Best and worst ideas....

[east tx skier]

....

All in all my new 200 is a great ski boat we like the way it skis and performs just would LOVE TO HAVE A TEAK PLATFORM!!!

Jody, is the reason for no teak anymore a "weight in the rear" concern on CC's part?

[teamseal]

Jody, is the reason for no teak anymore a "weight in the rear" concern on CC's part?

It would only add about 10 pounds over the current platform. I think it is an expense issue. They are rather spendy, but they offer it on a Byerly edition. And it is lazer cut and real nice!

[east tx skier]

It was an expensive option when it became that a couple of years ago iirc.

[Shooter]

So let me get this straight, CC is now offering fake teak walkthroughs on the 200 and has discontinued the teak swim step option because of price? Is it just me or does that not make sense?

[MikeC]

Instead of asking for the good and bad, maybe the question that should have been asked is - If you were in the market for a new boat today what features would you want the boat to have and what features wouldn't be that important to you?
There are things that I really would like - walk through transom, snap out carpeting, a classic design tower that is easy to fold (with the tower speakers mounted). comfortable drivers seat, plenty of easy to access storage, great handling and power. quality manufacturing, a non-teak platform that won't get marked up.
Some things that would be nice but really aren't worth the compromise - huge bow seating area as in the MC X-Star, integrated tower lights and speakers, easy use digital system controls (LINK), easy to reach cupholders, Ipod control, throttle mounted volume and mute.
And then there are things that I really don't care about - multiple deck colors, the coolest graphics on the block, teak platform (I love teak on any boat, but times have changed).
These are just my opinions and, like any survey, they are subjective. But last time I checked any purchase is subjective. And for the record I do wish they would offer the 196 again but I also understand that you have to tie your wagon to one horse or your product becomes so diluted that no one is satisfied.

[j2nh]

CC
Best:
Towers, CC gets something when a competitor sells a boat with a tower.
PCM (fuel plumbing, water filter, transmission with angle of attack keeping the engine more level)

Worst
Instrumentation. No doubt there is good markup on electronic instrumentation but what happens in 10 years when the boat is still a baby and the dash is dead? You think upholstery is tough to get for an older boat wait until you have to replace the all-in-one linksys screen.

MC
Some great early ski boats.
First, I think, to introduce all fiberglass construction.

Worst
Regular transmission vs Powerslot. Pick one and make it great.
190/197 compromise boat.
Electronics

Malibu
Nothing really stands out but I am not super familiar with them. Wedge was a pretty cool idea.
Worst. Same, electronics.

Common theme for me is the electronic packages being offered by ALL manufacturers. Way to much fluff. The same could be said for autos except they have a much more limited life span and due to their numbers spare parts are more readily available. Does anyone actually believe that the displays are going to last the life of the boat? 10 years from now these State-of-the-Art units are going to be dinosaurs and a dead display is going to not keep you from enjoying some "useful" feature, it will keep you from starting or running your boat. I should probably be stocking up on these puppies for future ebay sales. Probably make more doing that than in the stock market.

Off topic. I thought the fiberglass platforms weighed MORE than the teak ones.

[gride300]

if i were in the market these are some things i would like on my boat. some may have already been implemented.

seamless upholstery, much like the oem leathers in your car
rotating driver's seat
strainer, closed loop, and flush standard
mc style board racks(function not look)
factory deck protection option
no more lifting rings, except as option
bag ballast systems and bow system
2 tower options:1 old school and 1 new
port side only battery placement
well thought out cup holder placement
no more latches for compartments
wet sounds, molded in 420
walk thru
flowing graphics/gel coat
new steering wheel
diff. brand head unit
key and push button start simultaneously

[ers906]

Very good point about the speed of technology. WHo knows what is going to be available in ten years from now? Probably something that I can't even imagine. That being said, the digital gauges in the 2002 SANs probably were met with pretty good fanfare, but are now being replaced with the analogs since they havent lasted the test of time. I am sure that someone will figure out a patch/replacement part that would fix the screen LINC-type systems if they foul up.
Who remembers the few cars with the projection of the dash on the inside of the windshield? That went over like gangbusters.

[NCH2oSki]

Got it wrong

Mc - winged rudder on 2002 197

cc - pinstripe tape on graphics and offering a carb up till a few years ago on a new boat.

bu - no gear reduction trannies

All - adding to much to the cost of a good realiable ski boat.

Got it right -

CC - best wake or lack of wake on a ski boat

mc - first all fiberglass ski boat and fuel injection on every boat sold from 94+
Set the bar for ski boat wakes in the early 90's

bu - response lx and lxi - excellent ski boat, handles like a race car. (see note about gear reduction)

All- mostly great ski boats, and I'll take a pull behind all of them every chance I get.

[tdc_worm]

C'mon tdc, lighten up! It wasn't all subjective. Graphics are a design feature in my book. Someone has to "design" them. Right?

Worm; you wouldn’t get any responses if you didn’t want opinion (I.E. I almost fell out of my chair when you said MC's got it right with the power tower)

you guys got me all wrong, hahaha! see what happens when you step away from the microphone for an afternoon to earn a living! my objective was this: if you cant define the parameters that make something superior, then it becomes opinion. take graphics for example. ask 5 people who has the best graphics, you will get 5 different answers. on the flip side look at stadium seating. ask 5 people which interior layout would be most conducive for 5+ passengers to view a rider aft of the boat, and the answer would become obvious. and CC didnt invent it...tige actually did with their reversible rear bench in their direct drives...CC is the only one whom embraces it now...

as for the MC power tower point, i think it looks hideous, which i am sure is why you fell out of your chair. with that in mind, I challenge you to find another tower that does the following:
1. requires no effort from the occupants
2. does not clutter the interior when folded (those that fold forward get in the drivers way, those that fold rearward get in the passengers way, which is important when going under a bridge)
3. ALLOWS THE BOARDS TO STAY IN THE BOARD RACK WHEN FOLDED (a benefit when going under a bridge with a boat full of people, putting the boat in a lift with a low overhead, or backing the boat into a garage with a low door)
4. appears to allow the adjustability of the tow point height (helps short people adjust rope length)
5. keeps tower speakers oriented aft (keeps people from getting blasted in the boat if the height of the tower is changed)

the design will evolve and become more attractive, and i am sure the rest of the industry is not far behind....

[tdc_worm]

CC got it right:

non wrap around windshields that allowed the driver to easily talk to the rider while in the water...maybel allow a portion of the wrap around windshiled to slide forward to open up the window?

[TRDon]

CC got wrong

-Faria gauges and the overcomplicated gateway (stupid expensive to replace and difficult to troubleshoot individual guages) There is nothing wrong with a dedicated line or wire to a gauge. Simple,cheap,effective.

-linc system, makes the gateway look cheap and easy.

-number keypad, they are failing left and right. If it was reliable, I would retract that.

-Primium boat at a premium price. Lack of price point boats killed it for them. Made for easy entry spots for moomba centuion tige for those who cant even think about a CC. No boat fit their range unless it was used.

-lack of factory offering of a trailer, no trailer is the same under a CC (exagerated but seriously, why no trailer, a basic necessity for most)

CC got right

-Good boat made for good resale value (for those who can afford one)

-Classic lines and schemes made for timeless look, somewhat of a novelty in this market of overdone.

Bu got right

-aerator pump system that works. Super easy and super cheap to replace parts, low power draw (smaller wires/fuses/heat/noise (why I converted mine)

-Collapseable rear tow point (HUGE OPTION for view,trip, chipping kids teeth)

-Classic lines and color chemes

-Easy ballast with the wedge

-Best interior material feel and texture and multiple texture useage (my opinion)

Bu got wrong

-Sub-par quality (nonbiased opinion, I know many owners who say never again)

-Lacking a true price point boat (55K starting price is NOT a price point boat, I dont care what they say)

-Digital dash with features operated from it. Less complicated than a linc system, but probably still expensive if there is a problem.

MC got right

-off the wall interior and exterior design (if you like that kind of stuff)

-Nice engine choices available

-Tons of size options for whatever you need sizing

-great factory trailer, but.........................

MC got wrong
-insanely expensive factory traier option.

-off the wall interior and exterior design (if you dont like that kind of stuff)

-insane expensive MSRP to deter even bill gates from owing one

-requirement of at least a litteral ton of weight to make a good weight. (ask anyone, a near requirement to even ride one and clear the wake)

[aussiesport]

Get real on price freaks

How bout sending a new boat into the ever growing aus market that is affordable (less than 65 K AUS dollars) the first US manufacturer to do this WILL reap the rewards and I WILL buy one AND so will most of my wakeboarding buddies!!! GET WITH THE PROGRAM U FREAKS price is everything!!!!CC call me and i will personally sell heaps of boats in AUS if you can build them to a PRICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[2gofaster]

Go to the User Settings screen and adjust the Audio Intensity setting. Setting it to zero should disable the feature. By the way, I love that feature. I leave mine set at 4 and it seems to work very well.

Sweet. Ours is set too high and killing our ears. I'll be changing it today. Dont' want to turn it off, just down a bit. ****, I must be getting old. LOL

[east tx skier]

CC got wrong

-lack of factory offering of a trailer, no trailer is the same under a CC (exagerated but seriously, why no trailer, a basic necessity for most)

I know at least one long time MC dealer that told me time and time again that he wished MC would get out of the trailer business. According to him, it was a constant source of problems and was a neverending black eye.