Buying a New Boat - Help !

[JFT]

I am planning to purchase a new 2005 boat at the Montreal boat show in 3 weeks from now.

I am looking for an excellent slalom ski boat (tournament level) with wakeboard capabilities for beginner to intermediate level skiers. Hopefully the boat will be below 21 feet. I am planning to purchase a tower with the boat.

Based on my review found on waterski online and some magazines, very few boats will meet these criteria.

So far, the Air Nautique A206 seems to fit the bill very well. The Moomba Outback also seem to be a much cheaper candidate.

Based on Malibu discussion board , it appears that the Malibu Response and the Mastercraft's X7 would maybe meet my requirements.

Looking for world class slalom and intermediate wakeboarding capabilities.

Why should I buy a Correct Craft and not a Malibu Response or a Mastercraft ?

I am really looking forward to getting your input.

Cheers

JF

[skinautique]

RE: Buying a New Boat - Help !

JF,
Welcome to the site! As far as each company goes, you would be looking at the ski/air nautique 206 (same boat with different graphic package), the MC ProStar 197/X7 (same boat with different graphic package) or the Malibu Response LXi (The Response LX is a shorter boat and has a walkover entryway into the open bow).

The 206 is a great little boat. It drives very well in calm and rough water. There is a good amount of storage and it is built off of the TSC2 hull which was designed to provide an awesome, non existent slalom wake.

There are complaints by some about the passenger seat not being large enough for two people. My answer to that is to get the portable jump seat or order the optional extended seat.
Correct Craft has made an incredible ski boat for a long, long time. There attention to detail is second to none. I have been through the factory a couple of times.

You have many options regarding engine options, stereo options and color options. They are grouped into packages called the signature, limited and team package. Since you want the tower, I would opt for the Team package. It will come standard with the tower, board racks, upgraded stereo, 330 HP MPI engine and the standard 5 year bumper to bumper warranty.

You will find that Correct Craft uses a thicker gelcoat, a stronger resin, thicker vinyl, a seat foam that no one else uses (it allows for the foam to not break down nearly as quick as the competitors.)

If you start to look around the engine, you will find a standard water strainer bowl to filter out weeds and muck before they clog up the engine, a fuel control cell which is only available through PCM. It eliminates any chance of ever experiencing vapor lock. The engine mounts are larger and stronger than the competitors. The MPI is a huge plus over some of the engines which are only TBI.

The MasterCraft is a very nice looking boat. There are some areas where I feel they lack though. I personally don't think that the boat rides as nice as a Correct Craft. There are also some issues with the passenger seat being designed in a way that it traps water and you have to sit in it rather than having the water drain off. You will also hear them say that the water will run through the vinyl to drain. This is obviously no good because it will damage the foam in the seat and it will break down quicker.

The Malibu has come a long way since they started. I would say that the ski wake is acceptable. I PERSONALLY prefer the nautique wake though. My drawbacks to the Malibu are the low drivers seat (I feel like I am sitting on the floor), the windshield alignment and the fact that sound dampening is not standard. Many boaters are unaware of this being an option and they don't get it and the boat is really loud. I am also not a fan of the wedge. Correct Craft came up with a very, very similar concept to this and chose not to bring it to market. This is when Malibu brought it out. The problem is the amount of force on the transom of the boat. It is very hard on the hull. You also run into the issue of possibly hitting other underwater obstacles and damaging the boat. The vinyl on the seats are not that great. The look nice and feel good to sit in but the skin itself is very thin. It can slice and tear easily. This is an area where Correct Craft really shines. Look at the stitching and taping from each of the manufacturers.

Pay attention to where the speakers are mounted as well. Some of the manufacturers have the speakers protruding out of the vinyl. This isn't very comfortable to lean up against.

Another important feature is the alignment of the windshield. You have to take my word on this or get out and drive them for yourself to see. In the MC and the Malibu, the windshield frame will be right in your line of vision or your head will be above the windshield. In the CC, this isn't the case. If you sit in it at the boatshow, it will appear this way but it isn't. When you drive it, you never have the windshield frame in your line of vision. Correct Craft uses an angled seat base to handle different height drivers. A shorter person will sit higher and the taller people will sit lower.
The keyless ignition is found only on the Correct Craft. This was introduced in 2000. It is not a necessity but most people say that they never want to go back to a key for the ignition. There is also a built in engine diagnostics system to alert you of an overheat or low oil pressure, etc in the guages. Very handy for most owners. The engine overheat actually alerts you in time unlike other systems.

I hope this is a good start. Feel free to ask for more info and good luck in your search!

[SGY]

RE: Buying a New Boat - Help !

JFT. Welcome to the site. Here is my two cents in the friendly confines of the Planetnautique web side.

Regarding the Response LXI, like I said, it's an awesome boat. As you can see, Skinautique had nothing really bad to say about its performance. Its a great performing boat. However, there are a few personal taste issues that would keep me from buying one should I ever decide to sell my 206. First, the windshield issue. I don't like looking over or have to slouch to look under. I also don't like the way the driver's seat is positioned on the RLXI. It seems like the seat bottom is on the floor with really not spacer or pedestal. These are areas where the 206 or 196 has the RLXI beat--IMHO. Also, the 206 is quieter and seems to run a bit smoother than the RLXI. The PCM gear reduction tranny is second to none in smoothness--a point I didn't recognize until I rode in a RLXI. The 206 also does not have the uboat tendency that the RLXI is known for. I've never come close to drowning the 206's bow. Keep in mind these are all subjective issues for me and not a big deal to others.

Regarding skiing performance, I've debated with my MBO brethern ad-nausim regarding the 206 ski wakes. I've skied behind the 206, 197, and RLXI. I've also skied a great deal behind the post 2001 SN 196 as well as the 1997-2001 TSC1 hulled Ski Nautique. Frankly I think the wake behind the 206 is better than the TSC1 hulled boat and very close to the TSC2 SN 196--which is considered by most to be the best hardcore closed bow ski boat. I believe the 206 wake is better than the MC 197. In regard to this, there is not that much difference between any of the wakes on these boats and certainly subjective opinions from reasonable minds could differ.

The RLXI's wake is dang nice, but I did not notice anything about the 206 wake that made me think the RLXI was better--and trust me, I did quite a bit of soul searching this past summer and tried to be honest with myself. The 206 never disapointed me. I will say that it would not surprise me if the RLXI wake at 22off was a bit better than the 206. I've even heard CC dealers admit partially to this "fact". However, I don't have any first hand experience in this regard. At 15 off I don't think the 206 can be beat--perhaps equaled, but not beat. As you get into shorter line lengths and faster speeds, all the boats are very nice.

As I pointed out on MBO, I also think the 206 tracks better than the 197 and RLXI--although the RLXI is a closer call. The 206 also performs better in rough water. It won't rattle your brains like the other hardcore ski boats. Finally, the 206 is just more to my liking. A MBO reader who I know and respect called the 206 a floating bathtube. It's just a matter of opinion. I love the look of the Nautique and really can't get too excited about the RLXI. It just isn't my cup of tea. I will say that I really like the look of MC's 197.

Regarding CC and PCM quality, I won't duplicate what SN says above. Another MBO reader, Rutat, will tell you that CC boats are way overengineered. I won't presume to dispute Rutat's wisdom in that regard. These boats are built to last many many years. My 03 206 is my third Nautique and I've never been disapointed.

Regarding wakeboarding, this isn't really my cup of tea but I like the idea of the Air 206. You don't need the wedge to produce intermediate quality wakes. The TSC2 hull actually produces a very nice shaped wake--although not huge.

Good luck and remember, the only opinion that really matters is yours.

[Deuce]

RE: Buying a New Boat - Help !

Skinautique and SGY...those may be two of the most thought out and informative single posts I have read during my years on this and the 2(WW & WB) fourms I frequent. Impressive....love when it is just straight up without the trash.

Anyway....carry on & best of luck in your boat purchase JFT.

E.J.

[skinautique]

RE: Buying a New Boat - Help !

Thanks Deuce. I tried real hard!!! J/K

[JFT]

Thanks

Dear Skinautique and SGY

I received both of your replies in the comfort of my home after a long day at work. I cannot thank you enough for taking your valuable time to produce such helpful comments.

Your comments have really helped and I feel a lot more confident now about what I should be looking for.

I will definitively keep you posted on my decision.

In the meantime, keep your comments coming, every bit will help...

Have a great day.

JF

[skinautique]

RE: Thanks

JFT,
What else is important to you in making your decision? If you can test drive one somewhere, that is a huge plus.
Are you worried about resale, warranty issues, etc???

[JFT]

Unfortunately, it is Winter here and I will not get to drive the boats before I purchase one. Therefore, I have to rely on the various opinions that I have read regarding boat handling and potential drawbacks of each brand.

The Dealership that I am dealing with carries both Correct Craft’s and Moomba’s. As mentioned earlier, the Moomba Outback is approximately $ 20 K cheaper than the CC option.

Apart from making sure that if I pick the CC A206, I am making the right decision as opposed to buying a Malibu Lxi or MaterCraft X7, I am also struggling with making sure that if I decide to pay the extra 20K for the Correct Craft (vs Moomba), it will be worth it.

At this time, I don’t know if I will keep the boat for a couple of years of for the next 15 years. If you look hard at the (cost/what you get) ratio, is it really easy to justify buying the Correct Craft as opposed to a Moomba Outback which has received great reviews from Waterski online.

How would you justify the extra 20K to your wife? I think that if I can come with some very straightforward arguments, the move will be easy.

Thanks again for your help. This is really making a difference.

Cheers

JF

[skinautique]

There is one major drawback with the waterski magazine. It is a nice place to see all of the boats together but that magazine is advertising driven. If you look through all of the boats, you will find that there are hardly any negative comments about any of the boats. You and I both know that is not true. Otherwise there would be 1 very similar price for all boats.
To sell the boat to your wife, I would get her to sit in the drivers seat of the two boats and pretend that she is driving the boat. Let her put her hands on the steering wheel and the throttle. Let her look through the windshield and see how her vision is and how comfortable it is for her throttle arm (where it rests) and then let her sit in every other seat to feel out the comfort.
Another drawback for me with the Malibu is the slant of the windshield. I am 5'9 and when I sit in the passenger seat, I can't lean back at all. My head hits the windshield frame due to the slant of it. I honestly can't remember if this happens in the MC or not.

Here are some things that Correct Craft has that no other company offers (some of it might get technical so let me know if you need it in lamens terms)
AME 5000 Resin (the strongest bonding resin you can get)
5 year bumper to bumper warranty on the boat
3 year warranty on the engine (everyone has this)
2 JD Power And Associates awards (5 out of 5 on every category with the 2003 boats) You can check it out at www.jdpower.com
PCM also received this award last year for durability, power, maintenance, etc
1:23:1 transmission giving you more hole shot and smoother acceleration
Keyless ignition and digital guages with an integration engine information center included
The heaviest, most breathable carpet in the industry
A starndard stain resistant coat on the vinyl to make clean up a lot easier
The engine mounts are stronger. They are also mounted to a 3/4" thick piece of aluminum rather than being bolted directly to the stringers like some of the other manufacturers
Standard sound dampening and motor box insulation. Between Correct Craft and MC, these are the two quietest boats on the water. Hands down
Standard MPI on every engine
The thickest gel coat out there - allows the boat to be buffed out longer than any other boat to maintain a long lasting finish
Higher resale value - just look at www.nada.com and you will see when comparing similar models
Higher quality vinyl and stitching. Pay attention to some of the stitching lines (particularly Moomba)

When the boat is in the water (which I understand you can't test drive it), the Correct Craft will feel a lot tighter and is way more responsive.

If you only take one piece of advice from this (I hope you take more though), eliminate Moomba from your decision and stick with malibu, mastercraft or nautique.

And I will throw it in here too........ You will really, really enjoy having a Nautique. I have been in them for over 15 years and will never, ever switch.

[FatBoy]

I can't speak for Moomba or Malibu as I have never owned one but I did own a Mastercraft. It was a good boat and we skied it for 5 years, but it fell far short of my Nautique. I will never go back to the dark side.

[SGY]

Duece, thanks for the kind comments. I get a kick out of these forums. JFT. Absolutely stick with CC, BU, or MC. The Moomba is in a much different league. It just isn't built as well and won't take the pounding. Example. Some very nice people on our lake bought a used late model Moomba. One day I was at the lake and decided to take a look around the boat. Man what a difference. The pylon was loose at the base as was the drivers seat and the windshield frame was like a noodle. These are not neglect items but reveal how the boat was put together. It was very illuminating.

On the other hand, I've owned three Nautiques. My first was a 1988 SN 2001 model. It was a tank. Man that thing ran like a scalded dog. It sounded great and was a wonderful first boat. When it came time to sell, I sold it for $1500 more than I paid for it. Never had a problem with that boat. My next was a 1999 SNOB. It was so much better than my 1988 I couldn't get over it. Ran way better and was so much smoother in rough water. The wake had really come a long way as well. When I sold that boat, I also made $1,000. (Keep in mind I bought both of these boats used.) I now have a 2003 206. Just as the 1999 was sooo much better, the difference between the 206 and SNOB is almost as dramatic. My point is, CC keeps on making their boats better and better. The fun factor really goes up as the quality of the boat increases--in my opinion.

All three are great boats. I would never bash a BU or MC. When it comes to likes and dislikes relating to these boats, most are subjective and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. One thing I forgot to say about the RLXI that I do like is that you can put a normal sized ski in the trunk. The 206's trunk is nice but it's not sized for an adult ski. However, CC has the ski racks that come standard now on the limited edition.

All three boats--RLXI, 206, and 197 are nice riding boats--for inboards. I agree with Skinautique that the RLXI window frame can give you a head knocker if you are an observer. The frame is quite low and slanted. The CC and MC are very close in terms of ride and quietness. The Malibu will be a bit more raucous and not quite as smooth or forgiving going over the rollers. The Moomba will rattle your bones. I guarantee you will not like that boat in choppy water. I would compare a new Moomba to my old 1988 2001 SN in terms of rough water ride--still giving the nod to the older SN. The Moomba also will not track nearly as well in the course and will be much more of a hand full to drive when pulling you. The big three, especially the 206, will be a dream for her to drive.

Since you cannot ride in each of the big three, my advice is to read as much as you can and then make a decision based upon the following (not in any particular order): a. Information posted here and on MBO; b. Dealer service; c. Warranty; d. Availability. Call other BU, MC and CC dealers and ask their advice as well. At some point you will reach maximum saturation and something will click.

I would also give Correct Craft a call and see if you can talk to Jeff Warner or John Givens. I gotta tell you, it was Jeff Warner's friendship over the years that really sold me on the company. That guy went out of his way to answer questions I had and to give me a personal ride on a 206. Jeff has moved on up the ranks at CC and John Givens has replaced him. John is also a great guy.

Good luck and post any questions you have or pop me an email--syork@dnvrlaw.com

[MARK-S]

Duece, there is a reason that the Moomba is 20,000 cheaper. You need to drive one to find out. Drive it now and than drive it after there is 300 hours on it. Go with the 206 and you will have many, many hours of ski/wb enjoyment trouble free. I am on my 3rd 206 ( I promo them). My last tow buyyers are totally happy with the boats.

[MARK-S]

SGY, The trunk thing is overworked. I would never put my $1000 ski in the trunk anyway. I would go with the ski racks or use the floor. IMO. Hows the winter going in DEN. My new lake has 2 ft of ice. -46f here for 4 days. Bring on global warming.

[SGY]

Hey Mark. Glad to see you are still lurking around here. Denver is nice today. It's going to be close to 70 degrees. I'm going to get my boat ready this weekend and maybe dunk it the first nice weekend in February.

Are you anywhere near "Embarras" Minn. I heard it was negative 54 there this week. Brrrr.

Couple of other things for JFT to consider regarding these boats: The RLXI seems like its quicker out of the hole--at least at this altitude. I think BU benefitted from some prop experimentation a few years ago by S&W Performance and they really smoke. The lake where I skied the RLXI has a short set up and I understand that some tweaking had to be done to the 2003 SN 196 to get up to 36mph before the gates. The RLXI had no problem. The 206 is close to the RLXI and better than the 197 in my opinion. The 197 holeshot seems a little soft--a fact confirmed by the promo guy that owned my boat to begin with. He indicated that his buddy had a 03 197 that was taken in to see if anything was wrong--after the guy drove the 206. If you are not a mile high, this shouldn't be something to worry about with any of the big three. The Bu and the MC also seem to have a more plush interior than the CC. The Bu definitely has more bling and is very striking. Most CC boats seem to utilize a more conservative interior. Again, this is just a matter of taste.

Keep us posted.

[66Skylark]

Hey JFT,

My family is the original owner of a 1966 Correct Craft Skylark ski boat.
This summer will be our 39th season with the boat. 4(!) generations of my family have enjoyed the boat.

Correct Craft has always prided themselves on the quality of their product. That was true when we bought our boat and it is true now.

The care they put into designing and building the boats really shows. Wheather your purchasing short term, with intentions of trading up in a few years or your planning on holding onto the boat long-term, you'll get your money's worth out of the CC!

We're looking to move to a new boat - drove a 211 this fall and fell in love - and I honestly wouldn't even consider something else. I've looked at the boat shows - just for comparison, the other brands are nice, but just not as nice as a Nautique.

Good Luck on your purchase!