Which boat to buy - need advice

[randlej]

Looking to buy a boat for family use- wakeboarding, some slalom, general cruising the lake. Looking at MC 205, Sport/Air Nautiques, and maybe Wakesetter, or?

Would like to spend around $14-$18k. Priorities are open bow, decent crossover ski/wakeboard wakes, and which one handles the rough water day's best.

Have a line on a 97 Sport Nautique, a 98 Air Nautique, several mid 90's 205's and a 99 wakesetter (the 98's and 99's are a bit over my budget). Open to other boats too.

Appreciate any input. Thank you.

[DanielC]

RE: Which boat to buy - need advice

TEST DRIVE! In rough water. Then try to ski and wakeboard behind them. Expect to buy gas for the boat, for the previous owner to tow the boat to the water, and maybe even buy them lunch for thier time.

[Rick]

RE: Which boat to buy - need advice

You will have to list your prioritys. A direct drive will give you a good slalom wake and a decent recreational wakeboard wake when weighted right. If your primary goal is wakeboard then a V-drive will probably be in your future. Rough water tends to go towards the V drive also as Ski boats have almost a flat bottom. Try a CC 2001. Its a decent crossover boat in your price range. Also a Sport Nautique or a SNOB(Ski Nautique Open Bow) Let us know how its going.

[brodie]

Re: Which boat to buy - need advice

Have a line on a 97 Sport Nautique, a 98 Air Nautique, several mid 90's 205's and a 99 wakesetter (the 98's and 99's are a bit over my budget). Open to other boats too.

Appreciate any input. Thank you.

A 98 Air is a great crossover boat. It works equally well for slalom and wakeboarding when properly weighted. The 98 hull is better for slalom skiing than the 97 and prior hull. The 205 is a well built boat as well, so specifics of each would have to be considered to make a better assessment. My $$ would buy a 98-99 air or sport.

[jonfo]

RE: Re: Which boat to buy - need advice

For your budget i would find a 1995 or later super sport, but it may be hard to find one for <$20k. You said wakeboarding and cruising which is definitely more for a super sport v-drive. you could get a way with some slalom with the super sport, but wakeboarding and cruising with the mid engine sport nautique is going to suffer. it is more difficult to weight a direct drive and keep all the weight hidden. i know you can weight a direct drive with lead, but with the super sport you just throw a sac on each side of the engine and one more in the ski locker and you are done and it is out of the way.

[FritzB141]

RE: Re: Which boat to buy - need advice

After switching from an 03 MasterCraft X2 (aka prostar 205v) to a CC SV-211, I allready feel loyalty to CC. But in this case, I would go with a Direct Drive prostar 205 (also the original X-Star 97-98). My cousin had one and it was amazingly versatile. It had a tournament qulaity slalom wake, but you can weight it down and develop a monstrous wakeboard wake (rivaling top notch late model V-drives of today). I've ridden behind alot of boats but the 205 DD is responsible for helping me learn most of my wakeboarding inverts. It did require susbstantial wight but the fact of the matter is that it can do it all (at least as well as any boat I know of).

Not sure about the reliabilty of a 205 at that age, but you might be able to find one with low hours. But if reliability and buid quality are top priority, find a suitable nautique.

Good luck in the hunt and I hope you find a kickass vessel.

Fritz

[randlej]

Thank you all. Great input.

[noti_dad]

I had a 94 sport. The 97 has the same hull. It's a good slalom wake (skied 28 off @ 36) and weighted correctly will give you a SAN wake (hull is the same as SS and SAN). The Super Air is a better ski wake and a bit less quality boarding wake. I found out when buying my new boat last year you give something up on one side or the other. Good at one better at the other. Haven't found one that produces great things for everything.

[spuddy]

re: Which Boat to buy

Just be careful of the late 90's Mastercrafts, they did not have the same high quality finish, no where close to a Nautique.

[bkhallpass]

The Super Air is a better ski wake and a bit less quality boarding wake. .

????? The Super Air has a mediocre slalom wake at best, and is considered one of the best wakeboard wake of all time. Do you possibly have this reversed? BKH

[Quinner]

Having owned a 99' Air (same as a Sport) I can say the slalom wake is not bad if it has the TSC hull, IMO better than the pre TSC hull ski Nautiques (96 and prior I think?). Mine had the factory ballast tanks which were around 450#s, the wake was very good with that setup. If you wanted to add more weight there was quite a bit of space in the trunk and the floor ski locker to add sacs which would all be hidden and out of the way. I believe the 98' Air was pretty much the same with the exception of a step at the walk thru. Boat had a GT-40 and was almost completely trouble free in the 5yrs/500hrs we owned it.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[isbtown]

http://onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=933693 here's a super sport for under 20k

I had a 92 Sport Nautique and it threw a great wake when loaded and had a decent ski wake (so I was told). not good in rough water though (you have to throw everyone in back and keep that nose up

[noti_dad]

BKH - Good catch meant to say the Air Nautique (DD) not the Super Air (VD). My mistake. I agree the SAN has a worlkd class WB wake. Inf act I'll be behind one in about 2 hrs. HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!

[phantom268]

I think a 98-99 Air would suit your needs. I have a 98 myself and love it. We use it almost exclusively for boarding but I have slalomed behind it as well. With some weight in the boat it makes pretty solid wakes for boarding. I love the shape of the wakes, might not be as big as some....but I love the shape. good luck!