98' Air Nautique Back to Life!

[brit_hunsicker]

I bought this Air Nautique in September of 2014 and decided it needed more than to just be used. When I buy something I like to take pride in how it's presented and be proud to call my own. This boat was just a plain ole ski boat that had been rode hard and put away wet for the last 15 years. It was actually a demo boat pulling pro level tournaments back in it's glory days believe it or not!

I uploaded the pictures in order from the day I bought it to how it sets at the moment. The picture of the boat in the sunset at the lake was actually just last Wednesday, and the first picture from this year, everything else before that was done within the month after I bought it. Had to get one solid ride in before I tore it apart again! Didn't really pick the best time to get this deep into it, but with any luck it should be put back together by Easter weekend!

Let me know your thoughts!

[Quinner]

Nice work, that is really cleaning up well. You can get color inserts for the rub rail when you replace it, matching the tan gel would look good or maybe even old school with a rope insert. Great Job!

[brit_hunsicker]

Thanks Guest. I already replaced it actually. There is a few pictures of it in that group of photos during the process.

[Quinner]

While you have everything out I would check to see if there is still a neoprene/rubber pad below the muffler, they tend to work their way out over time. Also is the remote zirk fitting there for the rudder lube point? If not I would add one for sure. What's your plan on the graphics and stripping??

That's a great boat and hull, I had a 99' Sport/Air, a true crossover that does all towed watersports well!!

[brit_hunsicker]

Guest I bought graphics from Nautiqueparts back in the fall and will be putting them one this weekend. I am not going to relay any pin striping. Don't think it needs it. I will check for the rubber padding and zirk fitting. Does anyone know where I can get some more of that rubber padding? Or something that will work just as well? Working in the HVAC business I have lots of foam tape, was thinking I could double that up, but it would probably squish too easy and not last but a few seasons.

[brit_hunsicker]

Got some more work done on the boat this weekend. Hopefully finishing it up next weekend!

[gome123]

I love seeing builds like this. Way to bring it back to life. Keep up the good work!

[brit_hunsicker]

Poor quality photo from my buddy who is tinting the windshields. He is trying to talk me into putting a Nautique logo in the center windshield in 5% tint with 20% tint over the top of it or putting Nautique stretched across the bottom of the whole windshield in 5% tint with 20% over it. Not sure if that will be too much.

[core-rider]

I can speak from experience when I say 5% is dark. It is fine during the day, but in low light or night time hours you have to look above the windshield if you want to see. During daylight hours you can get a lot of glare from the dash that makes it a bit difficult to look through as well, but a bimini helps with that. Overall I wouldn't trade my dark windows for a lighter tint though. It just wouldn't look right to me and I'd end up going back dark again. These shots should give you some idea of how dark 5% is...

[a0128]

Nice work! Glad to see you kept the old school graphics.

[s_kelley2000]

Nice work bringing her back to life! Wow that rub rail took a beating from the previous owner. That sunset pic is great.

Drop me a PM if you need some board racks and/or a bimini for that tower. My boat came with that tower but it cracked so I swapped it to a NDT but still have those accessories if you or anybody is interested.

[brit_hunsicker]

I can speak from experience when I say 5% is dark. It is fine during the day, but in low light or night time hours you have to look above the windshield if you want to see. During daylight hours you can get a lot of glare from the dash that makes it a bit difficult to look through as well, but a bimini helps with that. Overall I wouldn't trade my dark windows for a lighter tint though. It just wouldn't look right to me and I'd end up going back dark again. These shots should give you some idea of how dark 5% is...

Dude your boat is sexy. That black on black looks sick. How much weight in ballast did you have in the bottom picture? That thing is pushing rub rails! Love it! And I'm diggin the Roam board too! He just tinted the windshield 20% yesterday. I will know tomorrow what the plan is for what actually goes on the boat. Up in the air for now.

[core-rider]

Those shots were taken about 6-7 years ago and the Roam was my rail/toy board at the time. That bottom shot was infamous for awhile when it first surfaced. Got a bunch of flak about weighting the boat so heavy when really it only has about 2200#. The top shot was taken during the same ride sesh. It was just a combination of ballast, pic timing/angle, and the boat was turning around to pick me up running through it's wake that produced what looks like the all time weighted legacy 210.

20% is a good compromise I think. Dark enough to look good, but still somewhat livable in twilight hours.

[brit_hunsicker]

Ha ha that's awesome. I'll get some progress pictures up shortly.

[brit_hunsicker]