better or worse Im just saying that for me and what we use our boat for it works better than a V-drive would.


"A Short Story"
I was introduced to boating from a friend. He brought us out on his 92 Ski Nautique DD no tower ect. It had skis and wakeboards on the passenger side floor and a cooler on the drivers side and we would bring about 5 people out. It was very very tight but we made it work. We had so much fun on that boat that I knew I could make a DD work for us. I bet If I had never been out on his DD boat and seen what you can do with a DD I would have been suckerd into a V-drive. We would ski in very tight channels and turning around was super tight, There is now way you could turn a super around in the channels we were skiing in even if you could ski behind a super.

Again Ill go back to the sales man who said they wont make skis in 5 years,

We were looking at the Air and the Super at the same time. The dealer was trying to sell us a SANTE. We were looking at the interior of the Air and he was pointing at the engine box in the center of the boat, he was saying "Look at this thing (the motor) You want this in the center of your party"
Thats when I flashed back to all the partying we had done on my friends 92 Ski Nautique, all the girls loved to Dance and shake there *** on the engine cover, like it was Center Stage at a strip club. Thats when I said to the sales man Yes, Yes I do!

I love our boat we have so much fun on it. All the work I put into it I get to share with my friends and family. It makes all the time worth it, Plus it's a creatieve outlet for me. Everyone know boats are a expence not a investment. I have met so many cool people threw boating and websites like this. Im sure alot of it is because we have a diffrent boat and people are curious "what ya got in there" type of thing. I have had so many people tell me thanks for creating and giving them Ideas for there boat, and helped ton's of people. That make's me feel good. I know how it feel's to find inspriation and Ideas from others, Where do you think I got my Ideas from.

So for any of you that can benifit from any this Cheers. Hope to see ya on the water.

[AbunDiga909]

Bling Bling... I know this sounds cheesy, but I agree/support everything you said. Its being unique thats cool. Whats so cool about being the same. Like the creativity in your boat. Way "over" me, but still looks nice...

I also have fun on our old 82 ski and one of the best seats was sitting in the back, facing backwards, with your back up against teh back of the engine. It is very comfy and you have your own little side of the boat to your own. Also sitting on the engine cover is a place I will never forget sitting on when i was 4. Those are just some things you lose in a V.

[Onthewater]

Alright, I'm not usually the one to do this kind of stuff, but........

this onlynatique character is a joke. :bang:

[OnlyNatique]

Tell Me, What makes me a joke?

[Edwin]

Some people acually prefer a v-drive for sking.
Please help me understand why anyone would prefer to ski behind a v-drive.

[h2oskeefreek]

Some people acually prefer a v-drive for sking.
Please help me understand why anyone would prefer to ski behind a v-drive.I would like to know this as well.

[SuperAirDave]

I bought my SANTE for skiing...The wake makes for a fun obstacle. I took off my tower, and converted my ballast tanks into ski lockers. NOT!!!

[AbunDiga909]

haha...this is funny... Obviously OnlyNautiuqe is for V-Drives and is not into DDs... as far as i can tell...

[SuperAirDave]

And to think...All this time I thought this site was called Planet V-drive.

[AbunDiga909]

And to think...All this time I thought this site was called Planet V-drive.

haha...

Guys I think this is enough, I don't think any of us wanna start a civil war here over what type of boat we have...

[SuperAirDave]

That's my point exactly, we have Nautiques, who cares what model!!! Congrats to all, and whatever they do to their boats.

[AbunDiga909]

That's my point exactly, we have Nautiques, who cares what model!!! Congrats to all, and whatever they do to their boats.

Exactly... :)

[ag4ever]

Hey now, I actually ski behind my SANTE.

Sure it is not near as good as a 196, but since the wife refused to have a stage on our boat, I agreed to get the V-drive so I could have my life long dream of owning a Nauty. It was either a V-drive Nauty or a cobalt. Either would have been great for getting on the water, but only the SANTE evokes passion for the water.

[AbunDiga909]

It was either a V-drive Nauty or a cobalt.

You made the right choice!

[Hollywood]

Obviously OnlyNautiuqe is for V-Drives and is not into DDs

You would think his name would be "OnlyNautique", but it's "OnlyNatique", hopefully he didn't mean that and spelled his own name wrong (which I think is a very good possibility).

[Hollywood]

I also might be wrong in assuming this, but it looks like Grant's boat projects aren't just for performance, but also a hobby of his.

[AbunDiga909]

ag4ever, I understand what you mean. I also agree, skiing behind a SAN isn't the worst thing in the world. Sure its not the best, but its okay. Its just weird preferring to ski behind a SAN oppose to a 196 or a 206, that sounds a little weird...

[ag4ever]

I doubt anyone would actually PREFER sking behind a SAN, but there are some frwaks out there. I have given though to getting the cheapest 196 that I could, just so I can have a nice ski wake, and still keep the wife happy with the SAN.

Of cours the 196 would have to stay at the lakehouse, and the san would be the only one we would take around texas. Too bad the lake house is on a dirty east texas lake, and not in the hill country.

[redelf75]

I love our boat we have so much fun on it...
So for any of you that can benifit from any this Cheers. Hope to see ya on the water.

Bling,
I've seen your website. I've seen your boat. And I have seen those parties! At first, I thought you were a pompous a... But from what I read above, I realize that I am the jerk and you should be awarded a medal for sincerity, bravery, kindness, inspiration, craftsmanship, and basically know how to follow the CC creed... LIVE IT!
Please accept my appology for judging you prematurely. I hope to have the honor of meeting you and Bling Bling in person one day.

[gotwake]

Well guys, Whitechocolate has been an incredible amount of help to me. One of the good guys that’s for sure.

As far as the comment on “He should have bought a SAN” – really narrow minded. Why not a 226? Or a 40' Carver? If that’s your dream boat, great, but not everyone has the same dream. Everyone who buys a boat has their own reason - fishing, drinking, skiing, or riding, and MOST of the time a lot of thought goes into it before spending your cash. Price, quality, lifestyle, water time, experience, etc. all come into play. I know many people whose dream is to have a decked out 196 and for that matter ANY boat.
Tell a guy that he should have bought a different boat before he asks for a recommendation – or before you know the facts – dumb.

As for Whitechocolate - dude the beer and gas are on me!

[AbunDiga909]

Got red?

[OnlyNatique]

You would think his name would be "OnlyNautique", but it's "OnlyNatique", hopefully he didn't mean that and spelled his own name wrong (which I think is a very good possibility).

Just typed it to fast

[FatBoy]

Get the SV211 and then you can ski and board in style.

[Rick]

You know. The overiding decision between V-drive or DD seems to be Whatever the WIFE wants. What a bunch of wooses. I got what I wanted and my wife still doesn't speak to me.

[Rick]

Oh yea that was the first boat. She likes the new one!

[Deuce]

WChocolate, if not for this site, WW and your projects....I have no idea how I would kill free time at the workplace... Thanks & continue the amazing work.

If it was whatever the wife wants, we would have had another Cobalt(240) or a Doral Cruiser. She relented and told me to just go get my Super. I think she was just sick of hearing me talk about it.

E.J.

[Grant_West]

More photo's

[AbunDiga909]

****! Love the new Enzo tower box w/ the lights built in! :shock:

Wheres the carbon fiber version of it though? :lol:

[actiondcpd]

Amazing boat. Would love the chance to party with you guys sometime.

[skinautique]

I hope you don't have to fold that tower down too often! The boat looks really good though.

[Grant_West]

actiondcpd: we would love to hook up some time, Are you close to us.
skinautique: I have to fold my tower down everytime I put my boat away its not that bad, The new tower box weighs less than my old boss tower speakers

[AbunDiga909]

Speaking of the tower box, what speakers and lights do you have in there?

[sperbet]

white chocolate, love the boat. Where is Redwood City? I live up in Truckee, I'd love to check out the boat sometime top get some ideas. I have a 95 ss I am converting to a SAN this winter and am trying to get some good ideas together. I'd love to chat and check out what you have done to yours.

[Grant_West]

The lights in the tower box are Street Glow Fog light's They were like $70 a pair and they work good, IMO unless you get the HID fog lights dont waste money one expencieve tower light's, I had the Catz on my last set up and I think they were like twice the price, and they were no better than these


Look up Redwood city on Yahoo and come on down Ill show you the boat no problem.

[Johnsongc]

Whitechocolate,

You ever make it out to the delta? I know its a bit of trek from the Penninsula.

-Greg

[Grant_West]

Yes we go to the delta.